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Electrostats Shootout at 4000 Corral

from the latest electrostat technology the gunslingers are from kansas the legendary MARTIN LOGAN with the ASSENT($4000) from utah SOUND LABS with their handsome DYNOSTAT($3900) and from georgia INNERSOUND with EROS PASSIVE($4000) to make this as fair as possibile KRELL 300i amp($3000 new $1200 used) and for CDP hmmm take the NAD C540($600 NEW) i would prefer GASMAN'S recommendation the powerful INNERSOUND ESL amp($3000 new) gives 300 watts into 8 ohms 600 into 4 and 1000 into 2. for cdp i would prefer the new GRANITE 657 TUBE CDP($2500). i have seen MARTIN LOGAN shoot, BEAUTIFUL! no dealers in new orleans for INNERSOUND or SOUND LABS , guess have to drive to houston or atlanta to hear these guys. you know it seems the shootout is not between these 3, its more like these 3 against the HUNDREDS of box LOUDspeakers(WITH THE WILSONS leading the pack and the MAGEPLANNARS are in the pack as well. sorry maggie devotes i'VE HEARD THE MAGGIE 1.6 with CALIFORNIA LABS CDP and a NAD amp as well with a ROGUE amp ,not impressed. so its a question of which of the 3 electrostat can knock off the most boxed LOUD speakers. tweekerman
tweekerman
tweekerman OP
473 posts
 
kirt what do you mean by too lean? i guess if i hear labs and innersound i'll know. you say to forget ss ,gasman says innersound's els amp($3000) is THE amp? to throw a twist in take the upgraded INNERSOUND EROS MK11($6000), both speaker and electronics reworked with a 600rms amp. kirt did you hear eros or erosmk11?
plato
1,543 posts
 
Kirk930,

I have heard the DynAstats and don't think they are in the same ballpark with the Eros Mk-II, which I own. Certainly, the InnerSounds are more efficient and robust than the Sound Labs and will play cleanly at much higher output levels.

As to your comments about pairing tubes with electrostats, this is a synergistic match in some cases because most tube amps that use an output transformer roll off the high frequencies into low impedance loads that many stats present.

I have gotten excellent results using high-powered solid state amplifiers, like the InnerSound ESL and Monarchy Audio SE-100s as well as Monarchy's hybrid SE-160 (tube input/MOSFET output) monoblocks. You can also employ a digital processor with solid-state amps, such as the Behringer 8024 or any of the current (but more expensive) models from TacT, to take full advantage of solid-state's more uniform power delivery at the frequency extremes, thus having your cake and eating it too! I have the Behringer in my system at the moment and decreasing the output slightly from the upper midrange through the lower treble works quite well.

I had two good friends over today to hear the system and I played them a few tracks off of Fleetwood Mac's "The Dance" live CD. They were just floored at the way the Eros unraveled that very complex recording, reproducing Mac along with the USC Marching Band. The immensity of the sound field, incredible dynamics, and ability to follow individual instrumental passages with the USC band's blaring accompanyment was quite a visceral, realistic, and moving experience.

My two friends, both confirmed analog & tube enthusiasts, are now contemplating a foray into digital after hearing how impressive and natural an all-digital, solid-state system can sound. To be fair, I should mention that my Eros Mk-II is the more expensive active, bi-amped model and I have not heard the passive version.
plato
1,543 posts
 
Regarding my previous post, to those of you who think it's somehow unfair to use affordable digital processing to achieve excellent sonic results, all I can say is "Welcome to the 21st Century!"

Teekerman, as a former owner of the original Eros and current owner of the Mk-II, I can tell you that the sonic differences between the two versions are not immense by any stretch. Owners of the original Eros may not need to run out and upgrade.

The new version offers a built-in remote controlled preamp section (only one input though) which allows you to boost the low bass more than the original, which is probably the biggest difference. But it's not night and day, and if you already own a dedicated subwoofer system then the remote control may be all you are gaining. The jury is still out on whether the new crossover amp is ultimately as transparent as the original unit, and since the present version has just been updated I'll need to wait until I hear the latest version before I can offer an informed opinion on that. I do know that the new crossover amp will offer plug-in crossover modules to facilitate its use with any present, active InnerSound speaker system and those that may be introduced in the future.
kw6
692 posts
 
Hi,

I am interested in getting a pair of ML Aeons myself but I am still worried that with certain recordings the soundstage will collapse to the floor where the woofer is. At least that's what I heard with the Aerius. The only other manufacturer which tries to eliminate this problem is Final which mount their woofer firing up.

Does anybody know if they have solved this problem with the smaller hybrid electrostats. I also heard the Soundlab Quantum do the collapsing soundstage thing.
plato
1,543 posts
 
Hey, Kw6, collapsing soundstage, that's a new one on me. I don't think that particular phenomenon is due to the design of the woofer enclosure as you've suggested, but may be more related to the the amplifier not being able to supply adequate power into the speaker's demanding load. I have heard the Aerius i and did not hear that particular effect. Methinks you are shooting the messenger. :)
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