Marcus, I eventually settled on a fourth order Linkwitz-Riley network, with 240hz for the low-mid and 1700hz for the mid-high. There were tradeoffs with every set of filters I tried, but I enjoy the clarity of the LR4 network immensely.

I would love to borrow a DEQX to see what a linear phase digital crossover would sound like!

nils November 28, 2011 15:32

Pete, I really like my Marchand XM44, which I think is a great value and very transparent active crossover. IMO, the end-all of crossovers would be a DEQX, which is a digital crossover + eq that can implement a linear-phase crossover (impossible to do with an analog network).

nils October 30, 2010 13:22

System edited: uploaded picture of the Bent TAP-X

nils December 11, 2009 10:51

System edited: Now using a Bent TAP-X preamp. WOW.

nils December 01, 2009 21:53

System edited: System description slightly updated, and I added some details to the equipment descriptions.

nils November 05, 2009 10:01

Bbro, thank you for the kind words! I think the Marchand XM44 is hard to beat in terms of price/performance. If you're already using tubes, a tube-based analog crossover might be too much of a good thing, if you know what I mean. The DEQX is another very flexible option, and is especially awesome if you can feed it a digital signal.l

Definitely start with the biamping. If you like what you hear, you can take your system the extra mile with triamping. Good luck!

nils October 08, 2009 15:38

Chazz,

Mye Stands can be tilted upward and downward using the leveling spikes. They're great stands and can easily be filled with sand or lead/steel shot. As for treatment of asymmetrical rooms: The RealTraps portable stands work great for rooms like mine. I can easily move the trap into place for listening. Best of luck to your friend! This hobby is a continual journey.

nils September 23, 2009 15:30

Jallen (fellow asylum inmate), The only alternative to the XM44 I've considered is going with a DEQX pre+xover unit. If I'm going to spend that much more for a crossover, I think it makes sense to go with something that can implement a linear phase crossover.

nils August 17, 2009 07:36

Hi Barry,

I assume you want to actually remove the inner sock. The outer sock is attached to the wood trim and preserves the stock appearance of the Maggies.

To be frank, removing the socks is quite a pain. You'll want a few workhorses to lay your speaker (sans stands) upon. To remove the trim and outer sock, you remove the screws that attach the trim to the speaker frame. Be careful lifting the trim off -- the sock is loosely connected, and the entire assembly is rather unwieldy.

The inner sock is even more fun. You'll want a flathead screwdriver and lots of perseverance. The inner socks are attached with hundreds of staples (literally) found at the bottom of the speaker and underneath the ribbon chassis. Yes, you need to remove the ribbon to pull off the inner sock.

Once you're done removing the staples, the inner sock will slide right off. Now you can replace the ribbon chassis and re-attach the outer sock + trim.

Hope that helps!
-- Nils

nils March 09, 2009 10:14

Listener614,

I experimented with several crossover points and slopes for the Magnepans and found 24dB/oct to work best for both crossover networks. It is critical, however, to use matching amps with the midrange and ribbon with such a steep slope.

I suspect that Magnepan's recommendation stems from their use of Bryston 10B-SUB crossovers. Seeing as Magnepan uses Bryston electronics in-house, I'm almost positive this is the crossover they use, and it doesn't have the option to use fourth-order slopes.

Hope that helps!

nils March 08, 2009 20:02

System edited: Added some component pictures.

nils March 08, 2009 19:58

Hi Dave, My speakers actually have the oak trim. Perhaps the lighting is just being kind to them! :)

nils February 16, 2009 16:46

System edited: System updated! Replaced my Monarchy amps with Quicksilver V4s, after observing how critical matching amps are. Simply amazing.

nils February 06, 2009 21:20

System edited: Added (hopefully complete) list of modifications.

nils December 26, 2008 20:53

Hi Jose,

The ribbons are directly connected to Monarchy SM-70 Pro amplifiers -- no fuse, no capacitors, etc. So far, I've had no problems. 120 watts dedicated solely to the ribbon element is far more than enough, and I doubt I could clip it before going deaf. :)

nils December 01, 2008 10:18

Hi Boycephoto,

I'm currently using and loving my Zero Autoformers. I purchased them used here on A'gon -- no need for break-in. I'm using the 2x taps and my tube amps sound noticeably smoother and less dynamically constrained. I did have to increase the relative gain for them to match their previous levels.

Thanks!
-- Nils

nils November 28, 2008 16:03

System edited: New pictures!

nils November 28, 2008 15:47

System edited: I've just completed the speaker and power conditioner modifications and am amazed with the results. The difference is more than I could have ever hoped for!

nils November 24, 2008 15:28

System edited: Got myself a Marantz SA-11s2 as a bonus check present. :) A significant upgrade over my Tjoeb in terms of detail and bass presence. Took a few hundred hours to really break in, but I love this SACD player.

nils April 25, 2008 11:03

System edited: New pictures.. shiny!

nils March 03, 2008 11:42

System edited: Pictures coming soon... I now have four monoblocks driving the 3.6s, and it's such a transformation on every facet of the sound. Pictures coming soon!

nils February 29, 2008 10:13

Hi Mark,

I run my Magnepan 3.6Rs full range and have my Titan crossed over at ~40hz. It's key to make sure that the sub is matched level-wise with the speakers for it to truly disappear.

Play with placement and phase. A lot. It takes time to get a subwoofer to blend in with your mains, but it's time well-spent.

I noticed better transient attack and decay when I set up the Mye Stands. I also enjoy their build quality vs. the stock stands. I am in the process of active biamplification, which will do amazing things to the system. :)

I need to adopt a cheaper hobby, like cocaine or burning twenty-dollar bills. :P

-- Nils

nils January 31, 2008 16:12

Wow, thank you for all the comments! Someday I might replace the internal wiring and build my own 3-way outboard passive crossover. I'd probably also bypass the fuses entirely--I really don't ever listen at levels that high, and my monoblocks can deliver more than adequate power (900wpc) for my needs. If I chicken out, I'll definitely use the isoclean fuses.

The Cardas pins are tempting, but they'd be not too useful if I performed the aforementioned mod.

Persve -- as far as I know, ASC products are available overseas, and I'm almost positive hifi-tuning is based in Germany, so you should have no problems acquiring them.

Rootmann -- glad to hear you got a ported subwoofer to blend with Maggies! I had no luck with a 20-39PC I bought and tried out years ago.

nils January 20, 2008 18:26

Libertasdon, thank you for the compliments! The acoustic treatment affects every aspect of the sound--timbre, imaging, soundstage... I could go on forever. the many bass traps also cleaned up the bass significantly. I'm glad to hear you enjoy the bass from your 1.6QRs... I found that having a sub even with 3.6Rs is beneficial--just to handle the 20-40hz information (my sub has its 4th-order low-pass filter set at 40hz.

Since my last pictures, I've positioned an ASC StudioTrap (the round tubes) against each GIK tri-trap to absorb some of the high-frequency information and diffuse the rest, which led to a true "disappearing act"--that is, you don't perceive the music as coming from speakers.

Thanks for all the compliments! I am currently enjoying my favorite Christmas CD, Cantante Domino, which is a great recording... :) Happy holidays to everyone.

nils December 25, 2007 16:19

Steve: The treatments you see in the front of the room are GIK tri-traps in the corners, GIK D1 diffusion panels, and ASC StudioTraps in the middle. On the rear wall, there are ASC SoundPanels and RealTraps HF MiniTraps.

Xagwell: Your system sounds very well-assembled. I do not biwire my speakers, but I do plan to replace those steel jumpers eventually (I'll probably bypass them internally, along with the tweeter attenuators).

Thanks for your comments!

nils December 13, 2007 17:52

System edited: System updated! It sounds SO GOOD. SO GOOD.

nils December 04, 2007 10:59

Thanks for the comments so far! I ordered a pair of Mye Stands that should be coming any day now, and at some point I might rewire the internals and build a new crossover, but I hesitate to do so at this moment :)

I will look up the Stereo Unlimited folks to see what they can do for me; thank you for the advice.

nils August 30, 2007 13:48

Linnie -- nope, sorry. I'm Nils, the software engineer, who lives in the beautiful city of Santa Cruz, CA. No musical talent whatsoever. ;)

nils August 28, 2007 09:55

Hi Teajay,

Thank you for your kind words! Because the subwoofer is crossed over so low, it's really only there when it needs to be. I took a lot of care setting up the phase adjustment and placement when I first got it, but dropped the crossover from ~60hz with my MMGs to ~40hz with the 3.6Rs. I've listened to music both without and with, and having extension to 20hz really adds a sense of ambience and weight. And when I say seamless blending, I really mean it. My audiophile friend had to ask whether or not the subwoofer was on. :)

nils August 27, 2007 10:39