Brought the maggies out of retirement :-)

 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1637
Registered: Nov-06
I have decided to give my maggies another go. I forgot how much I really "missed" these.

Missed in quotes because I remember how much I fought with them 2 years ago...but in a different room I think I will be able to dial them in. So far today has been a success. I just plopped them down where I had my stands, and they sound much better than they did in our last apartment.

However I really did miss that wonderful, open sound. Surprisingly, my marantz integrated really pushes these well (say 12' x 17' ish room). I decided to give up on both of these (the rantz moreso than my MMG) but they play nicely together. Never thought to try it until today when I ran out to pick them up. I previously ran them with rotel gear.

I don't get it...aside from the fact that I am going to have to eat a ton of crow on my iQ3 (which I already have admited). The cab resonance once I heard it drove me to drink.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 14032
Registered: Feb-05
Are those crow feathers I see hangin' out of your mouth...lol!

Different room and different result, for now.
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2121
Registered: Oct-07
How long did you figure before I chimed in?

Good for you. Now is time for some experiments. If these panels are less than say......15 years old, try listening to the OTHER side. Yep, the 'wrong' side.
You have MMGs, right?
Magnepan came pole piece to the listener a LONG time ago. The changed, apparently in the mid 90s for some unknown reason. Perhaps a 'hotter' sound became fashionable? All I know is that I listen to my panels Tweeter IN and Pole Piece facing ME. Stage widens and becomes more tolerant of seating position. No sign of hi-end sizzle or comb filtering. The supplied 1 ohm HF attenuating resistor is in storage....somewhere.

Other changes from Magnepan include changing from a series crossover which some think sonically superior to the current crossover. Than, depending oh how deep your pockets are, a complete reframe in some nice real wood. Take the money you may have wanted to burn on some bridgework stands (Mye stands) and turn that into wood.

Keep careful track of position and measures to the front wall and seating position. I cross my panels well in back of my head, having about an 11 degree toe.

Rumor has it, incorrectly as it turns out, that Maggies are a 'difficult load'. Only a straight resistor could be an easier load. Low sensitivity? Yes. Moderate phase angles? yes again. Dipole radiation pattern? helps make up for overall low sensitivity. Coherent sound? Part of the package. No box? No box!

Get a couple 'fake ficus' for in back of 'em as an attractive, Spouse Acceptable backwave diffusor.

Once again, Congrats.
have fun and experiment away. With panels, position is much of the game. Good upstream gear is a must and your Marantz must be very happy.

Let me know how warm that Marantz gets, compared to other speakers it has driven.
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Stamford, Connecticut USA

Post Number: 4352
Registered: May-05
Panel speakers are pretty notorious for being very room dependent. Most speakers are, but panels are far worse in this regard in my experience.

After the recording quality, the room is the most important component IMO. This includes placement in the room.

No surprise that you're getting different results in the new room. Luckily, it's good results and not bad.

I may be moving back to the Albany area in August. If I do, I'll let you know and maybe we can have a few beverages.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 14039
Registered: Feb-05
Hey I'm already in Albany where are ya with the suds, Stu and Gav...oh yeah wrong Albany.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1638
Registered: Nov-06
ART... LMAO! isn't it true! Right now it works...

Exactly Stu. Not just a new room, but different electronics. I was previously fronting them with an all Rotel system.

And leo it hit me a few nights ago when I was looking at a chair with a decent sized decorative stuffed dog in it. I realized that that chair was right in line with the rear wave of the panel that would give me issues. That was what prompted me to give it another go.

The marantz seems to be doing well. I did about 4 hours of listening last night. When I checked it, it was a little warmer than when driving my iQ3. It really has a warm, fluid sound.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1639
Registered: Nov-06
I knew you would be one of the first here

Yes, I have the MMG. My room has a node that they seem to love exploiting. I have long suspected it was right around 50Hz...which happens right at the -3db for the MMG. My iQ3 usually sounded boomy in here, whereas these sound powerful and prominent. I was kind of hesitant to try them in here for that reason (thought they would sound boomy). So far I don' t think that will be an issue. I also suspect that is why my Tektons sound great in here as well. They have an approx 55hz -3db if I remember correctly.

It might not make sense to anyone else... but it makes sense to me!
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2122
Registered: Oct-07
Gavin, FWIW, I simply didn't like the Rotel / Maggie match. I had an RB1070 for about 6 months and had to change it out. Maybe the problem was lack of 4 ohm ability? It was harsh and congested...at higher levels.

Try flipping them around and listen to the pole piece side. It was a major change for the better, IMO.

Stu, Yes, panels are room dependent as are ALL speakers to one extent or another. Learning to work with them is part of the fun. I had MG-1s in rooms from large closet of about 100sq ft to a bleepin' Cavern of a 2 story living room of probably over 1000 sq ft.
Happiness? Found in rooms closer to 'normal' but the cavern was an interesting learning experience. The closet was awful and I had to swap 'em L/R to make them sound correct.

Enjoy. Glad the Marantz is not cooking itself.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1640
Registered: Nov-06
It isn't cooking itself, but I don't listen at very high levels. I am in an apartment setting, and listen at levels high enough to get above the noise floor. At the same time I try to be respectful to my neighbors.

The volume control floats between the 9-11 o'clock position. It gets too loud for me if I turn it higher than 12 o'clock. I really have yet to use the power reserve on my amp. The mmg is the first speaker I have hooked to it that made it work, and it seems to "enjoy the task".

I looked up the dimensions of the room... it is actually 15' x 17'. It is only a tad wider than I thought.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1641
Registered: Nov-06
and it is a Marantz PM-7001 integrated paired with the matching SA-8001 CD spinner that I have fronting them.
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2126
Registered: Oct-07
What is the Marantz, about 100x2 @4 ohms? See....you don't need mega power for panels.
My first fling with panels was with a Kenwood Integrated....I think it was a KA-7100. It was 60x2 @8 and for sure didn't double-up into 4. I eventually converted it to a preamp only when I bought my cube.

Let me know if you ever rotate them to test listening to the 'wrong' side. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2127
Registered: Oct-07
Art, send me an address and I'll forward a gift certificate to 'Maps-R-Us'.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1642
Registered: Nov-06
That is exactly what it is. But it seems like it is a realistic 100 watts.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 14050
Registered: Feb-05
My Albany was named after the one in N.Y.

Portland was almost Boston and as for Salem, well you get the idea.
 

Gold Member
Username: Gavdawg

Albany, New York

Post Number: 1644
Registered: Nov-06
hmmm... interesting Art!
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2132
Registered: Oct-07
I've been to Portsmouth NH. England's is most famous.
Other towns of same name? At least 4 more, including one in Rhode Island, another in Maine and again in Ohio.

Try 'new' anything and be assured the original is in Europe or the UK.

And speaking of Albany, there is yet another off the White Mountain Highway in the White Mountain region of NH. Located west of Conway, it is a very picturesque wide spot in the road.


And yes a good 100 4ohm watts is PLENTY for MMGs which are played at reasonable apartment levels. The amp I'd have considered for the same duties? The Onkyo 'd' amp got some real good press including a favorable Stereophile review. Panels also work well with tubes....again the magic 100 watt level seems to be the turn on point.
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Stamford, Connecticut USA

Post Number: 4354
Registered: May-05
The most common city/place name in the US is Riverside. 46 of them. I had to Google that one, as I was sure it was Middletown.

Springfield wasn't in the top 10, according to the geography.about.com site that I got the info from.
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