Source

I purchased a pair of Source speakers on Monday from the original owner and I am very happy with my purchase. I am replacing a pair of Motion 12's which are excellent speakers in my opinion but wanting to take the plunge to ESL's. I am still working with placement as I have gotten allot of good advice from some people on a Facebook page for Martin Logan speakers and I feel I need to completely rearrange my listening room in order to get the best sound from them. As they are now I'm so impressed with the beautiful clarity of symbols and brass that I am experiencing. I have couple them with a Dynamo 1000W and the overall balance and dynamics are nothing short of breathtaking. Because of this very impressive sound it is egging me on to rearrange my room because I can't imagine how they will sound when given the appropriate listening area setup. Thank you Martin Logan for designing and making such an incredible product.

Just reading reviews and specs just does not prepare you for the crystal clarity and clean sound.
I bought a used pair of the ML Source speakers a little less than a year ago (2015). I don't know if I got lucky or people that own ML's take good care of them but this set was in pristine condition. My wife and I had went to a Home Theater store because I wanted to hear what a $50,000 pair of speakers sounded like. The store also had a set of the ML's ESL speakers. So after listening to the other speakers we asked the store clerk if we could hear the ELS's. We was so much more impressed with the ELS's than the $50,000 speakers that it really took us by surprise. We decided to budget for a set of the ELS's. Then I found the Source speakers in the local want ads. Needless to say we bought them. These speakers are incredible. You just can not imagine what these sound like until you listen to them. Just reading reviews and specs just does not prepare you for the crystal clarity and clean sound. The mid bass to the mids are so defined that rhythm and lead guitars sound like the musician is plugged into an amp in front of you. The vocals are incredible but where I think these speakers really shine is in the reproduction of natural instruments such as acoustic guitars, pianos, bells, chimes and cymbols. The Source speakers reproduce the natural ringing of the guitar strings and the natural metallic sounds of the symbols, bells and chimes. I can even tell the difference in the effects that a guitarist uses on their guitars. I now have a full set of ML's incluing a Cinema I center speaker and two of the motion 8 for the rear speakers. I am driving these with a McIntosh processor and a McIntosh 8 channel amplifier. I have had numerous amps, receivers and speakers through the years from as far back as the 70's and have been a musician for as long and the ML's gives me the exact sound I have been looking for, a good accurate tight bass as well as the natural sound of the cymbals and chimes with out the cymbals and chimes sounding hissy and lacking the sound of the metal that these instruments are made of.

the (very very) WMAHPL !
The Martin Logan Source are exactly as announced and more: not only "the world's most affordable high-performance hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker", But even... the world's best value for money high-performance loudspeaker. Also, after many tests and many (surrealist) dreams, the reality has come to me simple and obviou. Unless you move to a too small or too large lounge, the purest sound it seems possible to hear is just in you or around you... in real life.

Simply Awsome
I'm in the Music Business, I have heard hundreds of speakers in my 58 years on this planet, these speakers are in my living room, that alone say's a lot about the quality sound and sonic performance of these great speakers, I often have music execs in my home and they always ask about them, I have owned them for 4 1/2 years and they still sound great. These are some of the best speakers on the market. I LOVE MY SOURCE SPEAKERS!!! My hats off to Martin Logan Good Job Moe

Superb Entry Level ML
This is my pair of first MartinLogan speakers. These speakers have over 100 hours of use so they are starting to break in. These are the clearest speakers I have ever owned. Fed by a 20 WPC bargain Tripath digital amplifier and matched to an 8" sealed subwoofer, the soundstage is wide and coddling. The overall sound is slightly warm and not too analytical which is my preference. The bass is surprisingly deep and adequate for most music genres without a subwoofer. Despite a conventional bass unit matched to an electrostatic panel, I am unable to discern the Source as a hybrid speaker. And oh, the mid and treble... to die for. I have the speakers set a bit more then a foot from the rear and side walls spread 7 feet apart sitting about 6 feet from the speakers. Not exactly optimal but this is a good compromise between form and function. Husband acceptance factor plays a role here. Compared to some Eminent Technology speakers (also superb) and some old Monsoon floorstanding speakers (again very good bargain speakers), the Source is slightly clearer and more akin to good headphones then speakers. One minor criticism is the narrow sweet spot is about a couple of feet across - something my planar speakers didn't suffer from. Since owning these speakers for a bit more then a month, I look forward to my evening listening sessions where I go through my music collection and hear the music from a refreshing perspective. Bravo MartinLogan. The current ESL for the same price is clearly more handsome the the old Source. If the ESL is as good as the Source speakers, I would not hesitate recommending these beautiful new speakers.

Superb Entry Level ML
This is my pair of first MartinLogan speakers. These speakers have over 100 hours of use so they are starting to break in. These are the clearest speakers I have ever owned. Fed by a 20 WPC bargain Tripath digital amplifier and matched to an 8" sealed subwoofer, the soundstage is wide and coddling. The overall sound is slightly warm and not too analytical which is my preference. The bass is surprisingly deep and adequate for most music genres without a subwoofer. Despite a conventional bass unit matched to an electrostatic panel, I am unable to discern the Source as a hybrid speaker. And oh, the mid and treble... to die for. I have the speakers set a bit more then a foot from the rear and side walls spread 7 feet apart sitting about 6 feet from the speakers. Not exactly optimal but this is a good compromise between form and function. Husband acceptance factor plays a role here. Compared to some Eminent Technology speakers (also superb) and some old Monsoon floorstanding speakers (again very good bargain speakers), the Source is slightly clearer and more akin to good headphones then speakers. One minor criticism is the narrow sweet spot is about a couple of feet across - something my planar speakers didn't suffer from. Since owning these speakers for a bit more then a month, I look forward to my evening listening sessions where I go through my music collection and hear the music from a refreshing perspective. Bravo MartinLogan. The current ESL for the same price is clearly more handsome the the old Source. If the ESL is as good as the Source speakers, I would not hesitate recommending these beautiful new speakers.

Superb Entry Level ML
This is my pair of first MartinLogan speakers. These speakers have over 100 hours of use so they are starting to break in. These are the clearest speakers I have ever owned. Fed by a 20 WPC bargain Tripath digital amplifier and matched to an 8" sealed subwoofer, the soundstage is wide and coddling. The overall sound is slightly warm and not too analytical which is my preference. The bass is surprisingly deep and adequate for most music genres without a subwoofer. Despite a conventional bass unit matched to an electrostatic panel, I am unable to discern the Source as a hybrid speaker. And oh, the mid and treble... to die for. I have the speakers set a bit more then a foot from the rear and side walls spread 7 feet apart sitting about 6 feet from the speakers. Not exactly optimal but this is a good compromise between form and function. Husband acceptance factor plays a role here. Compared to some Eminent Technology speakers (also superb) and some old Monsoon floorstanding speakers (again very good bargain speakers), the Source is slightly clearer and more akin to good headphones then speakers. One minor criticism is the narrow sweet spot is about a couple of feet across - something my planar speakers didn't suffer from. Since owning these speakers for a bit more then a month, I look forward to my evening listening sessions where I go through my music collection and hear the music from a refreshing perspective. Bravo MartinLogan. The current ESL for the same price is clearly more handsome the the old Source. If the ESL is as good as the Source speakers, I would not hesitate recommending these beautiful new speakers.

Risers on bottom
The ones I have do have them,which angle can be moved And as to amps for these speakers They do require min. Say 100 min. Of clean watts The have them in theater setting with 145 on them and they are fine But they really like my 55-60 watt tube amp They are great speakers for this price range But iamsaving for a pair of ethos or theos now After hearing them since 2008 ,I want bigger panels But will will put them back in theater setting,and put new ones on tube amp I have all Martin Logan in my theater now and it sounds great My room size is 26.5x25.5 -2subs in room also running 7.2

Nice ESL
Construction quality seems great. Shipping carton protects contents effectively. However, I've yet to achieve what I believe to be potentially attainable acoustic performance, due perhaps to my new Cambridge Audio Integrated amp (60W-RMS) not having quite what it takes for The Source to perform in a 20 x 30 ft. room. Another disappointment was the advertised description of The Source in AudioAdvisor.com and their frequent paper magazine, which depicted these Source speakers came with adjustable bases that allowed easy rake angle change, from a laid-back angle for listening at a distance (or standing) vs. a basically vertical rake angle for near field (or seated) listening. I opted for the “SE” Special Edition flavor of The Source which replaced the vinyl-clad woofer cabinet with real-wood veneer. I thought this would be a nice enhancement to what I expected to be perhaps my last pair of quality speakers. Having been in the audiophile business since the early seventies, I worked and-or managed several audio salons in the 70’s and 80’s, and had the opportunity to own or at least borrow for extended times, speakers and electronics of hi-end caliber. I’ve owned Dahlquist DQ-10, DCM Time Windows, Rogers LS3-5A, several Magnepan models, and finally Acoustat X electrostatic with integral hybrid tube-solid state amplifiers. Linn Sondek LP-12 with Keith Monks tonearm with mercury pools, DB Systems pre-amp…you get the idea. So I do have some history and experience with hi-end audio gear. My point is, my Source speakers DID NOT come with the reversible base that allows rake angle adjustment. And as it turns out, I need the 1-degree vertical rake to get the best tonal balance for my listening preference and to complement my listening room. So I paid extra for a nicer wood cabinet but lost what I consider to be a crucial configuration feature of these speakers. The adjustable screw-in spikes don’t come close to allowing the rake angle adjustments I need in my environment. Anyway, The Source is a fine speaker but the notion of a “reversible base” to adjust rake angle does not apply if you choose to invest in the SE version, which has wood veneer instead of vinyl. I’ve had to resort to small 2x4 wood blocks to give rise to rear end of The Source. But they do some musical things quite well. I’m thinking an Odyssey Khartago power Amp might fix some of my sonic issues. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions. Also, I’m surprised I can’t find any blogs about modifying The Source, such as raising the ESL panel a foot or so above the wooden woofer cabinet, etc. Thank you, -Steve McConnell pcsteve@hotmail.com

Unsurpassed Sound
The Tolerances of these Speakers require break in Beating so "Beat on them" But what a transformation! The sound changes by the hour! After break in, the Bass will not shake you House. Instead the Bass will kick you in the chest, at 10 feet (No Sub Woofer needed)! The Electrostatic Drivers reproduce even a "Pin Drop"! After getting them to the right angle, they have such presence, that I shut off my Center Speaker! In DTS Master, my Jaw still drops, and so do my guests! "Amazing", simply Amazing"!

Incredible ! ! !
Throughout the years I've owned a few pairs of great sounding speakers (Infinity, Bose, Pioneer) but when I decided to spend the money on purchasing the Source Electrostatic speakers - I WAS AMAZED at how incredible they sound. The sound quality and workmanship of the speakers is by far the best I've ever seen. You have to hear them to grasp all of the richness in full range of tones produced. It simply sounds like nothing I've ever heard before. Movie soundtracks sound so real you would think you are sitting in the orchestra pit standing next to the conductor (haha). Martin Logan speakers are well worth the extra money. ( A+ )

Ball cap
Just wanted to let you know. The other night when I went to eat. I wore the cap that I orderd from you. When I got to the bar,their was a man that like my Martin Logan cap. He said that he worked at store that sold them. That they were soon good speakers

Second pair of Martin Logans
The Source our my second pair of Martin Logans. I lived with a pair of Sequel IIs in my living room for about 12 years. Alas, extensive remodeling forced me to replace them with something more \'traditional\'. (Still miss them). I bought the Source a year ago and have them set up in my home office. Reminds me why I liked the Sequels so much. For most classical and light Jazz they are nearly perfect. Only issue I have with them is the bass. Doesn\'t seem to be as nicely integrated as I remember on the Sequels. But this is almost a nit. Someone looking to experience high end audio listening \'on the cheap\' may find these to be just the ticket.

SIMPLY PUT, AMAZING
The clarity of sound from these speakers is amazing. They look and sound beautiful. We are having a great time listening to the music and finding the "sweet spot." Thank you.

Martin Logan Source Speakers
One consumer said these were bright speakers but this is not true. The Source does everything right, handling all my music effortlessly. Better than any conventional speaker I've owned and a real bargain at the price I paid, A$2500. It is very transparent with a big soundstage, plenty of detail, a super clean midrange & treble and a deep full powerful bass which kicks even at low volumes. Ambience is exactly right and the speaker has good depth and openness. Some really bad recordings still sound pretty bad with these speakers but the vast majority are raised to a higher musical level. I have a Beegees No 1s cd which came out in 2004 and was amazed how well the songs sounded. The Sources are crisp but smooth, not sharp. You will find these very satisfying. Thanks Martin Logan for helping me to get off the hifi merry-go-round.

My Dream come true!
Martin Logan owns my musical soul! These speakers have so exceeded my expectations that there are not enough adjectives to describe how great these sound. For the money, im sure they are untouchable. I get to work with Meyer HD-1s every day, and my Source ML's are dropping my jaw and making me a 2 channel lover all over again. Easily the best money on speakers I've ever invested. I will cherish and enjoy these for many, many years to come. I cut my ears (in the best way) on my mentor's electrostatic speakers- Now i get to own my dream. Thank you Martin Logan for working miracles.

Breathtaking
I did paper routes as a kid to save up for a pair of Klipsch Kg4s and the first time I cranked them up I was blown away. I had those speakers for 26 years until this month. I have listened to a couple pairs of electrostatic speakers since then and was truly amazed by the reflection, subtlety and total immersion of the sound. With mostly a leap of faith I purchased the Sources. I was impressed with the literature, the explanation of the history and the amount of verbiage explaining MartinLogan's serious belief in quality. Turning the speakers on was breathtaking. I look forward to having them for more than 26 years. I should have bought these a long time ago.

I'm Excited
I have been an avid listener of music for over 40 years. Our house is full of wonderful sound experiences from a dedicated theater/studio to our living room filled with a lovely set of B&W 802 speakers and complimentary sound system. For my recent birthday my gorgeous wife gave me a set of ML Source speakers. I have these connected in my formal lounge to a Sonos ZP100 and I have the majority of my music digitally stored as .flac files. On the morning of my birthday I managed to get them set up and then an I spent an hour tweaking. I have to say I haven't been this excited, sound wise, for a long time. The tonal quality and stageing of ML Source is staggering to say the least. Listening to the vocal range of Human Nature nearly brings me to tears. I am not easily impressed at the best of times but these are brilliant. Thank you MartinLogan and more importantly thank you to that gorgeous girl in my life, my wife.

Source VS Acoustat Model 1s redux
What a coincidence... I also have had Acoustats for 20 something years and do to a recent re-marrage got word that the Acoustat (Doors) had to go. It was time as the electrolytic capacitors were leaking so badly that there was noticeable hum coming thru at low volumes. I don't know why I waited so long when as the Source is superior and does reflect many refinements over the last 2 decades. They are in my home theater now and fit so much better now just to the sides of my 105" perfed projection screen. Currently negotiating with the finance committee to get at least the Matinees for my Center channel upgrade. Kudos ML.

Martin Logan Source Fan
Impressive speakers, I had Aerius i, CLS IIz, and now Source and this small version does not lose ML reputation, transparency, detail, timbre, and above all excellent coordination between the electrostatic panel and bass. Congratulations, I love my Source

Martin Logan Source Fan
Impressive speakers, I had Aerius i, CLS IIz, and now Source and this small version does not lose ML reputation, transparency, detail, timbre, and above all excellent coordination between the electrostatic panel and bass. Congratulations, I love my Source

Martin Logan Source Fan
Impressive speakers, I had Aerius i, CLS IIz, and now Source and this small version does not lose ML reputation, transparency, detail, timbre, and above all excellent coordination between the electrostatic panel and bass. Congratulations, I love my Source

Source vs Acoustat Model 1
I have been married for just over 23 years. I have Acoustat Model 1's for 23 years and they work great still. I always wanted ML's and my wonderful wife just bought me a pair of Source's for Christmas. A little early but I couldn't wait and set them up. She always hated the Acoustats since they were so big but they have become a staple in the family. Besides the ML's are smaller and look a lot better. I had an issue immediately as the power adapter on one did not work. I called ML and they immediately shipped a replacement next day leaving me with a great first impression for excellent customer service. Anyway technology has changed a lot in 23 years and there is no comparison. The Acoustats still have the ESL sound but the richness and bass of the ML's are 100 times better. I feel like a kid and finally got what I always wished for. The sound quality is like I have not heard before. I can hear things that I have never heard with my Acoustats. I have a wonderful wife that and I still cant believe they are mine.