Got a bump in budget. Martin Logan or Aperion speakers?

Several internet direct speaker companies offer in home trials. In home is way better than in a store as far as a listening test, too. Personally I love my Ascends, and I'd wager the Ascend Sierra-1 would change your mind at about the same pricepoint, but there are a few choices out there. Martin Logan only interests me with their electrostatic speakers, the Motion line I listened to (admittedly at BB) didn't get me interested. What's your price range? 5ch? Sub? How big a room? What will you use the speakers for? Just movies? Music? What are you going to drive the speakers with?

For that price, you can get better speakers.

The Martin-Logan company makes some very good speakers, but the lower-priced ones you are looking at are really not competitive in sound quality with comparably-priced ones from KEF, PSB, Monitor Audio and Gallo Acoustics.

You need to look around a but more.

For example, a very good Monitor Audio system is well within your price range (under $1100).

2 Bronze BX-2 speakers = $489

2 Bronze BX-1 speakers = $379

1 Bronze BX Center = $299. (...6.5" x 18"...)

Various retailers will let you try them in your home for 30 days.
Edited by commsysman - 1/30/13 at 4:32pm

The Aperion are great sounding speakers. I would put them in the same sound quality league as the Monitor Audio, PSB, and KEF. The Aperions have free return shipping and is a win win, you can demo in your home for 30 days and if you don't like them send them back for a full refund.

The Monitor Audio speakers are available in Black Oak and English Walnut veneers, which are very nice finishes. They have much nicer finishes than 80% of the speakers on the market.

Did you want a Piano Black finish or what?

If I had the kind of bookcase you are talking about, I would want some sort of black speaker, because any regular wood-grain finish would either have to match exactly or it would clash (and your chances of a perfect match are about 1 in 100).

You better talk to your decorating supervisor about that in detail. I suspect that clashing will not pass muster.

You can always put speakers on a custom shelf that is angled downward in front with a molding along the front edge sticking up about one-quarter inch along the front edge to keep the speaker in place.
Edited by commsysman - 1/30/13 at 4:54pm

The NHT Classic Three is an excellent speaker that comes in a Piano Black gloss finish. They are $800 per pair and there are other NHT speakers that can be used to complete the system and they make wall-mount brackets for most of them. You can't go wrong with them.

I have the NHT B12D subwoofer, and it is the best I have ever heard (at least for under $1000), and is only $700; the Piano Black finish is superb.

I also have a pair of Gallo Classico CL-3 speakers, and they come in a dark cherry wood veneer which is a gloss finish that is very nice. A pair of Gallo CL-2 speakers is $800. Gallo gives a 60-day free home trial...but beware; they sound so much better than anything else for under $2000 that you will be hooked once you hear them.

That finish might just be a perfect match for your furniture....


Edited by commsysman - 1/30/13 at 5:19pm

Both brands make good speakers, but I would simply order some Aperions and try them out. Since they pay shipping both ways if you aren't happy, you have nothing to lose. I would audition as many speakers as possible and then decide. I personally like the new Gallo Classico, but there are many great manufacturers like Ascend, Monitor Audio, PSB, and Mirage to name a few. However, if you still prefer the Martin Logan sound, go with it and enjoy.

i have motion 4's and a motion 8 up front and they sound great.One of the reasons I went with the Martin Logans was because my wife loved the way they looked.

The Ascend Sierra 1s in piano black finish are gorgeous (I have L/C/R), bamboo cabinets too (higher density than mdf).. They also have a few other finishes available. http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html The piano finish is on sale too.

I used to have Aperion Verus Forte Satellites and Center and Intimus BP4 surrounds and ended up returning them. They were better than my other speakers (Bose ACM 10.....I know shocker!!) but I finally settled on Energy RC line after auditioning Aperion, Klipsch and Polk. If you get the Aperions you will love the packaging and the silk bags the speakers come in. I know sound is what really matters in the end but they do come in the piano finish you are looking for.

Audition as many brands as you can before settling on a brand. It is time and energy consuming but it sure is really fun!!

Good luck!
Edited by rics17 - 1/30/13 at 9:52pm

If you like the MLs then you like them. Don't let someone else attempt to dictate what you might like. Plus the MLs are available to you locally. Your wife likes them. Why not go with them? I demoed some Motion series speakers a while ago and they did sound very nice to me.

Not familiar with your avr but maybe these guys are still paying attention to this thread if the information isn't in there http://www.avsforum.com/t/1205378/the-un-official-yamaha-765-thread

That receiver will drive those speakers without issue. ML Motion series are fairly efficient are compatible with 8 ohm amps. I have driven ML Mosaic and Fresco denon and pioneer receivers without issue.

I only listened to the ML's,they sounded great to me so I bought them.I guess I regret not listening to any thing else but I am happy with the sound.I have the speakers mounted on the wall so I don't think the motion 15's would look as good as the 4's mounted on the walls.

Actually, the Motion 8 and 4s are 4ohm.

http://www.martinlogan.com/motionSeries/specs.php

I got the stone from a store called The Tile Shop in New Jersey,I think they have stores in other states as well.