Magnepan MC vs Triangle Quartet vs Focal Chorus

[zinneken]

Confusion, that's what is happening when you end up listening for too long to too many different systems and combinations ...

SO I have to revert to people like you who may have these babies in their homes and have ... extensive listening experience with those speakers.

Classical music is my main aim. I have to say that I was impressed by the Triangles, a little less on focals. The difference is that I find the Focals to have a little more " rounded, sitting room commercial" sound and that Triangles are a little more "austere, purely natural". With both speakers I have issues listening to "old" original recordings from the 1930-60 classical recordings.

I'm still hunting down Magnepan MC's to listen and compare, but they are extremely hard to find around here.

Can anyone comment on those 3 speakers? As a classical music listener, listening to all kinds of ew and older recordings ranging over all the kinds (concert's, opera, chamber, etc.), which ones would you choose?

[jrhymeammo]

Triangle Quartet looks interesting with a new titanium tweeter.

I'll be comparing apples and oranges, but I went from Triangle Comete ES to 1.6QR. Currently I own neither one.
Have you ever heard sound of Magnepan? I loved the way they produced some of strings, but since I listen to alot of music besides Classical, I sold them within months.

As for Triangles, I imagine Quartet has better definition than a pair of Cometes, but I did not like the way they reproduce bass. They were very quick, but didn't like One-Note-Bass. Well nobody does.

I have not owned any Focal so I cannot comment, but if I was in a market for another Maggies or Triangles, I would have to do some serious listening first, and I don't really audition gears before making purchases.

Have fun,
JRA

[basite]

the genese line is okay, although I found them slightly harsh with alot of recordings. definately better than their esprit line, but I have never been that impressed with triangle...

I once heard their Magellan Concerto's (big, quite heavy, very good looking 10k floorstanders), and they certainly did NOT do it for me. maybe it was the rest of the equipment, but for 10k speakers, I expected much much more. they played DSOTM, from pink floyd at that show, and instead of the growing, deep beginning, it kinda shrunk, I was underwhelmed.

The focal's (I've heard most of the Chorus 800 line), sounded very good for their price, dunno, you could call it 'commercial', but I found them pretty well balanced, neutral & big & open sounding.

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Geoffcin]

These speakers were designed to be mounted on the walls in a HT configuration. The speakers you want to look at are the Magnepan MMG, or 1.6qr. Both are excellent on classical.

[blackraven]

One of my good friends has pair of floor standing Triangles, I forget which model they are but they listed for about $3000. They have wonderful midrange and an excellent tweeter which sometimes sounded a little bright. The bass was weak however and I understand that this has been a complaint about the Triangle brand. My friend has them for sale on audiogon. He bought a pair of PSB Synchrony's to replace them.

If your looking at Magnepan you want the MG12's for about $1,100 and the larger QR1.6's.
They sound great with Classical music, Jazz, Blues, Vocals and Acoustical music. Rock sounds good if its been well recorded. You may find that you need a sub with the MG12's if your a bass fanatic. Stay away from the MMG's unless you have a small room and plan on using a sub. And if you have about $5k to burn and about 250wpc go for the 3.6's.

One thing about Magnepans is that they will make a poor recording sound awful. What you get on a recording is what you will hear.

[kuyajep]

I don't understand the one note bass comment. No Triangle Speaker does first octave bass but they are tight, tuneful and controled down to their lower limits. They are easy to drive but they will benefit from quality amplification. I'm using a CJ LP70S with a Modwright 36.5. The sound is superb within the operating limits of the system (there is plenty of bass when the source calls for it).

[RGA]

The best advice is to be patient and wait until you hear something that really knocks your socks off. If you find it you won't need a forum - and such products are out there. Try and listen to completely different kind of set-ups - panels for example are worthwhile because while they don't all sound alike they do possess a different sound. But also try and listen to Tube based set-ups - Powerful tube amps from Grant Fidelity or BAT or something and also try and listen to low powered Single Ended tube designs with High Efficient speakers. Each brings something different to the table and if you don't try them you won't know what you're missing.

The advice you will get here is merely our preference but we are not the one's paying the money and listening to them day in and day out. Unless you want to be one of those many self proclaimed experts who go through several speakers every year forever - do the bulk of your listening up front. It took me four years of listening before I decided to upgrade. And while there is better available - I could live with it for the rest of my days without complaint - so if the upgrade comes it will be to get "more" of the same or something that does not diminish what is already there but adds. Unfortunately most upgrades are to fix problems that annoy owners - and that makes for a highly frustrated audiophile. Spend the time listen to as many speakers as you can and you will become the "expert" rather than rely on the faceless forum masses who may be good intentioned but in the end your ears will know what's right.