Posted by Avocat (A) on October 11, 2006 at 18:48:05

In Reply to: Maggie recommendations posted by Buford on September 24, 2006 at 22:08:37:

Regarding the large TV that would be between your speakers, I had a similar issue (large 64-inch HDTV between a pair of 3.6s) and as much as I tried to modify the acoustics by moving things around, the TV obviously affected the Maggie sound. I finally sold the TV and replaced it with a front projection unit that sits on a bookcase and projects a beautiful picture on a 92-inch screen between he two speakers. The sound is definitely improved, and when I'm listening and not watching TV, the pull-down screen can be retracted altogether.

Obviously, the room has to be darkened to get the best picture, but the new projectors are vastly improved. I have a 720p LCD unit costing less than $2,000, including an extra bulb. A plasma would be brighter, but if it's mounted on the wall behind the speakers, the picture looks pretty small unless you move your chair out into the middle of the room.

My conclusion is that the Maggies do need an "open back wall", because of the sound reflected rearwardly. For my room, the front projection TV has worked well. The sound from DVD movies is very realistic, as is dolby surround on HD broadcasts.

As to which Maggie to buy, if you're serious about audio, I would vote for the 3.6's, even if you can't afford ultra high-end amps initially. (They were pretty spectacular on my old Rotel 991 power amp, at $1,000, for example) Supplemented with a sub, I think they are still among the very best anywhere near their price range.

My opinion of course.

Jim