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Q for Magnepan owners

184.157.91.76
Posted on September 16, 2018 at 11:58:25
Bry
Manufacturer

Posts: 5610
Location: S. Florida
Joined: July 21, 2005
 I've never used a pair of planar speakers in my own system. Is there anything you miss about traditional boxed speakers at all? Is there any reason you see that someone might go back after using them?

 

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RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 16, 2018 at 12:58:53
Bruce from DC
Bored Member

Posts: 19027
Location: U.S. Capital
Joined: October 13, 1999
Contributor
  Since: March 1, 1999
 If you're a bass-head, Magnepans probably won't satisfy. The bass seems somewhat over-damped.

Magnepans also are huge power-suckers. If you're looking for a big "jump" factor, you probably will be disappointed with Magnepans unless you have lots of solid-state power behind them. Consider them as the polar opposite of horn-loaded speakers.

Because they are dipoles, they don't do pinpoint imaging as well as some box speakers.

They do best at reproducing classical music and acoustic piano. Worst at reproducing today's rock music.


 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 16, 2018 at 13:17:06
ABliss
Audiophile

Posts: 1482
Joined: March 16, 2001
Contributor
  Since: August 3, 2002
 I went back from Maggie's to box. They can sound very good if set up right, but they do have more requirements and more limitations than box speakers.
They need more room behind the panels so the rear signals don't affect the front. They are very power hungry, and bass shy. You definetly need a subwoofer.
So if you want to try a small tube amp that won't work too well. So I went back to a more flexible type of speaker, more efficient, better bass extension and easier placement.


 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 16, 2018 at 17:41:33
Les Anderson
Audiophile

Posts: 1094
Location: So. Florida
Joined: May 12, 2003
 Your first two responses are both spot on. I will add they they collapse off axis (ether axis) so they have a relatively small sweet spot.


 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 17, 2018 at 08:24:03
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 I agree with the previous answers. I had a pair of MGIII's way back in the late 80's. These were the first ones with the long ribbon tweeter. I used them with a Sumo 15" sub. They sounded very good, but never had the goose bump effect I got from my previous Altec system. I now use sealed box homebuilts. Happy again.

 

Why not ask over on the planar forum? (nt) , posted on September 17, 2018 at 14:31:59
Sondek
Audiophile

Posts: 9626
Location: Fort Worth
Joined: May 17, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 17, 2018 at 17:55:33
Pat D
Audiophile

Posts: 12506
Location: Fredericton NB
Joined: June 20, 2000
 Your question seems really to be whether anyone has moved from dipoles to forward radiating box speakers.

I never had Magnepans but for a number of years I had Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers and I liked them. But they are quite room sensitive and they really did not work so well in our current house. The were great on orchestra and chorus, but it was hard to place them to get male vocals right and I never did get really good results with piano. So, when they needed repair, I looked at the cost and the room and reliability and decided to look at forward radiating speakers.

I ended up with some monitor speakers, the first version of the Paradigm Signature S2. I already had a big subwoofer, so deep bass is not a problem. I've never regretted the change. The Paradigms have a smoother and flatter response, the transient response is excellent and they sound great with a great variety of music. They also are far easier to place, especially when my wife decides she wants to move things around.
-----
"A fool and his money are soon parted." --- Thomas Tusser

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 17, 2018 at 18:55:40
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13975
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 Magnepans are power hungry. The best amplification setup is a quality
tubed preamp and 250 or more WPC of quality solid state power amp.
They are somewhat bass shy, but I never felt like that was a problem
given my musical preferences.
They do best on acoustic music.
They are superb on piano, guitar, and vocals.
If you like small group acoustic jazz, small classical groups, bluegrass,
and the like, you will be very happy with them.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

RE: Why not ask over on the planar forum? (nt) , posted on September 17, 2018 at 19:32:41
ABliss
Audiophile

Posts: 1482
Joined: March 16, 2001
Contributor
  Since: August 3, 2002
 Because the people over there still have Maggies. He wants to hear from people that no longer have them.

 

RE: Why not ask over on the planar forum? (nt) , posted on September 17, 2018 at 20:00:06
Sondek
Audiophile

Posts: 9626
Location: Fort Worth
Joined: May 17, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 Read it again. Is there anything you miss about box speakers is one of his questions. That doesn't sound like he's asking former Maggie users.

 

Sorry, just figured out there was one. -nt, posted on September 18, 2018 at 05:50:17
Bry
Manufacturer

Posts: 5610
Location: S. Florida
Joined: July 21, 2005
 nt

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 18, 2018 at 08:19:22
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I loved Quad ESL-63's when I heard them, but have never had a room that would be right for them. I get by alright with my Spendor BC-1's, but if I ever get the room ...


Dave

 

RE: Sorry, just figured out there was one. -nt, posted on September 18, 2018 at 08:45:36
Sondek
Audiophile

Posts: 9626
Location: Fort Worth
Joined: May 17, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 Hey, no big. Just thought you might get more of a range of answers over there.

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 18, 2018 at 20:25:31
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 The best you can really do is give them a try - they are worth the effort and the main reason is that fanatics tend to LOVE the sound of something so much that there is very little else that makes them happy they are thrilled every time they listen. To me that is what you want out of music reproduction - to always be HAPPY when you play your music and be moved by the experience - if it doesn't do that - then it's not really the one for you (gee that may apply to choosing a wife too).

Now Magnepan does very little for me - and I will cite their weaknesses and the fanatic will rave about the strengths.

Solution - go and listen and determine for yourself. Read what the weaknesses are - play music that will expose those weaknesses and then determine if A) they are as bad as claimed and B) if you can accept those weaknesses in view of their strong points.

It's like saying a speaker sucks only at thrash metal - well that won't matter to someone who doesn't listen to thrash metal.

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 19, 2018 at 11:21:05
rwiley
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: Southeast
Joined: February 20, 2001
 All things equal, I would say the most noticible "difference" is with bass slam/impact. Full range box speakers can have more of that. On the other hand, Maggie's have very accurate bass which is real sounding/tuneful and satisfying. And if properly set up in a good room, surprisingly impactful.

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 19, 2018 at 11:25:34
ppopp
Audiophile

Posts: 2994
Location: OR
Joined: October 10, 2002
 I have owned panel and coffin (heh) speakers. They are like sons and daughters - lots to love about either design.

If you have the ability to bring your speakers out into the room from the back wall by 2-3 feet then you are a Maggies candidate. If against the wall is where you wish to keep them, avoid any panel speaker, and be cautious about which coffin speaker you use too. Most speakers love to breathe.

As others have suggested, a sweet spot is to be made the most of with panel speakers, but when you are in it you will experience 3-dimensionaily and imaging like you wouldn't believe.

I owned a pair of Martin Logan Aeon i's for several years. They were a complete joy (a brilliantly detailed and bouncy sound), but they had to go when we moved house (it had not a good room for panels). Prior to moving, I spent an afternoon at a dealer who had 4 or 5 pairs of Maggies on his floor. I listened to two of these driven by Rotel amplification in one room, and Naim Audio in the other. Both played music beautifully. Classical sounded glorious. Pop (Tears For Fears) sounded fun, rock (Blackmore's Rainbow) sounded open, involving and majestic (Stargazer in full flow was a real treat) and folk sounded intimate and inviting.
You'll get more slam out of a coffin speaker, but you don't have the crossover issues with a Maggie, so the whole thing sounds less congested and somewhat more natural.
I left the store wanting for Maggies, and I will have a pair as soon as a suitable room for such things is free for audio gear placement. In the meantime I enjoy the delivery from my Tannoy Presitge Autographs. No cross-over sonic compromises with these either!

If you're not a headbanger trying to deafen yourself, don't worry about having to have a bank of monoblocks either side of your equipment rack. The Naim amp in use with the Maggies I demo'd was a Nait XS @ 60 watts) and the Rotel model was rated at 70 watts/ch.
Having the *right* character with the delivery is as important as anything. But if your positioning of the speakers isn't great, you have a large room, or you love it loud, you shouldn't need to go too extreme when it comes to wattage.

There are lots of great panel speakers, and not too many duds these days. There are some superb coffin speakers, but there are plenty which are underwhelming, and some which are...fill in the blank.

 

RE: Q for Magnepan owners, posted on September 21, 2018 at 20:47:50
Hughp3
Audiophile

Posts: 30
Joined: February 4, 2014
 i went from wilson wp7 to mag 20.7. bass on 20.7 is pretty darn good. ribbon tweeter is far better imo. maggi wall of sound is fantastic. i also disagree that maggie's have a small sweet spot. the wp7 have a small sweet spot and the tweeter is fatiguing. in addition the maggie have a sound stage effect. pretty cool. but...i am getting a pair of vandersteen sub3 to fill out the lows. I like instrumental music from out there jazz fusion to classic trio's, with occasional tech rock like Tool. I also like higher DB levels. The wp7 excelled at concert level, the maggies not quit but not bad either.
hughp3

 

RE: The Problem with Planars, posted on September 23, 2018 at 08:13:26
House13
Audiophile

Posts: 337
Location: SE TN
Joined: February 17, 2008
 From an objective point of view, see the link to the article below.

Begin with "The Problem with Planars" and continue on with "Interpreting Speaker Response Tests."

Comparisons are made with a typical and once popular box loudspeaker and both Martin Logan Electrostatics and Magneplanrs.

Take from this what you will.

 

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