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Review 3 of 3
Price Paid:
$2500.00
from Magnolia Hi-Fi Summary:
Ever since revelling in the music from a pair of Magnapan MG II speakers I owned many years ago (which I regretfully sold to help finance my college education), I have searched for a speaker that could match their sonic clarity while avoiding their large size and power hungry nature. Over the intervening years, I purchased several different makes and models of dynamic, multi-driver acoustic suspension speakers. Only a few came close to measuring up to the standard set by the Magnapans: huge sound stage, great front-to-back depth, natural-sounding musicality and quick transient response.... During this time, I never seriously considered electro-static speakers because of the problems that seemed inherent in their design: dust build-up on the stator panels, arching at high volume levels and a reputation for somewhat bright, "tizzy" sound (something the Magnapan planar speakers never suffered from). You can imagine my surprise then, when I auditioned a pair of Martin Logan Aeon i hybrid electro-static speakers (based on a fellow audio enthusiast's recommendation) and was immediately impressed by their clear, open and utterly transparent sound. The music seemed to jump out of the Aeons in a way that I had never heard before, surpassing even the Magnapans I remember so fondly. The sound was so dynamic and detailed that it eclipsed everything I had heard before, including some five-figure high-end models connected to much more expensive hi-fi gear. After purchasing a matched pair of Aeon i speakers (at a special reduced price) from the local dealer, I have spent many hours listening to them in my system. Even though I have not owned the Martin Logans very long (they aren't even "broken in" yet), their superior qualities are so readily audible that I feel justified in writing this review without delay. I will not waste more words trying to describe the sound produced by these speakers: they have to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Just set aside any preconceptions you have about electro-static speakers prior to listening, cue up the music, close your eyes and enjoy perhaps the most transparent, articulate and coherent sound you have ever heard from a speaker. Strengths:
Solidly built: exceptional fit and finish -- Dynamic, transparent, articulate sound -- natural depth and width to the sound stage -- good imaging without the artificial "pinpoint" focus of many dynamic speakers -- very coherent sound from top to bottom -- very quick transients (guitar strings, drums, piano notes, cymbals, etc. sound realistic) -- midrange is to die for: especially the clear, effortless vocals with great focus and three-dimensionality -- efficient: not at all power hungry -- seem to disappear and leave the music floating in the air. Weaknesses:
Need good electronics and cables to get great sound from these speakers -- they are also unforgiving of flaws in the source material (LPs, CDs, etc.) and reveal any shortcomings in the miking, recording or production of the music. Great recordings sound astonishingly good -- lesser recordings suffer by comparison. Unfortunately, great recordings seem to be the exception rather than the norm (no fault of the Martin Logan Aeon i speakers, though). Similar Products Used:
Magnapan MG II, Infinity Kappa 8.1 Series II, Audio Physic Tempo IV & Virgo III speakers
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5 of 5
