Spatial Audio open baffle speakers, who has them? Worthwhile change from Maggies?
Sorry Ozzy. Been sitting here and trying to stem the flow of drool....... They arrived about lunch and quickly unpacked and setup in roughly same position as the Maggie's. I turned both subs off before I played any music and that's the way it will stay, they have NO need of any bottom end reinforcement in my room. Now the Maggie's may have just had the edge in very top end sparkle but as far as cohesion and body, the Spatials win hands down. Instruments are very easy to pick out of the mix individually and the soundstage seems to extend way past the speakers. I did tilt them down towards me slightly which got a little more top end sparkle so I need time to play with placement etc. But overall very happy indeed. |
@uberwaltz, now that you’re an AudioCircle member, dig into the GR Research Circle. Danny Richie is a very knowledgeable, talented speaker designer, his kits the best values in hi-fi. And his customers the best group of DIY audiophiles I’m aware of, a treasure trove of information and ideas. While you’re at it, watch the GR Research Tech Talk Tuesday videos on You Tube. Believe me, you will be VERY glad you did! |
Here is the link for Audio Circle
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=193.0
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I have my M3 Turbo S’s on their spikes on a thick rug over a wooden floor on a concrete basement foundation. The important thing is that the compression tweeter is at level for me. I was thinking of resting each speaker on a stone/marble or a hardwood slab, but that would elevate the tweeters. is there a reason the speaker can’t be tilted up ? Shimmed with plank of wood at 90 degree to the legs to start. Once the right angle is found, go source longer spikes from Bolts Plus that will give you the height you need at the front. |
Mac I am very confident they will bowl me over, fortunately I still have the Maggies to keep me happy for now, which they actually do quite well in my room. It will be a most interesting comparo! Not sure as I could handle a wait from December to now...... As some of my posts regarding others may show I have ZERO patience . LOL. |
Hang in there uberwaltz, the wait will be worth it I’m sure! I ordered my Omega speakers and subs in early December and they are finally arriving tomorrow so I feel your pain. Patience isn’t one of my virtues! Like you, I’m quite confident I’ll be well rewarded for my wait. I’m looking forward to your impressions of the Spatial Audio M3’s, it’s a speaker that intrigues me greatly. |
I have my M3 Turbo S's on their spikes on a thick rug over a wooden floor on a concrete basement foundation. The important thing is that the compression tweeter is at level for me. I was thinking of resting each speaker on a stone/marble or a hardwood slab, but that would elevate the tweeters. Of course, I could then put my listening love seat on 2x4 blocks - which I did with my Acoustic Zen Adagios. |
No tracking number but I took Clayton at his word that was shipping Fri ( last week) as we agreed. So knowing location and FedEx shipping times very well I expected Wednesday, then when did not show possible delay and Thursday. However since Wednesday there has been no email response. I try not to bug anyone by phone nowadays but may have to tomorrow if no response. My rebuilt zx7 made it from northern California shipped last Friday to be here Wednesday morning just for an example. Oh well it will all work out, not worried just a little disappointed as dying to hear them in my system! |
@scothurwitz, the LFT-8b is overlooked for a couple of reasons. 1- Eminent Technology has very few dealers (compared to Magnepan). 2- ET doesn’t advertise, not playing the ads-for-reviews game. In spite of that, the speaker has received a number of rave reviews (Robert Greene in TAS, a couple in UK mags). A big fan of the LFT-8b is VPI’s Harry Weisfeld, who proclaimed it to have the best midrange he has ever heard, in any loudspeaker, at any price. I assume he has heard the original Quad ;-) . But like other products in hi-fi, some are trendy, some aren’t. Maggies are, ET’s aren’t. I compared the LFT-8b to the MG1.7i, and the difference was dramatic (I haven’t heard the 3.7i, but own Tympani T-IVa’s). I can only assume 1.7i owners have never heard the LFT-8b. The LFT-8 has a much friendlier impedance curve than do Maggies, the magnetic-planar panels being 11 ohms (nice for tube amp lovers), the complete speaker 8. Like Maggies, insensitive/inefficient, but Maggies soak up far more power. I don’t want sound negative towards Magnepan (VERY high value loudspeakers imo), but the ET LFT magnetic-planar driver is a far better designed and built driver than Magnepan’s single-ended m-p drivers. Push/pull (magnets on both sides of the Mylar), vapor-deposited low mass foil conductors (in comparison to the wire conductors glued onto Maggies’ Mylar), and stiff metal frames keeping the magnets in place (Maggies have no such frames). The LFT-8b isn’t pretty, but the music it makes sure is. So is the price! |
uberwaltz I have a few questions for you. Which Maggies do you have now, what is you budget, how big is your room and what amp to you have? Those are all important questions. I had a pair of 3.7i's for 3 years and I thought they were a very special speaker, but, like all audiophiles, we get the urge to get something better/different and I sold them and bought a pair of Audio Physic Classic 30's that I got a great deal on that I couldn't pass up. My friend was the rep for Audio Physic had a demo pair that he was willing to sell me at half of retail with full warranty so I bought them. They were a very nice speaker and they did some things better than the Maggies but I just started to realize that the Maggies are something special. That true ribbon tweeter is one of the best tweeters I have ever heard and Magnepan has finally figured out how to blend that tweeter with that incredible midrange panel so you can't tell were the midrange stops and the tweeter starts and the bass blends beautifully as well. Sure, you need a bigger room and a really good high current amp to fully realize what they are capable of but when all that is in place, they are a huge bargain. There is a speaker that a lot of audiophiles seem to overlook (not sure why) that just sound amazing. I would strongly suggest that you look into them. The name is Eminent Technology and the model # is LFT8B. If you are lucky enough to have a dealer in your area (there are very few dealers) who has a pair set up properly that you can go listen to you won't believe what you're hearing. They retail for $2500.00 pair. I have them and I honestly prefer them over the Maggie 3.7i's, they are that good. Don't let the price fool you. The fact that they sell for $2500.00 a pair is nothing short of a miracle. |
For this sort of money, and enough space for planars, you owe it to yourself to checkout the Sanders Sound hybrids - electrostatic midrange and treble, transmission line bass, bi-amped with the bass amp included. The electronic cross-over includes room equalization. They sound like the original Quad ELS speakers only with real bass and very high power handling. Much cleaner than Maggie’s or Walsh or anything else. He sells direct with a money back guarantee, and with a lifetime warranty that he actually honors. |
I had a loved a pair of apogee stages for 15 years until a bass ribbon failure in 2006. To make a long story short, after doing “OK” with a pair of B&W 700 floor standers, I heard a pair of Spatial M3 triode masters at the Bay Area audio show. Bought them immediately. They do have the general feel of the apogee stages but are so easy to drive and much easier to position. Love them. I drive them with a vintage MC-225 in a roughly 15 X 15 room and filling the space is not a problem. I am now thinking seriously of the Spatial X5. |
I think they're pretty great. I've got X2's. I've owned many speakers over the years, these pretty much do it all. I'll need to sell them soon as I'm losing my listening room, but they're really keepers. They need some space around them to come alive, but what a big, alive sound they produce. Plenty of nuance and subtlety too. Clayton has been great with me. |
Had several pairs of Maggies. Due to a down size I needed a speaker for a 12X13 room. Tried the .7s , did not cut it in the room ,with low tube the power. I have Manley Stingray. Went with the Spatial M5's and love them. It took me two years to find something to replace the Maggies ; I had MG II 's with high power in large room. The Spatials and Manley are a delightful combo. |
I owned Maggie 1.7i's and just received my new X5's. I'm still breaking them in but the dynamics and bass are better. The AMT driver is very detailed, yet smooth. The DSP and N Core amp handling the bass are a big plus as now my amps simply have to handle from 90 hertz and up. Very nice upgrade. For those considering EP, remember that these speakers are basically unchanged since Clayton sold to Underwood in 2009. Clayton has gone through 4 generations of speakers and changes since then. Also, I see people recommending the m3 turbos and masters. Those have been replaced by the M3 and M5 Sapphires. I heard the M3's at a show last fall and they are an excellent speaker (one of the best rooms in the show) with the Linear Tube Audio ZOTL10, Lampizator Amber 3, and wired with Anticables. The entire system was going for $9999. Incredible value. |
I am expecting them to arrive Wednesday next week and will be straight into the system. Will start with them in same position as the Maggie's. Question for M3 owners. How do you have them standing? I mean on spikes or iso footers of some sort? My Maggie's sit on 16*16*2 maple blocks that are subsequently spiked to the thick rug that sits over the tiled solid concrete floor. Start with same or? |
@uberwaltz I own the Spatial M3 TMs and really like them. My room is 10.5’ x 14’ and currently have them positioned on the short wall. They are about 30” off the back wall and I have them toed in toward the MLP. I added two Rythmik sealed subs and have them crossed at 50-55Hz. Works really well in my room. I am driving them with a First Watt J2 amp as they don’t need much power at all. Will be interested to hear how they work for you. Nick |
