Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!


Until recently, most of my amps have been tube-based with the exception of a few great SS integrateds thrown into the mix for fun. That's probably the main reason I have stayed away from Magnepans (or other speakers of its ilk) thus far. Now that I have an Aavik U-280 integrated amp that can do 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 @ 4, I would love to scratch that itch finally. Keep in mind that I do not intend to get rid of my other speakers (Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene, Harbeth SHL5+, Fritz Carrera BE) since I love them all for different reasons. The Magnepans will be rotated in the main listening room with Joseph Audio Perspectives. One thing I like about Maggies is that they are relatively lightweight so I can move them to the closet without breaking my back when not in rotation.

Since I've never owned Magnepans before, I have a ton of questions and doubts. So here we go ...

Bass (or the lack thereof) -- I've been told that the Magnepans are very light on bass and definitely require at least on subwoofer. Is this true in all cases? Anyone using them without subs and happy with the performance? TBH, I really would prefer that I don't use subs but not set in stone for sure.

Breathing Room -- my room is 20' x 15' with 12 foot ceilings. The speakers will be placed along the short wall (15'). I can pull them out by about 4.5 feet from the front wall and 3 feet from the side walls. Seating distance will be approximately 8 - 9 feet. Is this good enough or do you think more distance, especially from the front wall, is required to truly enjoy the speakers?

Mods -- I've also heard that the stock components (crossovers, fuses, etc.) and stands are suboptimal. Is this true? If so, what are the minimum requirements to bring the speaker to a higher standard and at what cost? 

Value -- For someone who is just starting out with Maggies, which model is a good entry point? I know that LRS+ is a good value, but my other speakers are very very good, so I want to do justice to the Maggies as well. But at the same time I don't want to spend more than I need to. Where do you think the sweet spot lies, i.e. which model(s)? I will be looking for used only since I've already spent way too much on other speakers.

Imaging -- I've also been told that imaging on Maggies is not that great. I have never heard Maggies before so I have no idea if this assertion is true or not. Your thoughts?

And finally, I want to hear from folks who love their Maggies. What is that you love most about the speakers? What qualities do they bring to the table that no other speaker does? Are there magnetic planar speakers from other brands that I should also be considering? Keep in mind they have to be readily available in the used market. So please don't suggest something that doesn't meet this requirement.

However, to bring some balance to the feedback, I would also love to hear from those who tried Magnepans and moved on to something else. Why? What was it that you didn't like about them? What did you move on to?

Thanks in advance and a sincere request: Please keep it civil ... no need for haters of Magnepan to use this as an opportunity to diss the brand.

128x128arafiq

 Speaking as a 3.7i owner …. and 1.6, 1.7i, .6. They have been the most frustrating speaker I’ve owned. Everything said about them can be true but doesnt need to be. There will be a sweet spot in your room where they come alive and image quite well. Mine are currently 9 feet into the room. Amp quality first then power. Mine are underpowered with my Audio Research Ref 75 SE but sound sweet with good image at around 80db. Really Sweet! Fuses, crossovers, stands all need replacement to get that nth degree out of the speakers. With the right juice and location bass is tight and articulate but not heart interrupting so a sub will add some foundation but be prepared for further frustration getting it to mate with the panel. Get it right and the speakers really unfold. The speakers are all a great value in sound quality but are a commitment. Nothing less than the 1.7 is my opinion but that said a friend owns the LRS plus with two subs and exposure amp and it sounds quite good. Will it compare to your Joseph set up…. probably not even close.

I found 20.1s right here on Audiogon for $5,500 (originally $12,500) and snatched them up instantly. As others have said, add a sub if you want some real bass slam because Maggies don't do that, but they do reproduce bass well. I don't have them away from a sidewall because I don't think that matters, but I do have them 3 feet out from the back wall. As far as imaging, it's my opinion that for the money, nothing else compares, Maggies are simply the best. Of course that means sitting in the sweet spot to hear the imaging properly.

DWM bass panels use magnets on BOTH sides of the vibrating mylar film. This results in the very linear push-pull effect, which gives minimum distortion. The 20 series does that too for the bass panels IIRC. That’s why the best panel bass is qualitatively better than, and qualitatively different from, bass from enclosed speakers.

a few additional comments on what has been said

I have owned 3 sets of Maggies and love them dearly. Properly set up, Maggies have bass, but a subwoofer is always a good idea. Cross it over around 80 Hz. If you think of your walls as mirrorr, you will get the idea: angle the maggies toward the listener, the space between them 8 feet apart in your room. Try to angle the speakers 30 - 45 degrees to the back wall and about 2 - 3 feet out. The idea is to bounce the back wave off the back wall and onto the side wall, where it bounces again, lengthening the path of the back wave before it gets to the listener. Also the inevitable cancellation that wil occur around the sides of the speaker is upset by the differing distance from the speaker edges to the back wall, and minimized (due to the angleing of the speaker to the back wal). I recommend the 1.7i as your first pair.

@boomerbillone’s description above is terrific, very well said

other points

-- sub integration, if you use rel’s and their high level connection, is not any more difficult than integrating them with any other serious speaker - and in absolute terms, not hard, but you have some patience and rigor in your approach - current rels certainly have the speed to keep up with the maggies

-- better jumper and fuse bypass are easy and make a small but noticeable difference... outboard crossovers usually aren’t worth it, just buy a better maggie!...

-- i versions imo add a noticeable degree of warmth and weight to the sound that my ears very much appreciate

I really appreciate the input and feedback from everyone. This is exactly the kind of input I was hoping for. It will be difficult for me to address and thank each one of you individually but please know that I really appreciate the detailed, high quality responses. Regardless of the outcome, the advice to try it in my own system is on point!

I think buying a used 1.7i is the right path for me at this time. If the sound appeals to me then perhaps I can think about upgrading in the future. If not, as mentioned earlier, it should not be difficult to resell it without incurring a major loss. 

Also, thank you for the placement tips. Based on what I'm hearing I have enough amplification and room to allow the Maggies to shine. I will, of course, tweak with placement as that's part of the fun anyways. Unfortunately, I ended up selling my REL subs to make way for another purchase. I might have to buy another pair some time in the future, but only if I decide to stick with the Maggies. The Aavik and Joseph Audio combo really made the subs redundant, but who knows I might get one in the future.

As someone with cats in the house, I am a bit concerned of the damage they can cause. I usually keep them out of the media room but it's impossible to always keep an eye on them. My fear is that they might scratch and tear the front fabric. Not sure how costly it will be to replace the fabric just in case.

Lastly, I looked at the Soundlabs suggestion by another poster. Definitely looks like a higher-end and possibly better built version of the Maggies. But they are a bit outside of my budget (new) at the moment. Plus, I don't see anything in the used market. But it's good to know that an alternative exists.

I will be on the lookout for a used 1.7i pair to show up in the local market (Dallas, TX). Kinda weary of buying it unheard from the online markets.