Speaker hunt -> To leave or not Leave Martin Logan Behind

After I enjoyed a 12 year relationship with Magnepan 3.6's, I decided to make a change, for many of the same reasons that are driving you. I went to open baffle speakers, specifically the Emerald Physics 2.8. It had many of the attributes of a panel speaker (most of which could be chalked up to being a dipole,  and being boxless, I suppose), but it improved on dynamics and had a certain richness of tone and more saturated colors than I had with the Maggies (which I really liked). I had them, and enjoyed them, for eight years. Those specific speakers are no longer made, but there are a few good open baffle makers out there.

After those eight good years, I wanted to try another style of speaker, so I purchased Volti Razz horn speakers. They are my current speaker, and I really, really like them. A more gregarious sound, not nearly as introverted as my panel speaker. with your budget, you could get the Rivals from Volti, and I doubt you'd have regrets. Horns are worth some thought.

To @necrosuit - I was mistaken, and did not realize it was the integrated unit, sorry about that.  What a super nice integrated you have there. I hope to get back there some day, all "integrated" myself.  While I have played with ESLs some, had ML 3.6s on demo for a while years back, listen to SoundLabs sometimes at my local dealer friends place - i also reflect about a local store that uses [only] McIntosh amplifiers with the big MLs, which do seem to be bit more forgiving.  I went there once and specifically listened some to older vintage rock stuff, and not the best recordings. I have smaller MLs for my other HT system I uses, swap in too. While not the same as your big MLs, the do seem to react in different ways when I try different sources, cables, DACs, and the same for my own main electrostatic main speakers, fwiw.  

At this place with the largest MLs, and the big Mcintosh pre/amps playing, using the built-in DAC, I do recall some of the glare / fatigue multiplied by the big gun MLs in the room, yes, on the suboptimal recordings i was playing (on purpose).  I was there testing different DACs, types.  I brought my own DAC, my own cables, for to/from the DAC as well, comparing against another onboard DSL DAC, my DSL DAC with different chips in it, and later testing again with an NOS R2R Ladder DAC. While none of this was about vinyl, no records involved, the underlying message is we were able to change the sound coming out of the big MLs to a more forgiving one, a more enjoyable experience, by tinkering around with the source components, DAC types, trying all-copper quality cables, no silver tinned cables. Long story, but we proved different source components, and some poor-interaction cables used can really tip up or bring grain and agitating etch to the sound, some times. Just sharing because the change made a nice difference that day. I had something similar, got away from DSL DACs and returned to NOS / Ladder DACs just so I could listen to some of the same kind of music you referred to.  

Ask: By chance did you happen to change something upstream, a source component, or any cables used in your system over the last few years? ...and now noticing more fatigue than any time before say a few years ago, etc?

I second the Volti Audio Rivals. While they’re not as hyper detailed or offer a as good a 3 D image as some speakers mentioned, they have a full bodied, open sound that actually sounds close to live music & not “hi fi”. Dynamically, they will effortlessly blow away just about every speaker mentioned here & for rock music, sound better than most of the concerts I’ve been to in the past 10 or 15 years. They’re are really fun! 
 

I recently added an SVS R3000 sub ( new model) to augment the very bottom end in my big room ( 40 hz & below) & this seems to have added just the right amount of weight to some music & recordings. I’m still experimenting but for now, I have it set at 40 hz roll off, 12 db / octave & about -15 db for most recordings. 

I would consider a tube preamp to add some body, smoothness, and musicality  to the Logans, but that would also mean either using the 585 as an amp or getting a different amp.  I have heard the 585 with big JBL horns that sounded great.  Smooth, layered, effortless, and detailed. Plenty of other horn speakers out there as well.   

Not much out there can contend with electrostatic detail and precision, but they have their cons, just like anything else.  The reason all of us former stat owners always come back to stats is that nothing else quite sound like them, particularly in their price point.  I would definitely try anthem room correction or components that have dirac, but those are aimed mostly at the low end of the freq. response.   I think room absorption/treatment is going to be your best way to tame etchiness in the Logans. fwiw. 

Klipsch or Wilson