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Maggies a waste if only 3' from backwall?

All maggie owners, please chime in. I've been considering the maggie 3.6 or 20.1. My basement room is 15x20x7, thin carpet on slab floor, drywall over foundation. It is very unlikely I will be able to have them out farther than 3 feet from backwall, unless i had them on some kind of rolling/sliding platform. I have read repeatedly that maggies must be at least 4-5 feet from backwall. So, is 3 ft just not enough? Will the magic disappear and render them pedestrian?

While I'm at it, one more question: I understand there is a narrow sweetspot for maximum enjoyment, but how bad is out-of-sweetspot/off-axis listening? What aspect of SQ is actually lost? I ask this because I've read several posts where people thought they heard a real drummer or piano in next room only to find it was music played through a maggie (ie, "Best Speakers.." thread).

Thanks much for the replies. I really am considering joining the maggie family, but don't want to make a mistake based on room and one-person sweet spot.

Jeff
jeffkad
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,262 posts
 
Eldartford,

I know the 1.6 has a QR tweeter. The point I was making is that the 1.7 has all QR drivers, it seems to me this would be a plus.

Also fwiw, there are some who think the 3.6 lacks coherency because the bass panel can not keep up with the ribbon tweeter so, in this regard, I imagine the 1.7 may top it.
chrisr's avatar
chrisr
444 posts
 
It is not a waste, but I would look into getting some acoustic treatments behind them. Auralex,Cascade and the like have tons of solutions to create more space acoustically behind the speakers.
james63
501 posts
 
I don't think I would pad the wall behind the speakers. The problem is you can only catch some of the frequencies and will most likely change the tonal balance of the speaker (making them seem dull, and bassy). But you could also try diffusors behind the speakers instead of a bare wall and bass traps in the corners. The diffusion may make the time delay longer (a good thing, in moderation) from the direct sound of the speakers and reflected sound off the front wall (behind the speakers) longer.

Does any one know what Magnepan recommends (if anything) behind the speakers?
robr45's avatar
robr45
317 posts
 
I would really look at the new 1.7. Placement and power is everything with these speakers. Get a nice subwoofer or two and a really good amp or two. My opinion is that your room just isn't large enough to support the larger units- and that is okay since the 1.6/7 are so incredible.
jeffkad OP
195 posts
 
Thanks so much for the replies so far. It seems that some are finding success with 3', but others are suggesting less than max performance. Nice to know that James thinks the sweetspot is no smaller than a B&W, since I do have N803's right now, lol.

I am very surprised at the suggestions to drop down as low as the 1.7, as I would have thought that the maggies just get much better across-the-board farther up the ladder. Especially since, at least according to everything I've read, the 3.6 or 20.1 is not in any way a bass-heavy speaker that can overpower a room. I'm willing to pay over 10k for a speaker like the 20.1 and have read that it kills the 3.6 (which is wonderful in it's own right), yet some are recommending the 1.7 like it competes with 10k speakers (box spkrs included). I am really confused by that. I do love the maggie sound, but I can't see a 1.7 competing at 5x over it's head. Help me out here, what am I missing?

My other option for the open airy sound might be open baffle like a Legacy Whisper or a NOLA Ref3 or Micro, but the palpable presrence of that maggie sound is undeniable, dynamic shortcomings noted.

Keep those thoughts coming. Much appreciated.
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