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Will my new Magneplanar/Magnepan 1Bs sound any good with my set up/room limitations? (1 Viewer)

Johnny G

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 12, 2000
Messages
786
Hi Guys, I'm a newbie to this section (usually just visiting the software section) as I'm no audiophile but have decided to splash out on some decent front speakers for my budget Home Theater.

Firstly, I don't have a dedicated HT/music room so it means fitting them in a living room and secondly the rest of my system is quite mediocre so I'm unsure I can drive them and obviously had the problem associated with the phrase crap in, crap out!

Here's my other components:-
Panasonic DVD A110 (DVD Player)
Yamaha DSP A5 (Dolby Digital & DTS Integrated Amplifier)
Acoustic Research CS25HO (Center Speaker)
Mordaunt Short MS35Ti (used as Rear Speakers)
Wharfedale Active Subwoofer
EXTREMELY cheap interconnects & 79 strand speaker cable

It's mainly the Amp & connections that I'm concerned about because my question relates mainly to playing music with my amp set to stereo & my sub off and if music sounds good, I should have nothing to worry about for HT. I have the option of using a friend's stereo power amp from the "higher end" of the Technics range to feed from my stereo outs on my Yamaha.

Having heard a beautiful Magneplanar HT system on holiday in Florida a few years ago, I decided to snap these up when I saw them on ebay and should get them delivered this coming weekend.

My concerns are firstly, being in a lounge, I'm having to place them with their 14" bases back to the wall, making the speaker itself about 9" from the wall which I know isn't good. And Secondly, trying to drive these huge 4 ohm speakers with an integrated amp, is the lost potential enough to make the speakers sound relatively poor?

If you guys feel I'm wasting such good speakers & that the Technics power would make such a difference, I'll go with it from the start. Also if you think moving them closer to my TV (giving me the option to move them approx 6" further from the wall will make a big difference & won't lose my width of soundstage, I'll do that also.

Many thanks in advance
 

Tim Streagle

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
65
You should be posting at Planar Speaker Asylum also.

You will probably enjoy the Maggies from the start, but you will eventually experiment and find what works for you. Don't stress over their size- it can be worked with. I find I get the best sound from my MG-IIA's when they are about 30 inches from the wall. I do move them around quite a bit and I put felt discs on the feet so they would slide easily. When they are augmented with a subwoofer they can be placed much closer to the wall.

You will be blown away by the smoothness of the midrange. The high frequencies are limited to below 14K but they are glorious!
 

Johnny G

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 12, 2000
Messages
786
Hi Tim,

Many thanks for your help.

What I really need to know is should I borrow the power amp or should they be OK without? Also, do you think moving them in to within a foot or so of my TV will narrow my soundstage drastically & if so, will keeping them back to the wall cause problems such as reverb?

I'm a little confused about your comment augmenting them with a subwoofer, I thought putting them close to the wall would increase the bass, am I wrong?
 

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