[Peter W.]

All - my first time here and wouldn't you know it, I am bringing a problem:

History: MG-III with the external crossovers and ribbon tweeters fed from a HK Citation 16 power amp via a Revox A720 tuner/pre-amp and a Sony CD changer.

I was listening to some early Emmylou Harris at a moderate volume a few nights ago and the left speaker dropped out for mid and treble. The tweeter fuse was blown (2.5A fast-blow (yes, I know it says 'standard blow' but I try to err on the side of caution)) but _both sections were silent. I replaced the Tweet fuse, still nothing. I did resistance checks. There are differences between the two, with the 'bad' speaker being substantially higher. I also checked the external crossovers. They are fine.

I have to believe that it is a wire "right there" at the backplate before it is distributed to the two sections. Any suggestion before I dig into it?

I did call Magenapan and they made the same basic suggestion but started into replacing the ribbon right away.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[steve k]

Did you check the midrange fuse?

[James Tanner]

All - my first time here and wouldn't you know it, I am bringing a problem:

History: MG-III with the external crossovers and ribbon tweeters fed from a HK Citation 16 power amp via a Revox A720 tuner/pre-amp and a Sony CD changer.

I was listening to some early Emmylou Harris at a moderate volume a few nights ago and the left speaker dropped out for mid and treble. The tweeter fuse was blown (2.5A fast-blow (yes, I know it says 'standard blow' but I try to err on the side of caution)) but _both sections were silent. I replaced the Tweet fuse, still nothing. I did resistance checks. There are differences between the two, with the 'bad' speaker being substantially higher. I also checked the external crossovers. They are fine.

I have to believe that it is a wire "right there" at the backplate before it is distributed to the two sections. Any suggestion before I dig into it?

I did call Magenapan and they made the same basic suggestion but started into replacing the ribbon right away.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Hi Peter,

We are only making educated guesses of what might be the problem.

The adhesives back in those days were not as good as what we began using in 2005. From your description, that might be the problem, but, again, we are only guessing.

It will be necessary to remove the fabric to begin trouble-shooting.

Wendell

[johnny01]

James or Wendell,

Please can you tell me what the different is between MC1 SN 63750 and later en before?

[James Tanner]

James or Wendell,

Please can you tell me what the different is between MC1 SN 63750 and later en before?

Hi johnny

Maybe our service dept. would know. There has been no change in performance.

Wendell
 

[johnny01]

Hi wendell

Thanks, i asked that because there are different manuals for 63750 later and before.

The diffenent i have found is that there are different advices for the bottem bracket from the floor.
Some says 20 inches, and another says that 26 inches from the floor is the best! (the 63750 and later) So i thought that there must be a change in performance!

please can you tell me something about that differ?

[James Tanner]

Hi wendell

Thanks, i asked that because there are different manuals for 63750 later and before.

The diffenent i have found is that there are different advices for the bottem bracket from the floor.
Some says 20 inches, and another says that 26 inches from the floor is the best! (the 63750 and later) So i thought that there must be a change in performance!

please can you tell me something about that differ?

Hi,

The only change I recall is to put the speaker "upside-down". We turned it around so the crossover is now at the top--which results in positioning the speaker about 6 inches higher on the wall. From an aesthetic standpoint, we thought it looked better if it was mounted a little higher on the wall.

[amblin]

  Oooh, So these interesting speakers r called Magnepan! A friend of mine selling old classical CDs and LPs own a pair of these set up in his shop, i think it's the 1.7 or similar sized model.

VERY interesting, although a VERY rare sight in my region. these speakers gave me one of the most bizzare stereo sound stage experience, i was sitting about 10cm directly in front of the speakers and looking at some CDs, but weirdly the stereo sound was still like comming from quite some distance away. Like a regular open baffle but with even deeper and realistic feeling of space and depth of stage :icon_lol:i first thought it's one of those electrostatic toys . 

Do these planar speakers require strict pan/placement and room treatments?

[Dpod4]

I'm 45 and when I was a teenager (circa 1981) I had a pair of Maggies driven by a Musical Concepts modified Hafler amp with NAD preamp with source of Empire 698 turntable with Grado cartridge.  I remember listening to Rickie Lee Jones Pirates and relishing the quickness, scale, transparency and musical drive of that system.  College and CDs took over so went to H/K, B&W and space saving.  Now that I've jumped back into hi-end equipment, I have a new vinyl rig, tube amp and preamp, etc.  Last year I went to a local dealer to audition the 1.7s (driven with Ayre QB9 source and Mcintosh hardware).  My ears must have changed because I found the sound a little aggressive and forward especially in treble.  So, I ended up buying a pair of Esoteric MG20 speakers because they reminded me of that "maggie" sound but without the forwardness I was hearing on the 1.7s.  This past week I went to a local dealer here in Portland to hear the 3.7s driven by a simple Ayre stereo amp and Linn music streamer.  Wow!  Incredible!  Excellent extension on top and bottom, more balanced (center of gravity wasn't in the upper registers as compared to what I heard with the 1.7s), and amazing low end punch.  They had a JL sub running.  I told them to turn it off.  Wasn't needed.  The amount and quality of bass was best I've heard from any Magnepan speakers including my older brother's 20.1s driven by ARC monos.  I would go as far as to say there was an attractive warmth to the presentation without any loss of speed or transparency or immediacy.  For me, it also sounded more to scale (1.7s and 20.1s I heard the past year made me feel I was listening to a 18 foot tall Norah Jones and a 12 foot saxaphone).  Still an expansive audio vista but more to scale on voices and instruments with great imaging and FLOW.  This is the sound I have been chasing -- fast, neutral, immediate, dimensional, punchy, balanced, energetic, musical.  And my audition of 3.7s was with solid state.... I was hearing layering and dimension and stuff hanging in space.  Can't imagine what it would be like with high powered/current tube amp.  The 3.7s are amazing. Much gratitude to Magnepan for making such an incredibly affordable pair of true high end speakers.   

[madog99]

Good day lad's , my first time here also. Picked up an old set of SMGA's this past winter and am amazed and very very pleased with them . They have replaced my large floorstanders and I can never go back now . No lack of bass to my ears .
cheers
John 

[josh358]

Oooh, So these interesting speakers r called Magnepan! A friend of mine selling old classical CDs and LPs own a pair of these set up in his shop, i think it's the 1.7 or similar sized model.

VERY interesting, although a VERY rare sight in my region. these speakers gave me one of the most bizzare stereo sound stage experience, i was sitting about 10cm directly in front of the speakers and looking at some CDs, but weirdly the stereo sound was still like comming from quite some distance away. Like a regular open baffle but with even deeper and realistic feeling of space and depth of stage :icon_lol:i first thought it's one of those electrostatic toys . 

Do these planar speakers require strict pan/placement and room treatments?

Main requirement is that the floorstanding ones have to be at least 3' out from the wall behind them. (They also make on-wall models which are often used in home theater setups.) They also need some breathing room on the side, 2' is the usual minimum recommendation, though you can get by with a bit less.

I'd say that in general, Maggies and other dipole line source speakers require more care in placement than box speakers, but less acoustic treatment of the room. Though really, if you want to get the very best out of box speakers, you have to be just as careful with placement as you do with dipoles.

[Dpod4]

Hooked my new 3.7s up today.  Wow.  Big, open, transparent, meaty, musical....

Best compliment I can give is I stopped analyzing my equipment or what I was hearing and got lost in the music.  Foot was tapping and my body was relaxed (physical signs that I was enjoying what I was hearing and wasn't getting listening fatigue).  And they obviously aren't even broken in.  Sounds like the band is in the room with me.  Very very pleased with my purchase.  Like my Volkswagen R32 which I bought in 2004 and still own and enjoy even more today than when I bought it, the Magnepan 3.7s are same enjoyment, great value, high performer purchase.  Thank you Magnepan!

[essaudio]

Hello everyone - I'm new here.  Hopefully this is the right place for a Mini Maggie question.
I recently purchased the Mini Maggie system for desktop use. I expect it in mid-week. Seems like a lot of the comments I've seen online about it are debates about its use beyond a desktop system, but anyways, I'm planning to use it in my office, in a nearfield listening position.

My big question is regarding amplification. I know that classic Maggie's do best when powered adequately, I'm wondering what I need for a desktop system in near-field listening position. I imagine I may turn them up after hours or when I have my office door shut, but for the most part, I won't be running these too loud for daily listening. Even so, I know that proper amplification helps at lower listening levels as well. I was planning on getting a new system with a DAC, possibly a Wyred 4 Sound or Peachtree all-in-one. Other options include a discrete DAC / pre-amp + separate power amp. I'd like to keep it under 2K for the electronics (not counting the speakers, of course) and using the 'gon is an option, assuming whatever is suggested is actually available.

Suggestions?

[josh358]

Hello everyone - I'm new here.  Hopefully this is the right place for a Mini Maggie question.
I recently purchased the Mini Maggie system for desktop use. I expect it in mid-week. Seems like a lot of the comments I've seen online about it are debates about its use beyond a desktop system, but anyways, I'm planning to use it in my office, in a nearfield listening position.

My big question is regarding amplification. I know that classic Maggie's do best when powered adequately, I'm wondering what I need for a desktop system in near-field listening position. I imagine I may turn them up after hours or when I have my office door shut, but for the most part, I won't be running these too loud for daily listening. Even so, I know that proper amplification helps at lower listening levels as well. I was planning on getting a new system with a DAC, possibly a Wyred 4 Sound or Peachtree all-in-one. Other options include a discrete DAC / pre-amp + separate power amp. I'd like to keep it under 2K for the electronics (not counting the speakers, of course) and using the 'gon is an option, assuming whatever is suggested is actually available.

Suggestions?

Magnepan is going to be selling a small all-in-one for the Minis. Well within your budget. I think there's a thread about it down below. Otherwise, I'm afraid I don't know very much about what's available in all in ones. On your budget, I think you could do very well with separates, particularly if you buy the amp used. The Minis are worth it, they're nothing less than spectacular and will be as revealing of electronics as the large ones.

[SteveFord]

You're not going to need a whole heck of a lot for the Mini Maggies as far as power goes.
I heard them with a Cambridge Audio integrated with a built in DAC and it sounded pretty good.
I'd add a tube buffer and could be perfectly happy with it.