@arafiq Thanks for the congrats and this post. I went with the LRS+ due to room size and placement of system that dictated a more near field situation than Magnepan recommends. Currently I am close to a 7' equilateral situation. I have only a single listening session with them being busy and having storms. I will surly keep in touch regarding future experiences. I will also try my best to better describe the presentation I am experiencing once i have had more time with them.
Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!
Until recently, most of my amps have been tube-based with the exception of a few great SS integrateds thrown into the mix for fun. That's probably the main reason I have stayed away from Magnepans (or other speakers of its ilk) thus far. Now that I have an Aavik U-280 integrated amp that can do 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 @ 4, I would love to scratch that itch finally. Keep in mind that I do not intend to get rid of my other speakers (Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene, Harbeth SHL5+, Fritz Carrera BE) since I love them all for different reasons. The Magnepans will be rotated in the main listening room with Joseph Audio Perspectives. One thing I like about Maggies is that they are relatively lightweight so I can move them to the closet without breaking my back when not in rotation.
Since I've never owned Magnepans before, I have a ton of questions and doubts. So here we go ...
Bass (or the lack thereof) -- I've been told that the Magnepans are very light on bass and definitely require at least on subwoofer. Is this true in all cases? Anyone using them without subs and happy with the performance? TBH, I really would prefer that I don't use subs but not set in stone for sure.
Breathing Room -- my room is 20' x 15' with 12 foot ceilings. The speakers will be placed along the short wall (15'). I can pull them out by about 4.5 feet from the front wall and 3 feet from the side walls. Seating distance will be approximately 8 - 9 feet. Is this good enough or do you think more distance, especially from the front wall, is required to truly enjoy the speakers?
Mods -- I've also heard that the stock components (crossovers, fuses, etc.) and stands are suboptimal. Is this true? If so, what are the minimum requirements to bring the speaker to a higher standard and at what cost?
Value -- For someone who is just starting out with Maggies, which model is a good entry point? I know that LRS+ is a good value, but my other speakers are very very good, so I want to do justice to the Maggies as well. But at the same time I don't want to spend more than I need to. Where do you think the sweet spot lies, i.e. which model(s)? I will be looking for used only since I've already spent way too much on other speakers.
Imaging -- I've also been told that imaging on Maggies is not that great. I have never heard Maggies before so I have no idea if this assertion is true or not. Your thoughts?
And finally, I want to hear from folks who love their Maggies. What is that you love most about the speakers? What qualities do they bring to the table that no other speaker does? Are there magnetic planar speakers from other brands that I should also be considering? Keep in mind they have to be readily available in the used market. So please don't suggest something that doesn't meet this requirement.
However, to bring some balance to the feedback, I would also love to hear from those who tried Magnepans and moved on to something else. Why? What was it that you didn't like about them? What did you move on to?
Thanks in advance and a sincere request: Please keep it civil ... no need for haters of Magnepan to use this as an opportunity to diss the brand.
Showing 9 responses by mesch
@jjss49 Thanks for the FAQ. When I read it I also wondered when it might have been updated as I have read that many Maggie owners have driven them with a modern class D amplifier. At least the Magnepan people admitted that they have no experience with more modern class D units and did not rule them out. I recently purchased a pair of LRS+. My 1st pair of Maggies. I am go'ing to try them out with two amplifiers I now have in possession. The Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 and a Pass XA-25 ( with tube preamp). My room has volume of a 11x17x8.5' however somewhat irregular shaped. Also highly treated with sound panels. Given that I take heed for the need for current over watts with Maggies, I suspect that the XA-25 may not be the best match even in my room. It does have the current, however still a low watt amp. I intend to be cautious. It is likely that I will be looking for another amplifier for the LRS+ as I have need of the Rogue in a secondary system. |
Well this is the 1st day with my new LRS+ speakers. I have them mounted with the Maggie riser stands. Room as described in a post above. I am using my Pass XA-25. System is in a averaged sized bedroom well treated. Driving the amp with my Aric Audio tube preamp which has variable gain which I believe to be set at 16-18 dB. The XA-25 has gain of 20dB. Volume level not presenting peaks over 90dB. Amp has been on for about 5 hours and I can place my hands on the heat sinks and leave them there. I hear no strain from the amplifier. I am loving these speakers. It remains for me to continue playing with placement. Right now just enjoying some music.
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@jjss49 I don't have subs. Maybe give that a try in the future. I own Tannoy Sterlings which are used in our living room system. I also own two pairs of stand mounts, Esoteric MG10s which were my main speakers over the last 10 years, and Fritz Carbon 7 se MKIIs which I purchased last fall to compliment my Aric Audio Transcend tube amplifier. Both pairs mate well with the XA-25. Good to hear from you again! |
@campoly @krelldreams Thanks! I find the Maggies to sound very articulate with the XA-25. Extended highs without grain, wonderful midrange, enough bass in my small room to satisfy, not earth shaking however precise. |
I should add that the cost of entry made the decision to have the Maggie experience an easier one. Had I a larger room I may have go up to the .7 or even the 1.7i. Of course then I would likely need an amplifier other than the XA25. Not due to the speaker change but due the room volume to be pressurized. |