Magnepan owners : past / present

Ohm. Yet another "omni after dipole" guy.

Marty

I agree that the SMG/MMG line represents idiotically good value. Pair them with a couple of quality, properly set-up subs and you can get a $2.5K full range system that won't embarass itself against anything out there at any price (other than max SPL). IMHO.

FWIW, the Maggie mg1c's I bought back in the 80's and ran for about 20 years came after a pair of original OHM Walsh 2s that I had acquired a few years prior. The Walsh 2s also stuck around for over 20 years until replaced by a new pair of Walsh 2s with newer OHM driver technology.

The Maggies were a cut above the original Walsh 2s, but the newer OHMs replaced the Maggies. You may not need a sub with the OHMs depending on the room and the amp used. I suspect they perform better with a sub typically run off tube amplification.

this is from the AUDIO CRITIQUE on planers.
VARIOUS MAGNEPAN MODELS- All the speakers from Magnepan, including the Reference Tympani bass panels above, require above average power, and louder-than-life sound pressure, to sound "alive". This is because they very noticeably subtract low-level information; particularly dynamic shifts and harmonic decay.

I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable stating, "This is because they very noticeably subtract low-level information; particularly dynamic shifts and harmonic decay."
I would call the 'low level (information) resolution on the Magnepans first rate--not unlike some of the electrostatics. Again, to my ear they lack the perceived 'impact' of a long throw driver, punching the air with the force of a few mm's of distance.
My observations of the Magnepans up to and including the 20.1's has been that low level res is greater and more nuanced than on many dynamics. The totality of difference in presentation of a dipole can confuse the listener, even a 'Critique'.

Larry

Soundlabs

Lrsky miss understood Plato. I think he meant that the VMPSs were easier to drive.

"VARIOUS MAGNEPAN MODELS- All the speakers from Magnepan, including the Reference Tympani bass panels above, require above average power, and louder-than-life sound pressure, to sound "alive". This is because they very noticeably subtract low-level information; particularly dynamic shifts and harmonic decay."

I'd have to agree with Arthur Salvatore (Audio Critique) in that the Magnepans lack dynamic contrast and require a lot of power. Purely resistive or not, you need to give them a lot to jump a little. IME you just cannot give them enough power, and I easily get listening fatigue with them due to increased spl required to extract some detail I am used to.

FWIW, at the moment I am modding my Soundlabs, and injected a pair of 1.6qr. They have some of the nice dipole qualities, but they are in no way as detailed as either my Quads or Soundlabs, my Tannoys either for that matter.

I can see how someone could switch from mag to Ohms, similar ambient information, but both are veiled IMO.

Go ahead and tag me!