ajzepp Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I know there are several TBD'ers who are into home audio/home theater. I wanted to take a minute to promote a new product from one of the great American companies...not just in audio, but in any field - Magnepan. Anyone in this hobby is already familiar with this great company and their amazing speakers. While they aren't for everyone, many an audiophile has fallen in love with that "Maggie Magic" over the past several decades. I first discovered them in 2004 when I ordered a pair of their entry level MMGs ($550). I've since upgraded to one of their top models, the 3.6, and they've brought me much enjoyment over the past year. Anyway, there are a lot of people who consider the Magnepan 1.6 one of the absolute best audio bargains in hi-fi. This speaker has stood the test of time, having been in production for the last twelve years. Today I just found out that Magnepan has introduced its successor, the 1.7. I thought this might be a great time to talk about Magnepan to my fellow TBD brothers and sisters, so here ya go! CNet Reviews Magnepan 1.7 If by chance any of you have questions or just want to talk further about the Maggie products, please let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradDobler Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I still have an original set of Tympani I's (the 72" x 48" hinged jobbies that look like room dividers). Even those are quite nice, and Magnepan has come a long way since these were built in the late '70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm fascinated by the audio geek world, and how some people can pay what they do for speakers. have they done blind tests on the super high end stuff to see if people can tell a difference? (i know what you are talking about doesn't fit that category) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm fascinated by the audio geek world, and how some people can pay what they do for speakers. have they done blind tests on the super high end stuff to see if people can tell a difference? (i know what you are talking about doesn't fit that category) There's a curve where after awhile you're spending 10x more money for 1% more performance. The trick is to find the price/performance ratio that's best for you. There's also more to it than just the speakers themselves - you can have the best speakers in the world, but if you're powering it with a Home Theater in a Box receiver, it'll suck... A coworker of mine was debating between the Paradigm Studio 60s and the 100s -- we spent an hour or so listening to them, and the 100s sounded MUCH clearer. So yeah, you can tell the difference, although the room plays a big part too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm fascinated by the audio geek world, and how some people can pay what they do for speakers. have they done blind tests on the super high end stuff to see if people can tell a difference? (i know what you are talking about doesn't fit that category) I totally agree with what Fez said. You can spend tens of thousands of dollars (and even more) on the highest of the high end speakers, and be paying a huge premium for subtle degrees of improved performance. But, in my opinion, and I've heard a LOT of speakers, when you're at the $5k price point and below, there is a ton of variation in quality. The reason I love Maggies, and the reason I wanted to share this information with you guys, is because Magnepans are traditionally considered among the best bang for buck speakers you can buy. They offer performance on par with speakers costing much more, and the reproduce sound in a manner that is very different than that of a traditional box/dynamic speaker. I also love the fact that this is a company based in Minnesota, USA, so I feel great about being a customer. The price range of spekers for Magnepan is as low as $299 and as high as $13k, which is very reasonable compared to many other high end companies. For small to medium sized rooms, the entry level Magnepan MMG is a fantastic speaker, and will give someone a nice representation of the Magnepan house sound for not a lot of money. The only catch with Maggies is that they require quality amplification in order to sound their best. They also need a little breathing room since they are dipoles and radiate sound from both the front and rear of the panels. But yeah, back to your original point, I have friends who go to most of the big audio/consumer electronics shows. Many of them will tell you that the most expensive rooms often are not the ones that sound the best, and/or those rooms are no better than systems that cost far less. Everyone can find a home in this hobby, though, no matter what price point they're at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 I still have an original set of Tympani I's (the 72" x 48" hinged jobbies that look like room dividers). Even those are quite nice, and Magnepan has come a long way since these were built in the late '70s. Oh wow, that's awesome! I'm always reading and taking part in the Magnepan forum at www.audioasylum.com and there are a lot of folks who either still own tympanis or who used to own them and remain very fond of them. Most Maggie people I know say that the Tympanis were the most amazing model in terms of low end reproduction, and I've also read a lot of posts where people have had their pair refurbished by Magnepan. I was hoping I'd come across someone on here who knew about Maggie Magic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I know there are several TBD'ers who are into home audio/home theater. I wanted to take a minute to promote a new product from one of the great American companies...not just in audio, but in any field - Magnepan. Anyone in this hobby is already familiar with this great company and their amazing speakers. While they aren't for everyone, many an audiophile has fallen in love with that "Maggie Magic" over the past several decades. I first discovered them in 2004 when I ordered a pair of their entry level MMGs ($550). I've since upgraded to one of their top models, the 3.6, and they've brought me much enjoyment over the past year. Anyway, there are a lot of people who consider the Magnepan 1.6 one of the absolute best audio bargains in hi-fi. This speaker has stood the test of time, having been in production for the last twelve years. Today I just found out that Magnepan has introduced its successor, the 1.7. I thought this might be a great time to talk about Magnepan to my fellow TBD brothers and sisters, so here ya go! CNet Reviews Magnepan 1.7 If by chance any of you have questions or just want to talk further about the Maggie products, please let me know! When I actually finish my home theater, those are friggin' going in it. I've been waiting for the release... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 When I actually finish my home theater, those are friggin' going in it. I've been waiting for the release... You have excellent taste in speakers, my friend I tell you what, as much as I love Maggies for music, my main love is their use with home theater. Combined with a capable subwoofer, they give up very little in terms of dynamics to the traditional box speakers, and you get a clarity and realism that box speakers just can't match. The first time it really hit me was when I was watching that film with Woody Harrelson and Pierce Brosnan where they're in the caribbean stealing stuff or whatever. There was a scene where they were on a boat drinking beers, and the ocean water was lapping up against the side of the boat. You could hear every detail so clearly, and it was so realistic, that it actually gave me the physical sensation that I was on the boat too. I was floored! That sort of thing happens all the time....it just brings the soundtrack to life and immerses you into it in a way that most speakers can't. Maggies rock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Info Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Quad ESL are my faves. Different technology:electrostatic speakers (membrane) - different than traditional moving coil. The speaker is about 2" deep. I listened to these in comparison to traditional speakers and could audibly hear a difference. I am not sure if I moved up from these that I would be able to discern much of a difference in sound. OTOH, if I were 10-15 years older I am not sure I would have been able to discern much of a difference between these and the traditional speakers I heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I know there are several TBD'ers who are into home audio/home theater. I wanted to take a minute to promote a new product from one of the great American companies...not just in audio, but in any field - Magnepan. Oh....a technology thread. When I read the title I thought you would be bragging about how well you did on your web show. I thought you meant you were "The perfect speaker". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Oh....a technology thread. When I read the title I thought you would be bragging about how well you did on your web show. I thought you meant you were "The perfect speaker". ah, ummm...yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acantha Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The only catch with Maggies is that they require quality amplification in order to sound their best. For someone like me that doesn't know much about the difference in brands, what are some recommendations of quality amps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 For someone like me that doesn't know much about the difference in brands, what are some recommendations of quality amps? Thankfully, there are lots of great choices. In general, you want to find an amp that puts out a minimum of 100wpc into 8ohms, and is stable into 4 ohms. In fact, if it's rated into 2ohms, that's ideal. You can always find great deals on Audiogon and Ebay, and even some of the classified sections of sites like audiocircle.com, audioasylum.com, and avsforum.com Some brands to keep an eye out for are Emotiva (great budget choice), B&K (buffalo based company), Rotel, Odyssey, Parasound, Outlaw, and Anthem. Maggies like power, so the more juice you can have on tap for them the better. Try to stay away from using receivers with Maggies. Some people have found matches that are passable, but you're really not doing them justice using the power section of a receiver. Using a receiver is fine, just get one with pre-outs (most of them have these) and let a dedicated power amp handle the main channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Quad ESL are my faves. Different technology:electrostatic speakers (membrane) - different than traditional moving coil. The speaker is about 2" deep. I listened to these in comparison to traditional speakers and could audibly hear a difference. I am not sure if I moved up from these that I would be able to discern much of a difference in sound. OTOH, if I were 10-15 years older I am not sure I would have been able to discern much of a difference between these and the traditional speakers I heard. Quads are world class electrostats, man....absolutely amazing speakers. I have only heard them once, and it was years ago. They are quite pricey, but you'll get a very nice presentation with them. Similar to the Quads are MartinLogan. I have to say, this is one of the biggest disappointments for me in this hobby. I was so excited about hearing MLs for the first time, because I loved their look and had heard lots of great things about them. I finally found a dealer nearby several years ago and went for a demo. They were detailed as hell, but overly bright and very harsh to the ears. I was really disappointed, cause I thought those woudl be the speakers for me. I think that's why I was hesitant to try Maggies the first time, but the mail-order MMG program was too much to pass up, and now I'm completely in love with them. But yeah, the Quads are top class speakers for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 the 'perfect speaker" would flawlessly reproduce the desired sound field while emitting a field 180 degrees out of phase of your wife's bitching. Can it do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 the 'perfect speaker" would flawlessly reproduce the desired sound field while emitting a field 180 degrees out of phase of your wife's bitching. Can it do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 BTW, something else to think about for you guys who are into the hobby or thinking about getting involved, is the use of a dedicated circut for your AV gear. It has greater implications for speakers like Magnepans than it does others, but since the price tag is so reasonable I think it's totally worth it. My amps are a Butler 5150 (5 channel) and 2250 (2 channel), and I have 400wpc (8ohm) available to each Magnepan main in a bi-amped configuration. (It's something like 650 wpc into 4 ohms per speaker.) Needless to say, I have excellent punch with all types of music and movies with this kind of power on reserve. Maggies present a pretty stable and consistent 4-5ohm load, so even though my amps can handle 2ohm loads, they aren't ever pushed that much. Anyway, the point is that a few people online convinced me to start pricing with local electricians a 20a dedicated circuit for my gear. I found an experienced (20 years), licenses and bonded, highly recommended guy local to me in Gainesville, GA who came out and installed two dedicated 20a circuits for $155. To me, this was an absolute bargain and a total no-brainer. I don't have any concerns at all about overloading the circuits, and the noise floor when the amps are on is dead silence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodBye Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 All this geek speak is turning me on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 All this geek speak is turning me on. What, this isn't a family site...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 This seems like a good thread to add onto instead of starting a new thread: I don't know much about home entertainment stuff. I haven't bought anything new in 15 plus years....So, anyway, this past week, I had a large screen hdtv, an entertainment center, etc. set up.......I'm very happy with the setup, but not so much with the TV. It's a plasma, and I knew they weren't as good for relective ambient light, but my friends who had it said it really wasn't an issue..........Now that it's installed, it really is an issue, much more than I thought it would be (and looking one of my friend's plasma invoices, they had bought a TV with a filter for this issue). So, my question is how much leeway to I have to say I would like to trade this TV for a different one. One without this problem, and one I'd be willing to pay more for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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