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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.

arafiq
grossman616
131 posts
 

Buy them!

I am on my 2nd pair.

All my friends who have listened to them have bought them, or want to buy them.

BUT they come with  their own set of issues.

First you need a no BS real high current amp, 200 watts at 8 ohms would do the trick. Also like George Washington they can not tell a lie. Weak parts of your audio chain will become GLARING obvious. So be prepared to change some gear.

Every upgrade is noticeable. I've replaced fusees, AC  cords, interconnects etc. And they just keep sounding better and better.

I've never felt the need to upgrade and tweak as much with any other speakers I've owned -but it pays off.

I'm at a point now where I'm very very happy with the sound. The only thing I will do at some point soon is change tubes in the DAC.

Even the .7's can be a life changing experience.

 

Enjoy!!! 

dogberry
963 posts
 

My best box speakers were Castle Winchesters, and my best transmission line (sans box) were Time Frame TF700s. I liked them both, and still do when I have to put them in service. Now I have never even heard a Magnepan, but I have owned Quad electrostats, and I agree that one can't go back. Quads had some quality control issues when production moved to China, which is why I keep my old speakers up in the attic! I'm about to replace all the panels (about 4kCDN before tax and labour) but it will be worth it if I get another 12 years out of them (more than enough considering!) Ig Magnepans are like Quads, you will hear everything, good and bad. And it will be natural and realistic.

arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,790 posts
 

Thanks for the input and feedback guys. Reading the responses, I see a number of folks who don't feel the need for very high powered/high current amplification and are happy with relatively medium powered amps. Based on my own experience, I think there are many speakers that are considered hard-to-drive but there are many people who are happy with all sorts of medium powered amps. The question though is how much are you leaving on the table? From what I understand, yes you can drive Magnepans with decent amplification with great results, but they really show you what they can bring to the table with big iron amplifiers. Since my amp is 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 at 4, I'm this will allow me to tap into the full potential of 1.7's. 

I've been trying to find something local so I can listen before buying, but surprisingly not much available in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I'll continue to look though.

campoly's avatar
campoly
144 posts
 

Arafiq, I’m no expert but I used to have a 250 watt amp that doubled at 4 and never felt like I needed more to drive the 1.6 and 1.7i. My room is slightly smaller than yours and I don’t listen at loud volumes.

I did upgrade from that amp to more powerful mono blocks and got a more refined overall sound quality. Probably not from more power but rather from the higher quality of the amps.

On a side note, it took about 3 month for my 1.7is to fully break in.

oblgny's avatar
oblgny
849 posts
 

I have had the .7 and the 1.7i driven by amps that delivered 150watts @ 8 ohms, 300 watts @ 4 ohms respectively and never had an issue. Right now as I wait for the arrival of my LRS+ I am enjoying the hell out of a pair of original MMG’s. With an integrated with the power output rating mentioned above. 
 

I listen at very conservative volume levels. I once sold off a Threshold amp at a significant loss - not that I’ve ever profited from selling a piece of gear - because I assumed the meters were malfunctioning. The buyer sent me an email a few days after the sale to tell me that everything was fully functioning, it was simply that the level I mostly enjoyed just wasn’t moving the meters. Sheesh. 
 

Now that may appear to be really low, but it wasn’t. I think many people would be surprised to learn how meager the output may be at a consistent volume level that doesn’t shake the window panes. When I buy amps or integrateds I do look for those that double the 4ohm load from the 8ohm load - it’s the current that matters most. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but the amps/integrateds that I’ve found to be the best matches for Maggies and Thiels all did that. 
 

I fell in love with Maggies years ago when the first released the MMG model. $600 was a bargain. I’ve had 5 models to date, and five different Thiel models, and now I’m sticking to Maggie, specifically the LRS+. I haven’t heard it, but I’m relatively sure they will be an improvement over the MMG. 

Because the MMG “only” reaches 50hz I bought a REL T5 sub as a complement. After a few extended listening sessions I removed it. No slight against the REL, but when I listened at slightly higher volume I felt that the sub wasn’t needed. I’m not talking Led Zeppelin IV here, that just won’t do, but the genres I listen to most nowadays simply do not require that degree of bass. 

 

Enjoy. 
 


 


 

 

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