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Mfrs/Makes of '70s-80s panel-type speaker systems?

illinoisteve

illinoisteve

Super Member
I have recently run across some panel-type speakers in a thrift shop. I didn't see a label or emblem on them. In fact, the main evidence they were speakers, rather than beige cloth covered bulletin boards, were what appeared to be round banana-plug sockets near the bottom of the back of these units. These speakers are in the neighborhood of 20 inches wide and somewhere between 40-48 inches tall. I would guess they were made in the 70 or 80s. The wood frame, back, and rectangular bases had a medium brown finish.

The only other panel speaker systems I've ever seen up close before where a foot or more taller. I can't seem to recall the make.

What manufacturers might have made panel-type speakers similar to my thrift shop find? Do any particular models of speaker look very much like my description?

The shop hadn't priced the speakers yet. I may have been the first person who asked about them since the store got them.
 
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Fisher used to make some panel speakers that you could hang on the wall if that is what you are talking about.
 
I'd say Magnepan MG-1 or SMG based upon size, but the back wouldn't be wood, it would be grill cloth just like the front.

Other than that detail, sure sounds like Magnepan.
 
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I should have taken a closer look at them. I went to counter to ask about them. They DID know they were speakers, but I was given a phone number to call to find out more about them. I didn't find out much. They had yet to research what value they might have and calculate what to price them at. I said I might be able to assist in testing them. They don't know if whether they were in good working condition.

I've been waiting for a phone call about them, but I think I'll just go back and take a closer look. The Fishers and BES models I could find pictures online of seem more squatty in proportion than the ones I saw. Some of the Magnepan pictures look more similar. Anybody know of an online listing of their model numbers and specifications, including dimensions?

The Magnepan connection terminals seem similar to what I saw. Apparently the Magnepan name is shown below the terminals near the bottom of the back side. Maybe I just didn't see it.

I understand that many of these need various components refurbished after all of these years. Seem to be threads here at AK about the supplies and process. What are the most obvious issues one might hear evidence of in a brief sound test?
 
Here's a listing of Magnepan models:

http://www.integracoustics.com/MUG/MUG/articles/speakers.html

Things to listen for include:

No high frequencies- possibly blown fuses, more likely corroded wires. Replacement wires kit ~$60 and a weekend of your time, off and on

Buzzing sound - bass wires have come undone. Fix a $5 bottle of DAP adhesive and your time.

No sound at all - crossover/connection issue (easy) or both sets of wires corroded (not so easy). Guessing repair parts a bit over $100 and lots of your time.

Or they may work just fine.
 
kirk57, thanks for the helpful link to the Magnepan model specs document. If these are Magnepans, they are most likely in the MMG or SMG model families, judging by the size.

Somewhere I read that these sorts of speakers need to be 3 to 4 feet from the wall to even begin to get proper sound from them. Is that so. Our house has small rooms. Might have to move half of the furniture from a room to get that kind of clearance behind a pair of speakers! Depending on deterioration issues, I may or may not be able to afford to refurbish them. Still, I can't help but be curious about them. If they price them low enough I might buy them.

Anybody know if a standard old-fashioned banana plug fits into the sockets on the back of Magnepan MMG and SMG models?
 
240sx4u said:
Yes a banana plug will fit.
Click to expand...

Also, if they are Magnepans, they will have little screws on the sides of each terminal to allow the use of bare wires as well.

Thickness of the panels and the lack of a power cord will tell you if they are indeed Magnepans. Any electrostatic speakers would be much thicker ( 3"+) and (with the sole exception of the VERY rare Koss model 1) would need a 110v source. BESs used spring clip type connectors and would be about 4" thick.

I think, from your description, you are looking at Magnepan SMG, or SMGa. They will need at least a foot or two behind them, preferably more like 3-4ft and some room to the sides as well. They'll WORK with less, but you'll never hear them at near their best unless you can give them that much space. The good news is that they are not hard to drive as a straight 4ohm resistive load, so just about any decent receiver will do.

This thread might shed some light on identifying them and giving you some insight of what it might take to repair them if needed. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=538130
 
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Okay. I visited the speakers again, and even tested them for the thrift shop (it benefits a local medical clinic). Looked them over closely this time. They're Magnepan Magneplanar MG-I. Yes, they do have cloth on the back, too. No, I didn't see any screw terminals in the vicinity of the banana sockets, or anywhere else. Had to run over to Radio Shack to get two pair of banana plugs.

The banana sockets are dirty, possibly needing replacement, but by jiggling the plugs in them I could get the distortion and signal blockage to go away. Sounded pretty good, with no obvious sound problems--no buzzing or missing blocks of sound spectrum. I learned I had to stand well back from them to hear some of the range they were putting out, as if that large surface is exciting the air more gently than cone speakers do, but doing so all over. Highs didn't seem especially bright and crisp. That could mean tweeters have some aging issues, or simply that the little easy-to-tote JVC R-1X receiver I took to the store didn't have the power to bring out the treble the speakers were capable. If I bought them, I'd use something more powerful to drive them.

I passed on to the store manager much of what I had learned so far about these sorts of speakers. They will probably set the price somewhat above what I could spare, which isn't much right now. There are 5 or 6 people who have inquired about them and are waiting to hear what price will be asked. But at least I have done a good deed. I even tightened the screws attaching the bases, so that they stood more erect and didn't wobble around.
 
Magnepans need lots of power. 25WPC is totally inadequate.

MG-1's are 60" tall and 22" wide. Anything shorter is not an MG-1
 
JoeESP9 said:
Magnepans need lots of power. 25WPC is totally inadequate.

MG-1's are 60" tall and 22" wide. Anything shorter is not an MG-1
Click to expand...

From my first posting, it's clear I misremembered the height, but got pretty close to the width. They are clearly labeled "MG-I" on the metal plate below the banana sockets. I got down on my hands and knees to find and read it this time.

Serial number is 129467.
 
Quite right, MG-1s are the first Magnepan model and had simple banana plug connectors only. All subsequent models used the sockets with small screws for bare wire. Those are now over 30yrs old and will almost certainly need at least som attention, but if priced right they are still worth the effort to get them working properly.
 
They didn't sound at all bad. But, as a Dual turntable owner, I'm adapted to refurbishing 30-40 year old equipment. If I got these MG-Is, I would hook them up to my Kenwood KR-750 receiver--similar vintage (1980-83), rated for 4-16 ohm speakers (60 watts per channel at 8ohms). Should drive them much better than the little JVC R-1X I tested them with.
 
To return to what I heard as not great treble response in my test, while I readily accept that some of this may be due to the less than optimum output of the little receiver I used for the test, and while I also realize it could be that the tweeters or wiring, perhaps long overdue for service could be partly responsible--the kirk57's link to Magnepan model numbers and their specs lists 50Hz-16,000hz as the frequency response for the MG-I. That looks more like FM radio and chrome cassette tape, than like LPs or CDs. In another thread on this model, someone mentioned a later upgrade to ribbon tweeters, but they are rather fragile. Funny, in that thread people were talking about the need of adding a sub-woofer to a system with MG-Is. I thought the bass sounded pretty good on the one's I tested--they didn't rattle the floor and windows, but the bass was certainly there.

Others' thoughts on MG-I frequency response when they are in good condition and sufficiently powered?
 
Magnepans are a different speaker experience. If you put your tuner on interstation noise and then remove and replace the tweeter fuse on the speaker (turn the bass all the way down and crank the treble if you want) you should hear if the tweeter section of the panel is working or not. It is on the outside of the Mylar and would be easier to hear on the back of the speaker.

If the fuse does not make a difference, a tweeter repair may be indicated. But tweeters usually don't have problems except blown fuses and corroded wires (much less common). The woofer section suffers from banana peel and corroded wires. Much more common for corrosion to damage the woofer.

But you'll get into them and find the answer.

If you want sound like unamplified jazz club music these are great speakers. They don't rock out the sonic power. Their forte is natural sound and excellent imaging. Close your eyes with that 3-4 piece jazz band playing and you can see the stand up bass player is behind and above off to the right...and he is wearing blue tie. That is imaging that Magnepans can deliver. But they won't knock you down with sound power.
 
Follow-up: The thrift shop finally decided to offer the pair of MG-Is for $100. After I tested them and told them a bit more about them, including the company was still in business, I think they even contacted to company to get their idea of what the speakers might be worth. Even if they might need some servicing, possibly tweeter wiring replaced first. I think that's a reasonable price. Unfortunately, it's not a price I have at the moment, but it was very interesting learning much more about Magnepans. If I see a set of them again, I'll know much more about what they are. I would pass along how to get the speakers here (or to people who PMed me), but there were enough others waiting to hear of the price that I think it's certain they are already sold.
 
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