Magnepan MMGs for low listening volumes?

[drabina]

I think it is time for me to get new (better) speakers. One of the speakers I am considering is the Magnepan MMGs. They have good reviews, are within my budget ($600) and it would be nice to try something different than boxes. What I would like to know is, how are they at low listening volumes? I usually listen to music late evening into the night when my family is asleep (one floor above my listening room). It is either background music (rock, blues) or me enjoying sounds directly in the front of the stereo set (classical music, acoustic rock). So if you own a pair, could you state their strong and weak points in the described scenario?

 

[tonyk]

I think they'd work great. Magnepans don't seem to couple with the room as strongly as a box speaker would.

Though I have the 2.7's, I find myself listening at lower volumes anyway because you hear so much more of the music.

 

[dcmfan]

I've got Magnepan 1.6QR's in a living room directly below my master bedroom. They are great for moderate listening levels - my phone's SPL meter says I usually listen at 85 to 95 dB, but in the evening I drop to the 75 to 85dB range. The nice thing (ironically) is that the bass rolls off sharply below 40 Hz, so the low frequency sounds don't migrate through the walls and ceiling/floor as badly as the speakers I had before.

Love the detail - the sound is pretty much the same at all levels - it just embiggens as the volume gets higher.

 

[madDdog67]

I have MMGs, and they're awesome at lower levels, the detail is amazing. They're 86db sensitivity, so that actually helps you on the low volume side. They don't put out tons of bass, either, so that's another plus. I got mine used in pristine condition for $400, and would happily buy them again at full price.

 

[GoldSounds]

I had a pair for a while. Here's how I'd summarize their strong points and weak points:

Strong:
-Incredible detail, particularly in their price range.
-"Holographic" soundstage when positioned correctly.
-Price. Excellent value for the money.
-Dynamics. This is especially apparent in recordings that have ample dynamic headroom, such as better classical recordings.

Weak:
-Placement issues. Positioning for optimum (or even acceptable) imaging can be a challenge in some rooms.
-Sensitivity. Perhaps not a huge issue since you said you listen at low levels, but still worth considering.
-Bass response. The bass is honest, but don't expect anything usable below 50hz. Use a sub if you want more bass.
-Current. These are a 4 ohm load, so the combination of low sensitivity and low impedance will draw more current than most speakers. Make sure that the amp is designed to accept such loads.

Long story short, you have a speaker that's about as difficult to drive as an AR-3a, with the bass roll-off of a Kilpsch Heresy, but with detail and imaging that the former two could only dream of. I've owned all three; this opinion is based in experience. They may not be the ideal choice if you listen to a lot of harder rock, but they excel when reproducing voice or any acoustic instruments.

 

[savatage1973]

Having owned/restored multiple sets of Maggies, I'd have to agree with all of the above ^^^. Since you want to listen at low levels, the weaknesses of current demand and sensitivity shouldn't be much of an issue, even for a relatively small amp/receiver. The big things are the placement dependency (they need to be about 3' out from the backing wall, so you kind of need a dedicated listening space or a very tolerant significant other to allow them in the family room) and the lack of low/punchy bass for rock music (but that is easily corrected with a small sub or two). Set up properly, they can/do sound amazing.

Currently, I have a pair of the 3.6R's which can physically dominate a room (they are 6' X 2' and need about 4' of "breathing room" behind them), but being such large panels, they don't really NEED a sub--they go pretty low on their own.

 

[drabina]

Thanks for all the replies. More and more I am convinced that getting Maggies would be a good choice. The rock music I listen to is not heavy (Dire Straits, Calexico, Bob Dylan, etc). I also have a Martin Logan sub (nothing fancy but gets the job done) which I can use for the low end. The amp would be Onkyo Integra with 160W per channel into 4Ohms (I think). As to the room, I currently have the whole basement as the listening room. I guess once I get hooked on the Maggies, I will have to make sure that the next house we move into also has a dedicated listening space. Somehow I do not think my wife would ever consider those panels in the living room.