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REF75 with Summit-X?
I'm looking at the lovely REF75 and also speaker shopping, with the Logan Martin Summit-X being at the top of my list at this moment.
Has anyone heard this combination or perhaps speculate on whether the ARC can handle these speakers? I heard somewhere that 100 wpc. is about the minimum for the Summit-X, but with its powered woofers, I'm wondering if 75 is "good enough" to drive it in nirvana-like fashion. Not that the REF75 could be called marginal in any area other than brute force! I listen almost exclusively to chamber and orchestral classical music (Mahler is a favorite) usually in the 80-90 dB range and rarely much over 95 dB in full orchestra climaxes. Sometimes some blues and rock, but at about the same volume. Listening space is part of a very open arrangement but is essentially a 16-1/2 x 17-1/2 corner area that extends another 15 feet in both directions. Ceiling is unfortunately 8'. Another option I've thought about is grabbing a pair of REF210 monoblocks off Audiogon for around the same budget point, but that REF75 is just stuck in my mind's eye........
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As my dear old dad used to say, "The pain of purchase soon dissipates!" Last edited by jdandy; 07-01-2013 at 04:58 PM. |
#2
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Clarifixer...I don't think you want to drive these with a tube amp despite being 91dB sensitive and having their woofers driven by onboard 200wpc Class D amps. The speaker's impedance is capacitative, decreasing with increasing energy. So the impedance dips down to 0.8 ohm at 20KHz (so the impedance falls from 4ohm nominal rating at 1KHz and keeps on falling throughout the passband as frequency increases), which makes it a prime candidate for speaker-amp interaction. You want a low impedance, high damping factor SS amp to drive these. Here's an exerpt from Dick Olsher's review from TAS:
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I think with these babies you will want to stick with high powered and high DF SS amps. If that's not your cup of tea than you may want to consider more tube-friendly speakers with a benign load (i.e., at least above 6 ohms and fairly flat without major peaks and valleys in the impedance graph as tube amps don't like to see major shifts in load). |
#3
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^ Well said.
However if you do prefer using tube amp, I am very happy with my VT200mkII which drives low impedance load with ease. Speakers are ML CLX. |
#4
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One thing to be aware of though. Although the Summit-X is self powered, the quality of the main amps is still very important. In short, the amp in the speaker reflects the quality of the main amp. In my experience, while the ART was good in the bass, the Cello was even better--even though the X's are self powered.
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Myles Astor, Senior Editor., Positive-Feedback.com, Goldmund Telos 300 amplifier, Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier, Doshi EVO phono and tape stages; Zellaton Plural EVO speakers; VPI Vanquish Turntable, VPI 12-inch Fat Boy gimbal arm and SAT LM-12 arm; Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, Fuuga mk.2, vdh Colibri Master Signature cartridges; Technics 1506/FM heads; Various cables including TA, MIT, Kubala-Sosna, Skogrand, Viero L3 Equilibrio speaker cables, Audience, SRA Craz 3 rack, Isobase and OHIO Class XL+2.1 platforms. |
#5
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Clarifixer,
The Ref75 is a wonderful amp. If your heart is set on getting one, I would seriously recommend you listen to the NOLA KO speakers. I listened to this combination at RMAF last year and felt it was terrific.
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Mike |
#6
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Funny how life throws a curveball at times. In a conversation with a dealer yesterday, he mentioned he was rotating out the demo REF150 he had been using for speaker and component auditions with about 400 hours on it. It is like new, having been unpacked and put directly into service at the store for a couple of years, with no one messing with it but him. For sale with a full three-year warranty and a very nice price.
I bit. It may not be as pretty as the REF75 with its VU meters and all, but a very serious component with a bit more potential to drive a heavy load. I think I'll just ponder all the new possibilities for a while.....
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As my dear old dad used to say, "The pain of purchase soon dissipates!" |
#7
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Quote:
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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] J.J. Shindo D'Yquems Shindo Vosne Romanee Devore 0/96 Luxman PD-171 Dynavector xx2 MkII Luxman DA-06 Mac Mini Magnum Dynalab MD 107t Shindo and A23 Cables |
#8
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Quote:
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Mike |
#9
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Clarifixer...if your dealer is open to it, see if he will let you demo the Ref 150s on your Summit Xs before finally pulling the trigger. Better safe than sorry. If it's a good match, than you are home free with an excellent amp. Congrats!
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#10
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It would also be worth a look at the Martin Logan owners club site, Arc have a good following over there. On paper specs have their place, but so does real world experience.
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