Mind if I join you?

mcgsxr · « **on:** 21 Jul 2015, 06:03 pm »

Have played with lots of different dynamic and OB speakers over the years, but could never shake a moment I experienced around 20 years ago with a big set of Maggies.

Although i am in the middle of a significant renovation at the house, and really do like my Totem Model 1's, when a local set of MMG's came up at an agreeable price, I figured I had to go for it... especially having picked up a Crown XLS1500 recently, I figure I have no excuse NOT to buy these.

Won't be able to hear them for at least another week, but below is a quick shot before I wrapped them up in plastic to keep the drywall dust from settling on them. No work being done in the basement, but the dust gets everywhere eventually.

Best part of this? Burying the cost of speakers in my house reno!

SteveFord · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Jul 2015, 08:54 pm »

It's about time, I've been tired of leaving the porch light on.

ajzepp · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Jul 2015, 04:30 am »

Totems and Maggies...can't go wrong!

Congrats on joining the club...Maggies changed my life

steve f · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Jul 2015, 06:02 am »

Come on in, the water's fine.

Jazzman53 · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Jul 2015, 08:59 am »

Planars are addicting!

mcgsxr · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Jul 2015, 12:38 pm »

Thanks boys, been a long time coming for sure.

Like any good audio nut, I could not wait.

I have begun experimenting with placement, and can tell already that these will require commitment to exact their best.

I will install carpet friendly feet on both couches in the family room section of the basement so I can move stuff into the ideal listening arrangement, but easily return it to "normal" for family movie night or pool playing time.

I currently have these 30 inches off the front wall, 5.5 feet apart, and am about 9 feet from them. That only requires moving 2 tables, a couch, a loveseat and the listening chair...

I will be able to move it all out of the way to try 4-4.5 feet off the front wall in time, but cannot during the madness that is going on all through the house due to a water leak and subsequent repairs.

Listening to these vs the Totems is interesting. I will give them some more time, but this is a very different kind of presentation, and I want to learn more about it before suggesting what those differences are.

It will also take a little time to dial in the sub amp and Crown gain to ideally get this working.

Good fun so far!

mcgsxr · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jul 2015, 01:38 pm »

Here is what the MMG's look like properly setup. 36 inches off the front wall, 27 inches off the one wall on the right.

Had to put slider feet on the couch and loveseat so i can slide them out of the way for more serious listening.

brooklyn · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jul 2015, 03:24 pm »

You just can’t go wrong with a pair of MMG’s properly set up. Enjoy..

mcgsxr · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 12:49 pm »

Further experimentation with placement leads me to find that the best position for me is 24 inches off the right wall, 29 inches off the front wall, speakers 7 feet apart, listening chair 8 feet from the speakers, and significant toe in.

I will drop a few pieces of tape on the floor to mark their ideal location, so i can return to this setup when I can do serious listening.

Good stuff.

steve f · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 02:23 pm »

@mcgsxr,
I see in your pics that you also run a home theater set up. Have you had the need to relocate your sub(s) when using the mmgs?
steve

mcgsxr · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 05:43 pm »

Good eye.

There are actually 2 subs. One for each system. They are totally separate, sharing only the room. There is a media closet in the back of the room where all the HT gear lives. I will move the 2 channel gear into that room in time. I just need to run another set of in wall speaker cables. I installed a conduit during the build of the room, so I just need to take down the TV to do so when the time comes.

The beige grill cloth on the wall beside the white built in houses my HT only sub. It is a large DIY 2x12 woofer job that I buried inside the wall during the construction of the space 2-3 years ago. Super effective for HT, it really fills the room nicely. It CAN play OK as a music sub too, but with the fixed location it is not ideal.

The black box on the right hand side is my music only sub. I have shifted it around some, but find that simply turning it to fire in the same direction as the MMG's does the trick. When I use the Totem Model 1's I fire the sub across the room.

I am still tuning in the Xover and volume for the music sub, but got very close last night.

twitch54 · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 08:14 pm »

Looking good ! Maggies continue to represent one of if not the best value in speakers I know of ……...

simoon · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 08:48 pm »

Looks good.

If you DIY a bit, build some stands for those puppies, and you will notice a big improvement.

Better detail, more focused image, tighter bass/midbass.

Something like this (these aren't mine):

Wood works equally well.

I built something similar out of wood for some MGIIIa I picked up recently. Cost me about $60, but the improvement was worth 10X that investment.

Ron D · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jul 2015, 09:59 pm »

Looks very nice!

I've owned a variety of both dynamic (boxes) and Maggie models over the years with my first real serious system in the 80's being a TT into a Bryston 0.5B preamp/3B combo into SMGAs and it was the most fun system I think I've ever owned.

If one has the room to let them breathe, even if it means moving them into a decent location when they are used, those MMGs are a super bang for the buck speaker.

ajzepp · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Jul 2015, 06:59 am »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 23 Jul 2015, 01:38 pm

Here is what the MMG's look like properly setup. 36 inches off the front wall, 27 inches off the one wall on the right.

Had to put slider feet on the couch and loveseat so i can slide them out of the way for more serious listening.

That's so beautiful I can actually hear them playing through the picture

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Jul 2015, 12:21 pm »

And to throw another wrench in the mix, try the tweeter array on the outside. Wider soundstage, less precise imaging. Seems to be equal numbers on each side of the inside or outside fence. I went both ways, changing when I got bored with one presentation.

newzooreview · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Jul 2015, 05:11 pm »

Quote from: ajzepp on 25 Jul 2015, 06:59 am

That's so beautiful I can actually hear them playing through the picture

I find that with mine I like the Eeyore blanket for older recordings and Tigger for metal and pop. Piglet sounds sweet, but the soundstage is smaller.

ajzepp · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Jul 2015, 01:15 pm »

Quote from: newzooreview on 25 Jul 2015, 05:11 pm

I find that with mine I like the Eeyore blanket for older recordings and Tigger for metal and pop. Piglet sounds sweet, but the soundstage is smaller.

lol nice

mcgsxr · « **Reply #18 on:** 29 Jul 2015, 03:15 pm »

Free "acoustic treatments" are the life of a father of 2 girls. You should see the pink housecoat I toss over the listening chair since it is above my ears!

Enjoying the MMG's. Selling my Totems. There is a set of 1.6QR's locally.

Must....resist....upgrading!

ajzepp · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Jul 2015, 03:25 am »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 29 Jul 2015, 03:15 pm

Free "acoustic treatments" are the life of a father of 2 girls. You should see the pink housecoat I toss over the listening chair since it is above my ears!

Enjoying the MMG's. Selling my Totems. There is a set of 1.6QR's locally.

Must....resist....upgrading!

The MMGs are great...I loved my two years with them. But the 1.6s are soooooo sweeeeet