Electrostatic Speakers


Hello Audiogon! Been around the forum scene for quite a while, and just joined this forum and thought I offer my thoughts on some equipment I just bought: speakers and the cables that came with it.

I couldn’t afford brand new speakers, and thought I’d try a different type speaker as opposed to my B&W 805 Diamond speakers. My dealer has loaned me Marten Logan Quest Z electrostatic speakers, as well as TARA Labs “The One” cables for this purpose. Right away I could hear a difference in sounds between the B&W and The ML. My B&W definitely have more punch to them, and the bass is quite remarkable. (this works great when I’m listening to my classic rock collection) What I found interesting was the way the ML speakers had a sound that seemed to encompass the whole room. Like a wall of sound (courtesy of Phil Spector) If you’ve never heard a good pair of electrostatic speakers, then I’d urge you to try and listen to some if you can. Really a whole new world out there. The cables that my dealer loaned me where TARA Labs. Though I’ve heard of them before, I haven’t really seen any advertising in any magazines showing off new models etc. I saw them in Stereophile Recommended components issues. I’ve always used Wireworld cables in my system before and do love them. I will say that I immediately heard a difference when I put the TARA Labs cables in my system. The high frequencies were insane to say the least. As a matter of fact, the Marten Logans with those cables really expanded when I put Dark side of the moon on (180gm vinyl) Anyone out there have any experience with electrostatic speakers?

-Brian J.
abcaudio
@jasongreene Manufacturers spend fortunes on placing ads in magazines and smother us in the virtues of how their product is better than everyone else. You want to know how good products really are? Read the comments in audio-blogs. If you read good things about a particular product, and lots of bloggers are writing this…. you would be well to follow that advice. They base the reviews only on their own experience, and not on dollars spent with ads
Learsfool, most guys who have not heard great horns, but love stats, will think you are crazy. They just have not heard the right horns.

I agree totally. A great horn can do the electrostatic softness, subtelty, transparency, but can also do the snap, the instant wide range transients that no stat can do.

Like you, I also like most stats.
I agree, Omsed. Horns, driven by tube electronics, sound more life-like, if we are talking non-amplified live acoustic music, than anything else. But stats do a fine job as well, I have heard some great ones.
Living with a great panel speaker (I have Apogee Duetta Sig's) for a while is like living with a great passive preamp. It might not do everything right, but once you are used to the transparency that they bring to the table it is hard to find anything else that improves on their weaknesses but still retains their strengths.
I am a stat lover and would own nothing else. Not an ML fan but definitely a STATLOVER.