Maggies, VMPS, Gallo, Alon

Mike D · « **on:** 22 Jul 2004, 08:04 pm »

I'm stuck in a Master's degree course. To let you know how mind-numbingly boring this is, I've logged in 6 hours of speaker shopping/research since 8:15 AM!

Since then I've narrowed my search to the following speakers to mate with my Rogue M150 amps (150 ultralinear 85 triode):

Maggie 1.6 or if I can find a great deal, 3.6
VMPS any. I am confused as to what I would want.
Anthony Gallo 3 (the new, open air drivers with the 300 degree tweeter)
Alon Lotus Elite if I can find a great deal

After hearing Steve K's Maggie 12's with my Rogues, I'm really considering the maggies even more. The spl is limited however with my 85 watts (I prefer the triode mode even though I lose some power). Steve's MG12 are the same rating as the 1.6 and 3.6... they are all low. Will the spl capabilities differ between different models sith similar specs?

Please feel free to give me all of the information you have. The teacher is lecturing right now and I am looking right at her. If I had a fork, I'd consider jamming it in my eye just to see if the goo that comes out would be clear or red.

Of course, I'd only get to do it once... if I did it to both eyes, I wouldn't be able to see. My third eye has been blind since birth.

steve k · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Jul 2004, 09:18 pm »

Please don't jam a fork in your eye, Mike!

You might fail the class then! What we need is one of our gas gang to buy 1.6's so you can try them out. Seems to me Brad was talking about that recently.

Earth to Brad; Come in Brad, over; did you buy your 1.6's yet???

Thom Palazzola had a pair of 3.6's and 1.6's when he closed up shop. Maybe he has a pair of each you can take a spin with? I'm not sure how to get ahold of Thom.

Scott, can you help?
steve

Mike D · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 12:11 am »

Where is Thom's store? I forgot the name of it too. About 6 years or so ago I was there with my brother. My brother would have bought a pair of 1.6s but there were none in the store on that day. When he got home he found a killer deal on an older pair of Snell type D speakers that he is very happy with. Odds are he would have been even happier with the Maggies.

John Casler · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 12:14 am »

Hi Mike,

I am a VMPS dealer so you can guess which one I'd ultimatley prefer, but you have in diverse line up here and this is what I think is interesting.

You have chosen a selection of speakers that have a very broad degree of room interactions. It is almost a perfect sliding scale and the one you select might be based on your preferences to those interactions.

At one end of the scale is the Maggie. Being a dipolar radiator it certainly will offer the "airiest" presentation based on the interactive properties of the rear wave.

Then you have the Alon, which is much like the old Dahlquist DQ10s, which have open back drivers which also have some room interaction, but less than the Maggies.

Then you have the Gallo, which has a 300 degree tweeter, which still has a high degree of interaction but more of it is in the treble region, than the midrange, then you have side firing bass which then gives you your Lower Frequencies in a "non-direct" manner.

And then at the other end of the spectrum you have the VMPS ribbons with limited dispersion and interaction of highs and MR.

All four, very different presentations and all four, from what I have heard, fill the listening preferences of many.

Each would require a different "set up" and room to give you the sound you might want.

Scott F. · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 02:16 am »

Quote from: steve k

Thom Palazzola had a pair of 3.6's and 1.6's when he closed up shop. Maybe he has a pair of each you can take a spin with? I'm not sure how to get ahold of Thom.

Scott, can you help?

Sure,

Mike, give me a buzz on my cell phone and I'll give you Thoms number. We're off to the Gulf then New Orleans for a week or so but I'll have my phone with me. Give me a ring.

bmed · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 01:10 pm »

Still no maggies for me. I have a co-worker originially from England. He has a pair of speakers that "are incredibly thin, about yea-high, something like electrostat or something, never been out of the box. Probably 20 years old. If you could use them, your welcome to them."

Sure I can use them. I'm thinking these are Quads by his description, especially since they were purchased in England. I'm dropping by his place this weekend hopefully to take possession. The Maggies may wait if these are the what I think they are.. Lucky me!

Brad

Mike D · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 01:18 pm »

Brad

How 'bout this? If they are AWESOME, I get them. If they are just okay or good, you can have them.

Happy day for you

Mike D · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 01:40 pm »

Does anyone have any experience with line array speakers? The Selah Audio Xarry has 6 - 7" Vifa drivers and 6 Fountek ribbons. They are expensive, but very interesting. $2,800 for the kit and 4,500 assembled.

JoshK · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 02:31 pm »

I would also mention that a lot depends upon what you are looking for. Many prior maggie owners that change to box speakers decided that they wanted more punch, those that went the other way often claim to be looking for less of a box sound and more open, airy mids and highs. VMPS speakers I wouldn't describe as 'airy' but they do have the transparency of maggies while giving some low end punch. What matters to you?

Mike D · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 04:52 pm »

Thanks for the question. My goal for my audio hot tub is imaging, frequency balance (bass not a priority), and dynamics. I'd like to find a speaker that dissappers like the MG12s I heard at a friend's house with the excitement, power, speed, detail, dynamics, and wwwwwiiiiiiiddddtttthhhhh of sound that I can get from my Hales and have heard from Thiels. However, even all of those great qualities seem to fall short when the music comes to life without being able to locate the sources (like the maggies). I understand there are trade offs to most speakers, but are there any speakers that do not have trades offs as extreme as described above?

I have a sub so a Line Source array may be the ticket. The treble emphasis that seems to exist based on the specs might be tamed by using my mullard tubes. The base would be achieved through the Legacy sub.

Where can I hear a line source speaker?

zybar · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:04 pm »

RM 40's

I have a wall of sound that is detailed, dynamic, and musical. The speakers disappear very well (at least musically).

As you can see from this pic, they can be a little imposing:

I used to own Maggies 2.7 and auditioned 1.6 and 3.6. Although there is something special about what Maggies do, I find the RM 40's a more complete speaker. They are also very tunable )which can be a VERY big positive or a big hassle depending on what type of person you are).

George

electricbear · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:25 pm »

Thom has several pairs of speakers ( I'm not sure what models) over with Zaw at Alphatech. Zaw has a couple of rooms upstairs with demo, consignment, and Thoms old stock. I don't have the phone no to hand but I'm sure it's in the yellow pages. Interestingly enough one of the rooms was the recording studio used by Uriah Heep.

Mathew_M · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:35 pm »

That's an awesome setup you got there Zybar. What amps are you using to drive the 40's? They're not tubes by any chance? If so how do you like them for integration in your home theater?

zybar · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:47 pm »

Quote from: Mathew_M

That's an awesome setup you got there Zybar. What amps are you using to drive the 40's? They're not tubes by any chance? If so how do you like them for integration in your home theater?

Thanks for the compliment.

They are Rowland 201 mono blocks. They output 500watts into 4 ohms and stay ICE (

) cold. I feel they are one of the best amps out on the market right now. To my ears they have no grain or glare that I hear in other ss amps I have tried (Pass x350 and x350) and they are "almost" as liquid sounding as a good tube amp.

The only negative is that they aren't cheap $4700 list. But they do come from a company with excellent customer service and you know Rowland is going to be around a few years from now.

George

Mathew_M · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:47 pm »

Mike,

My 626R's sounded pretty good with Steve's VTL's driving them. Better holographic imaging with an overall more smooth presentation than when we heard them at Scott's place. Might just be the difference in rooms though. Scott's Radii were pretty musical driving them IMO.

I read that PJ (who now lives in StL) is interested in buying a pair of rm30's so there's a chance to hear those too.

steve k · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 02:03 pm »

Hey Brad,
If those are Quads you are one lucky dawg! I heard the Quad 57's when I bought my VTL's. The seller was using the VTL's to drive his Quad 57's and the sound was magical. If you get them, why don't you haul them down here next Saturday for a spin, hmmmm????

Good luck!
steve

bmed · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 06:50 pm »

Steve,

I'll see what I can do. I'm not sure about the model number, they're supposedly 20 years old or so. Not sure if I have anything that will power them. I know those stats can have some wicked roller-coaster impedance curves. I have nothing but lower powered tube stuff around. The most powerful amp I have on hand is a KT88 PP @ 40 wpc when ran in UL mode. We'll see. Hopefully going over tomorrow!

By the way guys, I'm playing with my new Apple Airport Express--wireless transmission of lossless tunes to my stereo, not bad. I don't have the best digital playback, but my Powerbook+iTunes+Apple lossless is producing the best digital playback I've ever had in my system. Plus I can stream it from my PB from anywhere in my house--pretty nifty stuff. I haven't had this much fun in a while. Much better than my iPod doing the same dance for whatever reason. I'll try to give a more detailed review after more listening.
Sorry for that little thread hi-jack.

Cheers,
Brad

ABEX · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 07:37 pm »

I like Maggies as they give a great illusion,but after having a set and looking into hwat was suppose to be a recreation I gave up and went back to Boxes. They(Boxed) are sound truer to the actual event I feel which is what a speaker is suppose to be.

There are many fine Box speakers that will cast off the same transparency which is what your aim should be to look for without the colorations of what Maggies add. You also get the added Dynamics as a plus.

Maggies are very Euphoric in their presentation while other speaker's are more natural to my ears.

You know describing sounds from speakers sucks to try to put into words.

Glad it's not a job to do.

JMO-Good luck!

Mathew_M · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 08:28 pm »

Brad,

On Apple's site is says that the audio line out which appears to be a normal 1/8" plug is both analog and optical. I assume that this is a mis-print but it has been listed this way on since they introduced it.

James Romeyn · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 10:55 pm »

Quote from: Mike D

Thanks for the question. My goal for my audio hot tub is imaging, frequency balance (bass not a priority), and dynamics. I'd like to find a speaker that dissappers like the MG12s I heard at a friend's house with the excitement, power, speed, detail, dynamics, and wwwwwiiiiiiiddddtttthhhhh of sound that I can get from my Hales and have heard from Thiels. However, even all of those great qualities seem to fall short when the music comes to life without being able to locate the sources (like the maggies). ...

I'm a VMPS dealer & not competing with John, because he's just too nice to compete with for a customer...

Just to toss into the mix: the latest Sunfire Theater Grand IV pre-pro arrived recently. The expectations were high & it has far exceeded them all. So far all stereo sources are vastly improved by conversion into ProLogic IIx. The better the recording, the better the results, especially live recordings.

The above pre-pro with three front VMPS RM30s & two rear VMPS Bipole Surrounds provide the most dense imaging, the deepest stage (past the front wall), & vertical & horizontal staging that extends farther into the boundary corners than I've ever heard. At all levels transparency & dynamics satisfy, even compared to my buddy's $25k JBL K2 horn system (export only, n/a in USA). As good as VMPS' own approximately $15k two-channel digital rig is, the above lower priced multi-channel source is preferred. I must only assume the authors of anti-multi-channel diatribes have not heard a system like the above. From what you posted above I'd put a good multi-channel VMPS system at the top of my must audition list, even the lower priced models for the front. It allows maximum L-R speaker seperation without the usual loss of center fill. The fact it kicks heini for video is just icing on the cake.

My two cents, YMMV.