M-125 with Martin Logan speakers

by andyo Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:21 am

andyo: Posts : 6
Join date : 2017-01-20

Post n°1

M-125 with Martin Logan speakers

by andyo Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:21 am

I need your advice. I have been thinking of building a pair of M-125s for a long time now. Several months ago I got a pair of ML Theos speakers. They combine electrostatic panels with 8" woofers. My question is to those with experience using ML speakers with tube amplifiers, specifically with M-125 or any other T4HF amp. Being ES speakers, their impedance looks like a capacitor's impedance. At 20 kHz it drops to 1 Ohm.
I don't have any doubt about the M-125's ability to drive the ML speakers, but rather with the performance at high frequencies. So, what is your experience? What tubes would you recommend?
An alternative path for me would be to go with an SS amp and build a T4HF preamp.
Thank you in advance.

by zx Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:10 am

zx

zx: Posts : 205
Join date : 2011-08-05

Post n°2

Re: M-125 with Martin Logan speakers

by zx Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:10 am

Big ESL, tube fan, I have a pr of ML Ascent I ,SL3...12"x48"panels an 10" bass drivers..An Acoustat 2+2s...I only run a pr of the 60 year old dynaco MK3s... but thay run fine play loud...So with Bob amps i cant see why not..an the sound of any ESL ran with tubes..to me not much better...I like the 6550 sound an the Kt66/Kt88t but that up to you....
An as for tube preamp...yes,yes..thay well be times for sand amps also...
good luck have fun with tubes an panel speakers

thanks for the site Bob..............

by **Bob Latino** Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:24 am

Bob Latino

Bob Latino: Admin; Posts : 3262
Join date : 2008-11-26
Location : Massachusetts

Post n°3

Re: M-125 with Martin Logan speakers

by Bob Latino Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:24 am

andyo wrote:I need your advice. I have been thinking of building a pair of M-125s for a long time now. Several months ago I got a pair of ML Theos speakers. They combine electrostatic panels with 8" woofers. My question is to those with experience using ML speakers with tube amplifiers, specifically with M-125 or any other T4HF amp. Being ES speakers, their impedance looks like a capacitor's impedance. At 20 kHz it drops to 1 Ohm.
I don't have any doubt about the M-125's ability to drive the ML speakers, but rather with the performance at high frequencies. So, what is your experience? What tubes would you recommend?
An alternative path for me would be to go with an SS amp and build a T4HF preamp.
Thank you in advance.

I have been down this road before with other audiophiles regarding Martin Logan speakers and their potential use with the VTA M-125's. I do have a number of customers that use the VTA M-125's with some of the ML hybrid electrostatic and full range ML electrostatic speakers. No one has ever reported a problem driving any of the ML models with the VTA M-125's .. This may sound like a sales pitch but all the VTA amps can drive complex and/or capacitive loads very well with no issues ..

Years ago I remember some expensive tube amps having trouble driving the old KLH Model 9 electrostatic speakers. These speakers came out about 1965/1966. During this era almost all the amps were tube amps. Solid state amps were just starting to come into the picture. I do not know what type of load they presented to the amp but many tube amps choked big time on the KLH Model 9. Audiophiles of that era found, however, that the Dynaco ST-70 or Mark III's or Mark IV's drove these large electrostatic panels just fine .. The Model 9's also would not take much power .. If you tried to drive them with over 75 - 100 watts, they would distort with TOO MUCH power.

Bob

by j beede Sun Jan 22, 2017 1:30 pm

j beede

j beede: Posts : 473
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : California

Post n°4

Re: M-125 with Martin Logan speakers

by j beede Sun Jan 22, 2017 1:30 pm

At 20 kHz I would be more concerned with amplifier stability (versus "performance") into a 1 Ohm load.

I have owned several pairs of M-L speakers--CLS and hybrids--and found the low frequency performance to be the determining factor when it comes to musical enjoyment. I drive my little M-L hybrids with a pair of Dynaco MkIII (6550/KT88/KT66) and would describe the overall sound as loud and somewhat extended on the top and bottom. FYI: My QUAD ESLs and MMG sound superb when driven by the MkIII.

M-125 with Martin Logan speakers <a href=