Exceptional sound. Definitely more open than a non-electrostatic speaker. Very dynamic sounding. Gorgeous to look at.

Very picky about equipment, if you have a weak link in your system these will expose it. Need lots of power. They ain't cheap. Very sensitive to positioning.

I've had these for about a month now and love them. Worth every penny. Initially I tried them hooked up to a single NAD 214 and the sound was weak and hollow. Once I hooked up a second 214 in a true vertical biamp setup they really opened up.

The most noticable sound quality is that they sound as a vertical soundstage to it that most speakers don't have. The sound is very clear and dynamic, but also very easy to listen for long periods. The "wall of sound" feel is very nice. Definintely not a point source. They also play low enough that a sub is optional unless you absolutely must have that 'sub' sound or watch a lot of movies.

They are very sensitive to equipment quality, and placement. I was amazed at the difference in sound when I hooked up a set of Analysis Plus cables. These speakers definitely need a good amp and connection to the amp. I'd consider my NAD's the bottom of the line of what you'd want to use (considering the price this says a lot about the quality of the NAD's which competed well with the Bryston that the speakers were hooked up to when I auditioned them). I've found that they don't image as well as a good bookshelf (the Spicas) but offer a much more open and inviting sound. The also add a vertical element to the sound that point sources seem to lack.

They are big, but definitely a piece of art and complement any room. I strongly recomend them, but only if you've got the watts to drive them. Definitely audition them before making up your mind. Electrostatics have a distinctive sound that some may like and others not.

Setup:
Toshiba DVD
Rotel Preamp
2 NAD 214's configured in a vertical bi-amp seutp
Analysis Plus cables
Custom interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Boston Acoustics T70, Definitive BP8, Spica T50

SOUNDS LIKE REAL MUSIC, YOU TEND TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC NOT THE SPEAKER

IS ALSO A PLUS, WILL NOT PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR EARS

MY PRESENT AND LAST SYSTEM:
TICE POWER BLOCK
MIT POWER CORDS
ORACLE DELPHI V TURNTABLE
GRAHAM 2.0 ARM
CLEARAUDIO INSIDER CART.
ARC CD-2 CD PLAYER
ARC REF 1 PREAMP
ARC PH-2 SE PHONO PRE AMP
KIMBER SILVER INTERCONNECTS AND TRANPARENT SUPER
KRELL 300
CARY 805B SE W/ WE 300B TUBES
ADS POWERED SUB 300 WATTS C/O @ 65
ORIG. QUAD ESL- MINT
TRANSPARENT REF BI-WIRE SPEAKER CABLE
MARTIN LOGAN SL3 LAST BUT ONLY IN $$

DEDICATED LISTENING ROOM - NO ACOUSTIC TREATMENT OTHER THAN
CARPET,FURNITURE & DRAPES 18 X 30 X 10

HOW DO I BEGIN? I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE! BUT JUST READING WHAT HAS COME BEFORE IRRITATED ME ENOUGH TO WRITE THIS. STOP TRYING TO BE PROFESSIONAL REVIEWERS, THEIR EARS ARE NO BETTER THAN YOURS OR MINE. SO MUCH OF WHAT I READ WAS PARROTTING WHAT HAS BEEN IN ALL THE AUDIOPHILE MAGAZINES. AND LIKE A NUT I SUSCRIBE TO THEM ALL. GREAT INFORMATION AS LONG AS YOU DON'T THINK IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. ONLY BUY WHAT SOUNDS GOOD TO YOUR EARS, NOT MINE OR CERTAINLY NOT THE SO CALLED EXPERTS. YOU CAN GET GREAT SOUND FOR A LOT LESS MONEY THAN WHAT I HAVE SPENT. TESTIMONY: MY SL3 'S. LOOK AT MY SYSTEM AGAIN! I HAVE SPENT MORE FOR FOR MY SPEAKER CABLES THAN THE SL-3. DO THE SL-3s BELONG IN THIS SYSTEM? DEFINATELY! CAN THEY SOUND AS GOOD WITH LESS? PROBABBLY, TO SOMEONE ELSE'S EARS, AND THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS. STOP LISTENING TO THE EQUIPMENT AND LISTEN TO THE MUSIC. IF YOU WANT EQUIPMENT, BUY A PORSHE(FOR LESS THAN THE COST OF MY SYSTEM) IT WILL SATISFY YOUR EQUIPMENT URGE! THE MARTIN LOGAN'S , WITH PROPER MATCHING OF ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT, WILL SATISFY YOUR MUSIC NEEDS.. THIS IS TRUE OF ANY SYSTEM, NOT ONLY THE SL-3s. YOU DO NEED ROOM BEHIND THEM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO PLACE IF YOU JUST PLACE THEM AS ANY OTHER GOOD SPEAKER. PLACE THEM INTELLIGENTLY AND LEAVE THEM ALONE. LOOK AT MY AMPS. I USE THE CARY'S 90% OF THE TIME. POWER?- JUST STABILTY. I USE THE KRELLS ONLY WHEN I HAVE THE URGE TO IRRITATE THE NEIGHBORS. AND THEY ARE SUPERB ALSO, JUST DIFFERENT. I ONLY MENTION THIS TO DISPELL ALL THIS "CRAP" ABOUT POWER. KEEP YOUR EARS AND ENJOY THE MUSIC. THE ONLY 5 RATING IS A LIVE PERFORMANCE, AND SOME OF THOSE DON'T EVEN RATE A ONE. JUST DON'T PUT THEM IN A MASS PRODUCED SYSTEM. LOOK AT MY SYSTEM AMERICAN, CANADIAN, GERMAN CARTRIDGE. DOES THIS TELL YOU SOMETHING! THE MOST RENOWNED AUDIOPHILES IN THE WORLD ARE THE JAPANESE. WHAT DO THEY BUY? AMERICAN! THAT'S WHY GOOD USED AMERICAN EQUIPMENT DEMANDS TOP $. IT'S ALL IN JAPAN! SAVE YOUR EARS, BUY AMERICAN AND SAVE AN INDUSTRY WHILE ENJOYING THE MUSIC.

BY THE WAY YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHING, UNTIL YOU HEAR THESE SPEAKERS WITH A GOOD ANALOG FRONT END.

Similar Products Used:

SOUND LAB A-2 ESL- LONG GONE WAS IN UTAH FOR REPAIRS MORE THAN IN MY HOME FOR 8 YEARS. VARIOUS PLANNARS, JBL,INFINITIES,SONUS FABER GAURIERI HOMAGE, ORIGINAL QUAD ESL, ETC. ETC....

Clarity and purity

Needs exact placement and a good Amp. Will reveal all your stereo's weakness

This was the start of my Audiophilemania. I had Polk Audio SDS 2's for many years and always thought that the extra bucks for the High End gear was all hipe. Then one day I went to a friends house and played the CD "Temptation" from Holly Cole on his Martin Logan Arius. I was hooked, what clarity and purity. The bass notes were not bloomy, and I heard every single note, including the bass players hands. Went straight away and bought the SL-3's because they were a floor model. I was disappointed when I plug them into my system and found out that my 15 year old Yamaha 125 watt Amp could not drive them. 3 months later bought the Aragon 8008BB Dual Mono 400 watt 4 oh Amp and there it was...slear beauty. Then I started noticing that my CD faded out... bought a Sony XA7ES to replace it, then a Audio Research LS-9, then the LS-16...etc. "HELP" my whole stereo system is nearly all replaced. These speakers will reveal every little flaw, but once you replace with good equipment... WOW. Another flaw...I have had these speakers one feet from the walls...2 feet...toe in...toe out. They need exact placement to hear the bass reflection and strengths.

Similar Products Used:

Arius

I should avoid the usual audiophile jargon concerning ESL speakers, but...Transparent, dynamic, very revealing of upstream electronics wonderful depth and soundstage capability, great WAF and friends, too!

Not the last word in terms of deep bass but do we really hear spatial cues in the bottom octaves or are we "feeling" a type of sonic reinforcement which we associate with a subjective impression of what "bass" is?

I have read, with much interest, the reviews which came before mine. I have also been disturbed by some of these reviews which state that the reviewer does not own these speakers, but has heard them at some time, somewhere, with various associated equipment, which was selected by another or with specific brands sold and promoted by a particular dealer or chain store. This type of review, does not prove to be the basis for a valid evaluation of any component. One must have these speakers, or any component, in a familiar listening environment with equipment owned or loaned, which has been picked based on it's sonic impression and performance by the reviewer. Listening for an hour or two at a local HiFi Salon does not qualify, nor does a review which appears to be spite driven-you know who you are. May I remind all of us that these are "subjective" reviews? My taste. My impressions. Take it all with a grain of salt and go out and listen as much as you can. read, listen, borrow, whatever it takes to reach an honest sonic evaluation of whatever it is you are considering to add to your system which will please YOU.
I have owned more speakers than I care to recount. I have gone from tubes to SS and back again...and again. I have visited the various camps of dynamic, ESL ,planar and so on. Most recently I owned the M/L ReQuest for about two years. I found them to be dynamic, full bodied and extremely easy to enjoy for hours on end. I recently found myself in the position of moving into a room in my house which was a bit too small for the space needed to properly drive the ReQuests. I purchased the SL3 and have not had any regrets. I have positioned them approx. 42" from the rear wall, approx. 48" in from the side walls, and exactly 9' apart. The toe-in degree causes the listening axis to cross approx. 8-9' in front of the speakers with my listening position at the extreme tip of the triangle. I hear well into the soundstage and it is spread nicely across in front of me. Bass is plentiful, sounding neither lean or boomy, but realistic. I am using high quality monoblock amps which are muscular and not bothered by the low impedence swing. Voices are life-like and recorded venues sound like real space. I had a friend over recently who is a Dire Straits fan and who had bought the re-mastered recordings on CD. This next bit probably give away a bit much about my age group but we, of course, had to listen to "Industrial Disease" and "Money for Nothing" to hear those famous sonic signatures. When we got into MFN, the music began to build and energize the room as I have never heard it do before. We nudged the volume up a bit, feeling the energy levels increase, until moments before Mark Knofler's guitar tore through the soundscape and captured the most electrifying performance of this standard I had heard. Talk about "energizing a room"! We grinned and drove on... The evening ended with a MFSL re-issue of John Lee Hooker's "The Healer", and the abilities of this speaker to capture each moment with a realistic portrayal of exactly what existed on each recording was evident and appreciated. This is what the High End is all about. Subjectively, this is what pleases ME. I am very satisfied with the SL3's and recommend that you audition them in your own system to see if they are right for you.

My associated equipment:
Pass Labs Aleph 2 Monoblocks
Martin Logan SL3s
Wadia 850 used in a direct drive configuration
Nordost SPM Reference XLR Interconnects
Nordost SPM Reference Bi-Wire Speaker Cable
Nordost El Dorado Power Cords
Tice Audio Power Conditioning
Sound Anchor Equipment Stands

Similar Products Used:

M/L ReQuests, Totem Mani-2, Maggies and Alon.

Excellent clarity and accuracy.

They directly reflect the quality of other electronics in the stream.

I have been extremely satisfied with my purchase of the SL3 loudspeaker. I feel very much a part of the audience on live recordings, and feel as if I am sitting in the booth on well engineered studio recordings. What has been recorded is exactly what comes out. With recordings that contain lots of bass, you get lots of bass; Overmiked? The recording sounds harsh. The average rock recording does not have lots of bass in the recording, because the average household loudspeaker overemphasizes the low frequency range. This may explain the frequent "no bass" complaint. A well engineered rock recording, like the remaster of AC/DC "Back in Black", on the other hand, will knock you right out of your chair when the bass drum hits! I am also constantly amazed at their ability to reproduce live classical recordings. When I close my eyes, I can almost see the orchestra before me, with each instrument coming from the exact location that it should. I can not imagine a better speaker for the price.

Phenomenal clarity and accuracy. Excellent midrange. (Beautiful to look at also since you can't tell the sound is coming from them.)

Bass rolls off a little too high and treble a bit too low.

I started auditioning high end loudspeakers in January 1995. After listening to 15+ brands I finally ruled out the conventional box (although there are some sensational ones out there). Eventually it came down to electrostatics and the Martin Logan SL3s arrived in my home in May of 1995 where they have remained. As others, I admit they are extremely demanding of all upstream components and poor recordings won't be helped (Vandersteens are good for that). Positioning is also critical. Mine are out almost six feet from the rear wall in a 21 ft. room that opens up to other rooms for a total length of almost 60 ft. I've gone from a Threshold T200 to biamping with a McCormack DNA-1 Dlx (panel) and DNA 0.5 Dlx. (woofer), and am now simply using a single Muse Model 160 (which I admit has toned the sound down a bit). To assist the low end I'm using a Velodyne F-1800 Mk.II which I feel is very accurate and quick. It does the trick.

The sound of the human voice is amazing on the SL3s. There is an immediacy and accuracy that is hard to find in most conventional speakers (the Avalon Eidolon is to die for however). I will admit that I've also rocked out plenty with the SL3s, and while others can certainly play louder I have no trouble with these speakers while listening (rarely) into the mid-high 90 dB levels (at the listening position). All that said, I also realize these speakers are not for everyone. Don't expect to love them if mated to an inferior front end. They are unforgiving. But, with the right equipment and listening room I also agree that they are truly magical.

Similar Products Used:

Thiel 2.3, NHT 2.5, McIntosh R-240 (old)

Superior transparency, clarity, accuracy, imaging (it's like holographic sound), soundstage, dynamics

Very revealing of source material

Just wanted to update my '97 review below because
1) my email changed, and 2)I've lived with these for 5
years now...

These are outstanding speakers. Most reviews talk about
things like transparency, clarity, accuracy, imaging,
soundstage, dynamics, etc, but these speakers are *the*
reference standard. I thought other speakers displayed
these qualities, but my reference was changed after hearing
these. So much so that I wasn't going to buy anything
until I could get some Logans. I found my Sequel II's
used in mint condition for $1,800. I've added Arius
for rears, and recently a Theater for a center. Awesome.
You need a sub to round out the frequency range, but
all speakers do to really hit low. These speakes are
full range (20 Hz to 20kHz +- 3db I think).

Nothing like it (except a bigger Logan). One day I'll
get some bigger ones and move the Sequel II's to the rear.

Similar Products Used:

Klipsche, Vandersteen, Paradigm, Magnapan, B&W

No crossover in vocal range

Doesn't matter, they sounded terrible

I'm not going to waste much time here. I heard these hooked up to a Meridian 568 which is beyond reproach with $5000 Bryston monoblocks. They were extremely bright and thin with virtually zero bass. I kept checking the cables to see if they were out of phase, checked the subwoofer crossovers on the Meredian to make sure they weren't engaged by accident. Moved them forward, backward, sideways. Flipped some bass control switches, got down on my knees and checked that the subwoofers were operational. Apparently, the working as they were supposed to if you can call it that. I checked with other people who have heard the SL-3s. Every one of them had the same reaction as I did - excessively bright, no bass. I have no idea what the people below are hearing, but they sounded like a high-tech version of Bose AM-5s. All of the above speakers stomped the life out of them. I lived with Quads for awhile years ago.I know Quads, Quads sound incredible, these are no Quads......

2 stars for the fact that the sound was clean and free from crossover and cabinet distortions

1 star for value because they are such an absurd waste of money. I'd rather have a pair of NHT SuperOnes for $350.

Similar Products Used:

JMlab Electra 920s, B&W Nautilus 804, NHT 2.9s, Meridian D33

HUGE SOUND STAGE,TRANSPARENCY,DETAIL,SMOOTHNESS,AIRY,OK BASS,THE WAY IT PAINTS THE MUSICAL PICTURE. ITS MAGICAL.

YES ITS TRUE. THE BASS IS LACKING, BUT WITH THE RIGHT SUB, THE COMBINATION CAN PRODUCE SOMETHING SPECIAL. TRUST ME!!!

FIRST LET ME QUALIFY MYSELF. I OWN SOME FINE EQUIPMENT. I WONT GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL. I HAVE THREE SYSTEMS. ONE OF WHICH (LISTENING ROOM), CONSIST OF REVEL SALON/VOICE/EMBRACE SPEAKERS WITH CLASSE AMPLIFICATION. IN A WORD, EXQUISITE. THE OTHER SYSTEM (LIVING ROOM) ,CONSISTS OF THE SONUS FABER (HOME) SPEAKER SYSTEM WITH ANTHEM AMPLIFICATION WHICH PRODUCES MAGNIFCENT SOUND. IN MY BED ROOM, WHICH IS SET UP LIKE A THEATER ROOM, I HAVE THE ML SL-3, LOGOS AND SCRIPTS WITH SUNFIRE AMPLIFICATION. FOR THIS TO BE KIND OF A BUDGET SYSTEM, IT IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. I USE A REL STORM-III POWERED SUBWOOFER WITH THIS SYSTEM. WITH THE SUB, THE SYSTEM IS SURPRISINGLY DYNAMIC. I RUN THE SUB ALL THE TIME WHEN LISTENING TO HT OR MUSIC. WITH MUSIC, THE REL SUB IS NOT JUST NECESSARY, IN MY OPINION, BUT CRITICAL IN ACHIEVING THAT RICH FULL RANGE SOUND THAT WE ALL CRAVE SO MUCH. WITH ALL OF THE ATTRIBUTES DESCRIBED ABOVE IN THE STRENGTHS SECTION, ADD A REL SUB, SOME DECENT AMPLIFICATION, AND THE SL-3'S WILL PRODUCE A SOUND THAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS, "MAGICAL". LETS FACE IT, ALL YOU AUDIOPHILES OR EVEN JUST AUDIO ENTHUSIAST OUT THERE, A QUALITY SUBWOOFER CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE OVER-ALL SOUND OF A LOT OF SPEAKERS. ESPECIALLY HIGH END, STAND MOUNTED MONITORS. I FIND IT QUITE COMICAL WHEN SOME PEOPLE KEEP EMPHASIZING THE FACT THAT STAND MOUNTED MONITORS LACK DEEP BASS AND SUGGEST USING A SUB WITH THEM. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A, "NO BRAINER". SOME FEEL THAT IT IS BENEATH A TRUE AUDIOPHILE TO USE A SUBWOOFER. SORRY TO SOUND A BIT HARSH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN BUT COMMON SENSE MUST PREVAIL. I AM VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHAT EQUIPMENT I CHOOSE TO PURCHASE. LIKE MANY OF YOU , I DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, LISTENING AND COMPARING BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE. IT TAKES BIG BUCKS TO OWN A FULL RANGE, DOWN TO 20HZ LOUDSPEAKER THAT IS AS OPEN AND ARTICULATE, TOP TO BOTTOM, AS THE SL-3/REL SUB COMBINATION. AS MUCH AS I LOVE MY OTHER TWO SYSTEMS, I HAVE NOT FELT SO COMPELLED TO SEND IN AN EVALUATION ON THEM AS I HAVE ON MY SL-3'S. ALTHOUGH I MAY DO THIS SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS BECAUSE THE BUCK TO PERFORMANCE RATIO IS SO HIGH WITH THIS SL-3/REL SET UP. SO DON'T BE AFFRAID OR THINK THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ADDIND A QUALITY SUBWOOFER TO YOUR SYSTEM. YOU CAN STILL CALL YOURSELF AN (AUDIOPHILE). IF THERE EVER WAS A LOUDSPEAKED THAT BENEFITS SO GREATLY FROM A QUALITY SUBWOOFER, ITS THE SL-3. THE BENEFIT IS IMMEARSURABLE. TRUST ME. YOU WILL BE ASTONISHED!!!

Similar Products Used:

MAGNEPAN,DYNAUDIO,PROAC,

Martin Logan SL3...great speaker with uncanny clarity. Much better on well recorded acoustical music than rock. Well rip apart the weak link in your system. I had a Pioneer Elite VSX09 and quickly realized that this speaker requires, no demands, much higher level of hardware. 150-200 watts min. Get the hardware and the transparency becomes unreal. Still lacks shaking your house punch in home theater, but you have to give it up to get speakers for $3000-4000 with this level of detail. Subtract 1 point for lack of punch.