Magnepan 1.7

Hi Magfan,

I do need to tighten up on my geometry! While being well aware that minute adjustments can make a big difference in sound, I have neglected the record keeping which will become more important as the speakers are broken in and I start to play with tweeters in and out, etc.

By the way, do you have any experience with sound pressure level and frequency response measurements?

Quite often, these items are discussed on various forum threads. I wondered what you thought about this aspect of our hobby and if you spent much time with it.

Nope,
Never measured anything.
In the case of problem rooms or maybe the last 'nth' of performance, it would be wise to measure. Maybe while installing sound treatments and other room modifications.

I'm dedicated, not committed! (or, perhaps, commitable!)
I've simply tried to make what I have as good as possible by ear. My ears? Questionable. Somebody with more experience and maybe a trick idea or 2 could come in here and slackjaw me with good changes.

Their is a role for 'peer review' in case you miss something obvious. But, I'm done messing around until I get to the panel reframe phase late next year. If I survive woodshop.

I have the Magnepan 1.7's plus the other equipment - Bob/Gary Backert modded Canary monblock preamps and CA-160 monblock amplifiers (also modded by Backert), Music Hall MM7 turntable with Goldring Eroica cartridge, Audio Horizons pnonostage, Cambridge 640 CD player, Zentara speaker cables, Enacom speaker filters, Tritium line-level Tri-phazer, and Zentara interconnects, and Dakiom 253 interconnect between my CD player and preamp.

The Maggies sound superb. They sound well integrated, natural, and detailed without etch. I have pleasantly surprised how good they sound with 140 wpc of tube power. They also sound lovely with and Audio Van Alstine FET-Valve 550 250 wpc (heavily Jospeh Chow modded) amplifier. The obviouslyh don't plumb the depths of the low end but they have enough low end heft for me. In my system I have had Talon Khorus, Audio physic Avanti Century III's, Von Schweikert VR5 Anniversary speakers, Von Schweikert VR4 Jr's, and Spica Angelus speakers. The Maggies are the best speakers I have ever had in any of my systems.

Just wanted to add that Wendell Diller recommends trying the 1.7's both tweeter in and out. About 2/3 of the time it works better one way, 1/3 the other, but I don't remember at this point which is the one that's more likely to work :-) :-| Anyway, in my experience (which isn't with the 1.7's) it depends on both the model and the room. (The reason it varies from model-to-model is that the crossover lobe varies depending on the driver position and components.)

And while you're at it, don't forget to listen to the POLE PIECE SIDE.

Some preferences there, too.

My 1.6s in my room? Tweeter 'in' and PP to listener. speaker toe? 10''48'''