Beam Me Up: Trip To Magnepan

SteveFord · « **on:** 21 Jan 2013, 05:52 pm »

It looks like I'll be taking a trip up to Magnepan sooner or later.
They foolishly invited the world's nosiest person, me.
I'm really curious to see what they're up to; for the longest time it seemed like they were just kind of coasting along but the past year or two has seen a real flurry of new products. They've been busy beavers up there in the great white north when nobody was looking.
I have my own batch of impertinent questions but I'll be happy to ask any that the membership here would care to post.
Like, what have you done with Iverna or whatever that model's name is who posed with the 1.7s, etc.
Let me know, please, and I will do my best to get them answered.

medium jim · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 06:05 pm »

Lucky dog! My only question would be when are they going to make a two way with a true ribbon again, like the 2.5 & 2.6. Some say these were some of the best planars ever, excellent bass (rated at 37hz), to go with the best mid's combined with true ribbons.

Jim

jhm731 · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 07:12 pm »

Please ask them when they're going to make a six panel Tympani with the 20.7's mid/tweeter and push/pull bass panels.

Six 18" x 72" panels will be a lot easier to pack and ship than 29" x 79" monsters.

And please made the crossover external, so you can biamp/triamp.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 08:13 pm »

Quote from: jhm731 on 21 Jan 2013, 07:12 pm

Please ask them when they're going to make a six panel Tympani with the 20.7's mid/tweeter and push/pull bass panels.

Six 18" x 72" panels will be a lot easier to pack and ship than 29" x 79" monsters.

And please made the crossover external, so you can biamp/triamp.

If you have seen the photo of a guy who separated the tweeter line from the rest. it looks SO COOL. a tall narrow strip of wood.. So a three panel with the wide push/pull bass panel, a medium midrange full height mid panel narrower than the bass, and the slim tweet panel.
THAT would look COOL.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 08:55 pm »

I hope it's sooner than later and look forward to your report.

TF1216 · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 09:02 pm »

I live near White Bear Lake, MN. Do the Magnepan folks welcome guests or is it by invitation only?

Ekeman · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 10:16 pm »

Could you ask if they have a forecast date for the release of the new MMG's? I'm ready to buy my first pair of Maggies, and am waiting on the sidelines for the new MMG's, else I might go with the MG-12's.

Thanks!

SteveFord · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 11:34 pm »

It looks like the new MMGs are already being made; I would double check when I place the order just to be on the safe side, though.
If they sound like I think they will those are going to be really something.

What I do know is that swimsuit model girl is not, I repeat, IS NOT at the factory.
She took the money and ran.

The other stuff, I don't know about.

I'd prefer to ride a motorcycle up there but it's 18 degrees out right now. I know, I know, real men RELISH the discomfort...

TitaniumTroy · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 05:20 am »

Does Magnepan have a conventional speaker to use as reference to compare against the Magneplaner sound? If so what brand & model?

Hasse · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 12:54 pm »

I would be curious to hear if Magnepan is using Bryston amps exclusively to voice their speakers?
What happened to the ARC stuff they used to have some years ago?

ajzepp · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 10:40 pm »

I don't have any pressing questions for them, but if you happen to see Jim Winey, please just give him a big high 5 from me

SteveFord · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 12:23 am »

I'm not going anywhere in this weather. My shoe size is larger than the temperature right now.
Why can't they be somewhere sensible like, I dunno, Arizona or Florida?
Hmm, Bruce Thigpen lives in Tallahassee and he makes the world's coolest subwoofer plus planar speakers.
Maybe he'd like to invite me over for a write up on something which can probably shake your house off the foundation and then he could take me on a fishing excursion and gator sighting trip.
Time for the wife and I to hit the road. Next stop, Sunshine State!

Note: I'm the one with the moustache.

jarcher · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 04:01 am »

Aside from hearing about your trip, it would be great to see as many photos as allowed (assuming they allow photography). I'd also be curious about what gear they use in their testing room (i.e. amp / source / etc).

SteveFord · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 10:09 pm »

Me, too!

jhm731 · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 04:54 pm »

Quote from: jarcher on 23 Jan 2013, 04:01 am

Aside from hearing about your trip, it would be great to see as many photos as allowed (assuming they allow photography). I'd also be curious about what gear they use in their testing room (i.e. amp / source / etc).

Here's a picture of their listening room, test gear is discussed in the link below:

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/magnepan_37_tricenter_system.htm

medium jim · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 05:19 pm »

The infamous dungeon!

Jim

SteveFord · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 10:24 pm »

When I sat a DMW on a bar stool and said good enough for government work Wendell mentioned that audiophiles have the strangest tastes in decor (or something along those lines).
Well, he's right. Just look at what they use!
I think it could stand a woman's touch...

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #17 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 10:34 pm »

It appears that the bass panels are in front of the main speaks by a foot. That right? That recommended? Secondly, it appears tho they are firing toward the back wall (?). Comments, please. The CCS is highly regarded by the reviewer. I would consider going that route if the bass of the main panels would be sufficient into my 15'x12'x8' room. Comments, please. Thanks.

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/magnepan_37_tricenter_system.htm

SteveFord · « **Reply #18 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 10:53 pm »

Perhaps for that room that's where they work best and they fire both ways (dipole, don't forget).
I can't comment on the CCR other than to say that I'm told that the CCR is a significant step up from what I'm using (CC5).
I can say that the CC5 makes my vintage MMGs sound kind of mushy by comparison - the CC5 sounds more like the 1.7s.
The amplification could play a part in it as well - Hafler for the MMGs, Bryston for the CC5.
Did you ever go audition the 1.7s like you were talking about?

josh358 · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 Jan 2013, 11:58 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 29 Jan 2013, 10:34 pm

It appears that the bass panels are in front of the main speaks by a foot. That right? That recommended? Secondly, it appears tho they are firing toward the back wall (?). Comments, please. The CCS is highly regarded by the reviewer. I would consider going that route if the bass of the main panels would be sufficient into my 15'x12'x8' room. Comments, please. Thanks.

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/magnepan_37_tricenter_system.htm

Yes, Magnepan's recommendation is that the DWM's be 12" closer to the listener than the mains.

As Steve said, they're dipoles so they can face front or back. It looks like they have jumpers hanging off the speaker, if they're working on an experimental lashup they probably turned them around so they could get easy access to the crossover compartment (normally behind the panel).

Check this out, the DWM on the left is even nakeder. You can see where the crossover components live in the compartment under the diaphragm: