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Maggies with no Sub: Fantastic surprise

OK, I have had Maggies for years, and always had subs with them: Vandersteens, DefTech, Velodyne, JL Audio, Sunfire, SVS Sound, etc...

When using set up software I have measure the lower end to 35 hz consistantly, so then I would take a ton of time and effort placing the subs in the correct spots, and letting the sub or controller (SMS-1) set up the crossover for different locations. I was always looking for that perfect integration for both stereo and LFE effects, so I finally bought a Rel B1 and I am awaiting it's delivery.

In the mean time, I have for the first time ever, been listening to the Maggie 3.6R's without a sub, and I am shocked. My God, there's a lot of bass there. I have a lot of juice going to them (Cary CAD 500 MB's) and Mye Stands, but wow, they really sound great. I'm kind of sorry I bought the Rel now. I think I may just buy a cheap sub for LFE effects on movies and just leave the Maggie's on their own for Stereo.

Anyone else have this experience??

It may all be amp related, but I will now dispute anyone who says Maggies have no low end authority. I am shocked that much of the low end bass I thought was coming from the subs over the years was actually coming from the Maggies!!
macdadtexas
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dogmcd
115 posts
 
Very interesting thread with lots of good food for thought for us Maggie owners. My system is a bit more budget minded with Maggie 1.6's. I also use an Onix Rocket sub. What seems to be the trick with a Magnepan (or just about any other planar for that matter...), is to figure out their roll-off point in your room. You can do this with some test sweeps and an SPL meter, but you'll usually wind up tweaking by ear anyway. I've found in my room that the real trick is letting the 1.6's handle the bass as low as they are capable, no high pass filtering. I run them full range and let the Onix merely reinforce the range from about 40 Hz down. You also need a sub that is very fast, so the acoustic suspension design of the Onix is perfect.

Keep tweaking!
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
Dogmcd states the case very well. Reinforcement is the key word, below 40hz crossover (35hz for my 3.6 r's). I use two subs to smooth out the in room response. Any body here ever try a tube output buffer ala, Grant Audio, Pacific Valve yagin, decware Zbox or Audio horizons 5.0n? Results?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Dogmcd and Dave_b...All speakers, cone or panel, experience increasing distortion before their output rolls off. Indeed, distortion components tend to hold up the measured output level as the fundamental, which is what we care about, rolls off. If you run your main speaker full range you are giving up what many feel is the greatest benefit of SW use...cleaning up the midrange.
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
" If you run your main speaker full range you are giving up what many feel is the greatest benefit of SW use...cleaning up the midrange."

I plug the ports on my Triangle Titus 202s in order to get a smoother integration with the M&K sub I use in that system.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
My ears will bleed before I hear any distortion in my system. The Maggies are about 10ft apart with slight tow in, 49"-50"from front/long wall and my sitting position is roughly 11ft away against the back/long wall. Lots of wood and soft furniture with plants and rug. Currently trying some herbie Audio Labs Tall tenderfeet, an isolator disc, Halo O7 dampers on my IC's and Black Holes on my CD's. I use the Cardas jumper kit wt tweeter attenuaters which removes my crossover from the panels (they are on wood blocks wt brass weights).
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