Planar Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Magnestand Jupiter Copper-In-Foil Capacitor Upgrade Speakers by HarlemAirShaft

Model:	Jupiter Copper-In-Foil Capacitor Upgrade
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$600 plus shipping
Description:	Upgrade for existing Magnestand owners to current crossover configuration
Manufacturer URL:	Magnestand

Review by HarlemAirshaft on October 07, 2015 at 11:56:15
IP Address: 99.113.189.27 Add Your Review
for the Jupiter Copper-In-Foil Capacitor Upgrade

I've been trying to find an apt metaphor for what these new caps have done for the performance of my Magnestand MMG's, and now I have one: listening to these speakers now versus before is like either me - or the speakers - were given NZT.

I had my MMG's done in 2007 with the first main capacitor PG used, the Dynamicap. I have been using them happily ever since, but details of a journey by Peter to improve the crossover with better parts as they became available were always around. These new copper-in-foil caps were an effort by Chris Young at Jupiter to make a state of the art copper cap by mass produced means so it could be more "affordable". Peter found them to be a pinnacle far above all other caps he has heard. It actually took a few years of work to perfect the production of these new caps and for a long time Jupiter were only able to produce enough of them to allow PG to produce crossovers for new customers, but now older customers like me have the chance to retrofit their existing crossovers for pretty much the cost of the new caps plus shipping. The only issue PG saw was the size of these new caps; fortunately so far all of his retrofits have allowed the new caps to fit in the existing crossover boxes and function.

I've lived with these new crossovers for over two months now, and in every way they are simply stunning. All of the "audiophile" concepts like air, placement of instruments and vocals in the stereo mix, and depth and width of the soundstage truly came alive in my room, and the ability to hear little things (instruments, background vocals or noise, handclaps, etc) in the recording that were inaudible before are incorporated now. But the really big difference for me was the punch in the lower registers. It was like being punched in the gut when certain bass parts or bass drum parts were being played.

The inferiority of certain source material is also much revealed. Records, tapes, CD's, tuner, regardless of source, great recordings in terms of sonic capability stand out much more now. Whether it is a great recording sonically or an average recording or a noisy one, you'll hear the contrast easily.

Am I happier now? Without a doubt. A series of listening sessions to favorites old and new tell me that this is something that will thrill me for years to come.

Now to those of you who are on the fence regarding either the speaker mods or a crossover upgrade for your existing Magnestand setup, Peter has said that either he will retire from doing this entirely or take an extended sabbatical. He gives no timetable for this break but my impression is that he prefers that it is sooner rather than later - and longer rather than shorter. You've been warned.

Product Weakness:	Inferior or noisy recordings stand out
Product Strengths:	Amazing detail and punch across the frequency spectrum without being harsh and with real improvement in the lower frequencies while retaining "air" in the high end

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Wyred 4 Sound ST-1000
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Audio Refinement Pre-5
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Teres Model 150 with Audiomods tonearm and Grado Statement Sonata, Hagerman Cornet and Piccolo, Marantz UD-7007, Fisher KM-60, Teac 3300S
Speakers: Magnestand MMG's in lyptus
Cables/Interconnects: Clarity Labs interconnects, Morrow Audio phono cables, Mapleshade speaker cables Pangea power cords
Music Used (Genre/Selections): jazz, rock, female vocals
Room Size (LxWxH): 13.5 ft x 13.5 ft x 9 ft
Room Comments/Treatments: plants behind speakers
Time Period/Length of Audition: 60 days
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Wyred 4 Sound ST-1000
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Audio Refinement Pre-5
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Teres Model 150 with Audiomods tonearm and Grado Statement Sonata, Hagerman Cornet and Piccolo, Marantz UD-7007, Fisher KM-60, Teac 3300S
Speakers:	Magnestand MMG's in lyptus
Cables/Interconnects:	Clarity Labs interconnects, Morrow Audio phono cables, Mapleshade speaker cables Pangea power cords
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	jazz, rock, female vocals
Room Size (LxWxH):	13.5 ft x 13.5 ft x 9 ft
Room Comments/Treatments:	plants behind speakers
Time Period/Length of Audition:	60 days
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner