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Magnepan 1.7i Impressions

Old Guy8 said:
Even though my cats have ignored the speakers so far, the fencing was worth trouble.
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I recall, circa 1978, walking into the room and seeing my cat perched 6 feet up in the air on top of my brand new Audio Research Magneplaner Tympani 1D speakers (4-feet wide and 1-inch deep). She was not very secure on that 1-inch wide platform up there. A few seconds later the cat noticed a paperback book flying through the air directly at her at high speed (accompanied by some words of disapproval spoken loudly). She jumped 6 feet down to safety and quickly disappeared into the other room never to climb the speakers again. But I eventually had to replace a couple of the burlap sacks on outer panels because of scratching-post damage.

So the fencing is a good idea. My Acoustats are also ideal scratching posts, but I no longer have a cat.
 
Route 66 said:
Not in my case. I have a pair of Maggie .7s but I much prefer the sound of my Harbeths over the Maggies.
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Listened to 30.2 and 40.2 at a couple audio shows. VEERRY nice sounds. But for me, not in my budget. I heard Devores 0/93s, which were also lovely. But also not in my budget at $8400.
IMO, a major thing Maggie's have going for them is they don't use a cabinet. Which cuts cost of manufacture. Building beautiful veneered cabinets can be expensive. Can explain a lot of a speakers cost. Along with paying wages and benefits. Purely my speculation.
 
E-Stat said:
At the expense of perhaps repeating myself, what dipoles really like is having some diffusion behind them. I use bass traps and skylines behind the stats and fake ficus trees at the first reflection points along the walls just in front of the speakers. You don't want to completely absorb the back wave, but image focus improves when it is dispersed.

Ejman, for example, is getting diffusion from a couple of different sources: the CD/cassette racks, the chairs and the blinds.
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Agreed regarding diffusion on front wall.
MMGs were game changers for me, then MG-IIIa’s (both used with a pair of sealed subs) which eventually led me to try an electrostatic design (Acoustats). Adding diffusion behind created a deeper sound stage with improved resolution and an increased sense of the space in which the recording was made. With a dipole there won’t be as much sonic energy dispersed to the floor or ceiling and weaker sonic energy dispersed to the sides compared to box speakers...so treatments to the ceiling and floor aren’t critical and treatments to the side walls not as effective as one experiences if using box speakers. For optimum sub integration I strongly recommend some sort of digital room correction filtering. A device that has worked for me is the DSpeaker Anti-mode 8033.

Michael

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tomlinmgt said:
Agreed regarding diffusion on front wall.
MMGs were game changers for me, then MG-IIIa’s (both used with a pair of sealed subs) which eventually led me to try an electrostatic design (Acoustats). Adding diffusion behind created a deeper sound stage with improved resolution and an increased sense of the space in which the recording was made. With a dipole there won’t be as much sonic energy dispersed to the floor or ceiling and weaker sonic energy dispersed to the sides compared to box speakers...so treatments to the ceiling and floor aren’t critical and treatments to the side walls not as effective as one experiences if using box speakers. For optimum sub integration I strongly recommend some sort of digital room correction filtering. A device that has worked for me is the DSpeaker Anti-mode 8033.

Michael

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If you want something that works over a larger frequency range than the AntiMode, MiniDSP is a good option. The 2x4 HD is flexible but requires some work to set up. The DIRAC Live version is $200 more but more automated, while remaining flexible. They do require a PC or laptop for setup, but are then "self-sufficient". Since DIRAC is just a firmware / software update you can always start with the 2x4HD and upgrade later if you choose. That's what I've done.
 
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Silentnet said:
If you want something that works over a larger frequency range than the AntiMode, MiniDSP is a good option. The 2x4 HD is flexible but requires some work to set up. The DIRAC Live version is $200 more but more automated, while remaining flexible. They do require a PC or laptop for setup, but are then "self-sufficient". Since DIRAC is just a firmware / software update you can always start with the 2x4HD and upgrade later if you choose. That's what I've done.
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When I stepped away from the hobby four years ago (just now getting back in) I was ready to pull the trigger on MiniDSP/Dirac technology for a few different DIY OB speaker projects I had going on at the time. My dedicated listening space was heavily acoustically treated so I didn't need much more than first octave room correction, but all the other features offered by the technology offer some amazing capability. It's still on my radar for some projects I have in the concept stage.
Once of the things I appreciate most about the AntiMode is its ease of implementation through its ability to do all processing internally with the only thing required of the user is setting up the mic and pressing a few buttons on the unit. Every time I have to get a laptop involved, something seems to hang up my progress....like with REQ Wizard. That was a f*$#ing nightmare for me. But there are a lot of people that have implemented MiniDSP successfully, so evidently it's user friendly.
Another thing I appreciate about the AntiMode is that it does all the filtering/correction downstream of any digital to analog processing of source material. I didn't care much for the idea of being forced to use the DAC in the MiniDSP unit rather than a stand alone DAC of my choice...and this fact is also what prevented me from warming up to the DSpeaker 2.0 dual core.
 
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tomlinmgt said:
When I stepped away from the hobby four years ago (just now getting back in) I was ready to pull the trigger on MiniDSP/Dirac technology for a few different DIY OB speaker projects I had going on at the time. My dedicated listening space was heavily acoustically treated so I didn't need much more than first octave room correction, but all the other features offered by the technology offer some amazing capability. It's still on my radar for some projects I have in the concept stage.
Once of the things I appreciate most about the AntiMode is its ease of implementation through its ability to do all processing internally with the only thing required of the user is setting up the mic and pressing a few buttons on the unit. Every time I have to get a laptop involved, something seems to hang up my progress....like with REQ Wizard. That was a f*$#ing nightmare for me. But there are a lot of people that have implemented MiniDSP successfully, so evidently it's user friendly.
Another thing I appreciate about the AntiMode is that it does all the filtering/correction downstream of any digital to analog processing of source material. I didn't care much for the idea of being forced to use the DAC in the MiniDSP unit rather than a stand alone DAC of my choice...and this fact is also what prevented me from warming up to the DSpeaker 2.0 dual core.
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Mini DSP without DIRAC /does/ use REQ Wizard, which I also found unintuitive and poorly designed, hence spending another $200 for the DIRAC firmware / software. I think this is overpriced, but it's the going rate and less expensive than all alternatives, so take that how you will.

As for using the internal DAC... No more true with MiniDSP than with other analogue out options. I suppose you could keep it all digital like with the DDRC-22D, but that's also $725 compared with $400 for the DDRC-24 (2x4HD with DIRAC).
 
Silentnet said:
Mini DSP without DIRAC /does/ use REQ Wizard, which I also found unintuitive and poorly designed, hence spending another $200 for the DIRAC firmware / software. I think this is overpriced, but it's the going rate and less expensive than all alternatives, so take that how you will.

As for using the internal DAC... No more true with MiniDSP than with other analogue out options. I suppose you could keep it all digital like with the DDRC-22D, but that's also $725 compared with $400 for the DDRC-24 (2x4HD with DIRAC).
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What I've been hoping/waiting for is something that enables parametric equalization in the digital realm between the digital source and the DAC. Has any device/software come along in the last four years that does this?
 
tomlinmgt said:
What I've been hoping/waiting for is something that enables parametric equalization in the digital realm between the digital source and the DAC. Has any device/software come along in the last four years that does this?
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Yes, the aforementioned DDRC-22D. That's an all digital device, no analogue conversion, so requires a DAC in line after it.

It or something similar will probably be my next step if/when I "outgrow" the DDRC-24.
 
Something that was posted recently over on the Planar Speaker Asylum regarding diffusion panels. The OP placed his diffusion panels in the corners of his room behind the panels. The thinking being that the diffusors have the most effect where the rear wave is the strongest. Some other posters to the thread even placed their diffusors in the corners in front of bass traps and still got thee benefits of both. My Maggies aren't up at this time so I can't try this myself.
 
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I still have a bright room.
I have two 5'x8' rugs in front of speakers. Just bought two Menards 5'x7' bound edge carpets, on sale for $15. Adding one to room behind listening chair. And maybe one to alcove of front wall. Added fake plants on front wall for diffusion. Added two Walmart body pillows to two corners of alcove out of picture at right. Fills corners between bar countertop and ceiling.
I'm experimenting with how much farther away to toe in the tweeter sides, which I have on inside.

So have been trying to hear why the Maggie manual recommends tweeter not to be placed closer than bass side. Right now, trying more toe-in.
The old home theater vented sub I have in right corner is too slow for the Maggie's. Should be replaced.
 
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Old Guy8 said:
I still have a bright room. I have two 5'x8' rugs in front of speakers. Just bought two Menards 5'x7' bound edge carpets, on sale for $15. Adding one to room behind listening chair.
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Your challenge is what lies behind the speakers. You're getting lots of uncontrolled bounce from the rear wave from the stark walls. Some of that carpeting you have all over the floor in front of the speakers would be better placed on the huge sections of walls in front of room.
 
E-Stat said:
Your challenge is what lies behind the speakers. You're getting lots of uncontrolled bounce from the rear wave from the stark walls. Some of that carpeting you have all over the floor in front of the speakers would be better placed on the huge sections of walls in front of room.
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I have an unused cream white 5'x7' carpet that could fit the front alcove wall. I'd need a tapestry hanging bar. Worth a try. Thanks
 
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Old Guy8 said:
I have an unused cream white 5'x7' carpet that could fit the front alcove wall. I'd need a tapestry hanging bar. Worth a try.
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That's the ticket. Understand that as line sources, there is virtually no vertical dispersion or "floor bounce" as you experience with dynamic cone drivers.

The carpet on the floor does very little to affect their sound.
 
I still think you need some diffusion behind those Maggies. Those walls look awfully bare to me, just put some stuff on them! Not absorbing things like pillows, just some odd angle reflecting hard stuff.
 
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