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Maggie 1.7i's lack detail. Ideas?

Hi,
In about 1979 I had a roommate who had a pair of Magnapan's, an amp, pre-amp (at least one of which was NAD, and a fairly high quality turntable.  I was shocked and amazed about the feeling the singers were present in the room with me.   The accuracy and detail of the sound.

Fast forward 40 years and I purchase a barely used 1.7is.   I have a new Marantz NR1200.  A 15 yo BK EX-440 Sonata (350WPC @ 4 ohms), and optical bit stream out Sony DVD player.  I use optical cable between the DVD player and NR1200.   I have fairly high quality cables between the pre-out of the NR1200 and the EX-440.  I have somewhat high gauge copper stranded cable, about 6', between the EX-440 and the speakers.

The sound is not bad but very much lacking the detail and immediacy I remember in the highs and mid-range.  A great disappointment. My question is what the most likely culprit?

Some possibilities:
1. My hearing has declined.
2. I've a romanticized memory of the sound quality.
3. What I was hearing was the mushrooms.
4. The speakers my roommate had were a bit wider.  Maybe more like the 3.7s.  Maybe 40 year old 3.7s are just that much better than current 1.7is.
5. Stranded wire cables.
6. Turntable that much better than CD.
7. ????
 

jros
mesch
3,520 posts
 

+2 on the advise of jji666.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
jji666
539 posts
 

Invariably, you’ll encounter some who will claim that Maggies are as detailed as any speaker when powered properly. I’d question the experience level of those who postulate such. My bet is they haven’t heard a good beryllium dome or a RAAL tweeter. That or maybe they’ve suffered too much hearing damage over the years.

Well I have my Focal Electra 1007 BEs sitting right next to my rebuilt Maggies.  I find the Maggies have plenty of detail, just not quite the absolute forward quality of the Focals.

My Maggies are actively biamped with a Krell on top and a Classe on the bottom...take out those 25 year old crossovers and they sing like birds.  As for lack of punch, I have a pair of DWM woofers to enhance as well as a swarm of subs, but frankly I'll often have most of that off, thinking it's on, because the bass from the Maggies is quite pleasing.  Agreed it's best to have at least one sub on all the time - RELs are a perfect mate for Maggies.

I'd keep extolling the virtues but I have to head to the ear doctor for an upgrade in my hearing aids.  What honey?  That's tomorrow?  I can't hear you?  What? 

 

 

secretguy
1,730 posts
 

Invariably, you’ll encounter some who will claim that Maggies are as detailed as any speaker when powered properly. I’d question the experience level of those who postulate such. My bet is they haven’t heard a good beryllium dome or a RAAL tweeter. 

Well...you know what they say about opinions...

jhills
616 posts
 

+1secretguy

For what it’s worth:

I have my 1.7s out 42" from front wall, 5’ between speakers (6’3" center to center) tweeters to the outside, very slight toe in and listening position approx. 9’ from speakers. The entire front wall, behind the speakers, is well dampened with acoustic drapes. Powering with a 35+ year Audible Illusions pre-amp (still dead silent and performing well) and a 350W @4ohm ADCOM power amp. and one ADS sub. Both with my LPs and CDs they sound incredible. I’ve tried the beryllium and the diamond tweeter speakers - I’ll stick with the Maggies thanks....

As others have said - a good pre amp, enough power, a good front end and detail to set up and your little Maggies will sound great.........Jim

 

helomech
1,712 posts
 

 

 

I’d keep extolling the virtues but I have to head to the ear doctor for an upgrade in my hearing aids. What honey? That’s tomorrow? I can’t hear you? What?

If you find those Maggies are as detailed as your Focals then you likely need a hearing checkup indeed. That or your sources/amplification are not that revealing. Maybe a combination of both? 

 

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