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1.6's used Vs. New MMGs

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Posted on November 18, 2015 at 15:14:14
alan.gary.sanders
Audiophile

Posts: 21
Location: Vancouver Island
Joined: November 8, 2015
 Looking for feedback from everyone. I live in Canada do the pricing is in Cdn$.

I have the chance to buy a lovely pair of 1.6 from a local seller for around $800. I checked with my local Magnepan dealer and a new pair of MMG's are $800.

My room is 12*18 and i am currently using a Nad 320BEE.

Should I buy new... Or get the 1.6?

 

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RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 18, 2015 at 15:40:26
GOS
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: Northern New Jersey
Joined: April 9, 2000
 My room is about the same size. I love my 1.6's. The 1.6's are larger so you will get a bigger sound. {Which I was looking for). Keep in mind the 1.6's prefer a lot of power.

 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 18, 2015 at 16:04:13
Cory M.
Audiophile

Posts: 1172
Location: Midwest
Joined: April 10, 2005
 The MMG's are spectacular speakers, and not just "for the price". The 1.6's are more of the same, and would fill your room better. I would say go for the 1.6's in a heartbeat, but...

Do you know how old the 1.6's are? They were introduced in '98, so you'll want to make sure that they're healthy- no bass wire delamination issues. This can easily be discerned by demo-ing them with some low frequency test tones, by shining a bright flashlight through the fabric to inspect for loose wires (they usually start at the top/ bottom when they go), and by simply feeling for them.

Don't be scared if you do run into this little bump in the road. If you're even remotely a DIY type person, look at it as an opportunity to get a little discount on the speakers. It's easily fixed, permanently, with a bit of DAP, and the process is well documented here on A.A.

Hopefully, the 1.6'are fine for now, and you can run them for a long while as-is. It depends on when they were built.

So, yeah, I'd still go with the 1.6's in a heartbeat for your size of room. You just need to demo them, and be prepared.

Best,


Cory


 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 18, 2015 at 19:02:30
grantv
Manufacturer

Posts: 7724
Location: B.C.
Joined: January 15, 2002
 So long as you can be sure the 1.6's are in good condition, 1.6's!

 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 18, 2015 at 21:33:10
j beede
Audiophile

Posts: 239
Location: NorCal
Joined: March 28, 2011
 I have owned both of the speakers you are considering and I would suggest a used pair of SMGa as my first choice for you with the MMG a close second. Your NAD will produce a pleasant musical experience driving the SMGa or MMG.

If the speakers will see significant duty in a multimedia system or if you want live rock concert sound pressure levels, the MMG may be less speaker than you need.

The 1.6 is a very popular speaker. It can move a lot of air and produce surprisingly high SPL. I have owned 20 different planar speakers in my lifetime and to my ears the 1.6 sounds the least like speakers that I consider to be benchmarks for musical reproduction: Stax ESL-8, Martin-Logan CLS, and QUAD ESL.

 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 18, 2015 at 22:22:10
mraudio
Audiophile

Posts: 459
Location: Northern Colorado
Joined: November 4, 2006
 If the MG1.6s are in good shape, hands down the better of two.

 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 19, 2015 at 16:34:18
George6
Audiophile

Posts: 182
Joined: November 18, 2012
I had the MMGs, using a NAD amp and CDP. Sounded great, but just a little compressed on recordings of large groups and orchestra.

Bought the 1.6's -- to my ears, they were much, much better than the MMGs.

But soon I noticed they were also more revealing of the equipment I was using them with, so bought a new amp, then a new preamp, then a new CDP.
The 1.6's sounded better and better with each upgrade.

I'm in Canada too, and $800 CAD seems like a very good price. There was another post on this board saying they are fetching $1000 US.

 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on November 20, 2015 at 06:35:47
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 Either way you can't go wrong. The 1.6s are an amazing speaker value. When done properly it'll rival speakers in the 5 digit range. MMGs are incredible as well and are designed to be the 'first sip' of the intoxicating and addicting Magnepan line.

The caveat for the 1.6s as others have mentioned is their ability to reveal what you're feeding them hence the potential to develop 'upgraditis'. This isn't necessarily a bad thing since they'll shine regardless what you feed them. You WILL need high power, high current amps for best results. However many also use pro/fan amps with just as satisfying results. Moreover, many start out with Adcoms which, can be a bit on the bright side but easily rectified with inexpensive resistors. But when paired up with certain/specific amps (the list is long, search archives) you will be amazed. The 1.6's will give you more bass too.

Lastly, 1.6s love room, the bigger the better, your's look fine. Good luck!









 

RE: 1.6's used Vs. New MMGs , posted on December 12, 2015 at 06:24:25
mcgsxr
Audiophile

Posts: 168
Location: Toronto
Joined: March 16, 2004
 I am outside Toronto, and joined the Maggie family earlier this year. I noticed a used set of MMG's near me, and had always wondered. A week later I bought a local used set of 1.6's and moved the MMG's along.

They sound similar, but the 1.6's extend further in both directions. The MMG's well setup dropped my jaw, they created a fantastic soundstage.

The 1.6's well setup perform similarly but ALMOST don't need a sub - for all jazz and blues they are just fine - but for any electronica or synth music a taste of sub on the bottom works out great.

IF you are going to keep the NAD, I would buy and love the MMG. If you are open to amp upgrade in the future, I would go 1.6.

I use a lightly modded Crown XLS1500 (replaced binding posts with Pomona posts - no solder, easy to do), and I am very happy.

There are better amps, but not for the $ in my experience.

Basically, you cannot lose. Both speakers are great, and if you love music neither will let you down.

 

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