[BikeFi10]

We know Magnepans are not great rock speakers, but are they bad or are most rock recordings not so great?
This has become more appearent as Ive upgraded my system and it is more transparent.
Recordings by Norah Jones, Iron&Wine, Jars of Clay, Analog Production pressings and even Steely Dan or Radiohead sound great on my 1.7i s.
With some ablums that have a mix of rock and soft music, many times the softer songs will sound pretty good, but a ripping lead guitar, crashing symbols and intense rock vocal will not sound good even though its the same record. Ex. Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Led Zepplin.
My pre amp has attenuation for treble at 2khz or 8khz. I have to decrease this to tolerate some of the just mentioned rock music.
Lastly, this occurs with records, cds and Quboz hi rez files.
Open to suggestions, comments.

[Mike-48]

Many recordings -- of all kinds -- have odd frequency response. If you Google, you'll find EQ guidelines for recording and mastering that will make any audiophile's hair stand on end. Things like killing the upper or lower ranges of one instrument to "make room" for another instrument with overlapping range. While this sort of thing may sound great on a cheap setup, it can never sound natural.

The classic BBC loudspeakers mostly have a few dB recession in the area you mentioned, to relieve the seeming over-presence of the 2-6 kHz range. Whether one hears it because of mastering choices or some unknown psychoacoustic phenomenon, I don't know.

I have the technology to measure my system, which around the listening chair is flat through that range (and beyond). Still, I sometimes find it helpful to put a dip there with EQ, as it makes many recordings more listenable. For example, I like classical piano recordings, many (not all) of which sound flatter with such a dip. Many pop records also benefit.

So I don't think it's the Maggies specifically; it's something to do with reproduction of recorded sound as equalized by the people who made it. It may have something to do with your equipment, but I lean the other way.

[JakeJ]

Please tell us what the rest of the system consists of and the sixe of the room.  It will help us give you better advice.

[richidoo]

I saw a recent utoob vid which showed FR of 3.7i. Let’s just say it was not very flat.

If 1.7 has similarly unflat FR and you’re hearing tonal aberrations on multiple albums which could be easily be caused by speaker FR, then it might be worth the investment to measure them to know for sure. OmniMic is easy to use and relatively cheap for simple FR measurements.

Unflat speaker FR makes some tracks sound better than they really are while making other tracks sound worse than they really are. I had a full range single driver speaker that was like that. I was pretty surprised (and relieved) when I finally measured it. 

[artur9]

I think John Atkinson of Stereophile said that planar speakers like Magnepan have to be measured differently than cone speakers.  That difference makes the "normal" measurements for such speakers look terrible.

[HAL]

Yes, if someone is measuring a speaker that is like a line array, then a 1 meter on axis measurement does not tell the response of the speaker correctly.  The measurement mic needs to be at least the height of the array away for it to be at place to see the entire array.  A planar speaker like a Magnepan is like a line array style.

[BikeFi10]

Sounds like FR measurements are recommended.
 What are your suggestions for a low cost device? My musician wife has a good quality digital recorder with built in mic as well as a good quality vocal mic. I wonder if these can be a good mic source? Are there any free apps that are worthwhile?

If I find big deviation in FR, are room treatments the solution and or tweaking eq attenuators on pre amp?
I admit my listening room could use treatments. Its 19×30×8.
Big rug on vinyl planking, big cushy leather couch & love seat. Speakers 4' from front wall, 5 ' from sides. Lattice behind 1.7i s for a poor mans diffuser and some styrofoam panels againest a side wall without couch. Real diffusers are planned this year.

[HAL]

If you have a cell phone or PC with a 3.5mm TRRS connector, you can use a Dayton Audio iMM-6 calibrated mic for under $20. 

Room EQ Wizard is a really good way to measure a room and will run on a PC/MAC.  Other apps will work on the cell phone.

[BikeFi10]

HAL- everytime I see your profile pic, I feel like your watching me, Lol. Awesume movie! My black 1.7i s  remind me of the Monolith.
Appearently this special mic is needed for eq software. Surprisingly cheap.

[HAL]

HAL- everytime I see your profile pic, I feel like your watching me, Lol. Awesume movie! My black 1.7i s  remind me of the Monolith.
Appearently this special mic is needed for eq software. Surprisingly cheap.

Yes, 2001: A Space Odessey.  Big Arthur C Clarke fan.

A calibrated mic like the iMM-6 works with the calibration data you can download from the website and get an accurate measurement in dBSPL.  At that price is the least expensive I have found for use with programs.  The limitation is that it's connector is a 3.5mm TRRS like iPhones and Android used in previous generations.  A lot of PC's still have them, so with an extension TRRS cable would work. 

If not there are other calibrated mics out there at higher prices, but usually need either a USB or more extensive mic preamp with phantom power to work with the software.