Martin Logan Prodigy with Sonic Frontiers Power


I recently acquired a pair of ML Prodigy speakers. I was running a set of Vandi 3As with a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 tube amp (110W/ch) before the purchase.

When I run the Power 2 to the MLs, though they have a much more WOW sound than the Vandis, I feel the setup lacks midrange at lower volume. I would have thought being both were characteristic of great mids that the mating of them would have been ideal but I am thus far not 100% happy.

When I turn up the volume things start to fall into place, but then it is too loud. :) Media format of choice is vinyl but CD seem to make this combo more alive. Also, the set up sounds a bit distorted and vague at times.

Comment? MLs being under powered? SF Power 3 monos needed? 220W/ch

-NAK8
nak8
I ALSO OWN A PAIR OF MARTIN LOGAN PRODIGY'S,I HAD THEM NOW FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS,IN MY EXPERENCE WITH THEM IS THAT THE MORE POWER THE BETTER.MY AMPS OF CHOICE IS AN McINTOSH MC402 400WATTS PER,ANTHEM STATEMENT P-2 375WATTS PER,MUSICAL FIDELITY KW 500 OVER 700WATTS PER,ALL IN 4OHMS, I FEEL THE MORE POWER THE BETTER AND NOT JUST FOR PLAYING LOUDLY,BUT ALSO FOR THOSE VERY SOFT PLAYING MOMENTS ,BECAUSE THE AMP HAVE SO MUCH MORE POWER IN RESERVE,AND THEY PLAY MORE IN CLASS A OPERATION AT LOWER VOLUME.THIS SUMMER I BOUGHT 2 McINTOSH MC 275 POWER AMPS TO RUN IN MONO ON THE PRODIGYS,A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN EXCEPT FOR ONE THING, THE BASS WAS A LITTLE SLUGGISH, OR SOFT TO MY LIKING ,SO I RAN THE MC 275 ON THE PANELS IN MONO MODE AND THE ANTHEM P-2 ON THE WOFFERS IN BI-AMP MODE.{AUDIO NIRVANA}, COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.RUNNING THE MACS IN MONO MODE ONE PER SPEAKER DOUBLED MY WATTAGE TO 150WATTS,GRANTED THEY SOUNDED GREAT BUT ADDING THE ANTHEM IN TO FREE THE MACS OF DEALING WITH THE BASS, GIVING THAT JOB TO THE P-2 WITH A DAMPING FACTOR OF 600, NOW THAT'S A BIG "WOW"
I had Prodigy's before my horns... I tried a few different amps with them, including your sonic Frontiers. The Sonic Frontiers is a nice amp and worked well with other smaller ML speakers I owned before the Prodigy's. However, I found I needed more power with the larger panels and dual woofers. I am a tube guy at heart and after a few different SS (classe, pass, parasound)amps I settled on an ARC VT200. It sounded great but the damn thing kept blowing up.....
I MEAN WOOFERS INSTEAD OF WOFFERS,GETTING OLD.IF YOU CAN BI-AMP,SOLID STATE ON THE WOOFERS, AND TUBES ON THE PANELS,THIS WORKS GREAT FOR ME.ENJOY.
Levinson and Classe are 2 others I have heard that worked well. I use a Proceed HPA2 on ascents, you can pick a used one up pretty cheap these days just to try.
I agree with the above comments, more power is needed. Many owners on the www.martinloganowners.com site run Pass Labs,especially the XA.5 class A mono amps.

I run a Simaudio W-5 with Odyssey's, but plan to go to Simaudio W-7 mono's at 500 watts a side or Pass Labs XA100.5