Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!

Yes, If I had a larger room I would love to try the 1.7i.  In my room I am truly enjoying my LSR+s. 

@arafiq : I was pretty satisfied with the low frequency response of my 1.7i, but I wanted “more of a good thing”, so I bought a pair of DWM bass panels. They added a bit of meat to the sound, but they were tricky to set up to blend with the mains, and they added too much, visually, to my room. I sold them, and frankly, don’t miss them. I loved the sound of my system with the 1.7i, but ultimately decided to buy a pair of 3.7 to “try out”, expecting “more bass” and “better highs”. Honestly, there was only a small increase in bass response, but the “overall presentation” of sound was better with the 3.7. Without hearing them side by side, I’m not sure the differences would be so apparent. As @jjss49 wrote; they load the room differently, and I preferred the sound. I’ve appreciated the sound of every Magnepan speaker I’ve owned, but these are clearly the best. 

@jjss49 and @krelldreams Thank you for a real-world perspective of how these speakers behave in normal-sized rooms. My room is around 20x15 with 12 foot ceilings and fairly well treated. Based on what I'm able to glean from your experiences, I think 1.7i is definitely the right Maggie to get my feet wet. Is there a difference in bass response between the two, i.e. do you think the bass out on 3.7 is more compared to 1.7?

@jjss49 : I agree completely! My room is almost the same size as yours (15x21), and I’ve had both the 1.7i & the 3.7 set up with the same electronics, in the same environment, and I found the 1.7i to be an overachiever at the size and price. I ultimately chose to keep the 3.7, because it was, imo, “better” overall, but I would be happy with the 1.7i. As you described… the larger model loads the room slightly differently, and the high frequency energy is a bit more bold & airy, but the broad midrange frequency presentation is very much the same… and that’s to say, Very nice!

i would say that in my experience, once you get to 1.7i and above, alot of the sound quality depends on how the speaker loads the room (and how loud one wants to listen)... i still have both the 1.7i and 3.7i and the size of the panels load my room very differently (17x22 well treated dedicated room) and i would imagine going to even bigger panels of the 20.7 and 30.7 would definitely be too much of a good thing... in fact i feel the 3.7i in my room can already overload the room in the midbass if i am not careful and i need to get the placement just right (and employ dsp control) to make them sound just right

there are those who have said that 3.7i has the true ribbon tweeter over the 1.7i quasi ribbon unit... i think both have absolutely outstanding treble, with the 3.7i having more treble energy - but i do not think the 3.7i resolves noticeably better than 1.7i

The 20.7 is Large, but boy will it sound good,

So a local audiophile was gracious enough to invite me to his house to listen to his Magnepan-based system. His speakers are 20.7 driven by Audio Research amps. I'm planning to visit his home in 1-2 weeks. I understand that 20.7 is way outside what I'm planning to spend on Maggies at the moment, but at least it will give me a taste of what these speakers are capable of. Looking forward to the visit. 

Oh, and by the way:

For anyone with a Maggie model that includes an outboard cross-over box, the First Watt B4 can be used in place of that box. While almost all other loudspeakers have cross-overs that included driver-compensation networks, the cross-overs in Maggies are purely "textbook" in nature: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-order, with no driver compensation elements. The First Watt B4 is capable of creating the same filters are do the Magnepan outboard boxes, but in superior quality. Not to beat up on Magnepan, but everyone knows they use junk parts in their cross-overs.

Good point @ketchup, highlighting a mistake I hadn’t realized I made. Yes, a high pass filter must be used if one wants to relieve any loudspeaker the duty of reproducing low frequencies. That filter may be installed in between a power amp and the loudspeaker it is driving (in the speakers internal cross-over, aka high-level), but if it is instead installed in front of the power amp (aka low-level), the amp will ALSO be relieved of that duty (the point I was focused on). Doing so benefits both the amp and the speaker, a win-win.

A simple 1st order filter (just a single capacitor) may be soldered onto the input jacks of the power amp (on the amp’s interior), but a higher-order filter (which will create a steeper roll-off) containing more parts will require an outboard, active crossover. Some powered subs contain a high-pass output on their control panel, but that filtering is always (to the best of my knowledge) accomplished with an opamp or integrated circuit, not discrete parts.

A great budget-priced ($1500) 2-way crossover was for a while offered by First Watt---the B4, but is now available only as a DIY kit. It provides 1st/2nd/3rd/4th-order filters (6dB/12dB/18dB/24dB per octave), for frequencies ranging from 25Hz up to 6375Hz. And does so using discrete parts.

The B4 has two pair of outputs---low-out and high-out, and each filter may be configured independent of the other; the high-out may be 1st-order and the low-out 2nd, or visa versa. Very flexible, and the B4 a great cross-over for those wanting to bi--amp MG.6 and earlier Magnepan models. They have parallel crossovers, while the .7’s are series. Of course if used for subwoofer applications, that doesn't matter.

@bdp24 

Adding a sub or two to almost any planar will result in improvements in a couple of ways. Most importantly, relieved of reproducing bass, the Maggie "woofers" will now reproduce the midrange in a noticeably improved manner. The speaker will also play louder, with less strain and distortion. And if you employ a high pass filter in front of the power amp (removing low frequencies from the input signal) the amp itself will produce less distortion, and more power will be available for the midrange frequencies.

If you don't put a high pass filter in front of the Maggie's amp, how can the Maggies be relieved of producing bass and play louder with less strain and distortion?  Do you mean only if you use a sub's built in high pass filter?

the price was really good on that set of 1.7i’s with magna risers with local tx pickup... am sure they sold in a jiffy...

worry not, there will be others

@jjss49 I'm in Texas (Dallas). I saw only one listed but it's the original LRS version (not LRS+). Maybe the other ones sold already?

@arafiq

my memory is failing me a bit, not recalling if you are in texas, or are an east coaster (nc?)

there are a couple nice used pair of maggies, in texas, available for local pickup... 1.7i as well as lrs ... on the ’other’ used gear site 

if you are close, they could work well for you! 🍺

 

I’ve heard a lot of different speakers and I don’t think you can beat their sound for the price. . . I would put my system up with the best of them. Like others have said going with a couple of subs will help fill out the bottom end. I recommend getting an active set up going to use four subs. I use Room EQ Wizard and Multi Sub Optimizer to help build the filters I need to cancel out the room nodes. The speakers run full range and are supported by the subs. It’s crazy how big a difference it makes and how much more accurate and impactful the base is but still perfectly integrated. I currently use a Mini DSP but I just got back home from AXPONA and was fantastic. I got a chance to meet some great people like John Siau with Benchmark and Gary Yacoubian with SVS. Two things I’m really excited about:

1. Al Clark, Pres/CEO of Danville Signal Processing. He spent a lot of time speaking with me and I’m going to be an early adopter of his dspNexus which will replace my Mini DSP at more than twice the fidelity and offers much more flexibility for an active crossover plus some fun things like Bluetooth play etc. I would never have known about this without going.

2. The best in show was the Minuet Speakers by Clarisys Audio playing in the room sponsored by and paired with Hegel amps. The combo was stunning and bests my 20.1’s by light years and there wasn’t another speaker in the place that could touch them by my ears. They have completely modified and improved on the Apogee system, solid aluminum frame weighing 210lbs per piece at 4ft tall. Frequency range 28Hz to 25KHz, my hair stood up the three times I listened to them. The sound was so coherent and effortless within the entire range. My wife couldn’t come to the show and when I called she said I sounded giddy. Of course they cost much more than my Maggie’s! I just thought I’d share as there are a lot of panel speaker enthusiasts here that might be interested :)

@mesch Thanks, and this makes sense. You did the right thing by buying what fits your room and budget. Regardless, I've only heard glowing reviews for this speaker.

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. 

@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. 

@mesch Congrats on your new LRS+ speakers. From what I read, they punch above their weight and scale with better components far beyond one would expect. Please share further impressions as you put on more miles on the speakers. 

Question for you: Is there a specific reason you went with LRS+ and not a bigger model like 1.7i? Thanks. 

@jjss49

as you know i have a set of agd audions, after trying many other class d amps i did not enjoy, and the agd’s do very well with my 1.7i’s as well as 3.7i’s...

It was, in fact, your glowing review of the AGD’s that made me re-consider class D to begin with :)

I was quite skeptical based on prior experience with class D stuff (Peachtree and NAD) which simply did not work for me. But I have to admit, things have come a long way. I’m looking forward to trying it with my Aavik amp. Having said that, this is a strange hobby. If I really love the Maggie sound, I’m not opposed to going back to a high current class A/B amp if it works better. One thing I’ve learned in this hobby is that there are no absolutes. You never say never, and never proclaim something as your ’endgame’ component (Steve Huff, are you listening?)

@mesch

ahh yes tannoys, not klipsches...😁

please try a rel sub (or better, a pair) when you have a chance with the lil maggies -- i think you will love it

for little maggies (or even large ones) it is in my experience quite transformative of the listening experience!

 

@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. 

@mesch enjoy your maggies!! do you have subs? iirc you are coming from klipsches, yes? i cannot think of a more different musical presentation, as special as both are have fun!

Dept. of FWIW: Earlier this year I had an Aavik 1-180 at home for evaluation. The amp worked well enough with SF Guarneri Homage speakers, but when paired with Magnepan .7's I found the presentation to be unpalatable. If I had to choose one adjective the word would be "strange." I won't elaborate further except to say it was one reason I decided not to purchase the Aavik. I've had Magnepans in one form or another for decades, and to date I feel they've sounded best with adequately powered tube amps.

@mesch : Congratulations on your new speakers! I have no doubt that Pass XA 25 sounds great paired with the LRS+. That’s a combo I’ve been thinking “should” sound great, so I’m happy to know that someone is using them together. I’d love to hear it. 
 

@dsper : I understand what you’re experiencing. I’ve tried other speakers in place of the Magnepans I had at times. Sometimes I’d put the Magnepans in another room and set the new speaker up in the main system. Other times I sold the Maggies and replaced them with carefully chosen “other” speakers. I always missed them after awhile, so went back to using them again. There’s something uniquely “real” about how they recreate recorded music that I’ve found missing in other speakers. ALL speakers have their strengths and weaknesses, so I prefer the ones that have strengths in areas of sound that are important to me, and ones that don’t have any type of weaknesses that are deal breakers. My goal is always to put together a system that creates sound that is both pleasing, and “musically” correct (according to what I have in my mind). As I’ve gotten older, and as I’ve been exposed to a wider variety of combinations of equipment, and different environments, I’ve learned to trust what my ears and brain tell me… not what others tell me. I’ve also learned that it’s unfair to judge any component, especially speakers, without some experimentation. Things have to work together well to sound great.

I hate threads like this because the Maggie's are the only speakers I keep thinking I should go back to. Let me explain.

My first real speakers were original Large Advents; I still own two pairs. About 15 years ago we moved into a new home with a great man cave basement with two large windows. Does not feel like a basement at all. 35 feet long by 18 wide with 9 foot ceilings. Due to a support beam in middle of the room, I am restricted to a space about 16 feet long from the front wall. 

Anyway, I was looking for box speakers and heard Magnepan 1.2's. They sounded  like Advents to me only much better. Bought them on the spot. I moved up to 1.7's but did not really enjoy them as much. Moved up to 3.6's. Loved them with a Wyred4Sound ST1000 at 500 WPC (back then, I understood power but not quality). Certainly played loud but I kept hearing about Thiel speakers being Magnepans on steroids.

Anyway, moved to Thiel CS3.6's and got lucky to find a pair of CS5i's. All that time, I still had the Maggie 3.6's. Finally found an amp I liked with the CS5i's - McCormack DNA500. At that point, I was selling the Maggie 3.6's and listened to them one last time with the DNA 500. Wow! Wonderful bass! So I agree that one needs a quality amp with Maggie's. The bass with a good amp is nuanced and you can feel it.

Then I kind of got tired with the Thiels; just could not make then disappear and felt they were a bit too polite.  So now I am going down the efficient speakers and low power amp rathole. Zu Soul Sixes and Klipsch Forte iv's.

While auditioning Fortes and Cornwalls, I was also able to hear Maggie 1.7i's and 3.7i's. Still sounded good to me. Then this thread, and I am thinking maybe I  should just forgot the Zu and Klipsch and get back to Maggies. They are really good speakers!

Thanks for listening!

 

Mesch, congrats on the new LRS +! They’ll sound even better after some period of break-in.

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.

 

@arafiq : There’s a variety of advice here. I’m going to add my own experience, but the absolute most important thing to do is to try what you have access to and decide for yourself. We all have different rooms, and different expectations, so one person’s advice may, or may Not apply to you. I’ve owned six different Magnepan models over the last 36 years, and I’ve experimented with dozens of amplifiers to drive them. Incidentally, I own, and have owned several other brands and types of speakers as well, but for me, the presentation of sound by the Magnepans is my favorite. As some others have advised… watts of power, in and of itself, is not what makes these speakers sound “good”. Amplifiers sound different. Period. So comparing amp A @ 50 w/ch to amp B @ 300 w/ch is only useful (in terms of power) if one is exceeding the limits of the smaller amp. If you’re actually only using 25 watts of power to drive your speakers to the levels at which you listen, it doesn’t matter if an amp has 15 watts more available or 275 watts more available… UNLESS that particular 300 watt amp sounds Better in the range from 0 watts to 25 watts! I personally do not listen to music super loud. I do play it “loud” sometimes, but not to the point where I NEED hundreds of watts. I have compared amplifiers where the model with the lower rated w/ch sounded more powerful than the model with higher rated w/ch. The point is we all “use” our systems our own way. I’m extremely pleased with what I’ve settled on: 3.7s driven by a medium powered tube amplifier (and Yes, I’ve also owned many SS amps with hundreds of w/ch). I use a pair of Speltz autoformers to raise the impedance of the Maggies to better match the amp, but not because it sounded bad, but because I know electrically it’s a better match. Buy the speakers.. use your amp.. let your brain get used to a different (better imo) sound presentation, and decide for yourself. Oh, if you buy new Maggies, let them have time to break in! That’s totally legit… more than any other speaker I’ve used. One more thing: Someone in this thread wrote that he blew six ribbons then quit trying Magnepan. I have had three different models with ribbon tweeters over many years. I frequently play rock music at a fairly loud volume level, but not crazy loud, and I’ve never blown even one ribbon. I remember blowing a fuse once… I replaced it and that was that. This is just my experience and my advice. Ymmv 

My class D experience using plenty of power from monoblocks was a bust with the 1.7s. They lacked the capacitance to handle abrupt movments/changes and the amps would bail. When I listened to mellow jazz and accoustic they were lovely. 4B3 doesn’t even know they are there. This argument has been debated here for about a decade and my opinion and my experience is that Maggies benefit from substantial capacitance.

 

@arafiq

if your class d amp sounds good with other speakers you have owned and liked, chances are that they will do just fine with maggies

as you know i have a set of agd audions, after trying many other class d amps i did not enjoy, and the agd’s do very well with my 1.7i’s as well as 3.7i’s...

did i stumble into a class d amp thread?

Well, I did mention in the OP that I will be driving the Maggies with a class D amp, so I think that part of the discussion is relevant and not off topic :)

I understand that Magnepan employees cannot possibly test every amplifier under the sun, but it will be beneficial to the audiophile community if they perhaps broaden their horizons a bit more and revisit their stance vis-a-vis class D amps. As we can see on this thread alone, there are several folks who have successfully paired class D with Maggies and are quite happy. Maybe they can pick some top shelf amps from the likes of Atmasphere, AGD, Jeff Rowland, or Aavik for that matter and see what the new (and improved) technology has to offer.

Anyways, regardless of their official stance, I intend to find out how the speakers perform with my class D amp. Hopefully I can find a nice used pair locally. Not much available right now though.

Reading what @jjss49 posted would give me pause, regardless. 

did i stumble into a class d amp thread? 😁🤣

we should take statements wendell/magnepan make at face value, even if somewhat dated

- they don’t have time to listen to everything

- class d used to sound bad, now they are better...so if you wanna try, go for it...

- but their reference has been and continues to be top flight, strong class ab... hard to argue with this, this is a highly successful enduring company with legions of happy customers, thus there is a rich and relevant experience base to draw upon

happiness comes in many flavors, some people like to try new stuff, hear new gear at the bleeding edge, others prefer stuff that they know will work well, be done, know they have the right stuff 

I have the Magnepans 7's with fuse/jumper upgrade and Magnarisers stands and use two different amps with them: VAC PA 100 100 tube amp and Spectron musical MK lll class D amp  The VAC sounds musical on the 4 ohm taps, the Spectron puts out 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm plus 65 amps for 500 milliseconds The beast weighs 54lbs and was designed by John Ulrich  I typically listen to music around 75db with peaks in the low 80's  What I like about the Spectron with all that watts/current Is the astounding inner detail, dynamics and huge sound stage I should also mention I use two SVS Ultra 13 subs with their DSP app My brother was considering buying the 1.7's (bigger room than mine) and was asking for amp advice So I created two You Tube vids one with my VAC the other with the Spectron with the same song and db level  " Magnepan doing their thing " My brother said it really helped him decide  

 

Give them a roll, if they don't work out you know you can unload them here. 

One of the long time respected local hi end dealers that I have been a customer with for years has been pairing Class D amps with power hungry Maggie’s for years. It should not be an issue, in fact a most effective way to go. Otherwise he mostly sold tube amps.

Yeah that 'official' class D guidance from Magnepan gave me pause as well. Either they have not kept up with the advancements in class D or maybe their viewpoint is still valid for all that we know. As I've mentioned before, I was very skeptical of class D until I got my new Aavik integrated amp. That was a revelation, especially for a tube guy :)

My amp doubles from 300 watts at 8 ohms to 600 at 4. It drives my not-so-efficient speakers like a boss. But I don't know if class D uses the same level/type of current compared to class A/B. If there's a difference in that aspect, I would love to be enlightened. However, if Magnepan's official stand is that only high current class A/B are good enough to play ball in their backyard than I don't mind taking mine elsewhere. Not going to give up my class D amp for Maggies, that's for sure :)

Forgot to add that I will get back regarding my findings once I have the experience.

@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.

RE: Magnepan’s amp recommendations 

The good folks at Magnepan, God bless’em, need to listen to some good modern class D amps with their speakers and then update that FAQ on amps. Then there is this quote from that FAQ “WE DON’T KNOW. It is too much work to keep up with changing models and the vast number of products.” 

That FAQ has been there for a very long time (outdated?). At some point, they’ll need to update it even though most of it still stands true.

I’m not recommending anyone run out and buy a class D amp or an A/B amp (personal choice). Just saying that class A/B amps may not be the end-all/be-all for Maggies and certainly not the only choice these days.

@arafiq 

Lots of great info here already.  I'll just chime on to say go for it.  I just put my LRS back into the mix.  Whenever I do this, at first I am not really impressed.  Going from a box speaker (in this case Snell type D) my first thought is - where is the bass and fullness?  But that goes away fairly quickly as the Maggies open up and do their thing.  After a few hours I forget all about the box coloration and just become immersed in the music!  And yes, I agree that the more quality power you can give them, the better off you'll be.  They sound great with my McCormack .5 and tube pre and my Rogue tube amp.  But, my Hegel H360 gives them another added something that really satisfies.

Best of luck!

as a public service, let me post here what is stated at the magnepan website... in their faq section

it is always good to know what the manufacturer of the speaker says about how to use it how to drive it...  you can choose to debate or ignore the advice, but it is useful to know what they say, given they have a stake in users enjoying the speaker

 

WHAT IS THE BEST AMPLIFIER FOR MAGNEPLANARS?

We have a very small staff and none of us have the time to test amplifiers. But, we have decades of experience with a class of amplifiers that work well with Magneplanars.

The short answer is direct-coupled, Class A/B designs with high current capability. But to learn more, you’ll need to read further.

First, let’s address a misconception: The more expensive Maggies require better amplifiers.

It is true that most customers use better electronics on our more expensive models. But technically, it is not because the more expensive models are more demanding on the amplifier. The loads and efficiencies are very similar. Typically, the customer has a larger budget for amplifiers and, of course, the speakers respond with better sound.

Some individuals assume we won’t make product or amplifier recommendations for "political" reasons. Not true. We CAN’T make specific recommendations because WE DON’T KNOW. It is too much work to keep up with changing models and the vast number of products. As it is, our small staff is not getting all of our work done. However, the following guidelines will be helpful. Class A/B amplifier designs that come close to doubling power at 4 ohms have a long and successful track record.

The most common question is about the amount of recommended power for Magneplanars, but, first, it is important to understand the role of current and the power supply. High current and the capability of the power supply is a good indicator of the QUALITY of the amplifier. The amount of power you will need is a matter of QUANTITY. High current and total power are two separate issues. The ratio of the power at 8 ohms and 4 ohms defines the quality of the sound probably more than any other aspect of the sonic performance. Typically, if the engineers got this right, they probably did a good job in other areas of the design.

The power supply is "what separates the men from the boys." A receiver is very efficient and cost-effective way to get is all in one package, but there are "issues". Unfortunately, consumers want all the "bells and whistles" without understanding the importance of power supply. Many manufacturers offer the "bells and whistles", but, compromise the power supply to be price competitive. There are a few manufacturers that are the exception.

Everyone understands they need plenty of power, but the role of power supply is not understood. There is one important concept you need to understand when shopping for an amplifier or receiver: and it is somewhat like understanding "good" and "bad" cholesterol. The ratio is very important. An Gold Standard for an amplifier would be to double the power at 4 ohms. This concept is important even if you are buying an 8 ohm speaker. If the amplifier is rated at 80 watts at 8 ohms, it should (ideally) produce 160 watts at 4 ohms (or close to it). None of the receivers will do that. However, this is the benchmark of a good amplifier design. A 10 watt amplifier that produces 20 watts at 4 ohms "speaks volumes" about the PHILOSOPHY of the designer. (But, of course, it does not tell you if a 10 watt amplifier is enough for your room.) In the final analysis, buy an amplifier that comes as close to doubling the power at 4 ohms as your budget will allow.

A good receiver might produce 30-40% more power at 4 ohms. Most receiver manufacturers don’t want to talk about 4 ohm ratings because they have cut the "guts" out of their products to keep the cost down. Some receivers produce the same power at 4 ohms as the 8 ohm ratings. Or they use a switch on the back for 4 ohms to reduce the power and to prevent the receiver from self destructing. Others warn against 4 ohm speakers and will only offer a 6 ohm power rating. Regardless of what speaker you buy, we don’t recommend any of these receivers. There are a few manufacturers making receivers with good 4 ohm capability. But, we can’t keep up with who’s doing what. All you have to remember is to ask: "What is the 4 ohm power rating?" If the 4 ohm rating isn’t available, find another model or brand. It may take some digging to find the 4 ohm rating, but there are a number of receivers on the market that are rated for 4 ohms. For example, the THX rating requires that the amplifier section must be able to drive 4 ohms continuously. Even an inexpensive receiver like the 50 watt NAD C725 BEE (suggested retail of $799) is advertised to be stable with impedances down to 1 ohm and has peak power of 200 watts. So, don’t be fooled by pretty front panels. Its what is on the inside that counts.

A new type of amplifier (Class D) has become more popular because it is a "green" design and uses less power plus it is smaller in size compared to conventional amplifier designs. We have heard reports of Class D amplifiers shutting down when driving 4 ohm loads or sound quality that is less-than-desirable. Quite frankly, some sound very poor on Maggies. However, more recent designs of high-end models are much better. Because we do not have the time to determine which models of Class D designs are compatible with Maggies, we must take a conservative approach. Direct-coupled, Class A/B designs with high current capability have proven a good choice for many decades.

HOW MUCH POWER DO I NEED?

We are asked this question every single day. We wish that we could be of more help, but individual tastes vary. If someone tells you that you need an amplifier with ___ watts, how can they be so sure if they are not listening with you in your room?

You can get a lot of free advice in the chat rooms on the internet. Most of it is of very little value (or misleading). Often, their power recommendations are influenced by their listening habits and room conditions. If they have a strong opinion of what you need for power, take it with a grain of salt.

Personal tastes are "all over the map". We hear of customers that are perfectly happy with 50 watts and others using 1000 watts. Without the option of listening with you, we have no way to give meaningful advice. The most reliable way to answer this question for your particular needs is by visiting a dealer or arranging to hear a pair of Magneplanars. If you listen to your music at your normal volume, in a room that is approximately the same size as your room, with an amplifier similar to what you plan to use, an accurate power requirement can be determined for your listening habits. This is a lot to ask, but it is the only reliable method of determining the power needs for a specific individual.

There is a persistent impression that the larger Maggies require more power. It is true that most customers with the more expensive models have more powerful amplifiers. But, the popular assumption is not correct. They typically have a larger budget. If and when you upgrade your electronics is a separate decision.

I have had the .7 and the 1.7i driven by amps that delivered 150watts @ 8 ohms, 300 watts @ 4 ohms respectively and never had an issue. Right now as I wait for the arrival of my LRS+ I am enjoying the hell out of a pair of original MMG’s. With an integrated with the power output rating mentioned above. 
 

I listen at very conservative volume levels. I once sold off a Threshold amp at a significant loss - not that I’ve ever profited from selling a piece of gear - because I assumed the meters were malfunctioning. The buyer sent me an email a few days after the sale to tell me that everything was fully functioning, it was simply that the level I mostly enjoyed just wasn’t moving the meters. Sheesh. 
 

Now that may appear to be really low, but it wasn’t. I think many people would be surprised to learn how meager the output may be at a consistent volume level that doesn’t shake the window panes. When I buy amps or integrateds I do look for those that double the 4ohm load from the 8ohm load - it’s the current that matters most. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but the amps/integrateds that I’ve found to be the best matches for Maggies and Thiels all did that. 
 

I fell in love with Maggies years ago when the first released the MMG model. $600 was a bargain. I’ve had 5 models to date, and five different Thiel models, and now I’m sticking to Maggie, specifically the LRS+. I haven’t heard it, but I’m relatively sure they will be an improvement over the MMG. 

Because the MMG “only” reaches 50hz I bought a REL T5 sub as a complement. After a few extended listening sessions I removed it. No slight against the REL, but when I listened at slightly higher volume I felt that the sub wasn’t needed. I’m not talking Led Zeppelin IV here, that just won’t do, but the genres I listen to most nowadays simply do not require that degree of bass. 

 

Enjoy. 
 

 

 

 

Arafiq, I’m no expert but I used to have a 250 watt amp that doubled at 4 and never felt like I needed more to drive the 1.6 and 1.7i. My room is slightly smaller than yours and I don’t listen at loud volumes.

I did upgrade from that amp to more powerful mono blocks and got a more refined overall sound quality. Probably not from more power but rather from the higher quality of the amps.

On a side note, it took about 3 month for my 1.7is to fully break in.

Thanks for the input and feedback guys. Reading the responses, I see a number of folks who don't feel the need for very high powered/high current amplification and are happy with relatively medium powered amps. Based on my own experience, I think there are many speakers that are considered hard-to-drive but there are many people who are happy with all sorts of medium powered amps. The question though is how much are you leaving on the table? From what I understand, yes you can drive Magnepans with decent amplification with great results, but they really show you what they can bring to the table with big iron amplifiers. Since my amp is 300 watts @ 8 ohms and doubles to 600 at 4, I'm this will allow me to tap into the full potential of 1.7's. 

I've been trying to find something local so I can listen before buying, but surprisingly not much available in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I'll continue to look though.

My best box speakers were Castle Winchesters, and my best transmission line (sans box) were Time Frame TF700s. I liked them both, and still do when I have to put them in service. Now I have never even heard a Magnepan, but I have owned Quad electrostats, and I agree that one can't go back. Quads had some quality control issues when production moved to China, which is why I keep my old speakers up in the attic! I'm about to replace all the panels (about 4kCDN before tax and labour) but it will be worth it if I get another 12 years out of them (more than enough considering!) Ig Magnepans are like Quads, you will hear everything, good and bad. And it will be natural and realistic.

Buy them!

I am on my 2nd pair.

All my friends who have listened to them have bought them, or want to buy them.

BUT they come with  their own set of issues.

First you need a no BS real high current amp, 200 watts at 8 ohms would do the trick. Also like George Washington they can not tell a lie. Weak parts of your audio chain will become GLARING obvious. So be prepared to change some gear.

Every upgrade is noticeable. I've replaced fusees, AC  cords, interconnects etc. And they just keep sounding better and better.

I've never felt the need to upgrade and tweak as much with any other speakers I've owned -but it pays off.

I'm at a point now where I'm very very happy with the sound. The only thing I will do at some point soon is change tubes in the DAC.

Even the .7's can be a life changing experience.

 

Enjoy!!! 

If a person is the type that has a few pairs of speakers then one of those should be Magnepan. They definitely present the music in a different way. I happen to love the sound. 

My first foray into Open Baffle (OB) speakers was with Accoustat 2 + 2s with both their servo OTLs and the Medallion interfaces. The OTLs blew away the interfaces, but, they were very unstable... fast forward through many box speakers, I "finally" succumbed, and bought a used pair of Magnepan 3.5Rs, which I had to send to the factory due to bass panel delam. Over time, I blew about 6 ribbons before throwing in the towel, but I really loved the huge sound stage they threw (as did my OB 2+2s).

These days there are a goodly number of OB designs which, unlike maggies, are very easy to drive and are nowhere near as wide or tall. In your room EP 2.+ or 3.4 series would do extremely well and typically can be had on the used market for < 50% off. Why? Most people selling them do 2 very important things wrong

* they use the crappy supplied jumper wire

* they leave the outboard XOs on the speaker bases, which shake like crazy.

See my Virtual System which 3.4s

hth