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In Reply to: Re: I’m in love with Maggie! posted by Ozzy on April 4, 2007 at 08:47:31:
I’m not rich, and I have 3 kids under 10 to raise, so I am a huge “bang for the buck” kind of guy.TV – Sanyo PLV-Z1 16X9 LCD projector – $500
Screen – A sheet of drywall, painted with Kilz, and masked with flat black pait – $15
Receiver – Refurbished Harman Kardon AVR-340 - $250
Amp – Behringer EP-2500 from Ebay - $250
IB sub – 4 Mach 5 18’s, BFD EQ, & Nady XA-900 amp – $500
Wire – 12 gauge oxygen free copper wire – $15
Media Center – Modified XBOX running XBMC networked – $100
Magnepan MMG’s, modded crossovers and raised up vertical on DIY stands – $400
Is my projector cutting edge? Absolutely not. Would a Stewart screen outperform my drywall? Yep. But in my light controlled environment, this is a great setup and everybody that sees it, absolutely loves it.
Find me a better preamp/amp combo than the AVR-340 and the EP-2500 for $500, and I’ll check into it. Remember, this is a double duty, 50/50 HT/music system.
Subs, don’t even think about it. There isn’t a commercial sub on this planet for under $1,000 that can touch my IB. Flat to 10hz and SQ is amazing. I’ve owned Sunfire, Paradigm, Velodyne, and dual SVS. None can compare.
Wire? Hmm, I guess this really just matches the rest of my budget system, although I’d be open to trying something different, with a lot of skepticism.
XBMC, the most comprehensive and functional media center out there. A GREAT, GREAT, piece of equipment. Nothing even close in price can do what this thing does.
Maggies? What can I say. As mentioned, I’ve owned Paradigm Studio 60’s ($1,800), as well as many other “mid-fi” speakers. They all sounded great, but none of them wowed me like these Maggies. I don’t care if they are a $500 speaker. The “realism” of these speakers, in my setup, is the best I’ve ever heard.
So, I’ve got just over 2 grand into my entire setup, video and audio (including my 2 sets of surrounds). As far as the audio portion, this it’s the best jazz, guitar, piano, & vocals I’ve ever heard in my 34 years. Maybe I’m just living under a rock. :)
Follow Ups:
You got it. Ozzy buys his polo shirts at Lacoste: designed in France, made in Peru.
I guess your humor is lost on me, but I'm not some snobby "audiophile" that has an uber expensive system and poo poos those who don't. My stuff was actually put together with a lot of thought and the care of placement and room treatment probably tailor the final result more than the components themselves. I just shudder at the thought of someone using a receiver as a preamp and a pro amp with something as demanding as maggies. But it's not MY system is it?
Ozzy, MMG's are revealing but not as demanding as the bigger Maggies, or so I've read. I prefer to think of them as "suggesting". As in "If you like how I sound now, think of how much better it can be with a few "upgrades"!
Look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. MMG's,(especially modded), can make a receiver and a Pro-amp sound good. MMG's with very good gear, can give back much more than their price would seem to suggest ;^).It's a shame you haven't heard the MMG's in their modded state. They really are a MUCH better speaker than in stock form.
Ozzy, I know you found some speakers you like better than Maggies. All I can say is, they must be pretty good! Maybe one day I'll get a change to audition a pair ;^) .
Fair enough. You make some valid points.I am waving the white flag.....
I may be a Pro-amp kinda guy, but I WILL try some of that high-end stuff. Thanks to you and others here, I'll know what's good ;^).
Just my two cents. I love to see budget systems that sound good far more than I like to see $100,000 systems. Anyone should be able to put together a good system for $10,000+, doing it on $2000 including video is great.When I was in college I had a set SMGa's I bought for $200, an Adcom preamp I bought for $150, Hafler DH-220 for $115, Velodyne F1000 $500 and a Denon CD player $300 as a demo. The great thing about that system was that it was set up well enough and sounded good enough, I was never disappointed when I listened to it, even after hearing $50000 systems.
I would be willing to bet that if I sat down and listened to your system I would feel the same way. It may not have the last bit that a lot of money buys, but I bet it sounds damm good and much better than anything you would find in a store for $2000.
Didn't mean to step on your toes. I'm no fan of Denon or Behringer, but I guess for movies that would be ok. Hey, as long as you like it, who cares what I think?BTW, most inmates who know me better will think I am mellowing out in my old age, and they might be right. There was a time when I'd go toe to toe with you, but hey, just enjoy your system.
Yeah, you wimped out. Keep that up and the next thing we know this place will have a reputation for being civil. :^ )
Who said anything about Denon? :)
Sorry, Harmon Kardon, Denon......all the same ;-}
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