Magnepan 3.5r Owners needed.... No bass

Thanks so much for getting back, Russ.  

I appreciate all these "basics," lol, but I assure you I've checked them. 

Same room.  Nothing moved.  Happened suddenly.  Same amp.  I've tried others.  Same.  Also not happening with my other Magnepan models.  

I have not checked to see if the bananas were pushed too far in.  I have them pushed in all the way, as always, but actually, that could be.  Are you suggesting a poor contact from being pushed in too far?  Not a bad thing to check.  I mean I certainly pulled all of my connections in and out multiple times, tried different cables, etc.   

The amp I'm using has bi-wiring capability.  Two sets of outputs on rear.  I am not using subs now, so I wire them both to the external crossovers on the 3.5.  

When I plug in my mg12's WOW, the bass is excellent.  Of course they can't match the 3.5's in overall tonal quality, soundstage and realism, but they're lovely speakers nonetheless.  

I'm wondering If there's a connection unglued or something, but it would be odd to occur on both speakers.  

It could just be the terrible room that I'm in, because it is a terrible room, but it never did this before, so it's not.  But you know when you've tried everything, and then start to question things you're sure of?  Like looking for your keys in the refrigerator?? LOL. 

Anyway, I appreciate your response.  Do you also have 3.5r speakers? 

Have you heard of this happening?  

Your earlier post about phase being inverted is exactly what I thought in the beginning.  Everything is connected properly in terms of polarity.  
Also, a few weeks back, my turntable and phono preamp combo began picking up a radio station.  FM, of all things.  That's been driving me nuts, and my lovely noise 

So, double whammy.  

My first OBs (Open Baffles) some 20 years ago were Accoustat 2+2s, which I MIGHT still own but for the tube servo amps back then were unstable. Fortunately someone finally figured out how to make them stable. Anyway Im an OB lover, my next OB being 3.5Rs purchased used.

I had a several year love- hate relationship them. First I sent them to Magnepan as one of the bass panels was de-laminated 🙄. Once back I biamped, tried several different amps, had custom made silver jumpers between the XOs which were placed well away from the panels (are yours affixed to the panels?) moving on from there, I tried active XOs. I finally threw in the towel. Had a bunch of monkey coffins, which never threw the intoxicating sound stage I love. For the last few years I have been enjoying Emerald Physics 3.4s, which are only 41" tall, throw as huge of a sound stage, but are very efficient. EP also makes other versions that include 15" woofers. These come up for sale occasionally. (see my Virtual System for pics)

BTW nice to have a female ’phile in the mix 😍

hth

5,872 posts

03-23-2023 at 11:10am 

@jsbelieve

to be honest i really don’t care enough about your plight to be upset in the least

i am just amused that someone would show indigation, negativity, and a foul attitude to people trying to help, after having asked for it -- thus my last comment

please don’t let the door hit you on the way out

back at ya.

@jsbelieve It's just 1 speaker, right?

Tweak1

Thanks for sharing part of your journey.  I'm always interested to hear that. I find that more people quit Maggies than stick with them.  Which is unfortunate, but people choose what works for them.  I think if we all had perfect rooms and the open space, more folks would stick with them.  

 I have no delamination, but haven't been getting the bass these should put out.  I am just about ready to go active with them.  I could definitely use some knowledge and expertise here.  I understand the basic concepts, but my trepidation has always been in spending too much money on an active crossover and not liking the sound or having It color the sound too much and create yet another variable in my system. 

I am just not sure what I'll do at this point because the mids and highs easily beat box speakers costing many times more than these.  When they're sounding right, I can't imagine looking for another speaker or doing the gear lust thing that I see so many people doing.  I like fighting until I get it sounding right.  SHouldn't be a fight, but if you saw this silly trapezoidal room I'm in that I also must use as a living room, you'd understand.   Last year I had these things Singing.  I had them off to the side and covered for a while during my busy work season and swapped between my smaller Maggies.  

I tried looking at the pic of your system, but when I click on it, it takes me to a page that says- OH NO, NOT 500. 

No idea what that's about.  I'd definitely like to see what you're talking about.

Thank you for sharing. 

Oh, wait.  Just thinking of the crossover thing.  

So when I set my amp to only use the speaker "b" outputs, which are the ones going to the bass on the external crossovers, I can listen to exactly what I am getting.  When I turn up the volume like that, It feels like the bass should be three of four notches above how it normally is.   Of course, I can't keep it that way because then the highs would be so overly loud and I'd be listening at concert levels everyday.  But I have hope that perhaps an active crossover could solve this.  
Anyway, just thought I'd mention that.  Thank you for your input.