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GL posted his very positive experience after setting up his Gunned MMGs again and I was fortunate to be invited to come by to hear them. So in spite of the heat we had a good session last weekend.I don't recall ever hearing MMGs before, although I had heard SMGas a few times many years ago. And I've heard a variety of larger Maggies, including GL's MG-20s. I've also had limited experience with Gunned Maggies.
I must say I was struck by the exceptional clarity and detail his GMMGs presented. Also, the soundstage was exceptional as well. Realistic instruments seemed to hang there in space. The only thing I felt lacking was bass extension, but GL utilizes a subwoofer (we listened with that both on and off). I felt a little more tweaking to integrate his sub could help as there seemed to be a small dip in the mid to upper bass range. Otherwise they were outstanding.
As we chatted about them after listening we agreed that once supplemented properly at the low end they could be the foundation for a very musical and satisfying system, one that could stand up against systems costing several times more.
Thanks for the chance to hear them GL.
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes." Thelonious Monk
Edits: 06/22/16Follow Ups:
I have unGunned MMGs and Tympani IV-As. In playing the concluding 5 minutes of Mahler's First Symphony the MMGs come up pretty short.
Agree, the physics in the small Maggie's dictate this. I always tell folks to approach the smaller Maggies more as LF monitors rather than full range speakers.
You will want a decent sub to compliment them. Finding one to suit your needs (and room) is a challenge in itself. You can spend a decent amount of money on a sub however by that time you might as well begin looking at used 1.6s or 1.7s IMO.
It's more than not being able to move a sufficient amount of air. The Gunned MMGs might be fine for playing a small group of performers, e.g., a single instrument or small ensemble (classical chamber music), one vocalist accompanied by a smallish band, but not when playing a large group such as a 100 piece symphony orchestra. In this latter case, the image is too congested,sounding too bunched up. I suppose that's also the "physics of it", too much information emanating from too few sq. inches of driver area, plus those drivers having to be placed too close to each other, even if to all be proportional. (IMHO if one is seated distant to the MMG it makes matters worse than if seated up front and close-by.)
... a 100 piece symphony orchestra. In this latter case, the image is too congested,sounding too bunched upI listen primarily to small jazz combos generally quintets or smaller although I also like contemporary big bands as well; and yes they do fine.
I will pull out large scale symphonies this weekend and give em' a go.
Magnepan certainly makes no apologies for any physical shortcomings of the MMGs; they practically admit these are merely the 'first crumb' leading into the dark audio forest where bigger and better things await.
I was listening last night and the realism and placement of instruments of these 'over achievers' of the Maggie fam are truly amazing. Certainly far beyond their $600 retail price would suggest. My only criticism is vocalist appear a bit short (instruments are fine). M3 Lover felt it was fine, I countered with I like the musicians,artist a bit higher as if they were on a 2 ft platform. His suggestion is to lean the panels to or fro although I'm thinking of simply lifting them a bit (ie on a small plinth like structure).
Edits: 06/28/16 06/28/16
I found with my Gunned 1.6's there was a significant change in tonal balance with azimuthal angle, and this was not symmetrical left to right either. It was obviously audible moving my head in an arc about 1 to 1.5 feet from the tweeter.Hey GL, could you do a test for me on your Gunned MMG's?
Play something with a tonal balance concentrating around the crossover region. Could you try that experiment on your GMMG's, especially with pink noise? Do you hear that effect in the GMMG's?
The stock 1.6's and 3.6's were more normal in this respect.I even wondered if I got the wrong crossovers in the 1.6's but PG insisted it was impossible.
I also found that the G1.6's had great & lovely "toe tapping" midbass, which I attribute to the frames, but were 'off' on tonality for classical.
The issues I had were not readily audible with jazz and if that were my primary genre I would probably have kept them on account of the mid-bass but I ended up keeping 3.6s. I was running both side-by-side so I could make a close comparison. I think M3 heard them at my house.
Today, I use an Anthem MRX as a pre-amp to take advantage of its ARC correction & sub crossover, and the bass is cleaned up and snappier with the 3.6's.
Edits: 06/28/16
I have a better idea Doc, come on over this weekend if your free and spend all the time you need on them. The house will be quiet.
They're still set up and aren't going anywhere soon. PM me and I'll give you the address.
I setup planars dead vertical and listen at the vertical middle of the driver, that provides exactly the image height you want. So both tilt and height would likely need adjustment to get you where you want to be.
Thanks for stopping by M3, a pleasure as usual. I got the AC working the next day lol...
What was the problem? Bad Breaker?
Too much is never enough
Yep, but not the breaker to the actual unit but the one controlling the thermostat. It wasn't damaged or burnt, just gritty and old. He replaced it free of charge.
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