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Silver Member Username: Virus5877West Lafayette, Indiana USA Post Number: 169 Registered: Apr-05 | Jan, you are probably one of the most knowledgeable posters here and since you suggested that I look at the Magnepan MMG's, I am going to ask you some questions: 1. What kind of an amp should I use? -warm, bright, how much power? 2. How exactly do I place dipolar electrostats? -doesn't the back have to be a certain distance from the wall? 3. How nasty of a sub should I look into to fill out the bottom end of the sound spectrum, since the maggies won't do much below 80 Hz or so? -I'm looking at the SVS Pb12-Plus right now. Thanks!! |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4723 Registered: May-04 | Uh, yeah, well, thanks for the compliment, Cyrus. Now for the bad news, I don't know the answer to any of your questions. "1. What kind of an amp should I use? -warm, bright, how much power?" Warm? Bright? How about nuetral? That's usually a good place to begin. How much power? Enough. It's not what the spec says on paper, it's what the amp does when connected to a speaker. Sorry, there is no better answer I can give you. I believe the Magnepan literature gives some idea what you should be looking at; but all 50 watt amps are not the same. "2. How exactly do I place dipolar electrostats? -doesn't the back have to be a certain distance from the wall?" How exactly is a matter of how the speakers operate in your room. Yep, the speakers require some breathing room; though most accounts are the small MMG's are fairly easy to place since they don't get down into really long wavelength territory. The thing with bipole/dipole speakers is you'll know when you have them set up correctly. That audio magazine "snap into focus" thing will almost always happen. "3. How nasty of a sub should I look into to fill out the bottom end of the sound spectrum, since the maggies won't do much below 80 Hz or so? -I'm looking at the SVS Pb12-Plus right now." Nasty? 80Hz? I suggest you use the speakers as is for at least a few weeks and then decide what you want to do concerning deep bass. Not everyone feels the need for a sub with the planars and a sub is difficult to match to most planars because of the discontinuity between panels and dynamic woofers. I would not buy a sub off the internet without hearing it playing with the panels beforehand. Sorry if those weren't the specific answers you hoped for. They're the best I have. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 3533 Registered: Dec-03 | Cyrus, Magnepan MMG is a 4 Ohm speaker, and that is something to consider when choosing an amp. Look at amp specs. NAD will do it, for one. There are many others. Proabably best steer clear if the speaker is not given a power rating into a 4 Ohm load. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 1386 Registered: Feb-05 | I used to own MMG's they are a planar design not an electrostat. To get the most from MMG's you need a high current high power amp. I suggest no less than 100-150 watts into 8 ohms and 150-225 watts into 4 ohms, preferably more. Magnepan recommends high enough current to double it's power into 4 ohms, which is quite spendy. They are in my opinion unlistenable without a sub if you intend to play anything but chamber music or folk music with no bass. Orchestral, pop, or any jazz that would use an electric bass or that has good deep acoustic bass suffers immensley with this speaker. Sub recommendations from Magnepan are no more than 10 inches and often 8 inch is best. They also recommend that the sub has plenty of power to drive it. Just as important as the amp is that the sub MUST be FAST. Maggies are the most difficult speaker there is to mate and integrate with a sub. You will spend much more on a sub than you will on the speakers. Best subs for Maggies are: 1)Era Sub 10 ($1000) 2)REL Stata 3 ($1300) 3)Vandersteen 2wq ($1300) My friend who owns the store that I bought my Maggies from is now using the Era Sub 10 with his 3.6's and thinks that it is the best match he's used. I haven't used it but the Tannoy TS10 shows promise for use with Maggies at a more affordable price. Last but not least I traded my MMG's back and bought the MG12 and I must say that it is a far superior product to the MMG in every way. If you can bypass the MMG altogether, do. In the end I found the compromises made by the Maggies to be too much and sold them. Good luck. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 1387 Registered: Feb-05 | Oh an SVS sub would be HORRIBLE with Maggies. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4730 Registered: May-04 | If you haven't come across this recommendation yet: http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/1104fifth/index1.html A forum member, SM/Ghia has been using the MMG's with a 20 year old, 75 watt McIntosh integrated amp and achieving what she considers excellent results. You can read some of her responses to the combination on these threads: https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/111344.html https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/21154.html Cruise back to the archives from about Feb-March. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 1389 Registered: Feb-05 | I'm sure that whoever used the HK had pleasant results. I was posting recommendations from Magnepan. How did I get those recommendations? I called them. Why? Beacause I was getting unsatisfactory results, first with the Marantz SR4320 stereo receiver then with the Rotel 100 watt per channel stereo receiver. I then moved up to a modified Parasound pre and a Rotel RB981 130 watt per channel power amp, almost enough. I went from there to the NAD pre and Hafler Transnova 9505 250 watt per channel power amp. Ah finally I was able to put some wind in the sails of those Maggies so I could hear them sing. Yeah you can get ok results with a Creek or Musical Fidelity integrated. But don't come to the party without plenty of good clean power. Also read a couple hundred user reviews, you'll see that the preponderance of those reviewers who are happy with the Maggies are using them with high end amps and very expensive subs. Even with that many of them say don't buy this speaker for rock. Very finicky. |
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Silver Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 467 Registered: Jun-05 | My MF X-RAy has 50 to 75 peak amps,but I still dont think I would chance it.Like I have stated several times I love maggies,but after I watched them and heard them drain A 200 watt Rotel power amp dry like a vampire,I just couldnt buy them granit me Art have different preceptions of them as far as bass and what kind of music you play on them we both agree the more power the better,no I would not use a sub with them,they are very good and tight in the bass to me with decent extention.In many ways they are among the greatest speakers in the world,but there is no way I would choose a amp on quanity over quality for any speaker,Im not trying to scare you away from them,but it does take quality and quanity with them, which in turn means $$$$ lots of it to get the very best from them in every category of speaker abilities,So be wise. |
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Silver Member Username: MixneffectOrangevale, Ca. USA Post Number: 317 Registered: Apr-05 | IMO, the best complement to a magnapan system is the old mcintosh amps. |