Magnepan 1.7

[Dusty Chalk]

I don't know about the Magico Minis, but I've heard the Reference 3.1 (basically that [strada] + _{woofer), and it sounds pretty fucking awesome. I'll be getting a set for my HT setup, I think (receiver plus those, or pre/pro + active speakers, not sure which, but the latter would preclude the Stradas, so I think the former, yes).}

_{It's also awesomer for HT because wider sweet spot. Anything flat like that will "beam".}

[CarlSeibert]

Apogees (which I assume are similar since Magnepan put them out of business for patent infringement),

I never knew that. I thought the principals just got old, business wasn't that great, etc.

Whats the story?

[jvlgato]

I never knew that. I thought the principals just got old, business wasn't that great, etc.

Whats the story?

My recollection (and my memory is getting old and feeble, mind you!) is that Magnepan went after them for patent infringement. Apogee's ribbons (or pseudoribbon or whatever) were too much like Maggies, and Magnepan owned the patent for the technology for this type of speaker driver. I don't recall whether it went to court, or if Apogee realized they had no case, I'd need to Google this and I don't have time at the moment. But in any case, shortly after that, Apogee went out of business. When I have time I'll look it up, or maybe someone else has better memory or more time?

In any case, it was heart breaking! But I'm pretty sure there was more to it than they just got old or couldn't make enough money ... sorry for being so vague for now ...

[Voltron]

Ok, the room is about 10 feet wide, left to right, and 12 feet deep front to back. Sounds like it may be pushing it a bit?

I am looking into monitors and small speakers too. I was glancing at the mapleshade site and noticed they/he thinks this monitor sounds better than the magico minis.

Gallo Acoustics Strada Reference Speakers-Mapleshade

OF course, they don't sell Magico Minis. Anyway, I had Ref. 3s for years and still think they are fantastic speakers. I still have 3 Gallo Due's in case anybody is looking for a deal on such things. I am going to listen to these Stradas soon because I was thinking of recommending them to somebody. I am guessing that they are quite good if they are an improvement over the Due and the top half of the Ref. 3s. You should check them out. I haven't looked up what the Ref. 3.5 is going to be but that will be interesting.

[Wmcmanus]

Ok, the room is about 10 feet wide, left to right, and 12 feet deep front to back. Sounds like it may be pushing it a bit?

If, as you say, it's an empty bedroom that you can do anything you want to with, then I think the Maggies should be fine in there. I wouldn't want much clutter anywhere, however.

The MMG's might be a better bet for a small room though, but you would probably have to add a sub. Should also add a sub with the 1.6 but it's not an absolute must unless you're a bass head or if the Maggies are serving your HT needs as well. Problem there is in trying to match up the right sub that integrates well with them, and that can be pretty tricky.

You won't notice the bass deficiencies as much if your listening position is somewhat low to the ground. Not sure why this is, but near field listening in a low rider seating position seems to help boost the perception of bass weight/heft with ribbon/planer/electrostat speakers, particularly in smaller rooms.

The thing is, you're pretty much forced into near field listening so that's a given, but when you're sitting up higher the sound field often seems quite thin and lacking in body. Thus, you start trying various subs to smooth out the spectrum, but all they seems to do is mess everything up (i.e., it's hard to get them to integrate with very quick speakers). So then about the time you're ready to give up, and you're sitting cross legged on the floor with no sub connected (at the moment, but you're about to connect yet another one to give it one last try), all of a sudden you say "Hey! It sounds just fine down here!"

Don't ask me how I know this or what I'm doing with a pair of Maggies in my closet, next to a pair of Martin Logans (electrostats) and a pair of Newform Research (ribbons), plus 4 or 5 subs (including a Talon Roc and Velodyne HGS15).

I'd suggest taking a look at Audio Asylum to see what Maggie owners who've set them up in small room advise: how far back their listening position is, how far off the floor their ears are, whether they use a sub, and whether the 1.6 (or 1.7) would sound cramped in a 10' x 12' room.

The thing about Maggies, as others have said, is that while the setup can be very tricky and quite frustrating for a time, once you get them dialed in they are about the best bang for the buck you'll ever find (assuming that you're not a huge bass head, and that quick/clean is more your thing).

[spritzer]

Raising planar's off the ground helps a lot with any bass abnormalities. The manufacturers won't build the speakers like this since they are tall enough already but roughly 20-30cm will give a lot of improvements.

[Deadneddz]

Sort of off topic, but here is a cool video of some MMGs with nice sound quality. Makes me want to listen to a pair of Maggies again, especially the 1.6/1.7.

[CarlSeibert]

Raising planar's off the ground helps a lot with any bass abnormalities. The manufacturers won't build the speakers like this since they are tall enough already but roughly 20-30cm will give a lot of improvements.

I built stands for my Apogees out of ordinary concrete blocks, tied together with all-thread and filled with sand bags. Apart from the teak skirts for appearance sake, they cost about nothing. Moving them around ain't much fun though.

[tom_hankins]

Went to listen to the 1.7s on the way home from work yesterday. Ended up listening to them for around an hour or so. They were in a vinyl/digital system that total sells for under $6K. They are absolutly the best speaker of any kind that I have heard anywhere near there price. Even in a modest system they were great.

Rega P3-24

Rega MM phono

Rega Apollo

NAD 375BEE

1.7s

I'm going back this afternoon and spend some more time with this system some more.

[jvlgato]

Thanks! Look forward to hearing more!

[postjack]

nice, thanks for the review!

[tom_hankins]

Just got back from another 1 1/2 hours with the 1.7s. First thing that hit me (again) is how they play so big and so coherent. Not just maggie big soundstage, but just big sound. (if that makes sense) Bass is better than I would have thought. This time they were in a home theater with blue ray and all NAD multi channel amp and processer. Next week my friend is going to hook them up with a used ARC Ref.3, and Ref 110 amp. cant wait to hear them then. Right now i just keep thinking that at the $2K price, I should pick up a pr. and figure out what i will do with them after i get home. They need room. I thought they sound the best when moved 4-5 feet from wall behind and 3-4 feet from side walls. But they were really good about two feet from side wall and toed in too.

[luvdunhill]

FWIW, one of the best tweaks I found when I owned Maggies was placing a ficas tree roughly behind them. For example, if they sounded best 4-5' x 3-4' as you mentioned, stick the ficas in the corner.

[spritzer]

Hmmm here I was thinking that MOAR BETTAH fuses would be the ideal tweaks for the Maggies...

[luvdunhill]

those didn't exist then unfortunately.. cardas maggie pins and aftermarket jumpers were the only upgrade available

[dreamwhisper]

1.6 compared to 1.7 by a guy on AA

Planar Speaker Asylum - review MG1.7 vs MG1.6 - drkielbasa - January 26, 2010 at 14:05:51

Does anyone know what the sensitivity for these is?

[n_maher]

Does anyone know what the sensitivity for these is?

The new 1.7's are listed as:

Sensitivity 86dB/500Hz /2.83v

Impedance 4 Ohm

[jp11801]

I heard them last weekend in the Baltimore area and while impressed after re-listening to my set up at the house I'm standing pat. They play big with huge images but at the price of precision. Images are supersized but not clear and focused as I'd like them to be. Tonally they were good performers and they were dynamically good performers as well. Bass was ok but bass often is a function of the speaker and the room so YMMV the dealer recommended a sub with them. They played loud with a rouge el34 integrated (god I do not like push pull pentode amps) but in the end I'd like to hear them with a better amp to hear if they were capable of more.

[jvlgato]

I wonder if that could be improved with more careful/ precise placement? Or was the setup you heard already very carefully done?

[deepak]

I have heard the 1.6 play very loud with my 32 wpc EL34 push pull amp but bass was all over the place (terrible extension and loose) and imaging did suffer. When set up in a good room and not in near field with Pass Labs X series amps everything came together perfectly. I dislike Maggies in near field though, they sound too forward even when the recording is minimally mic'ed.

[jp11801]

The owner of the store is a Magnepan dealer and strongly supports the line I have to assume he has what he feels is a reasonable set up to represent a favorite of his. I do however do think that a better amp may improve the bass and imagining of the 1.7s. I did like them and hope my comment s do not come off as a bash I was just not bowled over once I level set with my speakers upon my return home.

[tom_hankins]

I dont think I would feel comfortable using my 100wpc Manley amps with a pr. I've heard them sound good with two 150 and 200 wpc NAD amps. But they really were nice with a pr. of Mcintosh 501s.

[jvlgato]

Jp- It didn't sound like a bash at all! I was just wondering out loud how much one might expect to improve the things you mentioned if you had a chance to spend some time obsessively fine tuning. You know, a quarter inch further from the wall, toe in, exact symmetry, choosing your preferred amps/source ... you know, all the things we do instead of actually listening to music! ;-)

[manaox2]

Did you remember to place the obligatory ficus trees behind the speakers?

[swt61]

I prefer an indoor Keylime Tree. The leaf pattern seems to work better for diffusing the backwave, and the secondary benefit is Keylime Pie (Keylime Pie Girl not included).