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I have been a long time Maggie fanboy, having bought my first pair back in 1982. Since then I have been through several models. For the past 12 years I have been using a pair of MG 3A's with a pair of M&K subs. I have continued to keep these in great operational shape and over the past winter I upgrade the caps in the cross-overs, replaced the tired ribbons, rewired the speakers with silver/cooper/teflon wire and remoloxied the diaphragms. I also put new socks on them. Needless to say they sound and look great. I also have Sound Anchor stands; so for all intents and purposes, these speakers have been taken almost as far as they can go.
Recently, I have taken in a pair of PSB Gold I. Generally, I get a second pair of speakers to listen to and play with from time to time. After a short period of time I usually sell off the second pair because they do not provide me with the same sonic enjoyment as the Maggies. However, the PSB are proving to be a bit of a different story.
They are a bit more upfront sounding and have great dynamics at low/medium to low volumes. They throw a good sound stage and when bi-amped and used with subs they have a well defined and deep low end.
My Maggies, on the other hand, have a better high end. The ribbon tweeter can't be bested, in this regard. They also have a more organic sound and throw a larger sound stage. However, you do have to be sitting in the sweet spot to enjoy it. Off axis and everything collapses. The mids are more laid back, which is great for some recordings.
So, that is the good and the not so good about each speaker. I can keep both but would eventually need to sell off one due to limited room and it makes a mess of my listening space.
After another week or so I'm going to throw the Maggies back into use and make my choice, however, I know it is not going to be an easy one.
Ultimately, I am going to use my ears, as I always do, to decide but my question to you, the reader is, "which would you choose?" Please no responses that include it is up to me and let my ears decide. Of course, this is what I am going to do. I want to entertain your thoughts specific to these two choices.
Thanks!!!!
Follow Ups:
If I understand correctly, you are not bi-amping your Maggies. Bi-amping largely improves the low-volume dynamics and transparency, etc. If you are not bi-amping, you have not fully heard your Maggies.
will try that.
In my opinion, if you don't have an appropriate active crossover, passive bi-amping will let you hear most of the improvement in dynamics, but not so much in transparency. Although with your cap upgrades, maybe you already have the transparency improvement.
I also think the MG3a's will eventually prevail...Next time you get the "itch to switch", try a pair of full range stats....like Acoustat Model 3 or 2+2. Your eventual decision may prove to be a bit more difficult...I was also a huge Maggie fanboy with my T-IVa....even my 20.1 could not match that magic, but in the end, they were just too big...played around with many others before landing back with my 2+2. The sweet spot is even more shallow than the MG3a's, but bass was much better... It does everything else (barring the sweet spot) I seek in a fine set of speakers...
It eventually came down to this.... Am I keeping this speaker for me or for show? How often do I have an audience, requiring a wider sweet spot?
EDIT - I also have a pair of Scintillas that will be added to the mix sometime soon....just need some time to get at them...This will likely be my final "showdown".... Until , of course, my listening space changes....I am confined to my current space by SWMBO....
I VOID WARRANTIES
Edits: 07/30/15
I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts on those. I don't think much could move me off my Acoustat 3s, but those might if I found a good pair.
Yup, that makes two of us....just need some time and the wife and kids to leave me be for a day or two...as they need a total rebuild...they had an unfortunate accident a few months back...
I VOID WARRANTIES
Edits: 07/30/15
Just be aware that "bi-amping" (the proper way!) means substituting a 2-way active XO for the external bass LP / mid HP XO boxes, as well as using a 2nd amp.
Regards,
Andy
2nd the notion
It will improve the performance of the amp doing duties on the mid/tweeter once it does not need to push big current for the bass panels. Though the benefit with subwoofers might not be quite as great since the really heavy lifting is already done by the subs and their amps..
I don't know if you can do it considering your particular practicalities but try a "Limage" and a Rooze setup in your room to make more of the planar radiation pattern than is normally possible in the "standard" rule of thirds triangle setup.Note that it is somewhat time consuming to optimize each of theses setups. The Limage will not give you a much greater sweet spot but the "rooze" setup will. Remember to reposition your subs and adjust delay to match the new setup.
I've tried that in the past and didn't care for it. Thanks for the thought, though.
I think you should sell of both of them making room for a 3.7i, (but maybe keeping the subs if they can make the 3.7i perform better,) problem solved. ;-)
I cant swing the cost of the 3.7i's. Wish I could, though!
Having recently watched the movie 'Bandits' on Netflix, just rob a bank.
I'm guessing you'll get a flood of MGIIIA replies. Seriously, the PSB Gold I is a really nice speaker, but can't compare to a planar for my ears. Thus why I am here, on this forum... The Planar Asylum. :)
One need not be ashamed for trying out a conventional "box" speaker. Go ahead and enjoy your fling!
But remember the beguiling qualities that initially attracted you to Maggies in 1982 will be present and even more apparent when you reconnect your MG111a.
I predict a pair of PSB Gold will soon be up for sale.
The thing that I really like about the PSB Gold I's is their well articulated bass, when used with my subs, without the subs, and run full range, the advantage is less so. The acoustic bass really sounds accurate with this combination. Also, the soundstage is wide and you don't have to be sitting in the sweet spot to get it. The metal tweeter is OK and can sound good on well recorded material but can also be a bit harsh on other material. Vocals do pop out because of the forward presentation of the speaker, which again can be good or too much. I'm trying my amps in triode mode to see if that can help settle the mids down a bit.My Maggies have been my reference....and tweaked out they are surely nice. What they lack is "jump" on low to moderate volumes and 40-120 hz can be a bit bloomy. The bass in this region is not as articulate as the PSB's. As I have 33 years of experience with Maggies I am very versed with set up and have them position for their best sonics. I also run a HP at 80hz and subs to better control the first octave, which has improved them in this area but they are simply not as good as the PSB's, bi-amp'ed and with subs.
Although, I really want to throw the Maggies back in to reference them vs. the PSB's I want to give the PSB's at least 2 weeks of serious listening before the Maggies come back. This way I hope to eliminate the charm of a new speaker and gain a greater understanding of what I like and don't like.
Edits: 07/27/15
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