Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!
Until recently, most of my amps have been tube-based with the exception of a few great SS integrateds thrown into the mix for fun. That's probably the main reason I have stayed away from Magnepans (or other speakers of its ilk) thus far. Now that I have an Aavik U-280 integrated amp that can do 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 @ 4, I would love to scratch that itch finally. Keep in mind that I do not intend to get rid of my other speakers (Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene, Harbeth SHL5+, Fritz Carrera BE) since I love them all for different reasons. The Magnepans will be rotated in the main listening room with Joseph Audio Perspectives. One thing I like about Maggies is that they are relatively lightweight so I can move them to the closet without breaking my back when not in rotation.
Since I've never owned Magnepans before, I have a ton of questions and doubts. So here we go ...
Bass (or the lack thereof) -- I've been told that the Magnepans are very light on bass and definitely require at least on subwoofer. Is this true in all cases? Anyone using them without subs and happy with the performance? TBH, I really would prefer that I don't use subs but not set in stone for sure.
Breathing Room -- my room is 20' x 15' with 12 foot ceilings. The speakers will be placed along the short wall (15'). I can pull them out by about 4.5 feet from the front wall and 3 feet from the side walls. Seating distance will be approximately 8 - 9 feet. Is this good enough or do you think more distance, especially from the front wall, is required to truly enjoy the speakers?
Mods -- I've also heard that the stock components (crossovers, fuses, etc.) and stands are suboptimal. Is this true? If so, what are the minimum requirements to bring the speaker to a higher standard and at what cost?
Value -- For someone who is just starting out with Maggies, which model is a good entry point? I know that LRS+ is a good value, but my other speakers are very very good, so I want to do justice to the Maggies as well. But at the same time I don't want to spend more than I need to. Where do you think the sweet spot lies, i.e. which model(s)? I will be looking for used only since I've already spent way too much on other speakers.
Imaging -- I've also been told that imaging on Maggies is not that great. I have never heard Maggies before so I have no idea if this assertion is true or not. Your thoughts?
And finally, I want to hear from folks who love their Maggies. What is that you love most about the speakers? What qualities do they bring to the table that no other speaker does? Are there magnetic planar speakers from other brands that I should also be considering? Keep in mind they have to be readily available in the used market. So please don't suggest something that doesn't meet this requirement.
However, to bring some balance to the feedback, I would also love to hear from those who tried Magnepans and moved on to something else. Why? What was it that you didn't like about them? What did you move on to?
Thanks in advance and a sincere request: Please keep it civil ... no need for haters of Magnepan to use this as an opportunity to diss the brand.
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Well after hemming and hawing for over a year, I ‘finally’ pulled the trigger on Magnepan 1.7i. Getting the white sock color since it’ll be easier to digest by wife compared to black. Will probably have to use gloves when handling them due to the color. Will let you guys know when I receive them and set them up. In the mean time any setup tips and do’s/dont’s are appreciated. |
arafiq, give them a long break-in period. They will open up over time. In my room, I get the best imaging with the tweeters on the inside and I have the right speaker pointing to my left shoulder and the left speaker pointing to the right shoulder. They are about 4' from the front wall and the rear of the speakers actually face the front corners. I have them on Myestands which was a noticeable improvement in overall focus and pinpoint imaging. I have my room treated but found that absorption behind the speakers made them sound dull and lifeless. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. |
Thanks, @lalitk This is an itch I just had to scratch. Let's see how it goes. I feel if I'm going to have two sets of speakers (including my Harbeth 40.2s), the other one has to be a completely different kettle of fish, so to speak. @campoly The speakers I'm buying are pre-owned so hopefully sone break-in has already taken place. If I like what I'm hearing, I might spring for Myestands in the future. I was thinking of pulling them out between 4-5 feet from the front wall. I will probably start with tweeters facing inwards but might experiment the other way around later on, Questions: How far should they be from the sidewalls? What is the optimal distance between listening position and speakers? Also, any guidance on how far apart the speakers should be from each other? |
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