Martin Logan Aerius i vs. Spica TC-60


I've just bought a used pair of Aerius i's to replace my recently-acquired Spica TC-60s, and I've had 'em for half a day now. It's been a very interesting adjustment. Before I get into the comparison, though, I'll first address a 'goner's concern that the Aeriuses might be too bright with my Adcom amps. They are a bit bright, but this is easily offset with positioning, at least in my room. First, my listening chair is quite low, putting my ears at 36". I figured I was too low, so I tipped the speakers forward a bit by raising the back foot 1/2". Whoa. Too bright. Horns were aggressive. Untipped the speakers and toed them in just a bit more than recommended, and that took care of any residual brightness. I like a solid center more than a wide stage, so toeing suits me.

Now, I've gotta say, as far as imaging goes, my old Spica TC-60s put up a bloody good fight, and are actually better on simple, intimate vocal material. The Spicas elicit a "Wow!" on Boz Scaggs' "But Beautiful" and Lyle Lovett's "I Love Everyone", and the Aeriuses don't. Boz' voice hangs in the air like a levitating brick on the Spicas, like a cloud of smoke on the Aeriuses. On "I Love Everyone", the beautifully recorded drum kit is rock solid on the Spicas, a bit see-through on the Aeriuses.

That said, the Aeriuses do just about everything else as well or better. Detail is finer, bass is deeper and rounder, more life-size, but fairly agile. Tonal balance is otherwise very similar to the Spicas. Both could use another dB or two in the upper midrange. Where the Aeriuses steal the show, though, is on more complex material with a bigger soundstage. On the Manhattan Transfer's "Offbeat of Avenues" and Manu Dibango's "Wakafrica", the layered voices are more distinct and have lots of space around them. Little Feat's live "Waiting for Columbus" is amazingly big, live, reverberant and exciting.

I can't see going back to the Spicas, but I'm loathe to give them up, too. Wish I had two living rooms. The whole exercise has given me a new appreciation of just how astoundingly good the Spicas are at what they do best. The going prices for used ones make them an absolute steal.

Not that I can afford to trade up, but I'm wondering what speakers in the $1k-$2k (used) range might combine the Aerius' huge soundstage and detail with the Spicas' rock-solid center imaging and meaty vocals. Any thoughts? I've auditioned Gallo's Reference 3 and a $3k Audio Physic, and neither did it for me.
jacquescornell
MikeJ -
I think you misread my post. I'm not looking for other speakers. I'm very happy with the Aeriuses. I'm curious, though, about what amps, especially tube amps, people have found to work well with these.
Update:

After tweaking and spiking, the Aeriuses are now sounding really terrific, with central vocals that are as focused, if still not quite as solid, as the Spicas. I pulled the Aeriuses another 3" from the front and side walls (39" & 27"), toed 'em in a tad more, moved the listening position back a bit, and replaced the slider feet with spikes. Man, I was surprised at what a major difference the spikes made. It was not subtle. The imaging, spacious but fuzzy before, became spacious and razor sharp. These babies are cookin' now, and they're equally good on intimate material and big-stage material. I think the Adcom amps are a perfectly good match. But, then, I've always tended to favor a slightly bright sound, a la my Stax Lambda Pros.

All this doesn't make the Spicas any less impressive. But, I'm now very happy to have the Aeriuses and have no regrets about replacing the Spicas with them.
Keep the Spicas! Although I've neverheard the TC60s, I still have my TC50s (the first speakers I ever bought). I replaced them in my main system with very expensive monitors, which better them in many respects, but they still have a magic with vocals that can't be beat. I set them up in my bedroom, along with some other stuff from my main system that I wasn't using. I actually just plunked them on the floorhooked up with cheap wire, and they still sing! If anyone here actually saw how I have them "set up", I would get mightily abused, but they really do make music. They work well with almost anything, alhtough the better the euqipment, the better they sound. I am currently using a Sony 707 ES and Theta pro prime into a JJ828. Other things I liked with them were Acurus A150 and Pass Labs Aleph 3.

I odn't know which Audio Physics speakers you tried, but the magic ones were the Step 2 (from the early 90s) and the Virgo 2. I did not like the 3 series Virgo at all.
Don't forget to spike them on either some granite or a hard piece of laminated wood.
Sorry, I did misread it! Oooopps. ;-) No recommendations on amps...I haven't had the chance to listen to those speakers enough.

Good luck!