Planar Speaker Asylum

Welcome! Need support, you got it. Or share your ideas and experiences.

Planar Speaker Asylum

RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds?

71.195.61.74

In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by Tubo on November 18, 2014 at 20:26:15

Oh and I do have a room correction software. I use Anthem's ARC which I love. Seems to produce great results.

Also, I know you mentioned the Mini Maggies are a true ribbon speaker and therefore may have an advantage over the CC5 as center channel. However, paired with the 1.7's which are quasi ribbons, would the CC5 make a better match since they whole front stage would then be quasi ribbons? Or would the Mini Maggies still hold an edge?

Thanks!

Follow Ups:

RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - Tubo 21:12:46 11/18/14 (9)
Unfortunately, the only way to answer your question is to set up the 1.7's in your room and then try both center channel options.

I know this: I use the Mini Maggie system (i.e. both satellites plus the DWM woofer) as a center channel with MMG's right and left. Seamless.
- RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - agentutah@gmail.com 11:38:05 11/19/14 (8)
  Yeah true. The best way is to demo them in the room. Sometimes that's just not always possible.
  
  Couple last questions on the Mini Maggies as center...do they create a small sweet spot considering you have to aim them at a certain point? With the CC5 it's curved so you theoretically get wider dispersion. Just wondering how that works with the Minis.
  
  How far apart do you have them setup? I believe you said you toe them in a bit. Then the DWM is on the floor below them?
  
  Thanks a ton!
  - RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - stustan 14:21:51 11/19/14 (7)
    I also have an all Magnepan theater setup. I am using the CC5/DWM combo as my center channel. My years in the re-recording studio and my personal bias compels me to offer the following: While the Mini-Maggies and DWM combo offers more frequency range the purist in me says The 2 Mini Maggies present a phantom center experience when you are seated directly centered and a skewered center image when you are seated outside the direct centerline.
    
    I would prefer a single centered tightly focused and anchored dialog center channel as opposed to 2 separate dialog speakers acting as one.
    
    Just my opinion and a serving of food for thought
    - RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - Tubo 10:36:14 11/23/14 (0)
      Prior to getting Mini Maggies I used a MMGC as a center channel. I found the MMGC unsatisfactory due to its lack of sufficient low frequency extension. I then added the DWM woofer. Much better, but there was still beaming of the treble; only if you sat in the center did you get the highest frequencies.
      
      I then got a Mini Maggie system and put it in service as a center channel as an experiment. It works, and perhaps it works because I did not separate the two satellites very much. They are a bare 3 feet, center to center, with the DWM woofer tightly in the middle, the entire system below the TV. They anchor the center firmly, even when seated outside the left or right main speakers (which are MMG's, 9 feet apart, center to center). There is no skew.
      
      I've hosted a movie night nearly every Friday for the past five years in my small condo. A dozen friends come and most of them (including me) have to sit outside the centerline. Every one of them is happy with the anchored center-channel sound and the surround-sound experience.
    - RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - agentutah@gmail.com 15:51:52 11/19/14 (5)
      Stustan-
      
      What do you use for rears/surrounds? Just curious.
      
      Thanks for the input. That's kind of what I was thinking, but willing to give the Mini Maggies a look if people think they're the better option. I'm definitely intrigued by the setup! I just wish I could use them as satellite surrounds.
      
      Thanks!
      - RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - stustan 15:59:15 11/19/14 (4)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by agentutah@gmail.com on November 19, 2014 at 15:51:52
        
        System is as follows:
        
        1.7's for LR powered by Emotiva Gen2 XPA-2
        CC5/DWM Center, MC-1's Surrounds. All powered by an Emotiva XPA-5
        Rythmik F12 Sub
        Emotiva UMC-1 Processor
        
        My home system translates unbelievably well to those shows we mix in the studio. I listen 60/40 theatrical/2 channel music on my system.
        
        I hope this helps, please feel free to ask more questions as needed.
        
        RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - agentutah@gmail.com 16:27:29 11/19/14 (3)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by stustan on November 19, 2014 at 15:59:15
        
        That's almost the exact system I am trying to build. Any reason you chose Rythmik over Rel? I was leaning towards Rel.
        
        Do the MC1's produce full frequency response as surrounds? I have a pair of MMGW I was thinking about using, but could upgrade to the MC1s if necessary.
        
        Do you ever listen to 5.1 24/96 music? There are some great mixes out there (Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, etc) that sound great with surrounds.
        
        Any thought of using the XPA-3 to power your front soundstage to make them all have the same power delivery?
        
        Thanks for the help.
        
        RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - stustan 20:20:46 11/19/14 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by agentutah@gmail.com on November 19, 2014 at 16:27:29
        
        I chose the Rhythmik F12 over the Rel for 2 reasons: 1. I wanted a sealed box servo sub as opposed to one with either a port or passive radiator. The Engineers that I work with told me a sealed sub has less "impulse smear" than a sub with 2 sources of physical output (cone and/or port/passive radiator). They also told me servo control when properly implemented can improve transient response and eliminate some ringing and decay time. I am not a techno scientist but their arguments made sense to me.
        2. The published spec of the Rel T9 is -9dB @ 28 Hz (in room) as opposed to Rythmik's -2dB @ 14 Hz (not specified: in room, anechoic, or free space). Despite my non techno thinking I do understand the Rythmik goes substantially lower, nearly an octave ... according to the manufacturers specs.
        Both brands seem highly regarded so your choice is .......... your choice! I do love my Rythmik, it blends amazingly well for music and is astounding in theatrical playback. War of the Worlds physically bounces our seats as my old homes floor joists and room are energized. You should see the expression on my guests faces. Then it can be truly subtle and delicate, even "tuneful" when playing music.
        The MC-1's published frequency response is 80-24kHz. I cross over to the Rythmik @ 80 Hz. Subjectively it feels like it goes lower than 80Hz but we know better!
        Yes I do listen to Hi-Rez downloads and SACD's using my Oppo BDP-103 as the front end decoder. I will admit to being disappointed with what little 5.1 mixes I have auditioned. I cannot seem to wrap my head around (pun intended) the amount of discrete material that is presented in the back channels. I would prefer to hear room ambience/decay instead. I guess I prefer an audience perspective as opposed to an onstage perspective. If you would kindly recommend your favorite 5.1 mixes (I love Pink Floyd) I would purchase one and listen in respect to you and your taste.
        You make an interesting point about the XPA-3. In my case I already owned the XPA-5 before I purchased the XPA-2. As an experiment I wanted to hear what the additional power the XPA-2 affords when listening to 2 track music through my 1.7's. It was an improvement but it was very, very subtle.
        The big revelation was the improvement my CC5/DWM combo showed in 5.1 now that the XPA-5 no longer had the chore of driving everything. My center channel became astoundingly strong/coherent/deeply voiced/detailed/ and authoritative. I always felt my center was ..... to be blunt .... on the anemic side. I tried Magnepan's center channel wiring "scheme" for about three months. It was better, less thin and veiled, but I had center channel soundstage image, focus, and phase issues that bothered me more than the "anemic lightness" I was trying to eliminate. The XPA-2 purchase was a stroke of good fortune with it's unintended results.
        A subsequent call to Magnepan to tell them of my success resulted in the following info. The CC5/DWM combo is seen by the amp as a slightly less than 3 ohm load. Although my XPA-5 never became more than warm, and I never heard it sound stressed or compressed, it must have been "struggling" to drive my 6 speakers. I do listen on the louder side when watching movies.
        So my advice to you based upon my experiences is to pay attention to your amplification needs when pairing a CC5 and and a DWM.
        Please remember these are just my views, based upon my experiences in my room and with my equipment.
        I apologize profusely for the length of this post, it was written with the love of sound, music, and equipment that we all share ...... that is why we are here at the asylum.
        
        Edits: 11/19/14 11/19/14 11/19/14
        
        RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - agentutah@gmail.com 06:13:23 11/20/14 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by stustan on November 19, 2014 at 20:20:46
        
        Great read. Thanks for the lengthy reply.
        
        Does the Rythmik allow you to connect to the speakers terminals the same as the Rel? That seemed to me like a great benefit of the Rel to allow for more seamless integration. However, going that much lower than the Rel is hard to argue with.
        
        My favorite 5.1 mixes are DSOTM SACD, WYWH BluRay (only available in the Immersion package unfortunately) and Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots). The latter being more in your face mix, but extremely well done imo. If you get a chance to listen to any of them let me know what you think!
        
        Makes sense on the power amp setup. I suppose if you went with the XPA-3 for the front soundstage, what would you buy to power the rear 2/4? You would probably still need a XPA-5. Not sure what the perfect combo would be there.
        
        Thanks!
        
        RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? - stustan 17:21:05 11/19/14 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Mini Maggies for rear surrounds? posted by agentutah@gmail.com on November 19, 2014 at 16:27:29
        
        Interesting questions. I'm on the train heading home from work. I'll answer a bit later tonight.

Post a Followup:

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?

Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
	Remember my Moniker & Password (What's this?) Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:

Message:	(Posts are subject to Content Rules)

Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:	Automagically notify you when someone responds.

To view your new posting or follow-up, click on the RELOAD or REFRESH button on your browser.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Analog Engineering Associates