Trying Magnepans, need advice

01-28-10: AudioconnectionThe biggest mistake with Magies is some just folks dont realize that simply installing the correct resistor for the tweeter output for the given room is a must.When properly adjusted with either nothing,a 1/2 ohm a 1.2 ohm or 2 ohm resistors I have rarely had an issue dialing them in I remember them working in a a 9.5 x 15 with great results.Could it be that these well intended mis guided information volunteers and self appointed expert know betters are also non manual readers as well.Cheers Johnny

He is right. The right resistor is everything. I bought every resistor from .22 t 3ohm from parts express. Dialed in at .27 in my room. (Only $12 for every size!). Then I ordered the Mills .27 resistor, so I had a high quality version. This is the way to try them all.

I ran MMGs for a while in a room that size with excellent results. It sounds like you have a dedicated room which is key and actually gives you better options than a larger shared space.

I would (did) run them in the nearfield with a sub well away from the room boundaries. You will get a wide an craaaazy deep soundstage with good imaging and tone. Plus nearfield will take your almost square (bad) room mostly out of the equation. I am thinking speakers 3-4 for apart and you the same distance away. Keep speakers pulled well into the room.

I think you would be in for a real treat.

Nearfield Magnepans is where its at. An incredible sound.

I am about to take delivery on a pair of Magnepan 0.7s. I had been using SETs with the 45 which is not powerful enough for their 86 db sensitivity so I rebuilt my amplifiers to let the 45s drive the grids, through an innerstage step-down transformer, of the 833-As which take only 1kV through a Hammond 1642SE transformer which has speaker outputs for 4 Ohms.
When I auditioned the 0.7s they sounded more beautiful and clear than any $50,000+ speakers I ever heard when the store selling Magnepans held a public demonstration and seminar. I live in a small house 26 feet in diameter but the Magnepans will have more than 7 feet space behind them.

I used 1.7i with a sub in a room 11-5 x 15 and the sound was totally amazing. Most listeners seemed to prefer the sound without resistors. The room had plenty of lp storage , curtains and carpeting which tamed the high end.