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Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?

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Posted on February 27, 2017 at 19:00:49
TitaniumTroy
Audiophile

Posts: 622
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Joined: October 14, 2006
I know it has been discussed before, regarding should Magnepan make a larger model Mini Mag. So space challenged audiophiles can benefit from the benefits of the True Ribbon Tweeter.

My question if they built it which size model should they use, a 10.0 which is around 10" wide or the .7 which close to 14" wide? With of course the addition of two DWM woofers, or a proper sub or two. The 10.0's go down to 70-80hz, while the .7 is 45hz

Personally I would think the 10.0 size would the better choice, as it takes the width down to your average floor stand speaker, or even narrower. Minimizing the floor real estate for small spaces and maximizing the WAF factor for looks seems to be the whole point to me.

If using DWM's, two would be mandatory in my experience, as a owner of both Mini Mags for my computer room. With 10.1's are in use as surround speaker, in this setup though I would think the 10.0 would work better. It's taller and is not angled back like my 10.1s.

Plus the smaller size of 10.0s would be less likely to compete against say 3.7's (I own 3.6's). So what is the forums opinion on which size would better suited for this purpose?

BTW, Josh what would Wendell say on this?

 

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RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on February 27, 2017 at 21:07:00
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
They used to make the 2.5R which was pretty much that. I guess that now that there is the DWM, the model 10. form factor with a ribbon and a smaller mid/bass driver going down to only 100hz or so, like the wall hanging MMGW panels or just a bit bigger.

 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on February 28, 2017 at 12:48:36
josh358
Industry Professional

Posts: 12327
Joined: February 9, 2010
OK, asked Wendell, and he replied "There are mind-numbing possibilities for a compromised design to fit into more rooms. We would prefer to make a very narrow line source that went from floor to ceiling. It is hard to predict which compromised product would be successful and the risk and cost for being wrong is a good reason to be very careful."

I wonder if a narrow floor-ceiling model, which would be acoustically ideal, would have sufficient WAF? Or would it have to be shorter?

 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on February 28, 2017 at 14:06:19
DrChaos
Audiophile

Posts: 2063
Location: San Diego
Joined: July 13, 2009
"It is hard to predict which compromised product would be successful and the risk and cost for being wrong is a good reason to be very careful."

Very narrow line sources from floor to ceiling exist---and they are rare and don't sell well. And the 10.x series didn't last that long with Magnepan. There was nothing wrong with the product technically. Take a look at pictures, it was narrow and very tall.

From that point of view the lowest risk option is to continue with the 0.7 external size---reduce the bass & QR midrange driver width to add in the ribbon tweet.

Use it with two DWM's or subs. I'd call it the 4.7.

This would get the upgraders from mmg/1.6/.7/1.7 for whom a 3.7 is too big. Think about it this way: if you get the domestic OK for the 0.7, then this wouldn't take another aesthetic negotiation.

I would even use it coming from my 3.6.

 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on February 28, 2017 at 15:09:25
josh358
Industry Professional

Posts: 12327
Joined: February 9, 2010
Aren't those tall line sources expensive, though? Or otherwise not comparable, e.g., don't have much of a dealer network.

I looked at some pictures of the 10's and rather like the look myself. Also, I looked it up and interestingly, the 10's were the same height as the .7's, about 55", while the 10.1's were shorter. OTOH the .7 has gotten raves and with a ribbon tweeter and I gather been a success. With a ribbon and a higher XO to a DWM as you suggest it would undoubtedly sound great.

My main problem with the shorter Maggies -- the MMG's, anyway -- is that the sound seems to be coming from too low. Also, if they're tilted back, they don't image as well as if they're upright (again, based on experiments with my MMG's). And in theory anyway they're subject to vertical lobing from the floor and ceiling reflections. But as Wendell said, there have to be some compromises.

I love having the 18" mid-tweet panels from the IVA's out in the room, only 1" wider than the .7 and narrower than a 3.7, but even accounting for the fact that my room is only 13 x 14 they don't exactly disappear:



I'm trying to visualize what they'd look like at that height but only 10" wide . . .


 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on February 28, 2017 at 15:55:34
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
Probably what makes the Eminent Technology LFT-8s so popular











 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on March 2, 2017 at 15:08:15
Gagman
Audiophile

Posts: 29
Joined: March 1, 2002
Funny, I was just thinking about the same thing. Years ago I used to have Magneplanars (MMG's and then 10.1QR's). Loved the 10.1's which I paired with a nice REL sub, very musical. I liked the small footprint. It was just tall enough to create a beautiful image but narrow enough to not cause objection by taking up too much room, this was Uber important to my spouse. They were sold years ago when the children and pets showed up. We have since dedicated a room to theater AND music listening but cannot provide the width required for current Maggies due to a large viewing screen. Have a pair of Sonus Faber Grand Pianos that are very musical but don't create Maggie voices.....but they fit.

I would love a pair of .7's but they just won't work domestically if you know what I mean due to width. If Magnepan could reintroduce a 10.1 sized speaker with the sonic improvements of todays .7 I would buy it in a heartbeat. I know the low end would suffer somewhat but I still have that REL sub and it is very fast and blends perfectly. Wish there was a new floor-standing product that meets the needs of todays listener (and movie watcher). Wendell, any possibilities????

 

RE: Larger Mini Mags 10.0R or .7R?, posted on March 2, 2017 at 16:01:47
BDP24
Audiophile

Posts: 1070
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Joined: September 12, 2013
Good point, GL. Why the LFT-8b isn't more widely known and owned is a mystery to me. Could be the very limited ET dealer network, and very infrequent model "upgrades", leading to few reviews.

 

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