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Maggie Giveaway

108.17.151.10
Posted on October 4, 2015 at 15:52:01
davidandcandy@gmail.com
Audiophile

Posts: 192
Location: Virginia
Joined: May 12, 2014
 So here's the story. A friend gave me a pair of Maggies (I believe MG1's) that had been sitting in his basement for years. I listened to them & they sounded really bad. Suspected the tweeter wires, so here is what I did: Delaminated the old wire & glued the new wire I purchased from Magnepan, exactly per instructions. The new wire plus new socks cost around $130. Then I bought new, upgraded xover parts, (after researching what was suggested to make them even better) and that cost close to $200. Soldered all that per instructions. When I got it all done, it sounded no better than it did when I started, minus $300 & some change. Now THAT is depressing. Not to mention the time refinishing the frame, building the boxes for the outboard xovers & the speaker wire/interconnects. They have been sitting now in my garage for a couple years & I just want them gone because I've gone waaay past my comfort zone with my ability to do this kind of stuff. I'm sure I screwed something up, but don't even wanna know what anymore. Pics are on the AA trader, Planar section, MG1. Somebody, somewhere should be able to figure this out. If anyone wants them, they're yours, but you'd have to come get them here at my home in Virginia. I really hope this is not against Asylum rules, since I'm not trying to get any money for them. If I have broken any rules, please let me know & I'll remove this post. Thanks, Dave
Everyone thinks I'm strange except my friends deep inside the earth

 

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RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 4, 2015 at 20:36:05
j beede
Audiophile

Posts: 239
Location: NorCal
Joined: March 28, 2011
 That's a depressing story! I rebuilt a pair of MG-IIA and they ended up being my third favorite pair of Magneplanars.

When you say the speakers sounded "bad" when you got them did you determine whether or not the tweeters were functioning? After the repair were the tweeters working? Have you heard a working pair of Magneplanar speakers as a reference?

 

RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 5, 2015 at 11:23:13
neolith
Audiophile

Posts: 4842
Location: Virginia
Joined: February 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since: December 2, 2004
 Not sure my wife would allow me to have a 2nd pair of Maggies but if you live in the Richmond area or reasonably close, I would be willing to take a look at them and see if I can figure out what the problem is. You can email me.



"Our head is round in order to allow our thoughts to change direction." Francis Picabia

 

NT Perhaps you could try softening her up by allowing her to buy something she wants to have., posted on October 5, 2015 at 11:52:01
Norman M
 :-)

 

RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 5, 2015 at 18:53:10
davidandcandy@gmail.com
Audiophile

Posts: 192
Location: Virginia
Joined: May 12, 2014
 To me, (probing my poor memory now) the tweeters sounded partially there, or sporadically if that is a better word. The mids din't sound bad, but mostly no highs. After the repair, I couldn't tell any improvement, which bummed me out because I was sure the new wires would solve the problem. I might add, I bypassed the factory fuses too, which was a recommendation from where, I don't recall. And finally, yep, I used to have a pair of Maggies back in '79-'80 I think it was, and remembered how jaw droppingly good I thought they sounded, which was partially the incentive to fix these up. Now you need to know that I am no more than a barely average diy'er, so when all my efforts failed, I was finished, didn't know what to do, plus my ego was bruised, so out to the garage, covered up & put to rest for a couple of years. Now I feel like I've got all the good pieces & parts to have them shine again, just probably not in the right order, or something. I would love for someone who knows what to do with them, fix them up & enjoy them. At first, I wanted to try & recoup something from what I put out for them, but realistically, I know that won't happen, thus the Maggie Giveaway;
Everyone thinks I'm strange except my friends deep inside the earth

 

RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 6, 2015 at 07:59:23
computerman
Audiophile

Posts: 491
Location: Northeast
Joined: August 31, 2011
 I certainly don't think you are strange by any stretch of the imagination. That is quite an offer. I am a tinkerer, and built some "Frankenpans" see my post http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=mug&m=216892 if you like. I would love them for my living room but I am in the north country in upper NYS. I would happily pay for shipping if you would consider doing so. I totally understand if you do not want to do that. Thanks for your generosity anyway as it is rare to see this. Although I must say that the advice and experience that is shared here is quite generous. I have learned so much from the inmates on this site and their generosity in sharing their time and experience is pretty awesome!

 

RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 6, 2015 at 11:28:14
davidbeinct
Audiophile

Posts: 182
Location: SE CT
Joined: June 20, 2014
 If you get these, or if anyone does, or if the OP takes up offers for help, I'd really love to see some posts on progress. These are such nice speakers it would be nice to know they got refurbished completely.

 

RE: Maggie Giveaway, posted on October 6, 2015 at 11:50:42
computerman
Audiophile

Posts: 491
Location: Northeast
Joined: August 31, 2011
 Seems like you are almost there. If you don't want to ship maybe you could get some local help. I looked at the pics and it appears you have put a lot of work into them so far. Have you taken time to trace the signal path? You can do a lot with a simple multimeter. Just a thought.

 

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