reQuest

over the years i owned a lot of speaker even panels , with ML sl3 , Apogee duetta signature and Monsoon fpf-1600 , but since I have bought my request ( used ) in 2016 I never feeled the need of changing them . Even at a time a guy who was selling his ESL 15A that are really a newer model . That the difference between both don't worth the investment . Yes they are better but for the price Request is unbeatable . On my side with Classé audio Electronic it's almost pefect , precision , transparency a lot of bass if you want . Nothing to take them in fault .

Request
Finally after owning my pair of re-Quest speakers for the past 20 year, I'm going to post up a review. I purchased my set new back in 1998, had them powered thru an old onkyo integrated amp at the time, but over the year the electronics in the system had been upgraded many times and my setup is currently running bi-amped with bryston 7bst for each of the panels and a 4bst for the subs. Should be more than enough power for these, probably close to 1000w RMS to each speaker. Still one of the best speakers I've heard, classic electrostatic sound, airiness, the sweet mid-range that isn't present in any other speaker out there. The bass had always been lacking with these speakers so those kick drums never had the punch you get at a concert but the bass that is produced is smooth, detailed similar to what you would hear from a British speaker system, eg meridian. The newer electrostatics do improve in the high frequency details, improved transparency, but the difference hasn't been light years or even worth a 20k upgrade. 20 years later and everything in the system had been changed but for some reason these re-quests are still part of my system. When it comes to reproducing vocals no other speaker can match it without spending at least 20k, but at that point I'll probably need to spend that much in electronics upgrades. I would highly recommend listening to your best vocal tracks on this speaker and you'll see what I mean, been with this same speaker for 20 years and probably will spend another 20 years with it. My set is still running on all original panels and woofers.

Blown away
Purchased my reQuest since 1998, matched them with Bryston 7Bst mono blocks. I put up with some really bad sound for...embarrassed to say, too many years. Bad sound. Recently though, I purchased a Devialet 200, we were blown away, by the sound, incredible, the reQuests have never sounded this amazing. No need for a sub, we had to move the speakers another 2 inches forward away from the walls to reduce the overwhelming bass. Details I have never heard before in music I have listened for 40 years. Really is that much of a difference. I had tried other amps, tube preamp and there was an improvement over the 7B's so I knew there was something to improve on and the Devialet 200, now Devialet 400 has found the sound I have always known the reQuests were capable of.

...if realism matters
I've owned 4 MLS models over the years and these are #1 ...so far. Previous to these were the Monolith's and they were simply fantastic but we're a bit wide for my room so I sold them and regretted that decision ever since until I purchased this pair. As other reviewers point out the upstream electronics play a very significant role in the musical outcome, even more so than most traditional speakers. I run a Krell amp and Audible Illusions tube pre which is pretty heavenly on most all music, but again the recording quality is ultimately important and you will find certain sound engineering characteristics are more realistic than others. Not sure if I'll ever need to go further in my lifetime but if I do it will be hard to stray from this brand

Magic!
After over 10 yrs. of possession and listening experience, yet very hesitant to look for a substitute. Still very happy and loved the 'magic' of lifelike sound coming out of this ML reQuest.

best buy
I HAVE HAD THIS SPEAKER FOR ALMOST A YEAR. I AM STILL TWEEKING FOR THE BEST SOUND POSITION. THE SPEAKERS ARE 5 FEET FROM THE FRONT WALL AND 3 FROM THE SIDE WALLS. I SIT 10 FT FROM THE SPEAKERS AND MY CHAIR IS ABOUT 2.5 FEET FROM THE REAR WALL. WITH DIGITAL MASTERED RECORDINGS YOU FEEL LIKE THE PERFORMANCE IS TAKING PLACE IN FRONT OF YOU.YOU DO NEED VERY GOOD EQUIPMENT TO GET THE BEST FROM THESE SPEAKERS.I WAS USING A AR SP9 WITH AN ARAGON 4004. BUT FOUND OUT THAT THIS WASN'T ENOUGH POWER TO GET THESE SPEAKERS TO SING. I HAVE SINCE CHANGED TO A MARK LEVINSON 326S AND A SANDERS MAG TECH AMP. PLENTY OF POWER AND THE SOUND IS AMAZING WITH WELL RECORDED MATERIAL. LETS FACE IT IF YOU PLAY BAD RECORDINGS YOUR GOING TO GET BAD SOUND NO MATTER WHAT. I FIRST SAW THESE SPEAKERS AT INNOVATIVE AUDIO NYC . WHEN I SAW THEM AT WOODBRIDGE I WAS IMMEDIATELY INTERESTED. BEST PURCHASE OF HI END EQUIPMENT.

Timeless Audio
I had a pair of Quad ESLs a few years ago and since then I have been lost in with world of box speakers. Until I purchased the reQuest speakers. Wonderful presence, and great for all the music I like. Solid bass, but you need more a sub will help. I had spent alot of time liserning to many new speakers and the reQuest beat them all. Love them.

owner
i have 2 pairs request the best speaker i ever have sound is unbelievable

Wonderful Speakers
I bought mine January 1, 1998, during a "buy one speaker and get one for 1/2 price" sale at Sound Advice (R.I.P.) in Tampa Florida, as a replacement for a pair of SL3. Cost $3682.76, they ordered and I took delivery on February 21, 1998. So, I've had them for 14 years 2 months and 16 days. I keep the panels covered most of the time with a pair of "body pillow" cases, like thin t-shirt material. It doesn't affect the acoustics noticably. The panels still look almost new and seem to have no deterioration. Not once in that time have I gone speaker shopping again. They were powered by an Acurus A-250 for 13 of those years, now I finally have made some major upgrades. Krell FPB 350mcx is the power now, and they really light up... clarity, imaging, frequency response, everything is just perfect. Low Frequency extension usable down to 27hz or so in my smallish room with the sealed box 12" woofer.27.5 is the fundamental of the lowest note on a piano, 42.5 the low note on a bass guitar. Speaker cables right now are a pair of 18awg twisted magnet wire for the panel and 2awg THHN power cable for the woofers. Nothing fancy there. Would I buy them again today? Don't have to! But, yes... http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?11969-System-382-(reQuest)&highlight=382

ReQuest
It is going on eight years since i got these speakers, the stunning reproduction is unbelievable the bass is so astounding that i hardly use my Descent i, too bad they have been discontinued.

Sonic Bliss
I repaired and sold high-end audio in the late 80s and have been collecting music and HiFi ever since. My partner, now a full-time musician, was a 1st engineer in some big Los Angeles recording studios for 15 years. She has gold and platinum records to her credit. Suffice it to say that we not only take great pleasure in our large music collections, but that we take repro very seriously. For 25 years our speaker of choice was KEF107 Reference Monitors; nice speakers in their day. But nothing could have prepared either of us for what the ReQuests have done for and to our listening habits and passion for good recordings. Ours were bought used and I must assert that nothing in their price range has ever brought us more happiness. They are a music nerd's heaven. Their transparency and imagining, in the words of my uber-critic partner is, "impossible". They reproduce detail that just doesn't exist out-side of a music studio. The other reviewers put it beautifully when they expressed their disbelief that a mere record or CD could offer THAT MUCH information. Sure, the reQuest cost a bundle and have an obscenely small sweet spot, and yes, they stand 6' tall, and weigh 95lbs. And yes, you will have to replace those recordings in your collection which were mixed badly (ELO) with the remixed, re-mastered versions. But listen just once to these speakers arrayed with good gear and proper placement, and you will be ruined for life. Hyperbole? Listen for yourself. Trip and Lisa Asheville, NC

Incredible
As the previous reviewer said, the detail from these is astounding. I have an old pair of Infinity 2000As, which give you amazing natural transparent detail (as electrostatic panels always do), and didn\'t hear much anything else out there that rivaled the clarity of these mids and highs, but then I heard the ReQuests. Talk about clarity. It\'s hard to believe there\'s that much data in the sound signal that you\'ve never heard before. That\'s all I could think of when I listened to these: how is there so much information to be revealed? If you have the money, you will not be disappointed in these. I am sure if you obtain these your \"quest\" will be over for your own personal ultimate hi-fi stereo speakers.

Best sound ever
I've never heard anything like it before. You find new sounds in songs that you heard all your life that you never knew where there....just perfect!