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Re: Magnepan Magneplanar MG12 Speakers

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Well, I have not personally heard either of these incarnations. My speakers, the SMGc, were designed at produced along with the .6 and the 1.5. Ironically, the SMGc is still available and for sale in Europe and Japan where the MMG is not available (so it's still being manufactured). I bought my SMGc speakers about 2 years ago.

I have an old Absolute Sound from twho and one-half years ago which reviews the entire line from the 3.5s downward to the SMGc. The 3-way 3.5 was considered the best overall, now bettered by the 3.6. These are apparently EXTREMELY power hungry, as are all their 3-way speakers. The next one down, the 2.7s, were fairly identical except using the quasi-ribbons rather than the true ribbons. These had a darker overall sonic quality to them. The 1.5s were like better than the 2.7s (but not more than the 3.5s). The one thing that the larger paneled speakers purportedly did better was resolve denser passages. The larger panels become overwhelmed less easily. You also get deeper bass.

Well, the .6 resolved passages better than the SMGc largely because it was using better planar panels. The .6 compared to the 1.6, however, did vocals a bit better and sounded even less dark. Like mini-monitors, mid-range and vocals often come across best with smaller speakers. I guess because they are being asked to handle less of the overall burden, much like the advantage of a 3-way.

In some ways, the reviewers liked the SMGc overall for value, because you get a majority of the Magnepan sound (which is, indeed, magnificent overall, despite their shortcomings, and there's nothing really like them, particularly at the lower price points), and they don't require the power of the big guys.

Personally, I am considering moving up to at least the M12s, as I'd like the resolving capabilities of the somewhat better quality drivers, but I might consider the 1.6s if they will physically work in the room. Again, I'd even stay away from the gray fabric as it's not real light either.

The Magnepans don't require alot of power as much as they require an amp capable of delivering alot of current. Generally, amps with larger transformers will supply higher current. These amps tend not to be of the mass market variety.

I have known people to use NAD integrateds and amps to drive the smaller Magnepans with no problem. The higher quality the power, the more effortless the sound will eminate from these speakers. Although I have known people to use the NAD 314 (having 35 watts per channel into 8 ohms and approximately 70 into 4), I'd probably go a bit higher. Magnepan recommends a minimum 50 into 8 ohms and that's the best place to start.

I know someone who uses an AMC 30 wpc tube integrated to drive them and they are happy. What you'll lose with less power is in the bass, where it will have a bit less authority. Maggies don't have alot of authority down there to begin with. What they do give you is musicality, conveying the quickness and overtones of notes down there which you often have to pay many many times more to get that kind of bass reproduction. If you don't have quite enough power, you might lose the quickness and confidence down there. For some, they don't care because the rest of the sound is so outstanding.

I can tell you that I started putting 50 watts per channel at 8 ohms with my Cyrus II. It already came with a large power supply. The Maggies sounded quite fine. I then picked up an external power supply made for the Cyrus which boosted the power to 70 wpc, but the power supply is absolutely huge -- About the size of a bread and butter plate you might use in a restaurant. The bass suddenly had a real weight and authority it just didn't have before.

While the SMGc and the M12 speakers have a minimum suggestion of 40 watts per channel, the 1.6 has a recommended minimum of 50 wpc. Not a big difference? Well, no, but I can tell you that there are people who have put some huge amps out to power the 1.6s and still can't get those things to play at extremely loud levels. That's not how I would use these things anyway. I think that they are more for refined listening than rock and roll. A good high quality amp should make the any of the Maggies from the 1.6 on down play very good music.

I, like you, will be doing some auditioning of both of these. Whichever one I get will likely be my speakers for a long time.



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