I have had a pair of 3.5s for about seven years, so this deals with their break in which I would assume would be not all together different from your 1.6s. Yes, they do take a while to break in, the 100 hour estimate in the previous post sounds about right. I let mine run for four days straight at the recommendation of my dealer. As to the focusing issue, they are very easy to get nearly right. You get roughly 90% of your results with the first 10% of effort. However, to get that last 10% can be tedious, but very worth the effort as long as you remember to relax and enjoy the speakers. As far as harshness is concerned I have found over the years that the Maggies themselves are never harsh. They can however be too revealing at times. This is especially true with older recordings of classic rock and Jazz. However, given good modern recordings they will sounds amazingly smooth with addictive imaging and depth. It is unfortunate that they are so difficult to use with older CDs, but as with all speakers there is give and take, and once you get a taste of that sound stage all other speakers sound somehow smaller. Good luck and enjoy the 1.6s.
Magnepan break-in?
Hello! Can some Magnepan owners share some of their thoughts with me? I just purchased a set of 1.6QR's (actually, purchased them 4 months ago and just got them) and want to know what to expect from them. I haven't lived with dipoles for many years but know how critical their setup can be. My question is how will the sound change over time and how long does the "transformation" take? I would describe the initial sound as being somewhat "hard" and analytical, especially in the lower treble. I do not think my associated equipment is causing what I'm hearing and hope that the Maggies just need some break-in time. Should I give them some time to break-in or am I hearing them as they sound? Thanks in advance for your insight. Mike