[kaidus]

Determining a good pair of speakers has been challenging.  I can find someone to back any scenario because the answer is rarely an objective right or wrong.  When the topic is subjective, I guess the best place to start is with the majority, so here I am asking the question.

Looking between a few sets of magnepan speakers to use as my mains in a somewhat small rectangular listening room. (will also double as a home theater room)   13.8' x 11' x 8' ceiling

Speaker candidates so far unless you have a suggestion

MC1 - Two way quasi ribbon speakers, just smaller. 80-24kHz  10.25 x 46 x 1   Price 850
They fit better in the small space, however I'm unsure if wall mounting them will limit the sound quality.  I've read many comments that assume all magnepans only sound good roughly 3' from the walls.  Are the wall mounted designed to sound as good as the free standing ones hanging on the wall?  Has anyone tried both models?

0.7 - Two way quasi ribbon speaker. 45-22 kHz  Price 1350   Size 15.25" x 54.25"
They will be harder to fit in the room.   I could get them 3 feet from the back wall, however only about 1' to 1.5 feet from the side walls. (unless I try them turned 90 degrees which I heard works)  They are also a bit out of my budget.

MMGI -    One way Planar speaker  50 Hz to 24 kHz  Size 14.5" x 48" x 1.25" 
In budget (what is a budget again? )

My setup so far.
Yamaha MX-600 -  190wpc at 4ohms
Yamaha C-85 Preamp
JDS Labs ODAC
B&W AWS 650 12" (Probably way too big for the room, I've read multiple opinions going both ways on this)


Do you think any of the options so far will work for this room?  Is there another model I have overlooked?

[Letitroll98]

Don't worry a bit about being close to the side wall, with the radiation pattern side wall reflections are greatly reduced.  There's one placement strategy that has the Maggie's placed directly on the side wall, the name escapes me at the moment, but someone here always chimes in with the answer.  The 90° orientation is called Rune and works well, except they need to be nearly at the listening seat or behind depending on which article you read.  I haven't ever had, or even heard, wall mounted Maggie's so I can't comment, but others have reported good results.  I don't see how it could be optimal, but I'm not the guy to knowledgeably comment.

[johnto]

The .7 should be no problem. I think 1.7 would be ideal mine sounded majestic in room about the same size room. I now have 3.7 in the 11-6 x 15 room. Get the biggest ones you can afford and pair with a good sub.

[kaidus]

Thanks for the tips, I didn't realize I could have them so close to the sidewalls.  If I could put them right up against the wall that would be even more ideal.    I was looking online and found a pair local that is about 900$ for a pair of 1.7.   They aren't the 1.7i, so I'm guessing they are between 5 and 8 years old.   How much of a gamble is it to get them pre-owned.   I've come across multiple times online about people having them refurbished from magnepan. 

At this point I'm trying to decide between the smaller .7i and the preowned 1.7.   If I'll have to rebuild the 1.7's in a few years I probably wouldn't be interested.    I understand it's always a gamble, but how much of one?

Johnto, did you do any treatment in the room because of the small size?   I know mine has a nice echo in it with no furniture.   (I'll be adding a couch, rug and two bookshelves.)

[SteveFord]

I wouldn't worry too much about rebuilding 1.7s, they changed the glue which was causing problems with the older ones.
My 1.7s were purchased when they first came out and are just fine.

[johnto]

No echo problems here just great sound when I had the 1.7 and 1.7i. I do have multiple racks of lps and cd in the room as well as a heavy curtain on the double window. I also have an 8 x 10 rug on the floor.My friend who's a professional musician always marveled at the clarity said they were the first speakers he could hear complete articulation of vocals.
The 1.7 could be newer than you think too.