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Once an electrostatic lover, always an electrostatic lover. Over the many, many years, many have, despite the obvious shortcomings and challenges, struck by this technology, always hoping the next breakthrough was around the corner. Easier to drive, more low end, less "drummy" in the low end, better macrodynamics, better integration of hybrid designs, less beaming, etc. And over the years, some of these issues have been addressed, other factors not so much. I'll never forget the rollout of the Statements many years ago when Krell and Martin-Logan teamed up at the now defunct Summer CES at the Chicago Historical Museum to put together a SOTA demonstration of that massive four speaker model. (according to Dan, it cost them close to 100K to put on that demo). And in some ways it was very impressive! Certainly at that time the scale of the music and the neutrality.
So it's always news when one of the leading electrostatic designers like Martin-Logan takes aim at this old technology with a new design. Moreso, ML has a proven track record of using technology developed in their SOTA speakers and distilling it down to other speakers in the product line.
There are several noteworthy changes in the new Neoliths:
Much larger estat diaghram (even bigger than the old Statements)
New enclosure material and better bracing
Improved parts and drivers
Really a three-way speaker
Largest and new bass drivers used (12 and 15-inch)
Claimed can be driven by amps 20-1300 wpc. (there's no mention of included, self-powered bass amplifier like Summit-X)
Some new room adjustability and floor bounce
Top end drops to 0.43 ohms so better have a robust amplifier
185# per side
Having been a long time Martin-Logan owner, it seems that many issues were addressed in this speaker, in particular the cabinet material and parts quality. I still think that the Summit-Xs are one of the best buys in the market but they are not without their own signature. One issue wasn't as much the blending between drivers (and I still hanker for a full range estat) but the size of instruments like cellos and double basses just wasn't convincing. Also, the top end just wasn't as extended as it should be. Stats are also, like any top speaker, ruthlessly revealing and demand the best in ancillary equipment; too often people attributed faults of the other components to the stats. Then the colorations of the bass just always wandered into the estat territory, adding some colorations and apparent linearity. Speakers like Magico get the mids right because of the lack of speaker cabinet colorations; ML because of the speed of the driver. (the new Magico drivers take a giant step toward that sort of cone driver speed.)
But what they did well, they did well. Like tubes, stats have a magical quality to them that brings music to life. That magic to resolve the smallest musical nuance and overtones of instruments that gave a life to the music. In contrast, other speakers just sound dead and boring. The magic of hearing the resonances and decay of a guitar. That magic of hearing a singer's breathiness. Those magical dynamic accents that separate the contenders from the pretenders.The airiness of recordings And the newer Martin-Logans have dynamics previously thought unattainable with stats too!
I've only had a chance to hear the Neoliths at a show, driven by Mac electronics, sitting on a directors chair about five feet above the floor, Yes nose bleed territory. Yes I want to hear the speakers with other electronics. Yes I want to hear the speakers with analog and familiar material. But there was an unmistakable delicacy and lightness to the sound. An absolutely beguiling effortless quality to the sound. That old ML resolution. An unmistakable change in the low end though in that room the bass was too much (it seems that some exhibitors think turning up the bass is going to sound better.
) All that makes me do is want to hear them under better circumstances!For me, one question remaining is finding that right amplifier for the Neoliths.
What are other people's thoughts on the speakers?
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