Music lovers, what do you recommend? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Aguilar]

I am running Martin Logan Aerius i speakers. I bought them used. They are 6 years old, and they sound so much better than the Energy Veritas speakers I was running.

For Home Theater I power them with a Parasound 855HCA - 85 watts a channel and for stereo listening I am using a Cayin TA-30 tube amp. It pushes 35 watts a channel and they really make my ML sing!!!!

I have not invested to much in theater system and I am so impressed with them.

Check out my system.

Jeff

 

[DavidLW]

Cabreau: I using a Counterpoint SA-20 that has been modify by M.Elliot at Alta Vista to NPS-200. A quality 200wpc amp is probably the bare minium for the CLS2's. However, since I have them crossed over so they don't play much below 100hz, I could probably get by with a 100wpc. I could also get by with about 50wpc tube amp and I'm thinking about picking up a pair of used Quicksilvers (if I come across a good deal). This set up won't play real loud but will surfice for about 80% of the music I listen to. There's something about the sound of tubes, planars and vocals that can't be matched (speaking of sending chills down your spine). Remember, the CLS's are probably the hardest of the M.L. to drive. The load will drop to below 2ohm at times. I believe the CLS's were the only speakers M.L. ever designed without a woofer for the low end. The smaller M.L. speakers availble now can probably be easily driven with a 100wpc. They now all have built in woofers to handle the low end. A quality amp is a must if you want to bring out the best of these planars.

Speaking of imaging with planars. I remember when my golden retriever first walked in front of my CLS's when they were playing. He stopped and stared at the wall behind the speakers (the CLS's are about 5 feet from the back wall). He looked left and then right and then stopped and stared at the middle again looking for the source of the music (sound to him). He then walked up between them and had his head behind the plane of the speakers and kept looking at the wall behind. His ears are telling his mind where the music is coming from but his eyes sees nothing there. This went on for about 30 seconds or so and then he got bored and laid down in front of the couch. This not only happens to dogs with good ears. I have had people walk up and placed thier ears to the speaker and can not believe that all that music is coming from them.

 

[cabreau]

I'm going to go give a listen to these $299/pair Maggies tonight. I've heard (REALLY listened to) Mirage, Boston Acoustics, Martin Logan, Paradigms, and Klipsh. I want to see how these compare. I guess I'd need to buy a seperate though, HUH? 100W/channel at LEAST.

 

[EdNichols]

I am really curious about those Maggies that mount on the wall. Those could work on either side of my entertainment center. Has anyone auditioned them?

 

[Alan Pummill]

I LISTENED TO THEM SATURDAY, BUT THEY WERE BEING USED AS SURROUND SPEAKERS IN A 5.1 SET-UP. NOT MUCH HELP!!

 

[cabreau]

If they have them at the local B&M that I'll be going to tonight, I'll let you know.

 

[EdNichols]

Cabreau,

Please let us know!!

 

[Dan Driscoll]

I would love to read impressions for actual users, A Maggie that is wall mountable would eliminate most of the placement issues that other Maggie speakers have. However, the article says the MMG-Ws are only being sold factory direct, so they may not be in showrooms.

 

[cabreau]

Well, sorry guys. This dealer is still listed as a retailer for Magnepans but when we got there we found that they don't even retail speakers anymore, let alone carry Magnepans, since they aren't even a dealer anymore. But they do, however, have an awefully nice $32,000 projector (RGB-CRT) that looks SAWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! They have a little home theater room that must have cost well over $100k. Very nice.

 

[Burke Strickland]

I would love to read impressions for actual users, A Maggie that is wall mountable would eliminate most of the placement issues that other Maggie speakers have...

I have heard the Magnepan MGMC1 wall-mountable speakers in three systems. In one they served surround duty only -- that system had the MG 1.6s up front and an MGCC1 center. They did a fine job bringing up the rear. :>) (Magical detail and coherence for surround.) The system had a Velodyne sub, as I recall.

The second system was an HT with MGMC1s at the four corners and an MGCC3 at center. This system also included a Vandersteen sub. All together, it was about as convincing a sound system as I have heard for movies in a home environment. I could easily live with that configuration in my own HT.

The third was a system designed as an economical approach to SACD enjoyment. Wall mountable MGCC1s were at the front right and left and the rear, with an MGCC2 at center. It also had a Vandersteen sub. It sounded sensational for surround SACD. I still prefer my Maggie 3.6s for two channel music, but the MGMC1s did a creditable job on that too, and they cost a small fraction of the MG 3.6's price.

Assuming the room allowed wall mounting in the appropriate places, if I were setting up a dedicated HT sound system from scratch, I'd go with the wall-mountable MGMC1s in the four corners and the MGCC3 center, and add an SVS PC-Plus, Velodyne FSR-18 or HGS-18, Paradigm Servo 15 or Vandersteen V2W or 2Wq sub. (There are other subs out there that are quite good by reputation, but those are the ones I've actually heard in systems and would be satisfied to own.)

For the "optimal" hybrid music/movie system, I'd go with the MGMC1s at the rear and an MGCC3 at the center and one of the subs but would stick with the MG 3.6s up front, assuming the budget could be stretched to include them.

Frankly, even as good as the MG 1.6s are, If I'm going to have to cope with the space, placement and power issues of the floor standing Maggies, I'd take the leap to the MG 3.6s and its true ribbon tweeter, (among other virtues), in a heartbeat. The MG 3.6s are SO good, "disappearing" and letting the music just "be", that it always gives me goosebumps to listen to music with them. (That's a GOOD thing.) :>) And they do a great job on movie soundtracks, too, of course. However, at about half the price, the MG 1.6s have way more than half the performance of the MG 3.6s, and so would be a good budget compromise where two channel music is a major concern.

But if budget were really the pressing concern, I'd accept the movie configuration with MGMC1s and use it for music too. (The MGMC1s still have enough of the "Maggie magic" to make them a worthwhile investment.) I'd just start saving for an eventual upgrade to the MG 3.6s for front left and right and a high current power amp to use with them. (Fortunately, I don't have to, since I already enjoy them in my current system, and have the "right" amp to drive them.) :>)

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Alan Pummill]

Burke or anyone,

I will probably be buying the MG1.6 QR's tomorrow as the mains in a 5.1 system. I'm getting the MGCC3 center, and 2 MGMC1 wall mounted surrounds. I'll be using my Paradigm PW-2200 for the sub.

Since I have a large room (20' x 24'), I'm not too concerned with having them out from the front wall about 4'. What I am concerned about is having my Pioneer Elite PRO630-HD RPTV between them. The salesman said I should push my RPTV as far back against the front wall as possible for 2 channel listening to get the best results. Luckily, the Elite rolls very easily!! I can roll it back out during DVD, SACD, or DVD-A play to properly align the center with the mains. Any thoughts on these issues??

 

[cabreau]

The salesperson at this "high-end" place (room/light/audio control installations in yachts, new $$$ houses, etc) that we visited last night said that he didn't like the Maggies for HT (then again, they aren't a Magnepan dealer anymore, so he's biased, I'm sure). He said that they were oustanding for soft jazz, classical, etc. He said that if we wanted to listen to Phish (we brought Picture of Nectar to demo), then we'd want something with more "punch", like the B&W's. From your experience, do you find that the Maggies have a better image/soundstage, but a little less punch than a box speaker? And could that possibly be because you need at least a 100w/channel amp to push them well?

Thanks guys. Again, if there's anyone in Maine with these wall mounted Maggie's my friend and I would love to hear them.

 

[EdNichols]

I would like to be able to consider the wall Maggies also, but based on what I am reading they will have to have a non obstucted line if sight when they are toed in to work well. I have a wood entertainment center that is about 2 feet deep and openings to other rooms on that wall about 1 1/2 ft from either end. So to be able to "see" the speakers from my listening spot I would have to figure out a way to extend the speakers out from the wall about a foot and then toe them in. I think I read where they have to have the wall behind them to get the full frequency. I wonder if anyone makes a speaker that can sit within a foot of the wall and still have great sound stage and a large sweet spot?

 

[Tom Fynan]

Magnapans do need a wall behind them to produce their full sound. How far from the wall depends on the room, but they don't need to be very far away. My HT set up has Maggie 3.6s for the fronts, with MGMC1s for the surrounds, and their center channel speaker for the center. The 3.6s are less than 2 feet from the back wall, and they sound superb. Plenty of "punch."

Maggies have a reputation for not being good with rock music, which I don't understand. I have 20.1s for my stereo set up, and I listen mainly to classical and jazz, but when I play the Clash or the new Dylan remasters, they rock. What Maggies will do is show you the flaws in poor recordings, which may be why people think they are not good for pop and rock music. I wouldn't hesitate to buy Maggies, no matter what kind of music you listen to. I just don't think you cna find a better sounding speaker for the money. Anyone who wants to come to Connecticut to here them, I'm always willing to show off my toys.

Tom Fynan

 

[josh.s]

Alan

I actually have a a 52" bigscreen and two shelves for gear between my MMG mains. They're each about 5 feet from the center of the screen. The inside front of the speakers are pretty much lined up with the front of the tv and they're toed in ever so slightly. The soundstage is still outstanding. I can't say how the sound compares without those things between them, but I think if moving stuff around isn't an option you'll still be quite happy.

Did they really say you should have 4 feet behind them to the wall? The literature the came with mine say 2 feet or more, so 4 would certainly be fine but I doubt you -need- that much.

 

[Mike Veroukis]

I second the Canadian Totems. Specifically, I'd argue for the Winds:



They might just make it into your budget as they sell for around $7000CDN - retail. You should be able to get them for $3000US.

Also, the French JMLab Electras are nice.



- Mike

 

[Alan Pummill]

Josh,

I pulled the trigger this afternoon on a demo pair of Magnepan MG1.6QR's and a new MGCC3 center at Audible Elegance in Montgomery. I pick up the mains tomorrow, and will get the center the week after Christmas. (They had to order the center, and I'll be in Las Vegas over Christmas).

I plan on using my Paradigm Monitor 7's for surrounds until I can sell them and get a pair of MGMC1 surrounds.

I'm sure I'll be able to set these maggies up to sound just great, And the great thing about demo's, besides the savings, is that they come already broke in!!

I feel like I am a young boy again and waiting for Santa Claus to show up. Hurry up tomorrow....get here!!

 

[Lon]

Alan,

I have the same all maggie speaker setup except with 2 SVS-Ultras for subs. It does music/HT like I've always wanted. Good luck with the setup, I'm sure it's going to sound awesome. Make sure to update your pics link when you've got it all setup.

 

[Tim Streagle]

It's bizarre to read all these posts by Maggie lovers. I thought this area was devoid of planar fanatics! It's nice to know you all are there, lurking in the background (like me).

 

[Tom Fynan]

Alan,

Congratulations on the new Maggies, and Welcome to the Club. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of them as I have from my various Maggies over the last 12 years.

Tom Fynan