magnepan 1.6 subwoofer recomendations

I just ordered MMGs and a pair of Velodyne SPLR 8" woofers along with the Velodyne SMS-1 controller. The MMGs should arrive here later this week, but in the meantime I've used the subs and controller with my Verity Parsifal monitors. The results are -so far- very, very good. I'll post when I receive and set up the MMGs.

Good Luck

Marty

Alex,

Whichever sub you choose, the Velodyne SMS-1 controller will alllow you a lot of flexibility in optimizing set up and integration. The MMGs were tricky, but I have ended up with very good results. A couple of "Bass Busters" room treatments has also proven enourmously beneficial.

Good Luck,

Marty

NO SUBWOOFER CAN BLEND WITH MAGNEPAN SPEAKERS. MAGNEPANS ARE TOO FAST AND SUB TOO SLOW. EVERYTHING WILL SOUND LIKE CRAP IN STEREO.

WORK ON YOUR SPEAKER POSITIONING AND ROOM ACOUST TREATEMENT.

WORK ON YOUR LISTENING POSITION TOO.

MAGNEPANS MAY SOUND MUCH DIFFERENT JUST MOVING THEM FORWARD AND/OR APART OF A FEW INCHES.

THEY CREATE MANY NULLS IN THE ROOM SO THERE IS NO WAY TO HAVE THEM SOUNDING RIGHT WITHOUT A SERIOUS AND EXTENSIVE ROOM ACOUSTIC TREATMENT. REFLECTIONS ARE AN ISSUE ALSO.

IT TOOK ME YEARS OF EPERIMENTATIONS, OFTEN WITH DISAPPOINTING RESULTS TO MAKE MY 1.6 SOUND AS THEY SHOULD.

NOW I REACH EASILY 40 HZ BESIDES GETTING A BEAUTIFUL AND HOLOGRAPHIC SOUND AND HAVE NO NEED WHATSOEVER OF A SUB ( WHICH I USE IN HT BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY)

REGARDS

ALESSANDRO

My experience with Maggies is consistent with Alessandro's comments. I have a Velodyne HGS-15 servo controlled sub and it can't keep up with the Maggie's bass drivers. It just blurs everything from the mid-range down.

In my first week with the Maggies, I experimented with positioning following the tips from the manual and I'm getting very powerful bass since. The bass kept getting more powerful as I kept feeding more power to the Maggies. The lower registers really flourished after adding the Joule Electra preamp. This was a total surprise to me as I was not expecting a preamp to help so much with the bass.

I added the Velodyne sub as a test the other day, and I realized that there is no much bass that the Velodyne can add at this point. So the Velodyne sub became a nice, glossy side table.

I haven't experimented with the latest subs that Velodyne, JL Audio, etc. have to offer, but I'm skeptical that a sub-woofer can add more bass without taking some resolution from the upper bass and mid-range.

I think that with proper amplification and acoustic experimentation, the bass from the Maggies can be quite balanced with the rest of the audio band. In the current state of my system, I can feel the bass three rooms away from my listening room, with no sub-woofer.

Best,

iSanchez

try to find a panel sub, such as an enigma, or tympani 1 d bass panel.

i have a pair of 1.6s and am reluctant to try a sub. i also own quad unlimited quad 57s. i would be reluctant to use a sub with the quads, as well.

what i have found, is that a high powered class a amp will take care of your bass problem. you may want to bi amp asat that point, which creates other issues.