The floorstanding Forest loudspeaker ($3495/pair in black ash or mahogany) from Canadian manufacturer Totem Acoustic5 has been highly recommended by Stereophile since it was first reviewed by Larry Greenhill in April 2001. My comments on the Forest were published in September 2005, and as a result of LG's and my experiences of the speaker, it was consistently recommended in Class B (Full-Range) of the magazine's biannual "Recommended Components" feature. I also mentioned the Forest in my October 2006 "As We See It"…
search
John Atkinson returned to the Totem Forest in April 2010 (Vol.33 No.4):
Measurements
Unable to do any listening, I continued with the measurements, using the other sample of the pair (SN PM4003). I performed my usual quasi-anechoic measurements using DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. I used my vintage Audio Precision System One for the impedance testing; the magnitude and electrical phase are shown in fig.1.
Fig.1 Totem Acoustic Forest, 2009 sample, electrical impedance (solid) and phase (dashed). (2 ohms/vertical div.)
The traces in this graph are identical to those in the graphs for the 2001 and 2005…
This lapsed fan of electrostatic speakers finds it curious that, while MartinLogan is the predominant representative of this technology in the US, I had never auditioned an ML design in my home. I've enjoyed many Janszen tweeters, a KLH 9, an AcousTech X, Stax ELS-F81s, and I've dallied with Quad ESL-63s. But as dumb luck would have it, the first MartinLogan speaker to reach me, the new Montage, is a hybrid model.
Instead of a electrostatic driver, the Montage mates a pair of aluminum-cone electrodynamic drivers with a magnetically driven planar tweeter. The latter, which MartinLogan…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1.5" by 2.25" dipole film (ATF) tweeter, two 6.5" aluminum-cone woofers. Crossover frequency: 2.5kHz. Frequency response: 47Hz–20kHz, ±3dB. Impedance: 5 ohms. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/m. Maximum amplification: 150W RMS. Flat metal pad and spiked feet provided.
Dimensions: 38" (975mm) H by 9.4" (242mm) W by 11.7" (300mm) D. Weight: 30 lbs (13.6kg).
Finishes: Native cherry and black.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: MTPF 0084, MTPF 0085.
Price: $1495/pair. Approximate number…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: Sony XA-777ES SACD/CD player, McCormack UDP-1 universal player.
Preamplification: Theta Gen.VIII DAC.
Power amplifiers: McCormack DNA-1 (Rev.A), Bel Canto eVo6; Sonic Frontiers Power-3, Classé Omicron monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Revel Ultima Studio, Paradigm Reference Studio/60 v.3.
Cables: Digital: Stereovox HDVX. Interconnect (all balanced): AudioQuest Cheetah, JPS Super-Conductor 2. Speaker: AudioQuest Granite. AC: JPS Aluminata.— Kalman Rubinson
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The MartinLogan Montage is of just-above-average voltage sensitivity, as an estimated 88.2dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is below the specified 90dB figure. Its impedance plot (fig.1) also indicates that it approaches a 4 ohm load in the midrange and rarely goes above 8 ohms in the treble. The speaker will work best with amplifiers and receivers rated to drive a 4 ohm load.
Kal's primary criticism of the Montage concerned its lack of bass definition at high volumes, which he associated with the cabinet behavior: "If I turned up the volume . . . the port volume…
John Atkinson wrote about the Montage in June 2005 (Vol.28 No.6):
Kalman Rubinson was quite taken last month with MartinLogan's affordably priced ($1495/pair) Montage loudspeaker. The floorstanding Montages produced a spacious-sounding, well-defined stereo image, he found, along with a seamless transition between its short ribbon tweeter and the pair of reflex-loaded, metal-cone woofers, and a surprisingly extended bass. However, he was bothered by a lack of low-frequency dynamic range and an upper bass that began to sound gruff when the speaker was handling high levels of complex music…
MartinLogan Montage Manufacturer's Comment
Editor: Thank you for reviewing MartinLogan's entry-level Montage floorstanding loudspeaker. The introduction of the MartinLogan ATF drivers found in the Montage has allowed our design and engineering team to achieve excellent levels of performance at prices that, five years ago, even we wouldn't have believed.
Thanks to Kalman Rubinson for his excellent observations regarding the Montage's superior bass extension, clarity, and precision. We agree that the Montage achieves wonderful clarity, precision, resolution, and bass extension at…
Here we go again---the usual Stereophile suspects rounding up some very unusual suspects of their own, and all collected in "Records To Die For," the highest annual concentration of surprising recommendations in the biz. Reviewers of wares soft and hard pick their absolute most favoritest recordings, each of which must be a) a topnotch performance in b) topnotch stereo sound. But be warned: some of us cheat (if we can get away with it).
This is the fourth go-round for R2D4, which has proven to be one of our most popular and letters-generating features. After all, recorded music is what…
Paul L. Althouse
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto 1; Two Songs, Op.91
Stephen Kovacevich, piano; Ann Murray, contralto; Wolfgang Sawallisch, LPO
EMI CDC 7 54578-2 (CD only). John Fraser, prod.; Mark Vigars, eng. DDD. TT: 59:28 Until this recording came along, it seemed that no performance would ever match up to my old favorites: Curzon/Szell for poetry and Serkin/Szell for a dynamic approach. Kovacevich, one of the rare musicians who makes too few records, has Brahms's full measure in this powerful early work. He sees it more as a profound search than as a vehicle for pianistic…
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto 1; Two Songs, Op.91
Stephen Kovacevich, piano; Ann Murray, contralto; Wolfgang Sawallisch, LPO
EMI CDC 7 54578-2 (CD only). John Fraser, prod.; Mark Vigars, eng. DDD. TT: 59:28 Until this recording came along, it seemed that no performance would ever match up to my old favorites: Curzon/Szell for poetry and Serkin/Szell for a dynamic approach. Kovacevich, one of the rare musicians who makes too few records, has Brahms's full measure in this powerful early work. He sees it more as a profound search than as a vehicle for pianistic…