[Jim Hamley]

All (especially including James Tanner),
I am seriously considering purchasing MG 3.6R speakers and the issue is how to power them.  I currently have an Aragon 8008x3 amp but am thinking of moving to Bryston amps. The manual for the MG 3.6 has a section on bi-amping and recommends the following crossover parameters:
Low Pass: 18dB/octave at 250Hz
High Pass: 6dB/octave at 200Hz.
I called Magnepan and the only crossover they recommend is the Bryston 10B Sub.
I asked whether they recommend biamping and they said they had no opinion on that and do not use bi-amping in their factory.
George Morris wrote an article on bi-amping the MG 3.6R and recommends 12 dB/Octave @ 200 Hz (high pass), 18 db/Octave @ 200 Hz (low pass) saying that bi-amping makes a worthwhile improvement in the sound. (George prefers the Marchand tube crossover.)
So my questions are: 1) biamp or not to biamp?  And 2) which amps to use depending upon the answer to 1).

[James Tanner]

Hi Jim,

We get a lot of calls about Magnepan and the 10B electronic crossover so just last month I did some testing - good timing.

The main thing I have found is that the crossover points and slopes Magnepan recommends (MG3.6 and MG20.1) are based on doing 'electrically' what the speaker network does 'passively'.

I have found that the "flexibility"of the 10B Sub Crossover is the main advantage. The Magnepan uses passive "Butterworth" filter networks (same as the 10B) and if you notice the crossover points are staggered. I have found that depending on the room you may want to adjust slightly the slope and crossover point depending on standing waves within any given room. Usually the Low-pass setting will stay as recommended but the High-pass will vary between 12dB and 6dB as well as the crossover point.

In my room the MG3.6 sounds best with the 10B Sub set at 250Hz/18dB low-pass and 250/6dB high- pass. On the MG20.1 100Hz low-pass 250 Hz/6dB high-pass.

Because the crossover points are low with the Maggies they usually sound better with identical power amplifiers on each of the 4 channels. On the MG3.6 I used 2-3B;s and 2- 4B's on the MG20.1 I used 2-14B's.  My room is 16 feet by 23 feet.

Bi-amping gives the speaker a greater sense of control, improves on the soundstage, better dynamics and better 'micro-level' detail IMO. The ability to go "ACTIVE" is rare these days and once you hear what a good active speaker can do it is hard to go back.

Hope this helps.

james

[BMU (Bryston Maggie User)]

I am also thinking of going the active route with Maggie 1.6's.

Anyone have any experience using a 10B or 10B sub to actively bi-amp the panels of 1.6's?



I am currently using 4 x 3B-ST channels in a 9B-ST to passive bi-amp my 1.6's.

Thanks

Alex

[James Tanner]

I am also thinking of going the active route with Maggie 1.6's.

Anyone have any experience using a 10B or 10B sub to actively bi-amp the panels of 1.6's?



I am currently using 4 x 3B-ST channels in a 9B-ST to passive bi-amp my 1.6's.

Thanks

Alex

Hi Alex,

I do not think you can bypass the Passive crossover in the MG-1.6's- check with Magnepan to be sure.

james

[BMU (Bryston Maggie User)]

James,

You're correct... the passive crossover in the 1.6QR's cannot be bypassed without physically "modifying" the speaker.

I guess this should have been obvious to me...

I'm still fascinated with the potential of active speakers... maybe someday Magnepan will make a bi-ampable model like the 3.6R's but in the similar size as the 1.6's.

[James Tanner]

James,

You're correct... the passive crossover in the 1.6QR's cannot be bypassed without physically "modifying" the speaker.

I guess this should have been obvious to me...

I'm still fascinated with the potential of active speakers... maybe someday Magnepan will make a bi-ampable model like the 3.6R's but in the similar size as the 1.6's.

Hi,

Last week I set up a pair of MG1.6's in a small room (13 x 11) with the speakers on the long wall. I can not believe how good it sounds - absolutely disappears.

james

[Jimf42]

Although I am late to the topic...i recently acquired a 10B to use with MGIIIas and Bryston 3Bs...the manual for the MGIIIa gives settings for the crossover...any suggestions

it states ..  -3db at 300hz at 18b per octave for low pass
                   -3db at 500hz at 12db per octave for high pass


The Bryston has a detent for setting at 450hz, but not 500...I would guess that is close enough?

[Jimf42]

james,

I finally got my 10B back from a full overhaul and set it up per the manual specs...I would say the bass is overemphasized, if anything...(I was surprised to get so much bass from the MGIIIa) Much more bass than I got using the X0-1s.  I turned up the high pass gain from -3 to 0 and that helped quite a bit. I will also try your settings and see how they sound.  I am using two Bryston 3bs.


thanks,

Jim

Hi Jim,

We get a lot of calls about Magnepan and the 10B electronic crossover so just last month I did some testing - good timing.

The main thing I have found is that the crossover points and slopes Magnepan recommends (MG3.6 and MG20.1) are based on doing 'electrically' what the speaker network does 'passively'.

I have found that the "flexibility"of the 10B Sub Crossover is the main advantage. The Magnepan uses passive "Butterworth" filter networks (same as the 10B) and if you notice the crossover points are staggered. I have found that depending on the room you may want to adjust slightly the slope and crossover point depending on standing waves within any given room. Usually the Low-pass setting will stay as recommended but the High-pass will vary between 12dB and 6dB as well as the crossover point.

In my room the MG3.6 sounds best with the 10B Sub set at 250Hz/18dB low-pass and 250/6dB high- pass. On the MG20.1 100Hz low-pass 250 Hz/6dB high-pass.

Because the crossover points are low with the Maggies they usually sound better with identical power amplifiers on each of the 4 channels. On the MG3.6 I used 2-3B;s and 2- 4B's on the MG20.1 I used 2-14B's.  My room is 16 feet by 23 feet.

Bi-amping gives the speaker a greater sense of control, improves on the soundstage, better dynamics and better 'micro-level' detail IMO. The ability to go "ACTIVE" is rare these days and once you hear what a good active speaker can do it is hard to go back.

Hope this helps.

james

[Jimf42]

I tried using your settings for the MG3.6 and the settings work very well.  I set the high pass gain at -1 .

I still need to do some more serious listening to dial it all in.

thanks for the tip!

[Roger Gustavsson]

Much more bass than I got using the X0-1s.

As the XO-1 need to have the passive low pass filter in series with the bass drivers, the level of the bass will increase by 1 dB or even more without the series resistance of the coils.

[Roger Gustavsson]

I correct myself. The level increases by 1.6 dB without the low pass crossover.

[Jimf42]

I was surprised at the improvement in the bass... prior to putting in the 10B, I was thinking of a DWM or a sub...now, it is clear that those are not necessary.  And the high pass response was not negatively affected.