Magnepan 1.7

CHarles : I have the same reaction after three months. They do thrilling things. I play a lot of organ music (Chapuis Bach set and although they tilted to the upper mid range thge force of the bass is compelling. I have found the german Harmonia Mundi recordings of Bach works overwhelming in the way the clarity and sweetness chorus is revealed. I owned a 150 lb. a piece hybrid electrostatric and thought I could nev er replace them as they failed. These are infinitly better even with a vintage solid state amp.

I currently own MG 12's and like them a lot as they are very musical. However, they lack that bit of detail that helps with the sound decay and placement of the individual instruments in the soundstage.

I have auditioned the 1.7's twice.

The first time was in a oddly shaped open room, roughly 18 by 18 foot, that led to an open hallway. This was with a BAT VK300x 150 wpc amp. Did not like then at all. Sounded thin to me, but it was a bad listening space.

Then I listened to the same pair of speakers in a smaller room, 10 by 16 foot. The front wall was the long wall. They were about eight feet apart and I was sitting about six feet a way. Marantz reference amp at 115wpc. Sounded much better, more musical, and articulate bass was there.

By the way, I should be picking up my new pair of 1.7's after Thanksgiving.

It would have been neat, Dsper, If you tried a mod or 2 on your MGs. Magnepan is a DIY dream speaker which responds extremely well. You can do anything from a total reframe in real wood to simple crossover or stand additions.
The real wood frames are not only beautiful (choose your wood....Oak? Maple?) but the real wood helps the sound. MDF is 'dead'.

I had thought about the 1.7s but will opt, instead for a total reframe and eventually a crossover rebuild using optimized 'stock' values. To that end, I'm taking wood shop classes and should be able to begin next year sometime. It's neat since I can use First Class equipment and just pay my nominal shop fees and get premium instruction. 3xwin for me.

Hi Magfan,

Understand your comments and may yet have second thoughts. Time will tell.

I am receiving full trade in value on the 1.2's, so for $1000, the better resolution and better soundstage seemed hard to beat.

The bass was an interesting decision. I am not wood working capable so to buy good frames is $500 plus. Compared to the $1000 cost to me for the 1.7's, their deeper bass along with the other quality improvements, seemed like the way to go.

Now the other interesting part. I talked to my McIntosh dealer about upgrading the MA63000 because I knew I was missing something on the edges and the decay. It has only 160 wpc into 4 ohms. Plus it just does not seem loud enough.

The dealer was not certain that the top Mac integrated, MA7000, with 250 wpc into 4 ohms. would help me.

He suggested that I try the Krell S300i. It has 300 wpc into 4 ohms. His reasoning was that I needed another view of what I could do and maybe Mac was not the answer.

At first I thought that it sounded tinny but once my tubed CD player and the amp "warmed up", I realized I was hearing more detail. For example, there is a Donna Krell album, I think that it is called "Look of Love", that has heavy brushes on track 2. It sounded real without hash at the point of decay.

The trade off is that the Krell sounds less "warm" than the MA6300.

So...to get the power I need and the Mac "warmth" I would need to move to Mac separates at about $10,000, which is not something I can afford.

Obviousily, I am thinking about a lot all at once here. I will get the 1.7's and go from there.

By the way, tell me again what amp you are using with the 1.2's?

I'm personally not big on Mac / Magnepan. In all the postings I've read, very few will claim that pairing. Not to say it won't work or be very pleasing. The few that have voted 'yes' have been good with the combo.

Krell? I only heard this combo once...on some 3.6s with the 400xi. It actually wasn't bad, but the heat produced was awesome. Because of the limits of my setup, no Krell for me.

If someone were to give me my 'wish'? Well, 2 of the short-list amps for Maggies would be either Bryston.....or Pass.

Another group of persons exists who loves 'd' amps with panels. I have a PSAudio integrated. Runs cool and has plenty of power. Some of the 'd' guys like the BelCanto line or even Spectron.

My 1.6s are turned backwards which is why I suggested some ...adjustments...to your panels before just getting 'more'.

Try this on for size. I'm in woodshop right now and will eventually do something like THIS:

http://www.indiespinzone.com/mag/mag9.html