Dang, this thread is giving me a big itch to try a Magnepan.
Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!
Until recently, most of my amps have been tube-based with the exception of a few great SS integrateds thrown into the mix for fun. That's probably the main reason I have stayed away from Magnepans (or other speakers of its ilk) thus far. Now that I have an Aavik U-280 integrated amp that can do 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 @ 4, I would love to scratch that itch finally. Keep in mind that I do not intend to get rid of my other speakers (Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene, Harbeth SHL5+, Fritz Carrera BE) since I love them all for different reasons. The Magnepans will be rotated in the main listening room with Joseph Audio Perspectives. One thing I like about Maggies is that they are relatively lightweight so I can move them to the closet without breaking my back when not in rotation.
Since I've never owned Magnepans before, I have a ton of questions and doubts. So here we go ...
Bass (or the lack thereof) -- I've been told that the Magnepans are very light on bass and definitely require at least on subwoofer. Is this true in all cases? Anyone using them without subs and happy with the performance? TBH, I really would prefer that I don't use subs but not set in stone for sure.
Breathing Room -- my room is 20' x 15' with 12 foot ceilings. The speakers will be placed along the short wall (15'). I can pull them out by about 4.5 feet from the front wall and 3 feet from the side walls. Seating distance will be approximately 8 - 9 feet. Is this good enough or do you think more distance, especially from the front wall, is required to truly enjoy the speakers?
Mods -- I've also heard that the stock components (crossovers, fuses, etc.) and stands are suboptimal. Is this true? If so, what are the minimum requirements to bring the speaker to a higher standard and at what cost?
Value -- For someone who is just starting out with Maggies, which model is a good entry point? I know that LRS+ is a good value, but my other speakers are very very good, so I want to do justice to the Maggies as well. But at the same time I don't want to spend more than I need to. Where do you think the sweet spot lies, i.e. which model(s)? I will be looking for used only since I've already spent way too much on other speakers.
Imaging -- I've also been told that imaging on Maggies is not that great. I have never heard Maggies before so I have no idea if this assertion is true or not. Your thoughts?
And finally, I want to hear from folks who love their Maggies. What is that you love most about the speakers? What qualities do they bring to the table that no other speaker does? Are there magnetic planar speakers from other brands that I should also be considering? Keep in mind they have to be readily available in the used market. So please don't suggest something that doesn't meet this requirement.
However, to bring some balance to the feedback, I would also love to hear from those who tried Magnepans and moved on to something else. Why? What was it that you didn't like about them? What did you move on to?
Thanks in advance and a sincere request: Please keep it civil ... no need for haters of Magnepan to use this as an opportunity to diss the brand.
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@yyzsantabarbara, I’ve never had Maggie’s in a room that small so I won’t speculate on how they would sound. Apparently Magnepan says yes. Here is what Magnepan says about that from their FAQ section: “A typical consumer question-- "Is the _________(model)_________ too big for my room?" From an acoustical standpoint----No. Ideally, the _______(model)_________ should be 8 feet tall so it goes all the way to your ceiling. The ideal line-source speaker would be very narrow like a pole from floor to ceiling (and have no mass). The Magneplanars are large because of the bass section. If Magnepan sold only the portion of the 3.7i or 20.7 that operated from 200 Hz and up, the question of speaker size would seldom come up. Most of the area of a Magneplanar is needed for bass reproduction. The larger, higher definition Magneplanar will sound better than a lower-priced model, even in a small room. To use an analogy, a high definition video monitor does not lose resolution when placed in a small room. Buy as much Magneplanar resolution as your budget will allow. Accuracy (or high definition) is the most important feature of the larger, more expensive models. To use a video analogy, with a high definition monitor, you can see the individual blades of grass, not just a sea of green. The smaller models may fit into a room more easily, but for accuracy, they can’t equal the larger, more expensive models.” |
@yyzsantabarbara : I used to sell Magnepan speakers (and I’ve owned several models myself). There were times, as a salesman, when I cautioned a potential buyer that the room “may be” too small for a model they were considering. I always (almost always) hand delivered, set up, and made initial adjustments for each pair… plus our store had a generous return policy in case they didn’t work out. I was pleasantly surprised by how they sounded in a room “too small” on many occasions. They “blossom” more effectively in a larger room, but the tone, detail, and clarity were still present. I believe it would be worth the try! Even though they may sound “better” in a bigger room, I believe they will still sound great, and provide a healthy dose of the magic they’re capable of. Good luck!! |
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