System edited: System pix addeed and description updated

warddorrity February 09, 2003 12:47

System edited:

warddorrity January 17, 2003 00:46

Hi, Nrchy -

You've got a pretty decent rig yourself. The Talons would be a definite improvement onver your current Sonys. As for Magnepans, gettign a decent demo is problematic. Most dealers won't take the time to properly break them in. Most dealers do not drive them with the proper mix of components. Small things make big differences with these speakers, especially with respect to the 3.6 and MG20R/20.1 models. Overall system synergy becomes critical. There are a lot of perfectly good preamps, power amps, interconnects, speaker cables and CD players that will sound just dreadful if they're combined poorly.

It's really too much trouble for most dealers and most end users (that's you and me) to take the time, trouble and dollars to get it all right. But man oh man. If you do take the trouble, the reward is jaw-dropping realism and musicality. Properly set up and driven, nothing in their price range approaches the coherency, focus and soundstaging that these speakers will deliver. They are absolutely electrifying, and about as far from 'hi-fi' as one could get. And nothing else even close to their price range will utterly disappear as these will whe nall else is right.

The trade-offs are somewhat restricted dynamic range and low frequencey slam.

I think that the lack of pinpoint detail and imaging - that is, images too large or out of proportion - that some mention is more of a function of something amiss in the upstream components than the speakers themselves. Case in point - Loreena McKennit singing 'Dante's Prayer' on her Book of Secrets' is in perfect proportion as portrayed by my system. There's no sense of a five foot wide pair of lips (Mick Jagger would be another matter, though). The cello on that piece sounds like its size, as does the piano. And the proportional relationship of McKennit's voice and the accompanying instruments don't change as the volume is raised and lowered - only your listening perspective does.

The 'trouble' with Magnepans is that they WILL let you hear what's wrong elsewhere. For example, you'll discover why Monster cable sucks and why Cardas doesn't. You'll hear the true noise floor of your system and you'l lbe blown away when you eliminate the source of such noise - by direct-connecting your CD player to your power amp with balanced cables. You'll be able to hear which CD players sound the least 'digital' and which ones sound like cardboard cutouts of the music.

As I mentioned earlier, this is just too much for the average audiophile or home theater enthusiast to put up with. But if what you want is all of the power and glory and inner emotional truth of great music, then this is worth while. The alternative is the ultra-expensive and exotic speaker systems like Wisdoms and PipeDreams. It's the well-designed planar magnetics and electrostats that make a truly musical system affordable.

When all's said and done, I want to be amazed, mesmerized, swept away and transported by the music, not by the equipment. This doesn't take anything away from those who enjoy the hobby for the sake of the equipment. There are those folks who just like a particular type of sound - Lord knows that there are plenty of KHorn and Bose 901 afficionados out there. But that ain't me, and it probably isn't you, either.

warddorrity January 16, 2003 20:54

Warddorrity, nice setup!!! I have recently finished upgrading my electronics and am now looking for speakers. I have a short list I am interested in hearing. They include Von Schweikert, Talon and Magnepan.
I auditioned a pair of Talon's which I like very much, but I want to try the some Magnepan's. I'm a little concerned about one issue mentioned to me about them. I was told they have a very big soundstage, but they also have very big presentation of images within the soundstage i.e. larger than natural voices and instruments.
The idea this person tried to express was the lack of small pinpoint detail in favor of large images. I hope I have expressed this clearly enough for you to understand what I'm asking about. Have you noticed these characteristics with your speakers?

nrchy January 16, 2003 09:03

Hi, Jim -

Thanks for he response. In response to your suggestion for rug placement, we actually do have one directly in front of the speakers. The photo I posted doesn't really show it, although I suppose that I could put up a better shot of the room. But you're right on the money as far as the need for damping. That left side wall is problematic, given the way it's being used now. There's also a compromise on the WAF side as well.

I should add that what I've got in mind for he crossover is a complete overhaul with better parts - not just a resistor tweak or two. Based on a survey of the results of MG 1.6 tweakers, and after evaluating he quality of the parts used in the stock xover, I conclude that there's a lot of untapped potential in the Mwarddorrity January 16, 2003 01:30

I would focus more on dampening that tile floor before worrying about the electronics. You have a first rate system for sure. I would be willing to bet that if you place towels or a through rug down directly in front of the speakers that you receive more benefit than tweaking a resistor or 2 on the crossover. and again great system.

Jim

[email protected] January 15, 2003 23:37

Excellent! I want to eventually get a Pass amp - I love their look and their design philosophy very much. I have yet to experience Magnepans - for some reason I just can't find any to audition unless I really go out of my way. Does that amp have enough clearance over top? does it not get really hot? Just curious. Anyway, great setup. Arthur

aball January 15, 2003 09:13

Thanks for the compliment, Slipknot1. Took a while to get everything to harmonize, but it's well worth it. It'll be interesting to see how a MG20R crossover mod and the speaker frame stiffening goes.

warddorrity January 14, 2003 21:05

Hi, Judit -

That X350 is not only tall, it's HEAVY! 150 pounds worth, to be exact. Granted, Magnepans are not the most efficient loudspeaker, but they present a very easy load for an amplifier - no big swings in impedance, no bizzarre capactive loading. Just a nice, friendly 4 ohm load. What makes Magnepans dance is an amplifier that swings a lot of current and exhibits an iron-fisted control of he low end - typically, but not always, that's a high powered design. I auditioned Krell, Bryston and Levinson before I settled on the Pass X350. There are many others, but these were what I could get my hands on without a great deal of trouble. Now all of these are great amplifiers, but the Pass was by far the most musical of them all. Jeff Rowland's designs are also in the same leage as Nelson Pass', but they are about twice as expensive for a comparable model.

There are definitely some bargains to be had in the used market, and AudioGon is a great place to shop and to get useful information. If you're considerng maggies, they'll reward you with the full impact and emotional content of the music - in that regard, they're one of the great values in high-end audio. But they do require careful attention to overall system synergy.

warddorrity January 14, 2003 20:59

That pass amp is one tall amplifier!
I found Magnepan speakers to be difficult to drive - seemed to need to adjust the volume somewhere in the middle of every track. Do you find the PL X-350 up to the task of driving the speakers?

judit January 13, 2003 15:46

Very nice! Carefully thought out and well set up . You should be proud.

slipknot1 January 13, 2003 13:13