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Life after Maggies?

For the past 7 years I have been extremely happy with my Magneplanar 1.6qr speakers. They've been modded to the limit: specifically, I'm using an external active crossover and running a El-34 tube amp on the quasi-ribbon tweeter/mid and a big Innersound amp (600wpc) on the bass panel. They're clamped in Mye stands and they far outperform stock. Even better than stock Maggie 3.6's to my ears. They sound fantastic!

What I love most about the Maggies is their presentation of performers in the space of my room. Pianos especially sound "real" and female vocalists are to die for. With my setup, singers sound as if they're in the room with me, and detail is superb (one of the biggest changes from modding vs. stock). Bass is solid, and cellos are rich and palpable. My Maggies don't do "slam" very well, and the lowest octave is mostly hinted at rather than delivered, but as most of my listening is classical, that's not such a big deal.

Now I'm moving and my listening room will be an unfortunately-sized 11x12' dedicated listening room. This is going to be too small a space for the Maggies to breathe, or so I believe.

I'm looking for recommendations for smaller speakers, perhaps stand-mounted monitors, that will work in this space. I think I'd like speakers with ribbon tweeters, but I've never heard any. I've also been told that Green Mountain Audio speakers, and Joseph Audio speakers should be on my audition list (but which ones?).

I'd like to find some speakers that won't disappoint me after my love affair with the Maggies... In particular, I'd like to hear from former Maggie owners who have loved them and moved on.

Thanks!
dfhaleycko
jack_dotson
210 posts
 
I went from the 1.6's to the Usher 6381's and don't feel I lost a thing. IMO the Usher can match the 1.6's in every area, even transparancy.

They're an incredible speaker at their price point and will more then likely provide all the bass you will ever need. And, it's a to die for bass too. No boom with these babies.
photon46
1,088 posts
 
Jack-dotson, I agree with you about the Ushers. They were on my short list of considered replacments for 1.6's. I thought they were very well made, quite musical and transparent, and beautiful as could be wished for at their price point.
dfhaleycko OP
178 posts
 
I've had the Maggies for 7 years now (which is forever in this hobby). I'm trying them now in the smaller room. First impression isn't too bad. The room has some nasty bass modes, because the length and width are similar in size, so they double up the bass modes around 63hz/126hz/etc. I think I'm going to have to invest in some big-time bass traps, e.g. RealTraps (which are GREAT, if you haven't tried them.

Of necessity, the Maggies are well out into the room. I tried with my head back against the rear wall, and didn't like the sluggish sounding bass. I'm now rotating walls and trying differnt layouts, including diagonal. It's really near-field listening as I'm only about 6'-8' from the speakers, but the imaging isn't too bad if they're toed in more than I used to have them. The image is well behind the speakers, and well-centered. I don't hear the speakers themselves at all, my attention is on the musicians behind them. Interesting!

Restock & JohnK, you make a good case. My issue with single ended has been the total inadequacy of producing convincing symphonic music with large orchestras. I've heard some spectacular demos (at a NJ high-end show), but they were playing chamber music or jazz. As soon as the Mahler or Beethoven symphonies hit, the musical threads all seem to merge, or get lost. Maybe the state of the art has progressed further. I certainly have limited experience, and would love to be proven wrong, but that's my impression.

The room sucks. Like listening to music through a comb filter. And planars cancel their side waves, and load the room differently for bass too. Anyway, I'm not as unhappy as I expected, but expect to do a lot of trial and error. I still may end up auditioning alternative speakers, but for now I've got plenty of things to try.

Thanks again folks!
g_24
17 posts
 
Best bet is to keep those Maggies and purchase a Behringer Ulta Curve Pro DEQ 2496 and get the speakers to sound like you want them in that room.
bvan
8 posts
 
I was about to suggest what the last fellow did, keep the Maggies and get DEQ to fix bass anomalies.

The other issue is their spacial presentation. Dipoles like space behind them so that the rear wave reflection off the wall behind the speakers is sufficiently attenuated so that your brain can distinguish it from the direct signal. In the absence of breathing room you will need sufficient diffusion and/or absorbtion.
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