Magnaplanar speaker ?
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Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Peanut Head
I'm not an expert on these, but I know that they sell an "introductory" model for around $500-600. If they are in good working order (I'd want an audition!), they might be worth it. They are suppose to have a really transparent midrange and top end. But the downfalls are they are very inefficient and *beamy*.
Inquire about which models they are and if there is any damage to them. http://www.magnepan.com/
Inquire about which models they are and if there is any damage to them. http://www.magnepan.com/
Toasted Almond
RIP 1952-2016
My neighbor Dean has 4 of those intro models, the MMG.
They are fragile.
They are inefficient.
They are not much in the low end.
THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS EVERYWHERE ELSE.
Little jaw-droppers that can't be in a high traffic area, near pets, or little kids. Sub required.
Toasted Almond
They are fragile.
They are inefficient.
They are not much in the low end.
THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS EVERYWHERE ELSE.
Little jaw-droppers that can't be in a high traffic area, near pets, or little kids. Sub required.
Toasted Almond
Ditto what Jon S said... also be aware, that some Maggie models use a portion of the panel for a tweeter array... with a different grid of wires. Frequently, those tweeter grids will fail, even if everything else is working. Unfortunately, the grid wires are made of aluminum... and I really haven't seen many people able to get any of them working once the wiring fails. It's theoretically possible, to scrape away corrosion and/or sealing coatings, and use a conductive paint (like that used to fix auto rear window defrosters) to fix them, but I haven't seen anyone who was totally successful doing that...
Regards,
Gordon.
Regards,
Gordon.
Depends a lot on the model.
Early Maggies have all the failures mentioned by the others.
They are wonderfully musical.
But not without idiosyncrasies such as limited bandwidth, limited dynamics and maximum level and an opaqueness that covers the midrange.
Plus don't even think about these if you can't position them properly, they need a lot of room , well away from room boundaries.
Find out more details and you can expect more detailed answers.
cheers,
Early Maggies have all the failures mentioned by the others.
They are wonderfully musical.
But not without idiosyncrasies such as limited bandwidth, limited dynamics and maximum level and an opaqueness that covers the midrange.
Plus don't even think about these if you can't position them properly, they need a lot of room , well away from room boundaries.
Find out more details and you can expect more detailed answers.
cheers,
Tour2ma
Old School
For $200 I'd imagine they are the entry level MMG's, but who knows. If they're in good working order, grab 'em...
If you are going to use them for all music including rock and full orchestra, yes a sub is needed (unless you are in the Tympani models). But for acoustic recordings, even the smaller Maggies will do quite nicely thank you.
As mw said, they demand a lot placement-wise. Typical positioning would be 3 feet from the back wall, 4 to 6' apart, about the same from side walls and toed-in 15 deg's or so. But the reward for giving them the room is, as others above have said, jawdropping imaging. Fortunately they are light enough to move to a storage position when not in use.
I own the 1.5's. Generally they stay tucked away against the back wall in my HT room. I bring them out to play most Sunday mornings for jazz and light classical. I've never heard mine "beam" and I find their midrange is wonderfully open and full.
And the pet comments are serious. The manual even recommends cat owners use repellant around their bases...
If you are going to use them for all music including rock and full orchestra, yes a sub is needed (unless you are in the Tympani models). But for acoustic recordings, even the smaller Maggies will do quite nicely thank you.
As mw said, they demand a lot placement-wise. Typical positioning would be 3 feet from the back wall, 4 to 6' apart, about the same from side walls and toed-in 15 deg's or so. But the reward for giving them the room is, as others above have said, jawdropping imaging. Fortunately they are light enough to move to a storage position when not in use.
I own the 1.5's. Generally they stay tucked away against the back wall in my HT room. I bring them out to play most Sunday mornings for jazz and light classical. I've never heard mine "beam" and I find their midrange is wonderfully open and full.
And the pet comments are serious. The manual even recommends cat owners use repellant around their bases...
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Welcome wgtp
Do you have any experience with the repair kits? Are they expensive? is the repair kit easily done by anyone? Are there any problems that the repair kit doesn't fix?
thanks!
The only used speaker I would be a little hesitant to buy used would be Maggies. (I would agree) that this is mainly due to ignorance on my part. But I look at these speakers and wonder...what the heck would I do if these things aren't working or have some other defect??? I just don't know
maybe it's time I learn! any takers care to educate me (a little) on the inner workings and fixings of Maggies?
Sure, i may prefer other types of speakers (horns) over Maggies...but you know what...they do look and sound pretty darn cool! I'd love to come across a deal on some. Of course, i think my next project may be some Fostex single driver rear loaded horns...dunno
I just wish I had the money fer some Lowthers! I've heard a couple examples of both...and tho I like the Fostex...I really just love the Lowthers (specifically in the medallion cabinet)
let us know what you decide
Do you have any experience with the repair kits? Are they expensive? is the repair kit easily done by anyone? Are there any problems that the repair kit doesn't fix?
thanks!
The only used speaker I would be a little hesitant to buy used would be Maggies. (I would agree) that this is mainly due to ignorance on my part. But I look at these speakers and wonder...what the heck would I do if these things aren't working or have some other defect??? I just don't know
maybe it's time I learn! any takers care to educate me (a little) on the inner workings and fixings of Maggies?
Sure, i may prefer other types of speakers (horns) over Maggies...but you know what...they do look and sound pretty darn cool! I'd love to come across a deal on some. Of course, i think my next project may be some Fostex single driver rear loaded horns...dunno
I just wish I had the money fer some Lowthers! I've heard a couple examples of both...and tho I like the Fostex...I really just love the Lowthers (specifically in the medallion cabinet)let us know what you decide
Tour2ma
Old School
gf,
Know little about their repair myself, but the Maggie User Group (MUG) is a good place to learn...
http://www.integracoustics.com/MUG/MUG/
EDIT: And welcome wgtp... Which model did you post? And do I see a "little" SVS tucked away there?
Know little about their repair myself, but the Maggie User Group (MUG) is a good place to learn...
http://www.integracoustics.com/MUG/MUG/
EDIT: And welcome wgtp... Which model did you post? And do I see a "little" SVS tucked away there?
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wgtp
New Member
Maggie refurb
Army I have no personal experience with the rebuilds but I have been inside the planars, its not that hard to do , remove base & frame remove staples & sock , check for loose wires with a magnafier, use the special glue that Magneplanar makes, PS they dont ship the gule in the cold seasons gotta call em about that. plus they make refurb kits for certain models not sure which units...................
Army I have no personal experience with the rebuilds but I have been inside the planars, its not that hard to do , remove base & frame remove staples & sock , check for loose wires with a magnafier, use the special glue that Magneplanar makes, PS they dont ship the gule in the cold seasons gotta call em about that. plus they make refurb kits for certain models not sure which units...................
Tour2ma
Old School
Yup, the bases were what was throwing me.
I auditioned the 1.6's before I ebayed my 1.5's (for about 50% off). Wonderful model, but do need some support down deep.
Salesman told me the 1.6's were so good that they actually killed sales of the next higher model in the line causing Magnepan to pull it out of the line. I forget the model number, but it was 1/2 again or so the cost of the 1.6's...
I auditioned the 1.6's before I ebayed my 1.5's (for about 50% off). Wonderful model, but do need some support down deep.
Salesman told me the 1.6's were so good that they actually killed sales of the next higher model in the line causing Magnepan to pull it out of the line. I forget the model number, but it was 1/2 again or so the cost of the 1.6's...
That's correct.
The next one up was the 2.7; a three way with Quasi-ribbon tweeter and magnetic planar midrange and bass drivers.
The 1.6 was the result of a major re-evalaution of how maggies performed and how they were built.
The end result was a speaker that surpassed all expectations.
It was so good that at the time TAS called it the best balanced Maggie ever.
cheers
The next one up was the 2.7; a three way with Quasi-ribbon tweeter and magnetic planar midrange and bass drivers.
The 1.6 was the result of a major re-evalaution of how maggies performed and how they were built.
The end result was a speaker that surpassed all expectations.
It was so good that at the time TAS called it the best balanced Maggie ever.
cheers
Tym IV's are waay older than the 1.6 (b.1998).
You're looking at early 80's for the original IV.
1985 saw the revised IV A.
The Tympani is a much larger, multi-panel system.
From IV onwards it had the famous ribbon tweeter but they also have all the old bugaboos of pre-1.6 Maggies.
Noticeable discontinuities between the various drivers, high resolution floor requiring heaps of power to sound alive, tendency to sound larger than life.
Of all past and present Maggies, the 1.6 are the best all-rounders.
It's only when you get to the 3.6 that you find a better Maggie.
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