A coupla things…
i just received my pair of the LRS+ on Saturday this past weekend after waiting three months for them to arrive. Late last year I picked up a pair of original MMG’s to replace a pair of Thiel CS2.4’s - my other preferred speaker manufacturer. I’ve moved through many different models made by either over the years and now, that I’m older, wiser, semi-retired, I’ve decided to settle with Magnepan for keeps.
I purchased a pair of Magna-Riser stands for the MMG’s not long after I got them since the woefully inadequate original equipment stands are a cruel joke. I waited a few months for them to arrive, and if only for aesthetics they’re a worthwhile investment. They’re better looking than the optional stands Magnepan is now offering for the LRS+, and I think they cost about the same - $300ish. Even better, they fit the LRS+ as well.
One immediate takeaway from my first listening experience with the LRS+ was how good the original MMG’s are. While not a side by side comparison, I was able to suss out the differences - and they’re small differences - between the two in me head. The original MMG is still no slouch in providing impressive sonics.
Pretty commendable for a pair of speakers that cost $600 when new.
My setup is simple, a Belles 250i Mosfet integrated amplifier, (solid state power with a tubed preamp) an Aurender N100H 2TB server, a cheap-seats Pro-Ject turntable, a Cayin disc transporter, a couple of cheap-seats Schiit DACS, and an equally cheap-seats Pro-Ject tube phono stage. The only thing I’m considering upgrading at this point is a DAC, and I’m pretty much honed in on getting a used Chord Qutest model. I also use a Furman conditioner.
There is little to no information available anywhere on the specs for the integrated, but I’ll wager that it’s 125/250 into 8ohms/4ohms. I’ve written to Power Modules, David Belles current company, to no avail. As for my dedicated listening room, it’s 24 feet long by 14 feet wide, with a ceiling that slopes from 9 feet to 17 feet at the apex. One the left, about four feet from a speaker is a wall, on the right the next wall is 12 feet away. I sit about ten-twelve feet from the setup.
My second impression with the LRS+ is that it starts to improve when the amp is warmed up. That’s pretty much true for any amp I guess. The speakers were setup about two feet from the rear wall, roughly 8-9 feet apart. To my humble ears they sound best at two feet from the rear wall.
I’m a happy camper.