Bolero:why can't my system reproduce snare well?

I second the comments about recording technique and quality.

Also, to be sure that nothing simple is being overlooked, are you using the 4 ohm taps on the amplifier? If not, that is undoubtedly part of the problem.

Also, given that the impedance of the speakers descends to very low values in the upper treble region (as is typical of electrostatics), if your speaker cables are particularly long and also have highish inductance per unit length that could be a contributing factor as well.

Regards,
-- Al

Are you comparing to how this recording sounded with your previous (Genesis?) speakers? Do you notice this with other recordings with snare drums as well? Also, noticed you were asking about speakers you could place close to the wall in a previous thread. Do you have the MLs placed in close proximity to the wall? If so maybe try pulling them further into the room just to see if that changes anything, and maybe also try playing around with toe-in (not sure how that works with MLs though)?

As for recordings, if you have it try Patricia Barber's Modern Cool -- if the snare sounds like mush to you on that recording then that may be a concern. That said, I do find my friend's MLs project sounds like snare drums in a slightly more diffuse manner and with a little less snap and drive than my dynamic speakers, but it still sounds good and realistic but just in a different way. Best of luck with this and hope this helps somewhat.

Here's how I test my preamp, amp, speakers, and cables: I bought a drum kit, flat microphones, good digital recorder, and recorded the kit. Play it back. Truth is truth. I do the same with other instruments.

Kiddman; I hope you are using your drum kit for more than testing your system. (From one drummer to another).

Did you read the Stereophile Review linke in my previous post? On page 4, Wes Phillips takes about 1/2 page to describe and lament how difficult it was to get ideal placement for these speakers.

Since they are dipoles, I can see where placement could create a self-cancellation effect and cause certain frequency ranges or overtone patterns to recede or disappear.