Review: Martin Logan CLS IIZ Speaker

I agree with META. Correct amplification is a must with the CLS. Mine are the original CLS. There is plenty of debate waiting for which design is better. There is no debate, however, that the CLS demands an amplifier that is correct in timbre, pace and texture. It has been my experience that Krell is ruled out of the appropriate setting (for use with such a fine speaker as the CLS). I use a Rowland 112. For my tastes and perfered volume setting (within my given listing area), the 150 watts per channel (of the Rowland) is just fine. The CLS lock onto the room like a vice and project the feel, pacing and wieght of the instruments and the purity of voicing. If you wish to rock hard, there are other speakers and amps (ie: the Krell and perhaps Cerwin Vega) for that. This (the CLS) is a "fine wine" taste. It is not for children of the head slamming, Lear Jet "loud" crowd. It (the CLS) is smooth, refined and delicate in it's ability to move you (like the emotional art of music should). Disrespect this speaker and it will disrespect you... and everything else that is not worthy of its reproductive ablilities.

"Creation1" underlines the fact that Electrostatic speakers (the Marin Logan CLS's inparticular) "are only what you feed them". I am a believer and follower of pure tube amplification. I am a romantic about it. I have heard only a few SS amps that have exposed the subtle musical emotions (spelled: "magic") that seem to blend so well with tube amps. At the top of the list, was a Rowland 112 (stereo power amp) that I mentioned in a previous post. That amp (for my limited listening area) opened up my CLS's like barn doors (to an open field), letting in the sweet smell of spring and mixing it with music... stunning. It did "not" sound like, nor take the place of a tube amp completely. It had a sound of it's own, that was intoxicating and so pleasureful, that it begged to be matched with the transparent void that only the best transducers could open up in front of you. That was then...wellll, that amp is gone (and missed). This space in time is a date with a new amp (of new design). It has went head-to-head with my SE tube amps (HALO SPM-25) for being musically involving and spatially endowed. Not an easy task for ANY SS amp. The reviews on the Bel Canto EVo amps are many and I agree with all of them (all "rave" reviews). It is, most certainly, one of the best amps that there is,. I have the (somewhat) older version of the Bel Canto EVo Series (the 200.2). The newer one(s) have some upgrades (power supply, faceplate etc). As a "stereo" amp, I would not hesitate to pair it with the Martin Logan CLS. I have to say this with some reservation however. Since it is just "medium" power (120 @ 8ohms) when used in stereo, it will have (obvious) limitations. It can ONLY be expected to perform within it's optimum range. There are those that can live with this, but for more realistic expectations the real beauty of the EV0 is the ability to transform to true "mono" like no other amp. I believe that life for the Martin Logan CLS would change dramatically with these amps used in mono. Have I heard it with the CLS ? No, I haven't. I can only project an educated guess (as to the sound). I have not heard the EVo with 'any' electrostat to date. At this time, all of my speakers are all dynamic (PBN Montana SP's, Spica TC 60's, Acoustc Energy Aegis 2's). Ironicly, I just moved to Lawrence Kansas (home of Martin Logan !) about 5 months ago. I moved here to be closer to my son (a KU grad) and NOT "electrostatics". But since I "am" here, I have been fortunate enough to have had a (guided !) tour of the ML factory. I was very much impressed. They (at ML) are very dedicated people, each contributing their own level of arts and crafts to produce one of the finest expressions of audio reproduction on earth. I would love to go into more detail and folklore but time won't allow (in this year). I would very much like to hear from those that have used (or heard) these amps (EVo's) with Martin Logans.