• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

New (to me) Magnepan MMGs!

GoldSounds

GoldSounds

Active Member
This weekend I was able to pick up a pair of Magnepan MMGs off CL. This is my first planar speaker set that I've ever owned and I'm quite excited with them :banana:!

I'm new to this whole magneplanar game, but I've read much about these speakers before purchasing. Folks seem to love them, and the short list of complaints about them is power (they need lots), placement (choose wisely) and bass (weak, shallow). I was willing to accept these challenges. I've only done some preliminary listening so I won't comment yet on my opinions or coping with said challenges until I've made a more complete assessment. That said my initial impressions are quite positive.

I do have some questions though to those that own MMGs, or maggies in general.

1. How is the best way to clean the socks on these? Mine are a little dusty. Can they be removed?
2. These speakers were made circa 2000. Is a recap necessary yet? I've heard that capacitor upgrades even on factory fresh models aren't a bad idea.
3. How can I check for delamination? I'm guessing the socks have to be removed. I thought I heard a slight buzz in a corner but I'm not sure. I haven't heard it in my own equipment yet but I did when I was testing it using the previous owner's receiver. Is it possible that it is was clipping?
4. Any additional advice about positioning? Magnepan recommends at least 2 feet from any wall, ideally 3-4, and spread them apart roughly 60% of the distance that they are from your listening position, facing towards you.
5. Subwoofer recommendations? Ideally something inexpensive that still integrates well.
6. How do I best move them!?!? I transported them flat on their face with nothing touching the panels, resting on their wood trim. I'm going to be moving soon, so what is the safest way to move them? I don't have the original boxes.
7. Any other MMG/Magnepan/planar speaker advice?

Thanks!
 
Register to hide this ad
I vacuum minewith the soft brush attachement.


currently mine are just under 1/2 out in the room, and a little less then two feet from the side walls. Ideally, they'd be another foot from the side walls, but that just isn't practical.

Again, as far from the rear wall as possible, and keep them unobstructed.

you can sort of look for delam with a bright light, but most probably you'll need to remove the socks. I move mine like you do yours, since they don't have true ribbons, they aren't quite as fragile. If I had to move them long distances, I'd cover them with cardboard front and back, but wouldn't stack anything on them.

I hear the parts express subwoofers do well, but I have no direct experience with them,

speed is what you'll need in a sub, so generally speaking, smaller drivers are better.
Enjoy, you'll likely be hooked.
jaz
 
One of these days I'm going to buy a pair...just so I know what they're all about. I have some amplifiers that could easily drive them.
 
jazzmans said:
I vacuum minewith the soft brush attachement.


currently mine are just under 1/2 out in the room, and a little less then two feet from the side walls. Ideally, they'd be another foot from the side walls, but that just isn't practical.

Again, as far from the rear wall as possible, and keep them unobstructed.

you can sort of look for delam with a bright light, but most probably you'll need to remove the socks. I move mine like you do yours, since they don't have true ribbons, they aren't quite as fragile. If I had to move them long distances, I'd cover them with cardboard front and back, but wouldn't stack anything on them.

I hear the parts express subwoofers do well, but I have no direct experience with them,

speed is what you'll need in a sub, so generally speaking, smaller drivers are better.
Enjoy, you'll likely be hooked.
jaz
Click to expand...

I'll have to be careful with a vacuum, as my soft brush attachment isn't that soft and the socks look rather thin.

I'll see how far out from the walls I can keep them without being obstructive. I'm still experimenting with positioning.

I have a bright mag light that I'll use to see if I can see any delam. As far as moving them, I'm going to make every effort to assure that nothing touches the driver surface.

I was also thinking maybe PE would have something. They have a large enough selection of drivers and plate amps that I could design something that suits my specific tastes and needs. And they have kits and complete units that may work just as well. I keep hearing that speed is the most important factor in this type of sub, I'll have to do more research as two what subs have a reputation for speed.
 
The soft brush attachment and medium setting have the socks looking like new. Slow and gentle seems to be the key.

I used a flashlight and a light touch through the socks to check for delamination. It's difficult to tell if one of the wires in the corners are slightly lifted from Mylar. Is there an easy way to take off of the socks without damaging them to check?
 
Last edited:
Removing the socks is easy after you remove the side trim pieces. Only a few hundred staples :sigh:, all on the bottom.
 
I was wondering how they were attached at the bottom. That sounds like a bit of work, but hopefully worth it. If there is slight delam, it'd be nice to get a repair kit for them before it becomes a bigger issue. I'll have a look.

Is 13 years a little early for delamination?
 
Congrats I think you will enjoy them.
Depending on the type of musi you listening a subwoofer may be needed.
 
GoldSounds said:
I was wondering how they were attached at the bottom. That sounds like a bit of work, but hopefully worth it. If there is slight delam, it'd be nice to get a repair kit for them before it becomes a bigger issue. I'll have a look.

Is 13 years a little early for delamination?
Click to expand...

You can purchase the repair adhesives from Maggie, or just buy them locally at most professional paint retailers. If you choose to buy them from Maggie, you need to do it before October, as the outer coat adhesive is water-based, and they are in White Bear Lake, MN, and will not ship it once the weather gets cold.

There are tons of threads/primers here on AK, as well as other forums, that will walk you through (step by step, many w/pics) the process of repairing delamination on Maggies. I have done several sets myself... two of my own, and a couple for other people... not hard or expensive... just a little tedious if the delamination is more than the basic "banana peel" on the ends.

Good Luck and Enjoy!!!
 
Relamination methods

I've read of people using 3M "77" adhesive spray and topped with Milloxane, just like the factory does, but this seems to give mixed results. Specifically, that the 77 spray doesn't hold well, and that the Milloxane isn't always effective and doesn't last long. I've read that DAP Weldwood does well, but there is no information about if this is a good long term solution, and concerns about use on Mylar.

What is your preferred method and why?

EDIT: I believe that there is delamination. I'm having a listen at louder levels and there is definitely a buzzing sound in one speaker, particularly at lower frequencies. I'm going to do a sweep with an audio generator, take off the socks and have a look. I have some DAP Weldwood contact cement on hand, hopefully this will suffice.
 
Last edited:
The Scotch (3M) 77 does not hold well... the DAP Weldwood works better... just keep it thinned down by dipping the brush in acetone to keep it from getting too thick to work with... the Miloxane is a top coat sealeant to prevent corrosion of the wires... also known as Scotch (3M) Fastbond 30NF... you can buy it anywhere, but the stuff you get repackaged from Maggie allegedly has a UV protectant added to it... price from Maggie is comparable to prices from other sources, so cost is not a factor.
 
Okay, I'll try to keep it thinned out. I wouldn't think that having too much would be a good idea, with the driver increasing in mass and all. The delam is only in one driver. Should I do the other one too just for symmetry sake?
 
Last edited:
I would recommend doing both... as a matter of symmetry and the simple fact that the glue is just as old on both of them... so consider it "preventative" maintenance...
 
Couple tricks to hold the wires down in place while the glue sets... you can lay bamboo BBQ skewers across the wires with some sort of weighting, or get some large steel fender washers from any hardware store and lay them on top of the wires... the magnets will pull them down tight... just make sure the glue is not on top of the wires, or you will glue them down too...
 
BTW--no one addressed the recap issue... since you are going to have the socks off anyways, I would go ahead and recap them as well... again, this is inexpensive preventative maintenance, but you will soon find that taking off the socks is harder than anything else you are doing in this process, and the stock caps are nothing special, so any decent quality cap is going to be an upgrade.
 
I just got a pair of MMG's from the factory last month - from what I've read they made a crossover change on the MMG's that is a trickle down from the .7 versions of the speaker - i wonder if there is any info on the change on the web (all I saw was that the crossover was going to change)
 
I'll look for more info on the new crossover. I've heard that the original from the factory has room for improvement. As for the lamination, I have to thank everyone who posted for their experience and advice. I have a lot on my platr right now though and probably won't be able to get started for at least a few more days. I'll post again when relamination is complete.
 
Last edited:
Update: Relamination complete, but problems persist.

Well, I relaminated the wires using the DAP Weldwood method, thinning it with acetone, and achieved mixed results.

First, the delamination in the corner was not terrible. On one of the speakers (the one with the buzz) only 3 of the loops had come loose in the top corner up to about 2 inches in. The other speaker had one loop in a corner that came free to about 1 inch in. This one as it turned out had a small tear in the Mylar by one of the wires, but this was easily remedied by a couple of passes of the DAP. The fender washers went well holding down the wires, and I DAP'd the ends of the good wires in the hopes that they'd stay good longer.

The issue on the speaker with the buzz, is that the mylar is looser in that corner and not evenly taut. The panel and the wires look rather wavy in that spot. As a result, when a deeper bass note plays, especially at higher volumes, the Mylar and wires slap against the magnet panel. It's not constant, and it doesn't even happen with some tracks even with the volume up, but when it does, it's irritating.

As for the crossover...

I looked at the crossover and compared it to the image below:

MMG_as_is.gif


The crossovers on mine appear to be identical except for a couple of things. The 25μF that's in parallel with the midbass panel is absent, and the two 12μF in parallel to pass the signal to the tweeter are replaced by one 25uF cap. Mine were manufactured in January 2000, so perhaps that can explain the difference? Should I bother adding the 25μF in parallel with the bass panel? Also, should I use 24μF or 25μF, or some other value, as a high pass to the tweeter?

I'm currently running them without the socks on to examine possible solutions to the bass panel problem as well as make adjustments to the crossovers when that's complete.

Any idea on how to cure the bass issue? Should I just ship 'em back to the Maggie factory or what?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom