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Passive sub for Magnepan 3.6r?

Intrigued by the fanatical praise for the Magnepan line, my buddies and I finally got the chance to audition same at length. The 1.6s were fairly engaging, though a bit bright to my ears, and wholly lacking in low end slam--overall there's a number of conventional dynamic speakers I'd choose for the same $$. The 3.6rs, however, truly are as awesome as their cult proclaims--they reproduce drums and vocals as well as anything I've heard and are incredibly transparent. We did an A/B comparison of the Maggies to comparably or higher-prices B&W Nautilus and Thiel floorstanders, and it was absolutely no contest--next to the Maggies, the others sounded veiled and boomy.
All that said, and with due respect to those that enjoy the 3.6rs w/o a sub, we all felt that the 3.6rs lacked bottom end impact and were, in effect, 80% of a great speaker. We then added a REL sub (as is often recommended), but still struggled with the integration--no matter how we adjusted the sub, the combo still sounded like two separate speakers, not an integrated whole.
So my question is, assuming I take the plunge, would the Maggies be better served by pairing with a passive sub? My concept, as yet untested, is that by using the same amp to power both the sub and the Maggies, I might get a less distorted, more seamless sound. While I'm sure this topic has been addressed somewhere, your informed opinions would be most appreciated.
loomisjohnson
loomisjohnson OP
1,988 posts
 
Thanks to all for unusually good and thoughtful feedback.
After digesting it all, my continuing quandry is whether the Maggies are truly worth the commitment--upgrading power amps, adding one or perhaps several subs, tweaking the room, etc.--when some more traditional full-range speakers are more of a plug-and-play (and certainly cheaper) proposition. As a sick Agon freak, I know much of the fun is in the setup, but I have to mull this over.
Again, many thanks--lots of smart people weighing in.
xagwell
135 posts
 
I have operated 3.6's with a Vandersteen 2W for years. It has the reputation of being very fast and musical. This version is not recommended for home theater applications. I have hosted many listening sessions and the participants were continuously surprised when I pointed out the sub. IMO that is a statement that the sub has been "dialed" in correctly and has been seemlessly intergrated. Take care and enjoy your search.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I use two active def tech subs in line with the midrange/bass panels of my 3.6R's (left and right outboard)and it sounds amazing. Switched my sub cables to Morrow Sub3's, which have tremendous speed and definition.
vandermeulen
191 posts
 
Loomis, enjoy the maggies for what they do independently of a sub. I added a few different sub's to mine...and even though one integrated reAlly well (an inexpensive servo controlled Yamaha from best buy)I just prefer what they can do all by themselves. Yes...I said best buy. So sue me.
loomisjohnson OP
1,988 posts
 
ultimately, i decided to pass on the maggies and stick with my revel f32s. notwithstanding the maggies' fantastic qualities, my ears still demanded a sub, and i just couldn't deal with the psychic and financial investment in upgrading power amps, finding the right subs and explaining to my wife that the giant monoliths in the living room were actually new air filters or something.
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