Martin Logan Prodigy with Sonic Frontiers Power

Hello,

I once owned Martin Logan Odysseys and Sonic Frontiers Powers 3's. It was not good combination, IMO. The Sonic Frontiers Power 3's will not provide the bass tightness and control you are seeking on the ML Prodigy.

If you remain committed to the Prodigy's and if budget allows, you may find the the ML's will sound wonderful with VAC PHI amps, as well as Convergent Amps. Both of these amps will provide excellent bass control, and will have a much more refined mid range and sweeter highs than the Krell and Sonic Frontiers. Admittedly, the Krell will have the "best" bass.

David

>>BTW, I called ML on Friday... they said the 110W/ch Tube power should be plenty to for these...but that the hell do they know. :) LOL

The people at the ML factory also drive some of the smaller models with very low power amps and integrateds. Yet the MORE POWER myth for MLs continues unabated in audiophile circles. The designers will tell you flat out that you do not need hundreds of watts to drive their speakers. But Joe audiophool knows better.

You should get an amp/integrated that is very stable into 4 ohm loads and avoid class D amps as most of them will not handle this load.

I have Odysseys. Upgraded from Classe CAM200 monoblocks to a CJ premier 350. Huge improvement in power, resolution, tonality, bass... everything.

What a project this has been. So much great feedback from the forum and suggestions from industry.

Most was surely suggesting that I go to very large amps and that SS amps really make these sing. Allot of folks also suggested that tubes are surely the way to go with electrostatics but they lack base...uhhhh the delema.

I first moved to the KRELL 300M mono with good success in improving the overall volume and bass of the speakers. But, they did not give me the romantic sound I was used to. They were accurate but almost too accurate and thus sound analytical.

The SF Power 3s just did not have the drive nor grunt to give them what the Krells did. They were a on the weak side of "come listen to me for hours and hours". :)

So, let's see...I started with a 110W/ch Tube amp, went to 700W/ch SS, and then to 220W/ch tube again. None did it for me so I was about to sell it all and go back to dynamic speakers with a tube amps that I was used to. Then, I was approached by someone who wanted my Krells and wanted to trade me for other amps....with a wapping 50W/ch...ha ha...silly, no? How can my huge Martin Logan Prodigies that are hybrids possibly be driven by what was contrary to "you need much more power" to drive those speakers.

Wholly molly, I have never heard these speakers sound so good!!!! Now I know what the Electrostatic buffs mean about smooth, transparent, and coherency. Not to say I am never going back to box speakers but they will have to be pretty good to compete with these Prodigies.

So, what amps did I go to? Cary 805 AEs. 50Watts of nectar! Running with a Cary SLP-05 preamp. Now toss in, only after I was satisfied with the smooth and present bass of the prodigies alone, dual/stereo Martin Logan Decent i subs to fill the room...and house. :)

This system now is super clear, wide, deep, and full. Well, as far as what I know of these characteristics. In all honestly, it does sound just as good as many of the great systems I heard at the past weekends Nor Cal show and better than most of the speaker demos there.

Again, thanks all for the help...now, how do I make myself go to the office when I have all this wonderful sound at home. :)

-NAK8