Will soon get my first MLs

[CCH]

Hi, everyone. I was very pleased to find the ML Club site this evening. I have been interested in planar speakers for many years, having owned early Maggies and Carver Amazing Silvers. More recently, I've been using a pair of Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers, which are terrific for their size and price. I do prefer a speaker with a taller soundstage, however, and I was floored by the Summits when I heard them soon after they were introduced. Consequently, I've hoped to have a pair ever since but couldn't afford them. Well, to make a long story short, I decided to buy one of the few demo pairs left in an East Coast audio chain. They will arrive either tomorrow (I hope!) or Tuesday.

'Can't wait to hear what these sound like in my home. I will be running them off a McIntosh MC-402 amp fed by a BAT VK-32SE preamp. Other gear includes a Scoutmaster TT and a Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD player with Analysis Plus Crystal Oval interconnects throughout.

So, the ML adventure is about to begin. I can hardly wait. In the meantime, I'll look through a number of the threads on the site and see what I can learn. I expect there are lots of useful tips here. Thanks in advance for all that you'll teach me.

Best wishes,
Craig

 

[MiTT]

Craig,

First off...:welcome:

I hope you enjoy your journey here. Lot's of good helpful folks around. Sounds like you've been at this audio thing for awhile yourself, so we'll all be waiting to hear your stories and contributions as well.

Once you're set up with the new Summits take the time to add your rig to our "Member Systems" section and don't be afraid to post plenty of pictures - we love them around here.

Once again, welcome and happy listening!

 

[C.A.P]

Welcome to the asylum. I to started out with Maggies and Carvers. Both were decent but nothing like ML. The Summit is my favorite hybrid design to date.

 

[Gordon]

Hi Craig and welcome. Nice to see another McIntosh owner. Where about in Maryland are you?

Gordon

 

[twich54]

Welcome from up the road in SE Pa !

 

[CCH]

Thanks for the greetings...

Much appreciated. I am in Rockville, Maryland, which is an okay place to be. Not the greatest scenery, but a lot of interesting people and places to go. The D.C. area has a few high-end stores, but you have to work to get to them. They are spread far and wide.

No news yet about the arrival of the Summits. The minutes tick by slowly!

I should say what sold me on them two or three years ago was hearing them play a jazz piece with a lead sax. I had heard such music countless times on numerous systems, but this was the first time I heard a sax really sound like a sax. So much body and air. 'Really stunning. I wanted a pair of Summits (or equivalent) ever since. It wasn't until quite recently that I had a sufficiently good system to justify having them, however. That, and I couldn't have afforded them at full price. (Well, I might have bought them anyway, but I could never have persuaded my wife!)

I had hoped to get one of the lighter woods with the black frame, but the only thing I could get at this price was the aluminum (silver) frame with the black ash box. I've only seen them in pictures, so I might like the look more than I expect. Beggars can't be choosers, after all, and I did buy them to listen to more than look at. I expect they'll grow on me.

We're actually in the middle of changing a lot of things around the house, so the place is a mess. 'Don't think I'll be sending any photos for a while...

 

[Ron]

Welcome Craig. I run my Summits with a McIntosh 402 amp. You will not be disappointed.

 

[CCH]

Patience...

'Just heard that the Summits won't be in until Tuesday. Ah, well. I've lived this long without them...

'Glad to hear about your experience with the 402. It seems like it ought to be a really good match, but you never know until you try. 'Happy to hear that it works.

These Summits have been store demos, but I have been told that they were very seldom used. Assuming for the moment that is accurate, let me ask a question. I am used to break in with cones and expect that will be required with the woofers, but what is your experience like with the panels? Does their character change over time, and, if so, how (and in what sort of time frame)?

I ask this because I have a small window within which to evaluate the speakers. I don't expect to return them, but I could if I felt that they were not a big enough step up, I could do so. Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[twich54]

As demos....who knows how many hours, regardless you will be settled with them in 50-100 hrs.

 

[CCH]

Thanks...

In your experience, how the do panels change over that time?

 

[twich54]

In your experience, how the do panels change over that time?

With respect to the break-in period two things become apparent (in the case of hybrid design)

1) the panel breaks in first in a manner by which it produces music at the extremes (of its operating freq range) in a more 'effortless' and open way.

2)The bass driver takes up two time as long (or a little more) to do the same thing. It is after all an electro-mechanical device. Once the bass driver has settled in it then "catches up" with the ESL panel for a more seamless integration / presentation between the two units.

Thus the 50-100 hrs, give or take depending on ones audible sensitivity.

 

[Gordon]

I believe I have just over 100 hours on my Spires. They were new, in the box. When first installed, I put them in the identical spot where the Vantage were.

Initially the panels were etched, forward and coarse. The bass was solid with a bit of flab. This did not concern me as much as it did with the Vantage since I was such a newb with ML and had no idea what it took to get these to shine.

Right about 60 hours, I noticed a very distinct change in the panel. For lack of a better word, I'd say they "sat" down and became smooth and softer. There was no loss of detail or transparency. Bass was more gradual and not a distinct change compared to the panel. The bass seems very authentic to me now. Of course I'll qualify that being recording dependent.

At about the 75 hour mark, I started playing with positioning and tilt. The Spires are close to where the Vantage were. Only a couple inches in a couple directions was needed to obtain what I was looking for. Jeff/Tonepub had mentioned that earlier and was spot on with his advice.

Have fun on Tuesday. You are taking a sick day right?

By the way, I'm in Lexington Park about 30 minutes south of Waldorf. Can't get much further south from here without a boat. That's hobby I'm thankfully not in.

Gordon

 

[CCH]

That's helpful.

Thanks. :bowdown: I have braced myself to be a little underwhelmed at first since I doubt that the speakers have been used much. Of course, not knowing exactly how much introduces a significant variable. My guess from what I have been told is that they haven't been driven more than, say, twenty hours. Because the store tends to sell mostly less expensive gear, they weren't auditioned nearly as often as most of their other speakers. (They were in a room where only one set of speakers could be hooked up at a time. 'Nothing like the old "wall of sound" setups that used to be so common in stereo stores. It was fun to be able to switch instantly among ten or fifteen different speaker pairs, but the strange positioning of that many speakers made for some very odd and unfair comparisons.)

As I wrote, I was told the speakers are coming Tuesday, but I need to check to find out when they expect the shipment. If it is during the workday, you can bet I'll take the day off! No way am I letting those sit on the loading dock for more than half an hour.

SE Maryland is pretty country, at least from what I have seen. Not a lot of hi-fi shops, I'd guess. But somehow life goes on...

Thanks again for the info,
Craig