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Atma-Sphere M60 monoblocks + ML ESL 11 = Inferior combo

Hi guys,

Today I borrowed home a pair of pure OTL-Tube M60 mononblocks to combine with my ML ESL 11s (which base are partially driven by a Class-D amplifer of 275 watts) with very poor results. Unfortunately, although the M60s where only to cater for the diaphragm panels (at least in theory), when combined with the speakers, the soundstage collapsed, vocals felt muffled and absent deep into the sound picture, almost hidden away, and the base went out of control (got larger and louder in a negative way). I also lost details. The Monos are a pair of brand new demos and shined this morning together with a pair of smaller Vivid monitors.

My current SS - a Bryston 4B3 delivers so much better combined with the ML ESL 11s. Someone that can explain what I did just experience? I thought that OTL tubes and High sensitive Martin Logans of todays generation where to be a marriage in heaven.

Kind regards 

 

  

andy_wonderwall

Showing 2 responses by oddiofyl

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
4,089 posts
 

Yeah, I don’t think I would mix the two ….  Those speakers need solid state bruisers to extract all they can deliver 

 

Years ago at Goodwin’s High End in Waltham MA I listened to  ML Statement system driven by Boulder Amplification and it was pretty impressive.   I can not imagine panels working well with any 60 watt tube amp especially one with no OPT

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
4,089 posts
 

I am a fan of sensitive speakers and low powered amps....   While I think ML sound very good it's not really my thing.

THE most important match is the speaker / amp interface.    It is irrelevant of price.  I proved this when using high quality amplification with modest Klipsch kg 1 bookshelf speakers .  They sounded so good with a good tube preamp and amp that you would have never guessed I paid $50 for them.  It was the electronics that made them sound way better than they had a right to 

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