AudioCircle

Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Planar Circle => Topic started by: miatadan on 12 Jun 2019, 05:02 am

Title: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: miatadan on 12 Jun 2019, 05:02 am
I ordered a pair of LRS in gray...

I have a pair of destroyed/broken MG1.7i from break in of my home last Sept.

One problem I had with the MG1.7i was the sound stage and imaging due to width of room is just 9 feet. Length not a issue with having 20 feet. With the MG1.7i distance between them was only 3 feet with power amp located between them.
pic attached shows issue for width of room

For amplification new McIntosh C70 tube preamp and McIntosh MC312 power amplifier - kind of overkill for the LRS ?
Can I expect these LRS to sound good in this room?

(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=195472)
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: SteveFord on 12 Jun 2019, 09:14 am
I think you'll be more successful with the smaller ones and no, I don't think that's overkill.
I hooked up MMGs to my big system for the fun of it one day and they sounded great!
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Letitroll98 on 12 Jun 2019, 12:20 pm
+1, I had Hypex N-core monos hooked up to my modded MMGs cranked up to ear splitting levels in a small room and had no problems, sounded great
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: rollo on 12 Jun 2019, 01:58 pm
  With 9' width you should be a happy camper. Not overkill at all. You may need a small sub though. Think used Sunfire.


charles
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Freo-1 on 12 Jun 2019, 10:10 pm

My approach is one can never have too much power with amps, so no worries with overkill. 


I would look at a pair of SVS subs to mate with the speakers.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: AvsFan on 19 Jun 2019, 02:34 pm
My room is exactly the same width as yours, 9 feet. I don't have nearly as much length though at 12 feet. My LRS's are 46inches off the back wall and 38 inches apart from edge to edge of speaker.

I think the LRS's are a perfect size for this room as I am having no issues with sound stage or imaging. They sound GREAT! 

And is your McIntosh overkill for the LRS's?
ABSOLUTELY! NOT!  :D
From everything I have been told and have heard, the LRS's thrive on power. So the more quality watts, the merrier. And with your 312, those are quality watts. I am powering mine with 80 watts per channel right now and it is not enough. The amp I am buying for my Maggie's is rated at 450 watts per channel at 4ohms. More power equals happy Maggie's!  :D

I think you will be quite pleased with them in your room. They absolutely need help on the low end though. The bass the LRS's have is musical, defined, articulate, fast but a little lean.

Get yourself one or two quality musical subs that move fast enough to keep up with the Maggie's speed. I have narrowed my two choices to either the REL T5i or Rythmik L12. X2 on both. Will load the subs in the corners of my room.

Here is a picture of my LRS's.


(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=195712)






 
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: AvsFan on 19 Jun 2019, 02:46 pm
My approach is one can never have too much power with amps, so no worries with overkill. 


I would look at a pair of SVS subs to mate with the speakers.

Never too much power is correct.

I have owned MANY, many subs from SVS. In fact Ron Stimpson and I developed quite a good relationship over the years due to him living in he same city as I do. He gave me prototype subs out of his own theater.
Anyway, my take on SVS subs, GREAT for home theater! Few subs top them in that department but I have never enjoyed them for two channel music.
I keep trying though and my opinion remains the same.
With lightning quick speakers like the Maggie's, you want lightning quick subs. As above I am mating mine to the REL's or servo controlled Rythmiks.
Heck, even the two RSL Speedwoofer 10S's that are in my home theater system with my ZU Audio speakers are lightning quick. Best musical subs I have ever owned. I might just try another pair of those with the Maggie's, at $399 a piece, they are an absolute steal!
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Freo-1 on 19 Jun 2019, 03:27 pm
These subwoofers look like they could work with music just fine...


https://www.svsound.com/pages/16-ultra-series (https://www.svsound.com/pages/16-ultra-series)


I have owned a few servo subwoofers, and my experience is that they tended to sound as if they were just reproducing a single deep note.  There was a lack of definition with the bass octave. Granted, room interaction can by VERY challenging to overcome, which is why I recommended one with DSP to help tame the room interaction. 


Personally, I found it easier to just get a good pair of floor standing speakers that can get down into the low 20's for bass response.  If they are teamed up with an amp that has a high damping factor and low impedance, one can achieve both the low frequency extension and still get good definition from the bass.   


In this case, a pair of subwoofers properly integrated is what the OP is after, which should achieve excellent sound. 
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: rollo on 19 Jun 2019, 03:29 pm
  SVS, Rythmic, Sunfire are all wonderful choices. for Maggies. Whatever you choose you should be quite satisfied.


charles
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: AvsFan on 19 Jun 2019, 05:01 pm
These subwoofers look like they could work with music just fine...


https://www.svsound.com/pages/16-ultra-series (https://www.svsound.com/pages/16-ultra-series)


I have owned a few servo subwoofers, and my experience is that they tended to sound as if they were just reproducing a single deep note.  There was a lack of definition with the bass octave. Granted, room interaction can by VERY challenging to overcome, which is why I recommended one with DSP to help tame the room interaction. 

Thanks for the info. I already know I like the sound of the RSL's, I might as well stay with what I know and get a second pair for the Maggie's and save myself a lot of money.
$800 for a pair of high quality subs is theft!  :)

Personally, I found it easier to just get a good pair of floor standing speakers that can get down into the low 20's for bass response.  If they are teamed up with an amp that has a high damping factor and low impedance, one can achieve both the low frequency extension and still get good definition from the bass.   


In this case, a pair of subwoofers properly integrated is what the OP is after, which should achieve excellent sound.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: AvsFan on 19 Jun 2019, 05:03 pm
I don't know how I got my reply mixed in with your reply but you get it. LOL
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: miatadan on 19 Jun 2019, 05:18 pm
Will be ordering another pair of Magnepan MG1.7i as moving in few months, new home....living room 14 ft wide 22 ft length

cancelled the LRS as new room more suitable for larger panels

thanks for the replies

Dan
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: AvsFan on 19 Jun 2019, 05:29 pm
A little more info on the REL T5i

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/rel-t5i-vs-rel-t5-my-opinion.656659/

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-rel-t5i-anyone-heard-them
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: johnto on 20 Jun 2019, 11:34 am
14X22 you would even be able to get a pair of 3.7i in there if funding permits. What ever you decide I sure you're going to enjoy.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: rollo on 20 Jun 2019, 03:29 pm
14X22 you would even be able to get a pair of 3.7i in there if funding permits. What ever you decide I sure you're going to enjoy.


 Yup 3.7i for that room. save your pennies.  :)

charles
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: miatadan on 20 Jun 2019, 09:57 pm

 Yup 3.7i for that room. save your pennies.  :)

charles

Was thinking that too as well as long as McIntosh MC312 has enough power.

Dan
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: SteveFord on 20 Jun 2019, 11:30 pm
I think you'll be all right.
The 1.7s will be dwarfed in that room.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Elizabeth on 21 Jun 2019, 01:38 am
I say do what you, the op here, actually wants to do. Instead of what the crowd wants you to do. 
They are not paying the bill, They are not listening to it.
Only you.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: steve k on 21 Jun 2019, 03:41 am
+1
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: avta on 21 Jun 2019, 03:59 am
Wise advice Elizabeth
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: rollo on 21 Jun 2019, 02:21 pm
Was thinking that too as well as long as McIntosh MC312 has enough power.

Dan

  Your room would suit the 3.7i very well. Of course your money and choice no one suggested otherwise. It is only talk for goodness sake.


charles
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: johnto on 21 Jun 2019, 02:44 pm
Agreed just trying to pass on some info the op may find useful before making a decision.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: SteveFord on 22 Jun 2019, 12:14 am
Having tried my 1.7s in a larger room I can speak from first hand experience.
You have to size the speakers for the room and remember, the larger the speaker the greater the resolution.
Translation: what sounds just fine with the smaller ones won't work out too well as you go up the ladder.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: SteveFord on 22 Jun 2019, 09:46 am
I also have first hand experience with speakers that are too large for a room!
I did have fun trying to make the 20.7s work, though.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Elizabeth on 22 Jun 2019, 02:26 pm
I am really happy with my 20.7s in the small(ish) room I have.
The wall the 20.7s are near is only 11' 8" wide. The room is 11' 8" wide by 26'/27' long. 8' ceilings
Considering I am stuck with a huge (almost 9' wide) picture window behind the speakers... The sound is pretty balanced. (well, I like treble sparkle.. LOL)
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: rollo on 22 Jun 2019, 05:54 pm
  One can squeeze any speaker in a room and be happy until they hear same in properly sized room and be happier. I did it with my Pipedreams for years. Room was OK but just too small for Pipes. When I heard same in larger room I knew then what I was missing. Until that day I would have still been happy with previous set up but after change much happier. Size matters.

charles
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: SteveFord on 22 Jun 2019, 09:00 pm
Elizabeth,
What did it for you is the length of the room.
I needed another 6' so off they went. 
Maybe someday after I retire I'll be able to give them another go.
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: Elizabeth on 22 Jun 2019, 10:18 pm
Elizabeth,
What did it for you is the length of the room.
I needed another 6' so off they went. 
Maybe someday after I retire I'll be able to give them another go.
Yeah.. current place now 12 years plus. The 'living room' is kind of merged into the hall to front door, with a closet between the hall and the kitchen which is two feet deeper past the 3 ft width of the dual closet (one face hall, one faces kitchen space) The bulge of the closet is directly behind the middle of the listening space.
The kitchen opens a bit further to the left behind (along with the hall to the bed and bath rooms.) but that is really not too important since that is already ten feet back from the speakers, and the left living room wall extends three feet back of my listening position, which is right in the middle of the whole space. One big plus is the whole building is really quiet. all old codgers. One way I can tell if the bass is too loud is in the bathroom, which is far enough away to develop low tones rather well. If no rumble or boom boom in there.. no sweat, the bass tones are not going into others apartments. A few years ago I asked he manager is any complaints, and he said no one ever said anything, and he himself never heard anything, when passing my door either. So I feel pretty good about keeping it toned down

My last apartment (17 years) was very similar, except the kitchen was directly behind the living room, and only had a partial low wall separating it from living room, so that too made that room bigger being able to use the kitchen space as if part of the listening area. In that apt I sat close in front of the little wall so the chair back was pretty much right at it. That was when I was younger, and I blasted music some times, and so did others...
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: miatadan on 25 Jun 2019, 12:42 am
see this review:
https://novo.press/mcintosh-labs-mc312-power-amplifier-review-one-of-the-best-amplifiers-of-2019/

This is why I thought getting another pair of Magnepan MG1.7i.

Just never had the MG3.7i and larger to compare.

Will not know for about a month actual room size. Worried that moving from private detached home to apartment means not being able to play music at louder volumes.

Apartment unit will be on main floor at one end of building with laundry room across from hallway with office next to my unit.

Dan
Title: Re: overkill for Magnepan LRS?
Post by: johnto on 25 Jun 2019, 01:08 am
I will depend on the volume you like and how good the soundproofing betwern units is. The good thing with Maggie's is you can go with or without a sub or adjust the sub volume when using.