Maggie LRS so ridiculously good


I ordered a set of the LRS just to be able to say I have lived with Maggies at least once.  I've had a lot of speakers and some big dog expensive ones like Kef Blade and Revel Salon 2 to name a couple.  These 650 dollar LRS bring as much enjoyment as anything I've ever heard in so many ways.  They don't love hard driving music for sure but for quiet listening or mellow type music they will give you transcendent moments.  I swear they are breaking in or something and becoming a little more dynamic than when brand new.  These have to be one of the greatest hifi bargains of all time.  My 30 watt Pass 30.8 drives them well.  I had 3.6 maggies many years ago and I snubbed them, thought they were so compressed sounding but maybe I was wrong or not using the right amp.  These are just wow and so impressive what you can get for the money.  I have a feeling a killer amp is a big part of the equation with these but even with a Naim Uniti Atom in a smaller space these are still awesome.  This has to be the ultimate apartment speaker for someone who can't turn it up very loud and likes to listen late and night, you can really enjoy these at very low levels.  Anyway I just wanted to put my enthusiasm on public record, if you are thinking of pulling the trigger do it and also give them some time don't write them off to quickly.  I wish I had a separate space so I could always have a set of maggies ready to listen to when the mood and music was just right.  
128x128ejlif

Showing 7 responses by scchengmus

@ejlif I share you love for the LRS. They are a technological marvel! Great post. 
(Sorry for typo: “tweak” not “tweet”)

Experimenting with stand upgrades such as MyeStand or Magna Risers is another tweet

Per Magnepan’s website and many user recommendations, the LRS (Maggies in general) require high current amplification. Using more power is the key to driving them, so in other words Maggies are not efficient speakers. Also precise L/R/wall distance positioning using a tape ruler is a must to obtain the best of near-field low-level vs. sweet spot higher-level listening experiences. Experimenting with stand upgrades such as MyeStand or Magna Risers is another tweet you can try, though stands also depend on your room’s floor material. I have tried all of the above for classical, jazz, electronic genres with success. 
Break-in period is about 50 hours of listening for the LRS. After that the sound is very warm and spacious. 
FYI: If you want a sub with Maggies you need a fast efficient sub for music, not home theater. 
I spoke to MagnaRiser as Im planning on tweaking my LRS. Looking forward to testing. Thanks to those who referred me to them. 
I could never get a subwoofer to integrate with my Magnepans. Their bass panels are right for full bass as you will get from an orchestra.
@drbarney1 You're on point with regards to acoustical bass frequencies for orchestral / symphonic recordings, which I own a plethora of. For other genres, however, a fast small subwoofer is a "nice to have" with the LRS -- as larger Maggies don't need one.