Martin Logan Neolith
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A pair of those would sure look nice in my room.
But, until a pair shows up for about 90% off MSRP, I'll just have to settle for my cheap imitation Neolith-lites.
Here they were, set up (prior to adding current electronics and TV-in-the-middle) when I first moved into this house:
But, until a pair shows up for about 90% off MSRP, I'll just have to settle for my cheap imitation Neolith-lites.
Here they were, set up (prior to adding current electronics and TV-in-the-middle) when I first moved into this house:
Yeh, they probably provided him with a gas mask hooked up to the source to take it all in.....
Neolith and the terrorist audiophile
Neolith and the terrorist audiophile
http://www.tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_079.pdf
I was reading one of the typically pedestrian - to put it politely - reviews from Tone Audio, this one on the Neolith, and couldn't help but notice this language:
No wonder I go through their entire issues in less than 5 minutes. Such tasteless junk...
Neolith and the terrorist audiophile
http://www.tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_079.pdf
I was reading one of the typically pedestrian - to put it politely - reviews from Tone Audio, this one on the Neolith, and couldn't help but notice this language:
No wonder I go through their entire issues in less than 5 minutes. Such tasteless junk...
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I think describing this magazine as "tasteless junk" is unfair and unnecessary. I do not regularly see this magazine but I skimmed through the one for which you posted the link, and I read the Neolith review. I think this magazine simply is too lightweight for you. It just is not your "cup of tea." That does not make it "tasteless junk."
It might be easy for you to dismiss Tone Audio because it is not solely about high-end audio and it is seems not to cover (at least in this issue) anything in a very in-depth manner, but I can understand there is a market for a lighter, more diversified, less audio-intense magazine like this.
I object to the content of the "Yip Yap" because, among other things:
-- I think it is inappropriate and inflammatory to use the term "terrorist" in this context;
-- I am not sure what "biased against" means (some people post on the internet that they like the Neolith and some people post that they don't -- what is the author's point?);
-- some demos showcase a product in a positive light (ah, sound) and some demos do not do the products justice (this is not news, either);
-- doesn't every component "need to be set up properly" for its best attributes to be realized?;
-- isn't every component enhanced when it is demonstrated with "truly great components behind [it]"?
-- the author's "guarantee" does not mean much because it is stated in isolation, and not in comparison to competing speakers which the author has auditioned.
PS: I love the Neoliths when they reproducing an analog source and are being driven by big tube amplifiers. I agree with one common criticism of them, especially when compared to more elaborate and more expensive systems, but I think they are well worth their asking price. No speaker is perfect or immune from criticism.
I could live with Neoliths (as I could live with a few other speakers) happily for a very long time. If the Neolith is ever reimagined as a four-column system I am confident it will be a state-of-the-art loudspeaker system.
It might be easy for you to dismiss Tone Audio because it is not solely about high-end audio and it is seems not to cover (at least in this issue) anything in a very in-depth manner, but I can understand there is a market for a lighter, more diversified, less audio-intense magazine like this.
I object to the content of the "Yip Yap" because, among other things:
-- I think it is inappropriate and inflammatory to use the term "terrorist" in this context;
-- I am not sure what "biased against" means (some people post on the internet that they like the Neolith and some people post that they don't -- what is the author's point?);
-- some demos showcase a product in a positive light (ah, sound) and some demos do not do the products justice (this is not news, either);
-- doesn't every component "need to be set up properly" for its best attributes to be realized?;
-- isn't every component enhanced when it is demonstrated with "truly great components behind [it]"?
-- the author's "guarantee" does not mean much because it is stated in isolation, and not in comparison to competing speakers which the author has auditioned.
PS: I love the Neoliths when they reproducing an analog source and are being driven by big tube amplifiers. I agree with one common criticism of them, especially when compared to more elaborate and more expensive systems, but I think they are well worth their asking price. No speaker is perfect or immune from criticism.
I could live with Neoliths (as I could live with a few other speakers) happily for a very long time. If the Neolith is ever reimagined as a four-column system I am confident it will be a state-of-the-art loudspeaker system.
Just to comment I think that this an unfair and unkind comment to Tone Audio and particularly to Jeff Dorgay and his team of contributors, and also to his readers.
I was curious so I looked and read the article.
Ack specifically related to one sentence of one paragraph; with the words...terrorist and terrorists.
In these days and age our senses and sensibilities are precious sources of commodities and positive communication transfers/exchanges.
Our humor is darkened by the world's social medias and today's world's realities. We are still humans (sort of ;-)), part of the human race, even when writing about audio and listening to music. Our weaknesses are part of our surroundings. We're vunerable, influencable. We adapt to them, try to suppress them, accept them for what they are, and keep on living the best we know how.
There is so much bull in the TV news today, on the internet, social medias, from the major news players, so much bias, so much hatred, discrimination, so much blame on others except on us, that it is stressful to the point of deep depression.
An audio review magazine is a peaceful escape of it all. Or @ least the aim is sounds.
Personally, I'll skip the non-relevant and get on with the program @ end...the Martin Logan Neolith speaker's review. But that's me, and my understanding of our human race today in the year 2016...December the third.
I also respect all other comments from other members; their thoughts, senses and sensibilities...including the ones from the audio reviewer.
There is no black and white, no black smoke killing the planet and the people living on it. There are multicolored shades in our world.
There are so many unjust, unfair, unkind actions from words, from comments, remarks today that each word, each action, reaction, interaction, counteraction, ...counts. Everything is important.
That one sentence: "A cursory look at terrorist chatter on the internet reveals a fair number of people biased against the Neolith, claiming underwhelming demos, and as someone who tries to not fund the terrorists whenever possible, I must agree."
...Refers to some online ML Neolith speaker critics. The choice of the word "terrorist" and saying "..., and as someone who tries to not fund the terrorists whenever possible, ..." wasn't the best choice, the best way of saying. ...To me. It's a detour that I could have easily walk around, and I just did.
Here you go, just sharing my own, very peacefully, without any damage done, respectfully of all other opinions submitted, in a democratic and loving and non-judging, professional, adult, well civilized, unbiased, accommodating society of dignified human beings with respectable lives and the right for liberty, equality, justice.
Did I feel offended the first time I've read it? Yes, very. Is it going to change our world? No, not one bit, it's just human nature.
Only I, have the power to change the things for the better, to change me, and me only, and no one else.
Lock him up! The writer? No, the ML Neolith critics. :b
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Oh you think the comment is unfair? Go ahead and delete the post and the all the rest, I don't care. But I am still looking at him and his publication with the same amount of contempt that he has for audiophiles.
Microstrip - I have a pair of Prodigys bought about a year ago. They are awesome speakers. Previously I had a mid-range pair of B&W and used the MLs to swap them out - like for like and changing no other components. I was running them from a mid-range Musical Fidelity amp (A300) quite adequately and they gave great sound - very substantially better than the B&Ws - with no issues driving the speakers whatsoever. More recently I have replaced the MF A300 with the MF Trivsita amp - a big beast - and friends tell me that it sounds even better. Despite having pretty mid market speaker cables (VdH The Snowtrack) I believe that the limiting factor on the system is now usually the quality of the source recording so this has become something of a preoccupation as the quality of the system is now highlighting the shortcoming in many recordings. Probably the next upgrade I will attempt is the speaker cables and after the the MF CD player which is pretty long in the tooth. Anyway, I guess the main message from me is that I have found the Prodigys to be an easy to drive speaker though perhaps would struggle with the output from a valve amp.
I enjoyed the Prodigys for about 17 years. I think they sound better than some of the later ML models which replaced the Prodigys.
I drove them with tubes. The more power the better, but 150+ tube watts do a beautiful job driving them.
Welcome to WBF. The Trivista should be an excellent match for the Prodigy's. It is very powerful and using the 5703WB tube was a great idea - it is a rugged military tube with extremely long life.
Driven by TUBES I love the Neolith! (I think I may be just about the only person on WBF who is a huge fan of the Neolith.)
I could sell that speaker all day long!
I could sell that speaker all day long!
It's an updated Prodigy guys!
This looks to me more like a ML Prodigy on steroids. The shape, scale and heft are similar but generally bigger all round. Let's face it - going back to the Prodigy form factor and giving it a face-lift with updated and upspecced components is a winning strategy. I still run a pair of Prodigies and think that they are simply unsurpassed - except maybe by the Neolith ("new stone" from the Greek).
and my first thought was when will Myles get histhe name suggests its a successor to the monolith, maybe its closer to a mini-statement. I noticed it sports high-gloss paint finishes, de rigueur nowadays for flagship models.
This looks to me more like a ML Prodigy on steroids. The shape, scale and heft are similar but generally bigger all round. Let's face it - going back to the Prodigy form factor and giving it a face-lift with updated and upspecced components is a winning strategy. I still run a pair of Prodigies and think that they are simply unsurpassed - except maybe by the Neolith ("new stone" from the Greek).
G'day Maties, certainly nice to see some keen interest on the Neoliths.
Over here down unda, we have only one pair of these up in Sydney, and that belongs to one of the main distributors for ML. They are truly a marvelous design and the fact that it's a hybrid from one of the American icons of hybrid-stat design.
These are very rare over here and cost a fortune, close to 140 grand for the pair.
Speaking of another marvelous design/combination, is the ability on tube power. I have heard over the decades many wonderful SS amplifiers driving ML's, especially Solution, CH Precision, Dan D's and similar top end gear. On a slightly more realistic expense, Plinius, Bryston, Jeff Rowland and Pass Labs are amongst my favorite.
However, when you match up tube amplification such as VTL, ARC, Manley and CJ, the sound from ML stats is magical!
There's a profound sense of naturalness, plus effortless dynamics and range, with an added level of musicality at its finest. Both types reproduce the depth and transient control along with the sheer transparency and speed that these stats can deliver, then again on tubes in the power amp domain, it's truly remarkable to experience such an open expansive soundstage that causes the panels to simply disappear leaving nothing but the music and performers right in front of you.
If anyone has felt that tubes could not drive stats or panels for that matter, I'm affraid the amplifier match up has definitely not been up-to task. BTW it's not about the watts/power output at all, this is only secondary. I've learned along the way trying out so many different brands/designs, basically it's all about the power supplies, the current capabilities of the amplifier and its ability to control the varied impedence curves of stats and how well the output stages have been built to handle such parameters. These have to be solid! Unflinching when it comes to current drive and taking a full grip on panels, wattage is the least factor to consider.
I have come across far too many high powered SS designs that just couldn't deliver, either due to a lack of current, lack of stable power supplies and lacking in the overall control & grip on stats. Perhaps on dynamic drivers these are more appropriate but definitely were miserable driving stats, they were under immense strain even though rated at over 300w/ch. No point in mentioning names, that would be unethical & unfair.
If you are to choose SS or tubes driving your stats, just keep in mind that control factor of the impedence curves, not the wattage.
Cheers, RJ
Over here down unda, we have only one pair of these up in Sydney, and that belongs to one of the main distributors for ML. They are truly a marvelous design and the fact that it's a hybrid from one of the American icons of hybrid-stat design.
These are very rare over here and cost a fortune, close to 140 grand for the pair.
Speaking of another marvelous design/combination, is the ability on tube power. I have heard over the decades many wonderful SS amplifiers driving ML's, especially Solution, CH Precision, Dan D's and similar top end gear. On a slightly more realistic expense, Plinius, Bryston, Jeff Rowland and Pass Labs are amongst my favorite.
However, when you match up tube amplification such as VTL, ARC, Manley and CJ, the sound from ML stats is magical!
There's a profound sense of naturalness, plus effortless dynamics and range, with an added level of musicality at its finest. Both types reproduce the depth and transient control along with the sheer transparency and speed that these stats can deliver, then again on tubes in the power amp domain, it's truly remarkable to experience such an open expansive soundstage that causes the panels to simply disappear leaving nothing but the music and performers right in front of you.
If anyone has felt that tubes could not drive stats or panels for that matter, I'm affraid the amplifier match up has definitely not been up-to task. BTW it's not about the watts/power output at all, this is only secondary. I've learned along the way trying out so many different brands/designs, basically it's all about the power supplies, the current capabilities of the amplifier and its ability to control the varied impedence curves of stats and how well the output stages have been built to handle such parameters. These have to be solid! Unflinching when it comes to current drive and taking a full grip on panels, wattage is the least factor to consider.
I have come across far too many high powered SS designs that just couldn't deliver, either due to a lack of current, lack of stable power supplies and lacking in the overall control & grip on stats. Perhaps on dynamic drivers these are more appropriate but definitely were miserable driving stats, they were under immense strain even though rated at over 300w/ch. No point in mentioning names, that would be unethical & unfair.
If you are to choose SS or tubes driving your stats, just keep in mind that control factor of the impedence curves, not the wattage.
Cheers, RJ
