I've had my Ascent I's for a while now. They are fantastic sounding. Large sound stage and excellent imaging. Never heard a box speaker that can match their transient response. I use very large mono block amps.-electrostatic speakers really like clean power. I feel the 10'' woofers match the panels very well and put out a lot of bass - no sub needed in my 15X24 room. The speakers can actually sit very close to the back wall as the panel is in front of the sub cabinet. They also sound best bi-wired. Some have said panel speakers can't play certain types of music - rock, etc. Not so with the Ascent I's. My musical tastes run the gamut - and they play everything very well - neutral sounding speakers tend to do that - they don't have a sonic signature of their own - you just hear the music as intended. I also use a NOS DAK and this also works well with the Ascent I's. The singer is right there in front of me and the transparency of the instruments is the closest thing I've heard to a live performance. These are definitely keepers!

These are my second pair of Martin Logan speakers. The Ascent i produces a very transparent, open sound that is not bright. the speakers radiate high frequencies from a large curved panel and accordingly do not create the beaming effect of most tweeters. The mass of the driver is extremely low and the transient response of the electrostatic panels is very fast. This allows the speakers to reproduce a very deep soundstage that can be more difficult with normal cone drivers. The conventional woofer is metal and quite fast. It does a good job of matching the electrostatic panel. These speakers love power and provide a low impediance load and certain frequencies. I personally suggest a pretty powerful hi current amplifier such as an Adcom GFA 5802, a Bryston or a Nelson Pass design.

Everything but the low´s.

Bass........... and maybe they lack a little "slam" in the midrange as well.

I have always been facinated by ML, but the electrostatic weekneses have kept me away from buying them............... but that was until I heard the Ascent i.
For the first few days I was ready to sell them again, but the more I listened to them, the more I fell in love !!!

I find that they deffinetly lack preformance in the low´s. But I can se that many has combined them with a quality subwoofer, something I have yet to experience.

The midragne preformance is like nothing I have ever heard before. The highs are nice and smooth, but might lack a little compared to the best on the market.

I have now sold my Ascents, but only to replace them with a set of Prodigys.

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Wilson Audio Cub 1, Snell A3i, Audio Note ANE-sp.

Resolution,Detail,Scale, Soundstage and Depth. Impressive looks and build quality.Despite their lrge size easy to move.

Nothing at this price

I was very happy with my Sonus faber GP Home speakers,and had no desire to change them . Untill ,one day my friend called me and asked whether I would be interested in Martin Logan Ascent i' speakers. Well I had never thought that I will fall for that. I am glad I did .These are superb , of a different class . I heard more of highs and mid and lows. 3 dimensional and very realistic, big sound. Smooth and extremly detailed. Beutiful and impressive to look at. I have used them with both, Krell and Audioresearch amplification with Wadia CD 803 as source. Sound better with ARC valve amp. Biwiring also brings out the best in them. What more to say,,These bruts are fantastic.

Customer Service

Excellent

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The only other ESLs I have heard are magnaplanars .those were very Bass light

CLEAREST HIGHS AND MID RANGE IVE EVER HEARD. GREAT IMAGING!!

THE WOOFERS STILL NEED ALOT OF WORK TO BE IN THE LEAGUE OF THE PANELS SOUND.jUST DOESNT BLEND WELL.


***VALUE-ALTHOUGH I WOULD NEVER TRADE THESE SPEAKERS WHEN COMBINED WITH THE DEPTH AND DESCENT TOGETHER, BASED ON JUST THE ASCENT SPEAKER ALONE I WOULD BY THE PARADIGM STUDIO 100'S. THEY ARE MORE SOLID FROM TOP TO BOTTOM IN SOUND FOR THE MONEY(WOOFERS AND SUBS). NOTE****YOU CAN BUY 3 SERVO 15 SUBS USED FOR THE PRICE OF ONE DESCENT. IVE OWNED A SERVO 15 AND HGS 18, THE SERVO 15 USED FOR $800 SHOWS TRUE VALUE.****

THE ASCENT I'S ARE FANTASTIC SPEAKERS. I PREVIOUELY OWNED THE ORIGINAL ASCENT'S AND THE I'SARE JUST TIGHTER AND SMOOTHER SOUNDING. I DONT THINK ANY SPEAKER IVE HEARD COMPARE TO THE DETAIL YOU GET IN THIS PRICE RANGE. IVE FOUND THESE ASCENTS TO SOUND MUCH BETTER WITH THE -3 DB SETTING. MAYBE IF YOU HAD A VERY LARGE ROOM THIS WOULD BE DIFFERENT BUT IN MY 15X24 ROOM IT MAKES IT MUDDY SOUNDING. THE DESCENT SUB ADDS TO THE LOW RANGE 15HZ-45HZ BEAUTIFUL AND WITH THE DEPTH SUB PLAYING 40HZ TO 90HZ TOGETHER WILL SATISFY EVERY ASPECT YOU COULD ASK FOR.IF YOU WANT THE BEST PERFORMANCE OUT OF THE ASCENTS YOU HAVE MONEY TO SPEND YOU HAVE TO GIVE THIS A TRY. OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PUT THE ASCENTS -3 DB SWITCH BACK TO NORMAL WHICH i FEEL IS NOT THE CLEANEST. I WAS NEVER IMPRESSED WITH THE ASCENT WOOFERS (200HZ DOWN) AND IS ONE MAJOR DRAWBACK IN MY OPINION.

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aLTHOUGH iVE HEARD MANY BRANDS OF SPEAKERS iVE ONLY OWNED PARADIGM SIGNATURES AND REFENCE SERIES SPEAKERS BEFORE SWITCHING TO LOGANS.