Tweaking the Magnepan 1.7s

just read tweaking magnepans and just wanted to briefly describe my experince. I have owned a pair of 1.6 qrs for about 12 years and the two tweaks that worked in my room are first: the tweeters are on the inside not the outside. I have tried many times to reverse them, but there is a huge improvement by placing the tweeters to the inside. second,I do not use any jumpers,but bi-wire them with reasonably good speaker cables.I love the sound and have not found a speaker I like better{yet}.

Keyonka,
When you put your tweeters 'in', did you rotate the panel in place or do a L/R swap?
I did the rotate in place, the tweeters are now 'in' and I am listening to the pole piece side, NOT the mylar. Big change for the better!

Magfan,

I did not rotate the speakers, but did the left right swap. The original owners guide from magnepan wanted the tweeters to the outside. Is that still what they recomend?

For purposes of a test, you can ignore the directions. Try any and all of the 4 logical ways they can be arranged.
1. mylar to listener, tweeters out (per directions)
2. Swap 'em L/R for mylar to listener, tweeters IN.
3. Rotate in place: results in mylar away, tweeters out
4. Swap em back L/R for tweeters IN and mylar away from listener.

#1 is Magnepan preferred.
#4 is the way I have my panels.

I'll go with whatever YOU prefer, in your system! It's too easy NOT to try, don't you think?

My original MG-1s were mylar away. I am told that sometime in the '90s, Magnepan decided to face the mylar TO the listener.

This will be the cheapest tweak you EVER try. Even removing the fuse will cost a few grams of solder and the electricity to heat up your soldering iron.

OH, each swap will require a little effort to optimize. When I did the rotate, they fell so naturally into place I have yet to mess with them again. But, I've been setting up panels for a long time and can get 'em pretty close to perfect in pretty good time. Perfect setup? takes longer.

I do want to mention a "tweak" that is not specific to Magnepan that has worked incredibly well. I ordered 4' x 2' x 2" sound absorption panels. I place one on each side of my audio system (which sits between the two speakers). I find the best set up when the two panels, one on the right and one on the left, are turn at a 45 degree angle facing the listener.

There is an immediate increase in clarity due to the reduction of reflections off of the audio equipment rack. The music is much more focused and instruments are more easily located in space (although, I have still not gotten the 3D effect of musicians spread out behind the speakers to any major degree).

I have been incredibly lazy and not finished off my new listening area, as yet. Have to paint the room and remove a rather large rear projection TV out of the space. When I have it set up, I will try once again with the reversed positioning.

One final note, I believe the Magnepans continue to get better over time. I have had them for about 5 months and for the first time the other evening, I heard a very familiar Rodrigo Y Gabriela CD but with a difference. For the first time the two guitars in several of the selections seemed to be floating behind the speakers about 3-4 feet. Most of the time, I get very realistic and natural sounding instruments without much depth. This was spooky real and what keeps me "tweaking" my system.

Just ordered XLR cables from BetterCables to connect my Wyred 4 Sound to my Bada Preamp. This is my first test of XLR cables vs. RCA and I didn't want to spend too much money if it wasn't going to make a difference. We'll see.