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#1 ·
This thread is for discussion of Magnepan speakers. I think there are a lot of owners on the forum but I haven't seen a thread for them. Below are some useful links for owners or those considering Mags.

Owner's Manuals

Maggie User Group

Planar forum at the Asylum

Reviews

Mye stands


Magnepan also offers a cheap and easy way to test drive some Mags. You can buy MMG's straight from Magnepan and try them out for 60 days in your home risk free. Or, if you want, you can upgrade within one year and get full credit for your MMG purchase. Details here .


I'm currently using some Magnepan 1.6QR's. Previously I had some 3.6R's and before that some 1b's 3a's and a pair of 2 somethings.


Hopefully, forum members curious about these speakers can come here and learn and any owners can ask questions. One thing I've found with my maggie experiences is to feed them lots of power. I drove the 3.6R's with a Musical Fidelity Trivista 300 and felt no need for a sub with two channel sources. The sound was divine.


Feel free to PM me with anything else you think should be in the first page and I'll add it.
 
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#1,752 ·
go_sox,


Have you heard any word on when your 3.7 is going to be delivered? My dealer told me "4-6 weeks" but it looks like it has been about 6 weeks for you at this point with (I assume) no word yet...


I was skeptical, but perhaps cautiously optimistic. I am really expecting late May/early June myself.
 
#1,753 ·
haven't heard anything. my dealer originally thought they would begin shipping around the end of this month. based on that, he figured i'd see mine in early may. but they beat that by about two weeks, so i'm hopeful that mine will show earlier than my dealer's estimate


i called and talked to them a few days ago. turns out they have no idea when magnepan has stuff ready and ships it. so the dealer won't be able to give me a heads-up
 
#1,756 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Realist /forum/post/20222940


What makes you question your decision to go with the 840a v2?


200 watts into 4 ohms, seems like a reasonable match. Did you audition them together?

I didn't get to hear them together. The Maggies were hooked up to a bryston amp. Heard good things about the ca amps tho. However, is the 840 more than I need, as in would the 750 be good enough? Or is there a better option out there for the same price range as the 840?
 
#1,757 ·
Hi, I read in a review that the Magnepan mg1.6 qrs are some of the highest rated speakers. I am actually looking for a home theater setup and visited Magnepan's website and read where they spoke about home theater. After reading their section on home theater, I left thinking that while great for music, they may not be ideal for home theater.


Does anyone on here use these speakers for mostly home theater? If so, what is your specific setup (LCR, surrounds, etc. model numbers please...) and do they get LOUD when needed? I presume in terms of natural, accurate reproduction there isn't issue.


Thanks
 
#1,759 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by violator_1977 /forum/post/20223132


Hi, I read in a review that the Magnepan mg1.6 qrs are some of the highest rated speakers. I am actually looking for a home theater setup and visited Magnepan's website and read where they spoke about home theater. After reading their section on home theater, I left thinking that while great for music, they may not be ideal for home theater.


Does anyone on here use these speakers for mostly home theater? If so, what is your specific setup (LCR, surrounds, etc. model numbers please...) and do they get LOUD when needed? I presume in terms of natural, accurate reproduction there isn't issue.


Thanks

I have MMG's in the front and MMG/W's for surrounds. I also have a sub.


LOUD is a relative term. For me, they get plenty loud.


I was watching Almost Famous the other night and when the loud crack happened in the airplane scene, my wife came down into the theater worried that things were falling down and breaking.


Edit - I use a phantom center and as long as I have the MMG's will never want one.
 
#1,760 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by violator_1977 /forum/post/20223132


Hi, I read in a review that the Magnepan mg1.6 qrs are some of the highest rated speakers. I am actually looking for a home theater setup and visited Magnepan's website and read where they spoke about home theater. After reading their section on home theater, I left thinking that while great for music, they may not be ideal for home theater.


Does anyone on here use these speakers for mostly home theater? If so, what is your specific setup (LCR, surrounds, etc. model numbers please...) and do they get LOUD when needed? I presume in terms of natural, accurate reproduction there isn't issue.


Thanks

Magneplanar speakers have a somewhat low sensitivity, but provide a relatively easy 4-ohm load. Unlike some speakers like the Quad electrostats which can actually arc and damage the speaker if you drive them with too much power, the maggies can handle tons of power without problem. Though I don't have any first-hand experience, it is my understanding that it is much more likely that you will damage maggies by driving an under-powered amplifier into clipping than driving them with too much power.


If you know the distance you will be from the speakers, the average db at which you would want to listen, and how much headroom you want to have available for peaks, you can use any of the various online calculators to determine the power requirements you will need ( http://www.crownaudio.com/apps_htm/d...ct-pwr-req.htm for example).


I've heard of people using driving maggies with 1kw without any problem, with that much power you should be able to get over 100 db peaks at about 3 meters.
 
#1,761 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by violator_1977 /forum/post/20223132


Does anyone on here use these speakers for mostly home theater? If so, what is your specific setup (LCR, surrounds, etc. model numbers please...) and do they get LOUD when needed? I presume in terms of natural, accurate reproduction there isn't issue.


Thanks

LOL! Go listen to a set. I can guarantee you 1.6 or 1.7's are louder than $600 MMGs, and the pair of MMG's we have in the living room can and will rattle the windows, or make you jump with a gunshot.


Not to mention how sweet the little babies are with music.



[I tried to add a pic here, but it doesn't seem to show up. If it does, we have since removed the little center channel in the picture. Don't need it with the Maggie Babies. -Paul ]

 
#1,762 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by HyperM3 /forum/post/20222955


I didn't get to hear them together. The Maggies were hooked up to a bryston amp. Heard good things about the ca amps tho. However, is the 840 more than I need, as in would the 750 be good enough? Or is there a better option out there for the same price range as the 840?

200 watts will allow you to play up to around 93 db @ 3 meters without clipping (with about 3 db of headroom). Whether that is enough or too much is up to you and your listening habits, etc.


I'd definitely err on the side of more power than you think you need, rather than having too little and either clipping, or having to play at lower volumes than you'd like.
 
#1,763 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Realist /forum/post/20228390


200 watts will allow you to play up to around 93 db @ 3 meters without clipping (with about 3 db of headroom). Whether that is enough or too much is up to you and your listening habits, etc.


I'd definitely err on the side of more power than you think you need, rather than having too little and either clipping, or having to play at lower volumes than you'd like.

Ok, that makes good sense and I appreciate your feedback. Based on staying with that same power range, is the CA 840 the best bang for the buck or are there other options out there I should be looking at?
 
#1,764 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by HyperM3 /forum/post/0



Ok, that makes good sense and I appreciate your feedback. Based on staying with that same power range, is the CA 840 the best bang for the buck or are there other options out there I should be looking at?

I have no idea, you'll have to do the legwork yourself I'm afraid. You could consider something from Emotiva, which have a reputation for being an excellent value, but I don't think they make an integrated amp, so you'd still likely need a preamplifier, depending on what your needs are. You also get more for your money buying used.
 
#1,765 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Realist
I have no idea, you'll have to do the legwork yourself I'm afraid. You could consider something from Emotiva, which have a reputation for being an excellent value, but I don't think they make an integrated amp, so you'd still likely need a preamplifier, depending on what your needs are. You also get more for your money buying used.
i agree with realist. right now, you can get the emotiva xpa2 amp and usp1 for $1200, new and free shipping. i've heard nothing but good things about 'em. and no, emotiva does not make an integrated
 
#1,766 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by go_sox
i agree with realist. right now, you can get the emotiva xpa2 amp and usp1 for $1200, new and free shipping. i've heard nothing but good things about 'em. and no, emotiva does not make an integrated
I am using an Emotiva XPA-5 already in my theater and I love their products. I was really trying to stay away from separates but that does look like a viable alternative.


So that begs the question. For the same price(sort of) what am I giving up by going separates than going with an integrated amp other than space? Obviously theres more power in the separate amp but is the quality of that amp, even with more power, less than, equal to, or greater than the one in the Cambridge? How about controlling inputs?
 
#1,767 ·
it's generally acknowledged that separates will be better, due to all the money being spent on a piece to make it do one thing well. you're not giving up anything by going to separates; you're improving things. having said that, i think the difference between separates and integrateds has narrowed a lot, and there are some very good integrated amps out there. i can't help ya with the CA questions; i've never cared for them when i've auditioned them, so i don't bother looking at their stuff. YMMV
 
#1,768 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by go_sox /forum/post/20236291


it's generally acknowledged that separates will be better, due to all the money being spent on a piece to make it do one thing well. you're not giving up anything by going to separates; you're improving things. having said that, i think the difference between separates and integrateds has narrowed a lot, and there are some very good integrated amps out there. i can't help ya with the CA questions; i've never cared for them when i've auditioned them, so i don't bother looking at their stuff. YMMV

Ok, thanks for your feedback. What integrated amps would you suggest I also look at?
 
#1,769 ·
#1,771 ·
#1,773 ·
OOOPS



It's an excellent combo piece - usually acquired by the veteran audiophile who's finally found his perfect speakers and wants to do away with all the unnecessary gear collected over the years that doesn't sound any better - I may be a candidate in near future
 
#1,774 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinyl /forum/post/20238426


...audiophile who's finally found his perfect speakers and wants to do away with all the unnecessary gear collected over the years that doesn't sound any better...

well said. man, that's me to a T. buying my Dream Stereo right now; the stuff I plan to retire with and have for the rest of my life...
 
#1,775 ·
After 12 years of being Magneplanerless, I've been looking at their line again. I used to own a pair of 1.6 loudspeakers when they were first introduced. Lately, I've been scoping out the MMGC & MMGW series. Does anyone have this combo? Also, I've been thinking of adding three front MMGC loudspeakers but don't know if they were designed to be used horizontally only. I'll have to give Magnepan a call and hear what they recommend.


I just got off the phone with Wendall Diller.

I found out that the MMGC & CC5 rely on the L & R loudspeaker to help create a large centrally located image.
 
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