magnapans.7i and subs

I owned Maggie 3.5Rs, I have 2 SVS subs, an Ultra and a Pro. I tried dam near everything to get them to blend, including active XO and BOM- another active device

I gave up, sold the 3.5Rs and now selling the subs if anyone’s interested

I have heard that REL subwoofers are good with maggies, and open baffle subwoofers as well. BTW, you can do a search about magnepan and subwoofers in this forum and see a lot of older posts concerning your topic.

Check the specs before you buy, some subs  don't really go that low. It will depend on the music you listen to I guess.

Hi,
I have a pair of .7's as well and I run a pair of REL t5i's. I also have a pair of Heresy II and a pair of open baffle Caintuck Betsy's with the LII Fast 8 drivers which are super fast! I use them all with the REL's and they too are super fast! Once you work with the cross-over and volume adjusted they really open up. All I did was make a few adjustments and sat back down and listened, then I got back up and made more adjustments. Once I got the feel of it, they blend perfectly with all the speakers. It's like they're are not even there, but you feel it during certain times in the music. I got mine at Upscale Audio. I mostly listen to two channel jazz but sometimes when you hear soundtracks, the impact is felt in your chest. For example my wife downstairs was getting scared because she heard a low sound but didn't know where it was coming from. That's because I was playing sound tracks from Batman Begins and Hans Zimmer. When I play jazz, the bass is super fast, tight and controlled, not mushy or boomy. 

The other thing I really love about the REL's is the way they connect which is unlike anything else. Not only that, but the build quality is really nice too. 

I have listened to the 3.7i's with upscale Rel subs, and it sounded wonderful. Another choice of subs would be Vandersteen Sub 3's. Although they take a bit more ambitious amount of implementation.

bdp246,755 posts06-20-2020 10:09pm

"@johnnyaa, the statement above that REL subs connect "unlike anything else" is incorrect. Rythmik subs also provide for "High level" connection (from the main power amp, on binding posts), but unlike REL's offer the alternative "Low level" (from a pre-amp, on RCA jacks) capability, allowing one to try the sub both ways...."

REL also offers Low-Level RCA and LFE (0.1) RCA inputs in addition to High-Level inputs. Unlike most others, REL uses a Speakon connector for the High-Level inputs. 

I have the Magnepan LRS and two REL T5i and can assure you this is a wonderful and relatively inexpensive solution to deeper bass.  I would recommend monoblocks with this set up because it works well this way and what Magnepan designed with.  Bryston 7BSST2 would be dynamite but maybe overkill.  The mags do love power.  Now I have the LRS in another location with Bryston 4BSST with no subs.  The room is huge with an alcove behind the speakers and I must say the bass is acceptable in this room and with that amp.  The key to the REL T5i is twofold, it downfires, and at 8" won't go too deep to make blending less likely.

@turnbown, thanks for the additional REL info and correction. As everyone always mentions the "unique" REL high level connection, I assumed low level aren't provided. As they say about assuming..... ;-). Does the Speakon connector provide a better transfer than binding posts? A lot of guys who built the OB/Dipole Sub installed Speakon connectors.

Speakon connectors are great --they handle much higher currents than traditional bananas or spades.

bdp246,763 posts06-21-2020 2:00pm"@turnbown, thanks for the additional REL info and correction. As everyone always mentions the "unique" REL high level connection, I assumed low level aren't provided. As they say about assuming..... ;-). Does the Speakon connector provide a better transfer than binding posts? A lot of guys who built the OB/Dipole Sub installed Speakon connectors."

I don't think that the Speakon connector provides a better connection than binding posts but it does make connecting and disconnecting a breeze. Used in pro audio gear for that very reason.

To use the Speakon with the Rythmik/GR Research OB/Dipole Sub requires an additional connector in the signal path (the Speakon, of course), and two pair of speaker cable runs rather than one. Without the Speakon, the output of the Rythmik A370 plate amp goes straight to the first of the two woofers in each sub via one pair of speaker cables. With the Speakon, the output of the plate amp goes to the Speakon via the same cable (which is soldered onto the Speakon), the Speakon then connected to a second run of speaker cables to the woofer. What’s the point?