Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…

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Saturn94

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Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« on: 17 Jun 2022, 02:51 am »
I took delivery of my LRS in October 2019.  I had read that tweeters out gives a wider soundstage and tweeters in gives more focus.  Being a soundstage fanatic, I opted for tweeters out from day one.

I’ve occasionally wondered what they would sound like tweeters in, so today I finally gave it a try; tweeters in with aggressive toe in to keep the tweeter panel a little further from the listening position than the mid/bass panel as recommended by Magnepan.  I kept them spaced pretty wide, pretty much forming an equilateral triangle with the main listening position.

To my surprise, I got both a wide soundstage and more focus, as well more depth.  I expected more focus, but thought the soundstage would shrink a bit.  Also, with the aggressive toe in, it sounds like I’m getting a little smoother treble response.  Perhaps I’m not getting as much treble energy reflecting of the 60” TV in between?

What’s been your experience with tweeters out vs in?
« Last Edit: 17 Jun 2022, 11:50 am by Saturn94 »

SteveFord

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #1 on: 17 Jun 2022, 07:43 am »
I don't have a wide enough room for the tweeters in so went back to tweeters out.
If the room was wider I'd be going tweeters on the inside.

Letitroll98

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #2 on: 17 Jun 2022, 10:25 am »
I suspect the radical toe in had more to do with the results than having the tweeters in or out.  To be sure you'd have to align the panels as they were previously but leave the tweeters on the inside, and then move the tweeters to the outside with the radical toe in.  I don't believe I ever stopped playing with placement with my modded MMGs until I sold them.

Elizabeth

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #3 on: 17 Jun 2022, 03:10 pm »
I agree the toe-in is the reason.
My listening room is not very wide, but I am 100% for Tweeters in.
I worked on the speaker position back when I had 3.6's and now the same position with my 20.7s. So much so I have the exact distances from side and back for each edge. So If I move them I can get them back exactly.
I also have a strong Toe in on my big Maggies.

Saturn94

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #4 on: 17 Jun 2022, 04:11 pm »
I don't have a wide enough room for the tweeters in so went back to tweeters out.
If the room was wider I'd be going tweeters on the inside.

Being a living area (no dedicated space available ☹️), I’m limited to placement along the long wall.  Fortunately, it works great. 😀👍

I suspect the radical toe in had more to do with the results than having the tweeters in or out.  To be sure you'd have to align the panels as they were previously but leave the tweeters on the inside, and then move the tweeters to the outside with the radical toe in.  I don't believe I ever stopped playing with placement with my modded MMGs until I sold them.

With tweeters on the outside, aggressive toe in would place the tweeters closer to the LP than the mid/bass panel.  I know Magnepan doesn’t recommend that (something to do with coherence), so I haven’t tried it.  I’ve toed in as much as the tweeter being 1” farther than the mid/bass panel.

Interestingly, prior conventional speakers I’ve had in this room also worked best in an equilateral triangle and pointed to the main LP.

Toed in the way the are now looks odd, but they certainly don’t sound odd!  I’ll get use to it. 😁






I agree the toe-in is the reason.
My listening room is not very wide, but I am 100% for Tweeters in.
I worked on the speaker position back when I had 3.6's and now the same position with my 20.7s. So much so I have the exact distances from side and back for each edge. So If I move them I can get them back exactly.
I also have a strong Toe in on my big Maggies.

Did you find any difference in soundstage width between out vs in?

Yep, I use tape and record speaker position so I can put them back should they be moved.  They’re a fair bit out into the room so I’ll usually move them back near the wall when we have guests.


Letitroll98

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #5 on: 19 Jun 2022, 09:39 am »

With tweeters on the outside, aggressive toe in would place the tweeters closer to the LP than the mid/bass panel.  I know Magnepan doesn’t recommend that (something to do with coherence), so I haven’t tried it.  I’ve toed in as much as the tweeter being 1” farther than the mid/bass panel.

Interestingly, prior conventional speakers I’ve had in this room also worked best in an equilateral triangle and pointed to the main LP.

Toed in the way the are now looks odd, but they certainly don’t sound odd!  I’ll get use to it.

Whatever you like.  Someday you'll throw away magnapan recommendations and learn what they can do.

SteveFord

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #6 on: 19 Jun 2022, 10:08 am »
Letitroll98,
What did you wind up with?

I took a look around the place and all of the speakers have very little toe-in.
I'm still recovering from two King Crimson double albums last night.
Hope the neighbors enjoyed it, the window was open.

Letitroll98

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #7 on: 19 Jun 2022, 10:53 am »
Letitroll98,
What did you wind up with?

I took a look around the place and all of the speakers have very little toe-in.
I'm still recovering from two King Crimson double albums last night.
Hope the neighbors enjoyed it, the window was open.

The last day I stopped playing with placement was the day I sold them.  The more interesting schemes were the Roose (sic) placement that has the panels facing each other in the middle of the room, easy to find on line.  There's another one named for an Asian gentleman who's name I can't recall, but the panels are placed absolutely dead against the side walls then moved forward and back in some prescribed way until the sound locks in.  Another less radical placement that I used quite a bit was way out in the room, like 50% of the room length, facing straight ahead, and the lp right up against the rear wall.  A homage to the old Audio Physic placement guide.  And all the long wall, short wall variations, tweeters out, tweeters in, every degree of toe in.  With the Meadowlarks that replaced the Maggie's I don't believe I moved them more than once after initial set up.

Elizabeth

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #8 on: 19 Jun 2022, 06:00 pm »
Did you find any difference in soundstage width between out vs in?

I did a bunch of experiments with the 3.6 Maggies. I eventually added a 6"wide Red oak panel to the Bass side. And liked that combo with the Tweeter in. (Placing the extra panel was exactly the same width as full 20.7s.) Since I did that experimenting over eight years ago.. I can't say exactly why I like the Tweeter in better.  I would guess it was more about bass than soundstage.

Later after I got the 20.7s I did a small amount of micro adjustments (all around one inch) with toe in (using female vocals) to lock in the best clarity (IE when I could understand the lyrics the best)
Since then I have not played around with speaker position in any way.

Saturn94

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #9 on: 19 Jun 2022, 10:49 pm »
Whatever you like.  Someday you'll throw away magnapan recommendations and learn what they can do.

I find your comment interesting. 😀👍  Are there any particular Magnepan recommendations you find miss the mark?  I guess one is only limited by imagination when experimenting?

Letitroll98,
What did you wind up with?

I took a look around the place and all of the speakers have very little toe-in.
I'm still recovering from two King Crimson double albums last night.
Hope the neighbors enjoyed it, the window was open.

I’ve noticed the same even with conventional speakers.  I wonder why?  In my setup/room, I’ve always found a good bit of toe in to be a benefit.

The last day I stopped playing with placement was the day I sold them.  The more interesting schemes were the Roose (sic) placement that has the panels facing each other in the middle of the room, easy to find on line.  There's another one named for an Asian gentleman who's name I can't recall, but the panels are placed absolutely dead against the side walls then moved forward and back in some prescribed way until the sound locks in.  Another less radical placement that I used quite a bit was way out in the room, like 50% of the room length, facing straight ahead, and the lp right up against the rear wall.  A homage to the old Audio Physic placement guide.  And all the long wall, short wall variations, tweeters out, tweeters in, every degree of toe in.  With the Meadowlarks that replaced the Maggie's I don't believe I moved them more than once after initial set up.

Are you saying you were never quite satisfied with your Maggies?

Some of those alternate placement schemes sound interesting.

I tend to leave things alone once I find a position that I like.

Letitroll98

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #10 on: 20 Jun 2022, 10:16 am »
I find your comment interesting. 😀👍  Are there any particular Magnepan recommendations you find miss the mark? 

Are you saying you were never quite satisfied with your Maggies?

No, rather that I was open to their expanded opportunities.

Saturn94

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #11 on: 20 Jun 2022, 02:05 pm »
No, rather that I was open to their expanded opportunities.

Cool! 😎👍

BrassEar

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Re: Magnepan LRS; tweeters in vs out…
« Reply #12 on: 29 Oct 2022, 05:19 pm »
Try everything with Maggies.

I have tweeters out and slight toe-in and slight tilt back.