Heard some Maggie 1.7's today

jtwrace · « **on:** 21 Sep 2010, 09:29 pm »

Listened at Audio Advice (Raleigh, NC) and was very surprised. They're at $1995 and worth every penny IMO. The only thing I would add is a couple of subs.

AVnerdguy · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Sep 2010, 10:16 pm »

I've has them for bout 3 mo. now. Best bargain I've ever had in audio equipment. The more I listen to them the more amazed I am at how good they really are. I know they're going to be in my system for a long time. A bit touchy to get set up properly the first time around but when you get it right the sound stage is as realistic as I've heard in my room.

And yes, I have a dual 12" passive sub to supplement the bottom end for rock stuff. For classical and acoustic jazz I usually leave that amp off.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Sep 2010, 11:04 pm »

For both, have you owned Maggies before? And comparisons either way are elicited. If you had older model Maggies how does the full quasi ribbon speaker compare. If your first, how does it compare to your previous box speaker?

AVnerdguy, what setup did you end up with?

I guess I should sign this, "very happy Maggie owner who is intrigued by the 1.7".

Phil A · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Sep 2010, 02:11 am »

It's actually on my to do list to go hear them. Not that I'm in the market for speakers. It just seems like it is one of those nice high end products that comes along that one can't fault at its price poinjt.

AVnerdguy · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Sep 2010, 01:43 pm »

No I haven't owned Maggies previously. I've always loved them and lusted after a pair of 3.6 which I am very familiar with from countless hours listening at a friends. My previous speaker were Ohm Walsh 5 so I can't compare them to a traditional box. The Ohm's had a terrific soundstage and incredible bass output. I consider them a little more laid back than the Maggies but my friend who has them now disagrees. The 1.7 are the most natural speaker I've encountered. I stopped listening to the speakers and am now listening to the music - and that's the highest praise I can give them.

I love the clean open midrange. Female vocals are especially lifelike and I was actually fooled the other night thinking the wife was talking to me (I listen eyes closed) and then realized it was somemone in the background of one of the recordings.

Some say the bass is light and that may be true for heavy duty rock but an acoustic string bass is very natural with no thump or thud and each note is articulated. Cymbals shimmer and I can almost tell how tight the tension is on the snares. The only time I have considered them harsh or glaring is on a poor recording and that is certainly not the fault of the speaker. I can listen for hours with no fatigue. They are very good at low volumes and never loose their detail but really shine when you open them up. I haven't noticed any breakup at extrme volumes but my room is too small to listen like that for too long.

I also got a set of Mye Sound stands. I noticed they cleaned the bottom end up a bit (nothing drastic). Overall a great investment.

I power them with an AVA Fet Valve Ultra+ 550 amp and a AVA Avastar pre. Tube front end with FET outputs. Details w/photos in the system section. The folks at Magnaplaner claim you can drive them with 100 watts but I found that the more the better so the 550 was chosen for it's output.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Sep 2010, 02:17 pm »

Hey AV, then welcome to the club! You are describing Maggies in general to the T, and the consensus seems to be the 1.7's offer the same, only more finely executed. I've never heard either percussion, plucked strings, or vocals performed with more realism than on Maggies. And although the bass is light in relative terms, midbass is presented with so much articulation that it seems like there's more there. I use a sub to gently touch up the lowest bass impact, which fixes the minor inadequacies in the low bass without messing with the midbass. And yes, unfortunately they do need to be played a bit louder to open up, and can poop out at too much volume. Trade offs I gladly make. Enjoy.

ajzepp · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Sep 2010, 02:29 am »

I get excited every time I see a new Maggie thread on here lately....we need our own forum circle! Maggies are some of the greatest speakers ever made, especially at their price points...and I know there are a lot of very happy maggie owners here at the AC.

I'm a 3.6r owner and couldn't be happier!

jtwrace · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Sep 2010, 11:30 am »

Quote from: ajzepp on 23 Sep 2010, 02:29 am

I get excited every time I see a new Maggie thread on here lately....we need our own forum circle! Maggies are some of the greatest speakers ever made, especially at their price points...and I know there are a lot of very happy maggie owners here at the AC.

I'm a 3.6r owner and couldn't be happier!

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=71779.0

AVnerdguy · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Sep 2010, 01:34 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 22 Sep 2010, 02:17 pm

Hey AV, then welcome to the club! You are describing Maggies in general to the T, and the consensus seems to be the 1.7's offer the same, only more finely executed. I've never heard either percussion, plucked strings, or vocals performed with more realism than on Maggies. And although the bass is light in relative terms, midbass is presented with so much articulation that it seems like there's more there. I use a sub to gently touch up the lowest bass impact, which fixes the minor inadequacies in the low bass without messing with the midbass. And yes, unfortunately they do need to be played a bit louder to open up, and can poop out at too much volume. Trade offs I gladly make. Enjoy.

Minor trade offs, indeed. The sound stage is fantastic and better than anything else I've heard so far. I must have hit the magic spot because I think I have a better stage than my friends 3.6 but impossible to say anything definitive as the rooms are entirely different and memories of sound are subjective. I listened to the 3.6 some more to try to notice the differences and I can say they are minor. They are both Maggies and have that terrific open sound. I might have gone for the 3.6 but they were to big for my room and the WAF would have to be addressed.

In another post you mentioned Sting's Soul Cages and the spatial stage and I had the same opinion. Love to crank that one up because of the spread and the dynamics. From the softest opening passages with the strings and guitar to the force of Soul Cages these speakers just suck me into the performance. A lot of people don't like Soul Cages (I think it brings them down - it's kind of a bummer) but they should give it a spin just to hear those dynamics.

I have a Crowded House disc where a drum comes in from nowhere and is so far off to the left I swear there was someone on the front porch the first time I heard it. I asked the wife how do they do that?

As you can tell I am delighted with the 1.7s and I think they're a bargain in the marketplace. Also, they're made here in Minnesota by some great folks that bring high end audio reproduction to an affordable price point.

Noseyears · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 12:27 am »

What maggie's deliver for each pair, is a music lover dream come true. I would like to listen to it, paired with the Odyssey Khartago.

jtwrace · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 07:14 pm »

Going back tomorrow to listen to the 1.7's....

SteveFord · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 10:29 pm »

Let's see if there's enough interest in a circle.
I put up a poll for a proposed Maggie circle.
I would love to get a pair of 1.7s but don't have anyplace to put them at the moment without getting rid of something else.
If they're a step up from the 1.6s as everyone says they are they're really something special.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 10:51 pm »

Either you're a Maggie man or you're not a Maggie man. I have mixed feelings about them.

jtwrace · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 11:10 pm »

Why mixed feelings?

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 11:35 pm »

The 1.7's are a step up from the 1.6's but it is not a dramatic step up like the 3.6's are. I have a pair of 1.6's and heard the first pair of 1.7's released by Magnepan to Audio Perfection here in Minneapolis. I certainly would not ditch my 1.6's for a pair of 1.7's.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 12:38 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 24 Sep 2010, 11:10 pm

Why mixed feelings?

Every speaker has it strengths and weaknesses, IMO it's all about finding a balance that works.

ajzepp · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 06:29 am »

Couldn't agree more. Maggies were the first piece of audio gear I owned, went away from, and then went back to. I just could never get that Maggie Magic out of my head, and I eventually realized I wouldn't be happy until I had it back. No speaker is perfect, but thankfully Maggies get it right in some key areas that are important to me - namely soundstage, transparency, and realism. With some luck, I've even been able to improve the imaging, which is one area where Maggies aren't quite as strong as other speakers. On top of that, I'm one of the strongest proponents I know (hehe) for Maggies for HT use. Maggies bring movies to life, and it's addicting.

Anyway, I love my Maggies....

gprro · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 10:10 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 24 Sep 2010, 07:14 pm

Going back tomorrow to listen to the 1.7's....

What time you going? I may join you if you don't mind another pair of ears. I've been wanting to hear the 1.7's, curious too which room and equimpment they're hooked up to. If it's in the afternoon I'll swing buy. Could bring some discs and even vinyl.

Still one of the most memorable sytems I've heard was at their old location probably 10+ years ago. Magy 20's and probably 60-80K worth of electronics, big mono blocs, in their really large custom room. That was the most lifelike stage and imaging I've ever heard.

The last time I was there about 6-7 months ago I listened to the new Wilson Watts with ARC pre and amp and a bryston cd player. The watts were on the long wall only about a foot out, and at least 10 feet apart. It was pretty underwhelming actually.

jtwrace · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 10:57 am »

I'll be going to the CLT store this time.

jtwrace · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 08:44 pm »

I wasn't able to make it as I was doing another hobby and it took longer then expected. Guess it will have to wait until next weekend.

Is there a HUGE difference between the 1.7 and 3.6?