the CLS II revisted

[microstrip]

Mark you've made the case for soap-on-a-rope I have a pair of Aerius-i's and one panel crapped out. I replaced both and the cost was minimal...something around $150 per panel as I recall. They may not still build panels for the CLS however..

ML replacement panels were very inexpensive some years ago, but I was told that their price increased dramatically some time ago.

 

[rbbert]

Puroagave, to your questions about setup and such:

First, please try an amp that is designed to drive these highly complex loads such as the Sanders ESL amp. I just got one four months ago and it transformed my Monoliths, it has an ability to drive those big panels like no other amp I've ever tried. Mid-range and upper bass is improved, as that amp delivers the amperage to move those large panels.
Sanders offers a free 30 day in-home trial. Please do yourself a favor and check it out. Pricing is very reasonable considering the results...

another possibility to consider would be some of Roger Modjeski's direct drive tube amps, taking the transformer out of the system

 

[mep]

Mark you've made the case for soap-on-a-rope I have a pair of Aerius-i's and one panel crapped out. I replaced both and the cost was minimal...something around $150 per panel as I recall. They may not still build panels for the CLS however..

I too owned a pair of the original Aerius for many years and replaced the panels on both speakers after one of them went south. And I believe that Myles is correct, new panels are still available for the CLS.

 

[JonFo]

another possibility to consider would be some of Roger Modjeski's direct drive tube amps, taking the transformer out of the system

Yes, that would indeed be the ultimate amp. Anyone here tried those on ML's?
Still looking for a real-world setup of a direct-drive ESL amp.

BTW- My Sanders ESL amp drives the step-up transformer directly, as I use all active X-overs. With the big Monolith panels, that's a punishing load without any additional resistance prior to the xformer. The Sanders handles it superbly.
Next up on my tweaks list is to upgrade the step-up transformers in the Monoliths.

 

[JonFo]

Regarding replacement panels, yes, you can order new replacement panels for Gen1 products like the CLS. The prices did indeed go way up a few years ago, but that's because they were losing money on spares before.

As a data point, my '93 vintage Monoliths were updated to new panels in 2006 and the improvement was noticeable. the new construction techniques and materials are improved. So if your panels are from early 2000's, then you are probably fine.

As another data point, the panels on my Sequel II's (my rear speakers) are still original from when I bought the set new in '93. So after 20 years, they still perform well enough (Audyssey EQ probably 'fixes' any degradation in HF) for their duties as rears. So well taken care of panels can last several decades.

 

[Gregadd]

s of good comments. The moscode also has 30 day free trial. www.mocode.com My friend ran the CLS with the RM9( not bad.

 

[puroagave]

I've run these in for nearly a week and keeping them plugged in at all times really opened up the sound which may suggest the panels were fine but sagging PS's are to blame. The highs are now more present and the lower mid is filled out with better dynamic contrasts. The bass remains the same I still don't know how ML came up with -2db in the low 30s. I think the CLX's low freq spec is more realistic in the low 50s and its probably where the CLS is at.

This afternoon I listened to all 4 sides of Simon and Garfunkel's "the concert in central park" not exactly audiophile demo material but pretty good on most systems, on the CLS the stage grew in proportions I couldn't realize with my last set of box speakers, the recreation of the space between performers front to back and increased transparency was a revelation with this record taking it up a few notches for a live LP, to demo status.

these will stay in my main system for a while, I'm really enjoying a line source type presentation again where the wavefront hits you inphase and in a way that expands the stage dimensions, magnifing the surrounding recording venue, bringing the performance that much closer to sounding real. the 57s panels are too short in the vertical plane to effectively accomplish this but the CLS is just about the perfect size for my listening room without losing this effect.

next up is more tube power and probably a ML descent to fill out the bottom