Hmm, I don't see why your entertainment center should mess up sound staging, but then I don't know what your set up looks like.
For something 'similar' to Maggies, I would say try some Vandersteen VSM or VLR bookshelves. Even the 1ci with a pair of subs should do the trick.
Despite being a Vandy fanboy, I do love Maggie's. Maybe you should contact them with your problem? Looking at the website, the .7's are for smaller rooms, so maybe you haven't positioned them correctly?
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I am a vandy fan, but even they cannot create the sound from a maggie
vice versa applies too
the entertainment center will mess up sound staging more on any box or set of boxes than on panels
can you describe your room? |
It's a studio apt. I have no choice with the entertainment center in between the speakers. My understanding is that the Maggies image much better without anything in between the speakers. |
That has always been my experience with any speakers I have experienced. I've never heard speakers image well with a major obstruction between them.
Maggies may not be the best choice for the music you favor. I like them with chamber, small acoustic music and such.
Yep. I'm another Vandy fan. A pair of model One's could be just the ticket, especially if you can minimize the staging interference of the entertainment center
All the best!
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How big is your "Entertainment Center"? If it's one of those humongus things from the eighties, it will kill your imaging. |
It's a modest piece of furniture. My studio type apt. is approx. 25' x 30'. |
That's a pretty large room. I assume they are at one end with the entertainment center. Is there any way to move them further away?
You may sacrifice bass, but your imaging should improve.
I, too, have limited positioning for my speakers. I put them near mid way in the room and like the sound better.
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@beernut, you might find out that your Magnepan .7's sound better than you think, and your chasing an unattainable goal with any speaker as others have already stated.
Relax and enjoy your music... |
Correct, they sit at either end of my small entertainment center. Because of room configuration, I have them placed at the only semi- logical position. My listening seat is approx. 10' from the speaker plane. I've been told that any "obstruction" between the Maggies tends to stifle their inherent imaging qualities. Particularly depth which I can understand. That being said, they may be a tad too "polite" for my listening tastes (blues, classic rock).
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Point well taken lak. My understanding is that Maggies are more "room sensitive" than conventional style speakers and I may be doing the "square peg in a round hole thing". In essence shoe-horning the maggies in a situation where they can't blossom properly... |
With that room size and with your entertainment center, you might look for controlled directivity speakers. I can recommend JBL studio 580 or 590 in your price range. Great sound at a fair price. |
the question isn't whether they are optimal in your room - the real question is whether they sound better than something else in your room
or to be more accurate - whether their advantages are better to you than - say - a Vandersteen's advantages would be; and the converse for dis-advantages ((all given your pgm material)
I have 1.5QRs and despite a not so great listening room, I find them generally better than other options |
I had a pair of MG-12's for years in my 16 x 23 room and, after upgrading to the 1.7i's, I now realize that they really weren't big enough to reproduce music the way I like to listen. They always sounded strained when I attempted the relatively higher volume I like.
The 1.7i's were the answer to that problem, and I have plans to add a subwoofer, which should help a lot.
In my room, the MG-12's didn't sound right until I placed them 5 feet away from the front wall, and I found that to be the best location for the 1.7i's, also.
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I wish you could give a diagram or pic or your setup. I think I could give you some alternate ideas for positioning. Sometimes, you have to be creative, and move stuff around.
FWIW, I would invest in a second subwoofer. I think it would help with some of your problems.
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