What do you think about Magnepan speakers?

[manlystanley]

Since I will soon have a very powerful amp (XPA-2: 250 W into 8 ohms, 500 W into 4 Ohms), and I was thinking about maybe 'someday' upgrading to Planar/Ribbon speakers like the Magnepan. I notice that many people on this board have Magnepan's and so assume that there real good. I see that the models start with the MMGs ($599) and go up to the 20.1. I'd love to hear your comments about what you like or don't like about them.

Thanks,
Stan

[Geoffcin]

Since I will soon have a very powerful amp (XPA-2: 250 W into 8 ohms, 500 W into 4 Ohms), and I was thinking about maybe 'someday' upgrading to Planar/Ribbon speakers like the Magnepan. I notice that many people on this board have Magnepan's and so assume that there real good. I see that the models start with the MMGs ($599) and go up to the 20.1. I'd love to hear your comments about what you like or don't like about them.

Thanks,
Stan

Well I like them. However I don't think that jumping up to a very powerful amp is necessary for you to enjoy them too. Right now my Magnepan 3.6's are being driven by a 70 wpc tube amp and they are very happy indeed. Then again I heard a pair being driven by a very powerful amp, (a full Kw per side) and it sounded great too.

Planar speakers are something that you should hear first before investing in. I can distinctly remember the first time I heard them, and it was the proverbial "love at first listen". Actually that was the first "adult" impression. Back in the day my father had a friend with Quad ESL's. I must have been only 7 or so when I first heard them but I said something to the effect "daddy how come our speakers don't sound this good". We had a set of AR 2a's at the time, a respectable speaker in it's day but light years apart from the transparency of the Quad. I guess I've been chasing that sound ever since!

[mlsstl]

I owned a pair of Maggie 1.6QRs until I moved to a different house about four years ago. As good as the speakers sounded in my old room, they just simply didn't work well in the new one.

Maggies are bipolar speakers. This means they launch a rear sound wave that is equal to the front one, but without much dispersion to the sides at higher frequencies. As such, they interact with rooms much differently than more conventional box speakers or true omnidirectional speakers such as Ohms.

It will be very important that you audition these speakers in your own listening room. You should also be prepared to play with positioning. You don't have to move them very far to potentially change the sound dramatically.

When it all works, they sound extremely good IMO. When they don't, you'll probably be better off trying a different speaker.

[manlystanley]

Well I like them. However I don't think that jumping up to a very powerful amp is necessary for you to enjoy them too. Right now my Magnepan 3.6's are being driven by a 70 wpc tube amp and they are very happy indeed. Then again I heard a pair being driven by a very powerful amp, (a full Kw per side) and it sounded great too.

Planar speakers are something that you should hear first before investing in. I can distinctly remember the first time I heard them, and it was the proverbial "love at first listen". Actually that was the first "adult" impression. Back in the day my father had a friend with Quad ESL's. I must have been only 7 or so when I first heard them but I said something to the effect "daddy how come our speakers don't sound this good". We had a set of AR 2a's at the time, a respectable speaker in it's day but light years apart from the transparency of the Quad. I guess I've been chasing that sound ever since!

That makes sense about not jumping in. Even on the Magnepan web site, they allude to that. There is a local place that sells them and I'm planning on going and listening to them sometime. Magnepan does direct sell the MMG, iwth a 60 day trial.. Is that worth getting these to see if I like them? Are they any good?

My biggest concern is my younger girls and a couple of cats I have. With the B&W 684 *(which are about four feet tall)* I found foot prints '*ON TOP OF THEM*. My girls climbed up and were jumping off. I'd imagine that the Magnepan's are much more fragile then boxy B&W's.

Thanks for your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

[blackraven]

I have the 1.6's and the MMG's. There 1.6's are in a whole different universe compared to the MMG's. If you are considering the MMG's, I would urge you to at least move up to the MG12's.

The things that I like about the Magnepans are-

-The live sound it portrays. On good recordings you can close your eyes and and think that there is a live concert in your room.
-Vocals, acoustic guitar, string and horn instruments sound fantastic.
-Bass is tight
-The sound stage is huge and transparency is great. You can pick out the position of each individual instrument on good recordings.
-jazz, classical, blue's and vocal music sounds great
-they dont color music. What is recorded is what you get.
-they dont sound like a box
-great resolution and detail

Things I don't like-
-small sweet spot.
-very positional but not as bad as people think.
-you need a sub if you like rock music or like bass below 40Hz, and below 50Hz for the MMG's and MG12's. the 3.6's and MG20's don't need subs IMO.
-large in size
-they do like lots of clean 4ohm power to play loud and really appreciate the dynamics
-they will let you know when the music is recorded poorly, a reason why people that like rock say that they are no good for that type of music.

If you have the money and room I would buy the 1.6's or better yet, the 3.6's. I bought the 1.6's and could have gotten the 3.6's but I thought my 17x17 room with 9' ceilings was too small. I regret not getting the 3.6's!

GET RID OF THE CATS or don't even consider Maggies!

[manlystanley]

I owned a pair of Maggie 1.6QRs until I moved to a different house about four years ago. As good as the speakers sounded in my old room, they just simply didn't work well in the new one.

Maggies are bipolar speakers. This means they launch a rear sound wave that is equal to the front one, but without much dispersion to the sides at higher frequencies. As such, they interact with rooms much differently than more conventional box speakers or true omnidirectional speakers such as Ohms.

It will be very important that you audition these speakers in your own listening room. You should also be prepared to play with positioning. You don't have to move them very far to potentially change the sound dramatically.

When it all works, they sound extremely good IMO. When they don't, you'll probably be better off trying a different speaker.


I've read that as well. Also, I appreciate your insight about room dynamics; thanks! Also, I've read that they should be 3-4 feet away from the front wall. I don't know if that would work in my room. So, I'll need to think about it and play some. But, the technology sounds so cool, that I'd love to play with them some!

Best Regards,
Stan

[manlystanley]

I have the 1.6's and the MMG's. There 1.6's are in a whole different universe compared to the MMG's. If you are considering the MMG's, I would urge you to at least move up to the MG12's.

The things that I like about the Magnepans are-

-The live sound it portrays. On good recordings you can close your eyes and and think that there is a live concert in your room.
-Vocals, acoustic guitar, string and horn instruments sound fantastic.
-Bass is tight
-The sound stage is huge and transparency is great. You can pick out the position of each individual instrument on good recordings.
-jazz, classical, blue's and vocal music sounds great
-they dont color music. What is recorded is what you get.
-they dont sound like a box
-great resolution and detail

Things I don't like-
-small sweet spot.
-very positional but not as bad as people think.
-you need a sub if you like rock music or like bass below 40Hz, and below 50Hz for the MMG's and MG12's. the 3.6's and MG20's don't need subs IMO.
-large in size
-they do like lots of clean 4ohm power to play loud and really appreciate the dynamics
-they will let you know when the music is recorded poorly, a reason why people that like rock say that they are no good for that type of music.

If you have the money and room I would buy the 1.6's or better yet, the 3.6's. I bought the 1.6's and could have gotten the 3.6's but I thought my 17x17 room with 9' ceilings was too small. I regret not getting the 3.6's!

GET RID OF THE CATS or don't even consider Maggies!

Great help, thanks! I guess I just enjoy them from afar then. Our tenant has a cat and my girls have a cat they love. Particularly for my girls, getting rid of the cat is not an option......

I really enjoy imaging. My 684's provide some of it, but not as good as I'd like. I love the feeling of being there when the music is being played! So, this really intrigues me.

Also, if I do jump in, I'll follow your advice about the 3.6's. Thanks!

Best Regards,
Stan

[poppachubby]

Not to steer you away from Mag's but check out this thread.

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=32435

Open baffle are a nice option also. Plus, they can be built for very little money. There are several links throughout the thread. Start reading and hit me back when you're done.

[Geoffcin]

That makes sense about not jumping in. Even on the Magnepan web site, they allude to that. There is a local place that sells them and I'm planning on going and listening to them sometime. Magnepan does direct sell the MMG, iwth a 60 day trial.. Is that worth getting these to see if I like them? Are they any good?

My biggest concern is my younger girls and a couple of cats I have. With the B&W 684 *(which are about four feet tall)* I found foot prints '*ON TOP OF THEM*. My girls climbed up and were jumping off. I'd imagine that the Magnepan's are much more fragile then boxy B&W's.

Thanks for your help!

Best Regards,
Stan
The short answer is YES, the MMG is a great speaker for the money. Especially if your going to have a powerful amp, the MMG's will give you that "Maggie Magic" in spades. What they won't do is play below 50Hz or so. Neither will most modest monitors in the same price range.

Cats I got too, so I've been through. I've had a long talk with them, and the conclusion was that as long as they get their own scratching post in a different room I will not have them turned into guitar strings and furry mittens.

If your going from the B&W 684's to maggies I would say that you have to go 1.6qr though. The scale of the 1.6 will match that of what your used to better. The 1.6 holds it's value on the used market so if you pick up one used, you can sell it for the same price if it's not your cup-o-tea. That's what I would do in your case.

The 3.6 is a horse of a different color. The 3.6r's true ribbon tweeter is in my opinion one of the best drivers ever designed, and it's transparency is a two edged sword. You get to hear for better or worse what your electronics, and more importantly what your recordings have on them. The 1.6qr in my view is a "sweeter" speaker, and a lot more forgiving of less than stellar recordings. It's what I would recommend in your system.

[manlystanley]

Not to steer you away from Mag's but check out this thread.

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=32435

Open baffle are a nice option also. Plus, they can be built for very little money. There are several links throughout the thread. Start reading and hit me back when you're done.


Chubs, Thanks! I'll check into them.

[manlystanley]

The short answer is YES, the MMG is a great speaker for the money. Especially if your going to have a powerful amp, the MMG's will give you that "Maggie Magic" in spades. What they won't do is play below 50Hz or so. Neither will most modest monitors in the same price range.

Cats I got too, so I've been through. I've had a long talk with them, and the conclusion was that as long as they get their own scratching post in a different room I will not have them turned into guitar strings and furry mittens.

If your going from the B&W 684's to maggies I would say that you have to go 1.6qr though. The scale of the 1.6 will match that of what your used to better. The 1.6 holds it's value on the used market so if you pick up one used, you can sell it for the same price if it's not your cup-o-tea. That's what I would do in your case.

The 3.6 is a horse of a different color. The 3.6r's true ribbon tweeter is in my opinion one of the best drivers ever designed, and it's transparency is a two edged sword. You get to hear for better or worse what your electronics, and more importantly what your recordings have on them. The 1.6qr in my view is a "sweeter" speaker, and a lot more forgiving of less than stellar recordings. It's what I would recommend in your system.


Thanks. So what do you think of this deal??

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/ele/1501266594.html

Thanks,
Stan

[Geoffcin]

Thanks. So what do you think of this deal??

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/ele/1501266594.html

Thanks,
Stan

How far away from you are they?

[manlystanley]

How far away from you are they?


Maybe about an hour away.

BTW: My 8 year old Abby, is here. She wants me to send you a smiley face:

:14: :14: :14: :14: :14:

[Geoffcin]

IMHO; I think that it's worth the hours drive. Ask if he can leave them setup for you to hear if it's possible. This way you can listen to what your getting. To allay any fear you might have about their fragility, Magnepan 1.6qr's are fully fused, and nearly indestructible by electrical overdrive.

The speakers aren't too heavy, but they are long. You're going to need an SUV, or a car with a fold down seat in back to transport them. You've really got nothing to loose but your time. For $1100 your not going to take a loss if you want to re-sell them.

FWIW; I would offer $1k cash and see it that takes them. Like they say, cash talks!

[blackraven]

Thats a great deal, they cost about $1800 new here in the Twin Cities and the MG12's sell for $1100. If you buy them, make sure they are packed up in their original boxes as the drivers are fragile to pressure. You might want to ask him if you could bring along your CD player and amp to see how they sound. Bring some well recorded music.

And I agree with Geoffin, they are difficult to overdrive. I took a drive over to the Magnepan Factory which is 20min from my house and talked with the Engineers there and they said that there is no max power rating because they will take as much as you can give them as long as the amp can deliver it cleanly.

[Geoffcin]

Thats a great deal, they cost about $1800 new here in the Twin Cities and the MG12's sell for $1100. If you buy them, make sure they are packed up in their original boxes as the drivers are fragile to pressure. You might want to ask him if you could bring along your CD player and amp to see how they sound. Bring some well recorded music.

And I agree with Geoffin, they are difficult to overdrive. I took a drive over to the Magnepan Factory which is 20min from my house and talked with the Engineers there and they said that there is no max power rating because they will take as much as you can give them as long as the amp can deliver it cleanly.

Well I'm not going to disagree, in fact I was considering driving through MD just so I can add these to the maggie collection I already have!

Blackraven is a little too concerned though about fragility though. You could literally punch the 1.6qr speaker, knock it down and not damage it! Original boxes are always good to have though.

I've read anecdotes about how much power a 1.6qr can take, and one about blowing the rail fuses on a Kw rated power amp without even a hint of over-driving really sticks in my mind. The amp in question could literally ignite most cone speakers if you got out of hand with the volume, but blew it's protection on the maggies? I just wish I was there to witness it!

Oh, the "bring you best recordings" to test them is a really good piece of advise. You are going to find out what is a good recoding and "not as good" real fast when you get them home.

[Feanor]

To reinforce remarks made by others, here's my comments.

I own MG 1.6QR's and love 'em. There are not other speakers in the price range that I would consider for split seconded given the following:

I'm able to set them up 3' from the wall behind and a couple of feet from the side walls;
I very rarely listen to rock of other music that needs to "pound". (Although I suspect with a properly configured subwoofer, they would work quite well).I drive them quite satisfactorally with 120 wpc. Even less would do depending on the volume you listen at -- I love to hear them with a good 50-60 wpc tube amp.

I agree with Blackraven that there is a big gap between the MMG's and the MG 1.6's. The latter are better in every respect, in particular they can play loud passages, e.g. like orchestral crescendos, much better. The MMGs don't have the driver surface are to to this well (regardless of the power you give them), although a subwoofer crossed over at 80 Hz helps a lot.

[E-Stat]

I was thinking about maybe 'someday' upgrading to Planar/Ribbon speakers like the Magnepan.
If for no other reason than to expand your points of reference, I recommend that you audition a pair. As for me, they forever altered my speaker preference towards planars. I first heard Tympanis (no longer in the line) back in '74 and was amazed at their ability to create a lifelike image size with a unique clarity as compared to the box speakers of the day. Tri-amped TIIIs remain a very impressive sounding system to this day! I later found my soul-mate with another flavor of planar, the full range electrostat.

They won't thump at the bottom if that's what you like and they do require a few feet behind them for optimum results. As for amplifiers, they offer a very benign load. Good luck!

rw

[manlystanley]

I own MG 1.6QR's and love 'em.

Fearnor,
Thanks! How much are they worth? I see that the 1.6's are still sold, but that the 1.6QR's are 10 years old. Is that a concern? Have the design not changed in 10 years?

Thanks,
Stan

[manlystanley]

I uploaded some pictures of my Movie/Listening room, as I'm not sure if the 1.6QR's would fit. As you can see, I have a door toward the front of the room. In fact when the door opens, the left speaker only has an inch clearance. So, some concerns about the speakers:

-- I've read that I need to have them 3-4 feet from the front wall. Would there be a difference in sound if I only had them 2 feet from the front wall?

-- The Screen only has 4 feet on both sides for the wall. So since speakers are 19 inches wide that would only leave about 2 feet from the side wall. Would that be OK?

Thanks for your help!!

[Feanor]

Just a couple of comments ...

The Maggies could sound great in that room, though somehow I'm not sure about them in a Home Theater setup. Personally I wouldn't consider them in purely HT set, but yours is a combined setup, so that's different.


I uploaded some pictures of my Movie/Listening room, as I'm not sure if the 1.6QR's would fit. As you can see, I have a door toward the front of the room. In fact when the door opens, the left speaker only has an inch clearance. So, some concerns about the speakers:

-- I've read that I need to have them 3-4 feet from the front wall. Would there be a difference in sound if I only had them 2 feet from the front wall?

At 2 feet if you use some sort of sound diffusion/absorbsion panel behind the Maggies the result would be satisfactory though you would loose a little lf the famous Maggies soundstage.
-- The Screen only has 4 feet on both sides for the wall. So since speakers are 19 inches wide that would only leave about 2 feet from the side wall. Would that be OK?

2 feet from side walls is OK.
Thanks for your help!!

[blackraven]

I think that they can work in that room. I used to have a big entertainment unit in my family room and the maggies were 2-2.5' from the side walls and they sound pretty good. Bass was actually deeper. I've player around with my speakers 2-3feet from the back wall. While they sound better pulled out to 3' it was only a minimal improvement. You could probably put some acoustic panels behind them to help.

I use my 1.6's for home theater with a B&W center and no rears because HT sound is secondary to my 2ch listening. I tried rear speakers and thought whats the big deal and why do I need another pair of speakers to clutter my room. The 3.1 set up works for me. Magnepan does make 2 sizes of center channel speakers as well as smaller panels that hang from the wall for HT use. The center channels are large.

If you are concerned about the size, give the MG12's a listen. While they dont sound as good as the 1.6's they do sound very good and are a bargain at $1100. And they sound much better than the MMG's. You probably would want to use a sub with them. The 1.6's dont necessarily need a sub unless you are a bass freak. I don't use a sub, but for 2ch but I have my eye on the Velodyne Optimum 10" sub for when I listen to rock. I have an 8" CH velodyne that I use for HT.

Good luck on what ever you decide. But find a delear and go audition them.

[poppachubby]

I tried rear speakers and thought whats the big deal and why do I need another pair of speakers to clutter my room.

Yikes BR! With true digital audio, I can't imagine a movie without my rears. They add so much dynamics to the sound.

[manlystanley]

Yikes BR! With true digital audio, I can't imagine a movie without my rears. They add so much dynamics to the sound.

Hey Chubbs,
I have built in surround sound and rear speakers, and I turn them on for movies, but they don't do much for me. There's times when the special effects sound good on them, but that's it. When you say dynamics, are you just talking about special effects? Or do they do something else for you?

Thanks,
Stan

[poppachubby]

Hey Chubbs,
I have built in surround sound and rear speakers, and I turn them on for movies, but they don't do much for me. There's times when the special effects sound good on them, but that's it. When you say dynamics, are you just talking about special effects? Or do they do something else for you?

Thanks,
Stan

Ya just environmental sounds, but more importantly they add to the effect of being in the action. I don't have a fancy H/T receiver, it's an older Sony but the rears are something I enjoy with my movies.

[blackraven]

I'm not that big into special effect movies and I care more about the story and video, so rear speakers don't excite me. As long as the center channel is loud and clear and the sub is not boomy or muddy I'm happy. I would rather spend my money on the best 2ch audio I can afford as well as the best TV.

[manlystanley]

I'm not that big into special effect movies and I care more about the story and video, so rear speakers don't excite me. As long as the center channel is loud and clear and the sub is not boomy or muddy I'm happy. I would rather spend my money on the best 2ch audio I can afford as well as the best TV.

BR,
I'm with you. There has only been one movie that I've watched where the surround really made a big difference. But, then I'm not into the latest big-bang movie thriller. We're matching through the 20+ Shirley Temple movies right now and even if there was surround sound back then: How much special effects can you provide when ST sings "On The Good Ship Lolly Pop"?

On a funny note, it is so much fun to watch my 6-8 year old at the edge of there seats for these ST movies. I mean: nail biting, screaming at times "Oh No!". They are so cute...

Best Regards,
Stan


Best Regards,
Stan

[poppachubby]

I guess that's the difference guys. I watch Kung-Fu and Asian action and the rears are totally in the mix. Even my kid's cartoon flicks use the rears alot.

[Mingus]

I also like the surround effects. I watch a lot of science fiction and action movies like Star Wars, Ironman, Transformer and the rears adds an additional dimension to the sound.

[manlystanley]

The seller accepted my offer of $900 (Cash) and I've asked to pick them up on Friday. He is also selling them on Audiogon so I've asked to do via that site. That way I can (hopefully) get a good review.


Thanks for all your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

[Geoffcin]

The seller accepted my offer of $900 (Cash) and I've asked to pick them up on Friday. He is also selling them on Audiogon so I've asked to do via that site. That way I can (hopefully) get a good review.


Thanks for all your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

$900? That's a good deal!

[poppachubby]

Wow, congrats Stan! You're movin on up!! I will be interested on your thoughts. I am still at a speaker crossroad. I've had several seasoned guys at this site and at AA tell me that Magnepan is the way to go with my Golden Tube.

Feanor lives in the same city as me and I can audition the Golden Tube with his speakers. In all honesty, if I had the cash I would go this route, these are The Little Horn...

http://s3.amazonaws.com/37assets/svn/little_horns.jpg


More realistically, I will be building these....

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeakers/FH/images/metronome-crop.jpg

Again congrats Stan, I'm super happy for you...

[Feanor]

$900? That's a good deal!
Ditto that! :thumbsup: Congrats, Stan.

[blackraven]

Congrats Stan! Welcome to the world of planar speakers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you have a reference CD like Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue give it a listen. With that recording you can really get a feel of what these speakers can do.

[frenchmon]

The seller accepted my offer of $900 (Cash) and I've asked to pick them up on Friday. He is also selling them on Audiogon so I've asked to do via that site. That way I can (hopefully) get a good review.


Thanks for all your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

congrats on you new purchase...cant wait for the review.

frenchmon

[Geoffcin]

One thing you should know before making any judgments about your new speakers is that all Magnepans big and small, unlike many other speakers, do not like to play background music. After you get them home make sure you listen at a decent level. When you do they open up in a way that you have to be there to appreciate.

I can still remember my first demo of the 3.6r like yesterday. When I got there they were playing something at a low level that was pretty nondescript. I sat down and was not expecting what was to happen next. Well, to say being taken on a rocket ride was to not do justice to what I was exposed to.

At the risk of seeming like a "fanboy" I will say that when properly set up, and driven with enough power, in the range of 75dB to 95dB there's few speakers made that match what maggies can do. But don't believe me.

You'll see....

Congrats on the new speakers!!

[frenchmon]

Geoffcin...just wondering, I think these are out of production but would it be worth it to buy these? Not that I am going to buy them but was just wondering if these where a deal.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrplan&1266174405&/Magneplanar-Magnepan-MG-IIc-sp


frenchmon

[manlystanley]

Wow, congrats Stan! You're movin on up!!

Chubbs,
Your the man! You've given me some great advice and I can't wait to hear about your new project. I build the enclosures for my 6 inwall speakers (So they did not radiate on the back en). Lots of fun!

Best Regards,
Stan

[Geoffcin]

Geoffcin...just wondering, I think these are out of production but would it be worth it to buy these? Not that I am going to buy them but was just wondering if these where a deal.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrplan&1266174405&/Magneplanar-Magnepan-MG-IIc-sp


frenchmon

Well that's hard to say. The IIc are pretty old now, and there's a good possibility that the traces have delaminated from the Mylar. The good news is that that is easy to fix if you are even a little bit handy. However, they will sound a little rolled off compared to a modern speaker. For some that's OK. Heck, none of us can hear to 20kHz anymore, but if your used to a speaker that has extended treble it will sound a bit rolled off. Still, everything else from the middle on down will be maggie!

[manlystanley]

One thing you should know before making any judgments about your new speakers is that all Magnepans big and small, unlike many other speakers, do not like to play background music.

Congrats on the new speakers!!

Hello Geoffcin,
I'll remember that. I went to the local store and took along two records and 4 CDs. Took my time listening to them with a Linn 100 watt amp. Very, very nice. The salesmen did a terrible job positioning them:

- two feet at most from the back wall.
- Two feet from the left side wall.
- No right side wall.

I listened to them for an hour. Everything you all said about them is true:

-- Incredibly more detailed.
-- Bass very balanced but not over powering.
-- Bad recordings (e.g. one of my records had a lot of surface noise) come through very strongly.
-- Just a joy to listen to. E.g. very, very musical.

They seem to really bring though the musical expression so much more. Not sure how to say it, but I was much more engaged in what was being played.

I'm sure that when I get the home and well adjusted, they will sound even better! Thanks so much for your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

[frenchmon]

ok thanks.

frenchmon

[manlystanley]

congrats on you new purchase...cant wait for the review.

frenchmon

Thanks, and I'll make sure to do that.

[manlystanley]

Congrats Stan! Welcome to the world of planar speakers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you have a reference CD like Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue give it a listen. With that recording you can really get a feel of what these speakers can do.

Thanks for the welcome to the club! Um..... Is there an initiation rite?? Maybe drinking a beer with live gold fish? Or maybe like in the Navy they would:

-- Put you on top of a chair.
-- Put a box of broken glass below you.
-- Take off your shoes and socks.
-- Then they blind fold you (so you can't see) and then swap out the box of broken glass with a box of potato chips.......
-- Then you jump in feet first....... Scares you have to death when you the chips........


Best Regards,
Stan

[manlystanley]

Ditto that! :thumbsup: Congrats, Stan.

Thanks for your help!

[blackraven]

Thanks for the welcome to the club! Um..... Is there an initiation rite?? Maybe drinking a beer with live gold fish? Or maybe like in the Navy they would:

-- Put you on top of a chair.
-- Put a box of broken glass below you.
-- Take off your shoes and socks.
-- Then they blind fold you (so you can't see) and then swap out the box of broken glass with a box of potato chips.......
-- Then you jump in feet first....... Scares you have to death when you the chips........


Best Regards,
Stan

Its listening to a few hours of good music with a few good beers and a good woman, you can figure out what happens next:blush2:

[Geoffcin]

Hello Geoffcin,
I'll remember that. I went to the local store and took along two records and 4 CDs. Took my time listening to them with a Linn 100 watt amp. Very, very nice. The salesmen did a terrible job positioning them:

- two feet at most from the back wall.
- Two feet from the left side wall.
- No right side wall.

I listened to them for an hour. Everything you all said about them is true:

-- Incredibly more detailed.
-- Bass very balanced but not over powering.
-- Bad recordings (e.g. one of my records had a lot of surface noise) come through very strongly.
-- Just a joy to listen to. E.g. very, very musical.

They seem to really bring though the musical expression so much more. Not sure how to say it, but I was much more engaged in what was being played.

I'm sure that when I get the home and well adjusted, they will sound even better! Thanks so much for your help!

Best Regards,
Stan

R.O.! Stan,

And my pleasure dude!

Wow, you don't even have the speakers home and your already "one of us"

You'll know you made the right decision when you are listening for what you think is a short time, wonder why you feel a little sleepy, and look at the clock and it's >3am! Or if your wife comes into the room and you've got a tissue out and have to make an excuse that something flew into you eye when really you were so moved by the music that the water was flowing.

You know what they say.....once you go flat you never go back! :smilewinkgrin:

Congrats again, and "Happy New Year" to you and yours!