The Gearhead

Martin Logan Motion LX16 Bookshelf Speakers When something jumps out at me, I’ve got to write it down. I don’t generally think about price or any consideration other than excellent sound. So while most of these blog posts will likely be about higher priced gear, if something that is budget priced sounds like a winner, I’ll shriek it from the mountain top. Which brings me to the subject of this blog post. These little Martin Logan Motion LX16 bookshelf speakers had me interested from the first sounds that they made. After writing my recent lengthy cable manifesto while listening to Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone’s wonderful album Time Thread, I came across these high gloss black beauties and wanted to keep listening to the vibes and piano duo. If you wind up with these because a certain someone said they were good (it happens), definitely fire up this recording on the little Motion LX16s. These speakers were made to produce the realistic soundstage of a cream of the crop vi...

Martin Logan Theos Electrostatic Hybrid Speakers I’m not a “sweet spot” audiophile at home. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate dialed-in, sweet spot listening. Head in a vise is how you might describe listening to my stand-up desk audio system here at TMR. My DIY speakers are immensely accurate, and I get a lot of information about different brands of equipment by keeping my head still and focusing. But at home with my two-year-old, wife and coyote dog I am either cooking dinner, cleaning something or playing with dolls. Which means that if I want to enjoy my carefully crafted reference system, it’s going to be off-axis. I’m just not at a point in my life where I can have a devoted room for audio and chunks of devoted audio time for listening. Some of you may be like me, and are on the search for something that sounds good everywhere. My solution is crossoverless full range speakers in giant back-loaded horn cabinets. Music sounds musical and fun from all over the house, ...