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Has MartinLogan gone too far with powered woofers?

I currently own Ascent i's and ordered Summits before listening to them, showing my confidence in Martin Logan. However, I then compared the Summits to Wilson Sophia’s and Watt/Puppy 7's with interesting results. With identical equipment (ML 309 cd player, ML 320s preamp and a pair of ML 436's) there was no comparison. The Watt/Puppies clearly stood above the Sophia’s and the Martin Logan's "limped" in last.

The problem with the Summits was that you couldn't dial out the bass. It was always present. And where does base management end. I have bass management on my DVD player (Marantz 9500) on my processor (Anthem Statement D1, with room eq./room resonance filters) and now on the Summits.

I am now torn between just keeping my Ascents or moving to the Sophia’s.

Do you think Martin Logan, a great company, has gone too far by powering the bottom end?
tailor3

Showing 1 response by bpwalsh

bpwalsh
1,207 posts
 
As you have learned, it can be unwise to make such a leap of faith based upon what you currently own. Krelldog is correct about breaking them in, although that's no guarantee you will change your mind, so you might want to explore other speakers. Once you've owned dipoles, it can be very hard to go back to box speakers unless the former have glaring faults. You're surely not lacking power with the Levinson 436s which are pretty nice amps, leaving you with plenty of options. It might help to describe your room, listening preferences and what you like and are looking to improve in your current setup.
Brian
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