Magnepan LRS+ resistors on the tweeters… which?


I have a pair of LRS+ and after playing with the set-up positioning for a while I have finally found the spot where everything aspect of the sound is right apart from the treble: it is simply too high, and is tiresome after a couple of records.

But Magnepan knows it and fit a pair of sockets to allow the user to play with 10W resistors, ranged from 1 to 2 Ohm.

The resistors that come with the speakers are not the best and some users refer that they affect the sound too much.

So I wonder, what are the best resistors to fit in the LRS+ ?

audiofilo123

You know, Maggie’s are hard to set up, I have the 1.7s. What cables are you using?Also amplification makes a difference too. There are warmer amps and better sounding cables,even though that is a heavily debated topic. What are you using for amps?

@pureclarity, I have several amps and cables to work with, and I have tried almost every combination.

The two that I have used the most are:

- Naim Nac 122x / Flatcap 2x / Nap 150x with Naim Nac A5 cables

- Vincent SV-237MK with Van Damme L-OFC 4mm cables

You are right about the importance of both amps and cables, but I tend to think that the treble presence (too much of it) is a trade mark of Magnepans in general, and they know it to fit a way to reduce it by the use of resistors.

What amp are you using and what cables?

 

 

Let me just say that I went through multiple amps and two preamps… and each shaped the sound in their own way… but it was the 0.25 ohm resistors that really dialed things in…. my room is large and somewhat live. 
 

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/7699

"where everything aspect of the sound is right apart from the treble: it is simply too high"

There are a number of factors at play (literally) here:

You’ve probably considered this already, but experiencing changes when speakers are moved about the room would suggest room treatments may be helpful as a first step?

I have a speaker patent, and do speaker performance upgrades. Taking a quick look at what is available out there on the crossovers there are plenty of opportunities for improving the sound which would, YES, calm down the high end and make it more transparent, detailed, and less aggressive without introducing additional (sound altering) elements to the signal path. Actually, taking things out may be a better solution to get you where you want to be.

The resistor "jumper" is convenient and "consumer friendly" but introduces more connections and a literal "switch" in the signal path. I would experiment with the supplied resistors and select a value that best works for you. Then order a good one (I use Mils from Parts Express). Remove the crossover input board and solder the resistor directly across the terminals. Even if you decide not to use a resistor, I would still jumper across this with a high quality cable. Will reduce the "edginess" of the sound to a notable degree.

The next suggestion is going to cause some immediate distress and push back from some, but I would consider bypassing the fuse. It’s been suggested, and my experience aligns with this, that amps and source devices have gotten better and more reliable over the years and the chance of blowing a fuse is almost zero. Fuses (and their holders) are terrible sound degraders. So, here we are, paying very close attention to our speaker cables, connections, etc., and present all of that to a minuscule piece of wire in a glass case called a fuse. I have noticed that there are silver or copper slugs available to do this. As with above, the fuse holder is another "switch" in the signal path (actually 2) and is made of cheap materials. I’d pull the plate and jumper around this with good speaker cable. IF this seems a reasonable proposition to you, I would do this step FIRST in that it will have a dramatic impact on the characteristics of the high end. (May not want/need) a resistor?). I know there is a risk involved here -- and you live there, I don’t. Your call. Just revealing what years of experience has determined and there seems to be a strong consensus on this with others.

Conclusion: You may get sonic performance well above your current level without adding more (sound degrading) components to the signal path.