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Hi folks,I figured the new year was a good time to de-lurk. I've been coming around from time to time to soak up all the good info and learn how to rebuild my speakers.
I've had a pair of MGIIs and a pair of SMGs up in the attic for a few years now, waiting for me to get them back into commission. Being recently unemployed, I'm allowing myself a small budget of time for personal projects. The bulk of my time is dedicated to starting a business.
Anyway, on to the question. Needing less work, I decided to start on the SMGs. I have the rewiring kit from Magnepan and will start the tweeters tomorrow. While I have them open, I've been contemplating cutting the panels down a bit to end up with a narrower pair - say 18" wide (more like the later versions). No problem making custom socks, trim and stands. The cuts would leave around 3 inches of MDF on each side of the driver panels.
Has anybody tried this? Am I courting sonic disaster? I'm not too worried about the other risks of the surgery as I have next to nothing into this pair. The idea is to end up with something that doesn't dominate the room like the wider panel does.
Follow Ups:
While you have them open, you could attach the panel assemblies the to MDF with a far more secure system than maggie's staples. I have not done this yet. It is on my to-do list. To read about this idea, go to the tweak page and read AndyR's "Ultimate" tweaks for IIIA speakers. Assuming your panels are only held in place by picture frame staples (like the IIIAs are), you may experience a major improvement.Have fun and happy new year!
The tweeter re-wiring (including three small mylar patches) was a success! Many thanks to all of you who've posted the detailed accounts. I've done a pair before, but these procedures were much simpler and easier to perform. Having the correct materials from Magnepan helped too.I've been grinning all through the last 3 CDs, that's the sound I've been missing. Just one little buzz - already fixed.
I think I would be more inclined to add some extensions to the top and bottom if you want to change the "aspect" of the speakers.Cutting pieces off the sides will shorten the front/back cancellation distance raising the low frequency response cutoff point and also change the polar response of the speaker higher up.
If you can make custom socks that would seem like the best solution...IHMO.
Cheers,
... but then I'd be back to the size of my MGIIs (which will be next up on the rebuild list).The later SMGa,b,c models have narrower baffles, did they suffer a loss of lower end extension compared to the wider SMG? The driver panels can't be that much different and I wouldn't expect the crossover design differences to effect the backwave cancellation.
Just wondering.
Hey Tim,The new year's a great time for new projects and to "de-lurk" :) I've been kind of a stranger here myself recently.
Good idea to start with the SMGs. You say you want the panels to be a bit narrower- 18" or so- what are they to start with? I can see your reason for wanting them this way- floor space, slimmer appearance.
I would guess that an inch and a half or less on each side of the panel won't hurt MUCH, but I wouldn't go too far- this is removing effective baffle area. You might lose a bit more in the bass area with waves interacting between the back and fronts of the panels, canceling each other out. I know there is less MDF on the sides of MMGs- but they were also designed differently and your SMGs are a bit more efficient (90 db), this could be a reason why.
Thanks Cory, good point about the efficiency. I don't know if the baffle makes a significant contribution to that or not. The early SMG is 24 inches wide and to me (from a stricktly asthetic point of view) the proportions of the panel don't look good. The width makes them look really squat for the height. The slimmer models are more appealing in that respect.Cutting down to 18" would take 3" off each side, leaving about 3".
One tweeter is drying now and I'll fire it up later this morning.
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