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 21, 2008 02:26

Hi Nils!
Nice system! I had 3a´s and now 3.6´s and just love them. My Mye stands are on the way from Canada and I just installed the Cardas kit! I use BAT VK-40 and VK-500 and I have a great soudstage with fantastic bass, don´t need a sub! But I want to soften up the treble so I´m really intrested in Your room tweaks and fuses! Do You think You can get hold of them in Sweden?
Best regards
Persve ( from Sweden )

persve January 19, 2008 18:09

Nice system. I have had my 3.5's for many yrs and still LOVE them. I too was thinking of trying some tweaks with the MYE stands and CARDAS jumpers and now based on your suggestions the HiFi tuning fuses. Do you think you could tell a difference with these tweaks if a blind test were done since it's easy to be biased if we know a change was made? I want to try these tweaks but don't just want to throw money away and convince myself that these did make a difference. Also, did you buy the fast-blow fuses and did you consider one's from Isoclean which have a review of making a possibly bigger difference. Your thoughts and of others on the forum appreciated. Thanks.

ajin January 16, 2008 02:53

Nils,

I have 3.6's too and the Grant Mye stands made about as big an improvement as any I'e ever made. I was shocked how focused the sound became when they were put in the stands and coupled to the floor with brass points. I also use Cardas jumpers and Hi-fi fuses like Rv9a, and they clean things up. I run MIT Shotgun S1 bi-wire speaker cables from a McCormack DNA-500 amp and VTL 5.5 Pre, and use an SVS Ultra subwoofer crossed at 40 hz like others here. I recently added a Benchmark DAC 1. I'm hooked on the Maggie sound too and spend too much time listening!!! Nice setup you have going. Enjoy it, as I know you will...

rootmann January 07, 2008 14:33

hi Nils

Nice system,I also have 3.6 with Mye stands,Cardis jumpers on the crossovers and just recently replaced the fuses with Hi-Fi tuning fuses. The fuses made a big improvement and I would suggest them to all Maggie owners.

rv9a January 06, 2008 06:34

Hi Nils,
I am sure your system gives you endless enjoyment!
You might want to check out the Cambridge 840C CD player. My Maggie 3.6's never sounded better. It was a big improvement over the Marantz SA8260. I was going to upgrade to the SA11s1 last summer. I liked the Cambridge better and it just happened to be a couple of grand less.
Thanks for sharing your system on Audiogon!

boycephoto December 30, 2007 02:54

Hey Nils, tell me in detail what the Mye Stands add and the effects of replacing the steel pins at the external crossover. This appears to be a relatively affordable tweak.

xagwell December 28, 2007 14:17

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 26, 2007 00:19

Good move getting the Mye Stands. They are well worth the investment. They made an immediate difference with my maggies.

gra3 December 24, 2007 23:19

Nice system! I love the Black and Maple scheme. I like the acoustic treatments too. Are the tube shaped absorbers behind the rack made by GIK too? Nice.

audiobroke December 20, 2007 15:32

Hi Nils,

You have a great looking setup. Where did you get the wall treatments? Do they work to your satisfaction? Do they affect the soundstage?

I am currently running 1.6qr's powered by a Mac MC300. The main positive is the full base that can shake things at very modest sound levels. But I am looking for the right 3.6's to bi-amp with another MC300.

Good luck with your tasteful and effective-looking Magnepan Altar.

Libertasdon (Audiogon and Ebay)
Macfreak (AK)

libertasdon December 20, 2007 05:54

A well designed system. Looks great and I’m sure it sounds it too.
Good job!

lak December 18, 2007 10:35

Long live Maggies!

True pillars of affordable good sound!

mapman December 14, 2007 03:21

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 14, 2007 01:52

I am another Mag 3.6 owner. I started with the 2.6 quite some years ago. A dedicated room is the dot on the i for me. My system consists of Shelter 90X on a full blown LP-12. Audio Research LS-15/Rhea phono stage. Manley 250 mono's at the bottom. I also employ a Vandersteen 2W sub. I have a CAL Audio CD player/Benchmark DAC 1. My IC's are Transparent Super Balanced. Tell me, have you bi-wired your maggies and if you have ever tried upgrading the jumpers.

xagwell December 13, 2007 20:55

Sorry if I'm missing it in the thread --- who is the manufacturer of your diffuser / absorber room treatments?
thanks,
steve

stevewetterling December 07, 2007 03:03

Hi Nils, Thanks for the kind words about my system. Regarding the Skylines, through measurement I determined they were not needed in this particular room. In fact, not every treatment I have is in use, only those necessary to smooth out the response and imaging. The Skylines address the highest frequencies through diffusion. This room measured out pretty flat in the higher frequencies. I think the irregular ceiling helped. Thanks, too, for the feedback on the Myes. It seems as though they would tighten up the sound of the Maggies. I've often wondered how much movement -- and accompanying muddying of sound -- is induced by the Maggies' large diaphragms. The stock stands allow quite a bit of wiggle, though I'm sure Magnepan took this into account somewhere.

jtori December 06, 2007 12:42

By the way, you can find my system in "Done for Now", under the title "Sanctum Sanctorum".

jtori December 05, 2007 22:07

I too worship at the Magnepan altar (Hail Magnepan ... Ommmmm). In any event I think you have done a fine job with your system and with your acoustic treatments. I am on my third dedicated listening room (I've moved a bit) and believe there is almost a "toolkit" of treatments which can be applied selectively to different rooms. This looks to me like what you have done. In my case, I have RPG Abfusors and Skyline, plus ASC Bass Traps, Tube Traps and Sound Planks. I have found that these treatments are flexible in their application and address most common room issues. I own the 3.5Rs and am interested in knowing how you find the Mye stands. Have you noticed a significant improvement with them vs. without them? I look forward to your feedback, and, again, nice job!

jtori December 05, 2007 22:05

Very nice..........Great job with the room treatments as it's difficult combing all the room treatments, system and room furnishings to look good together. Happy Listening!!

jsawhitlock December 04, 2007 23:20

Nice.

I agree that tweeters on the outside are the way to go, too.

imdoc December 04, 2007 20:00

Looks great Nils, I'm sure it sounds great too. The stands are a great idea...should be a big upgrade.

Dave

sogood51 December 04, 2007 19:39

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

nils December 04, 2007 18:59

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 20:48

Hi Nils,
great system. The 3.6's will be my next speakers[I hope!] You should really[and I mean REALLY] check out Stereo Unlimited in Walnut Creek: http://www.stereounlimited.com/Home.htm These guys do Magnepan mod that does not void the waranty from the factory. Plus they have a great line up of tube amps, turntables, subs all kinds of stuff. You can go in there and just sit and listen, it's a pretty laid back in environment plus they are really nice people.

You have to hear the Maggies on some fine tube amps.

Happy listening!

vinyl9

vinyl9 August 30, 2007 20:20