Buying new bookshelf speakers

[jrhymeammo]

FWD112,

Looks like you are getting good recommendation here.
As RGA stated, everyone builds up their "Reference" sound aka preferance.
They are not right or wrong, but if you still around here long enough, you'll get to know the type of sound/music each members prefer.

Here is my impression of Magnepan, incase you are considering the MMG or others:

My listening preference in order: (most favored to least)

Jazz
Hip Hop
Acoustic rock
Small ensemble music (strings)
Electronica
Blues
Large Scale Orchestra
Rap (radio oriented crap)
Rock 'n Roll (Typical FM 103.5 WTYN or whatever...)

Preference on Audio Gear
-Class A Valve amp
-Vinyl
-Low Output Moving Coil cartridges
-High Efficiency Speakers (suites extremely well with the valve amp I own).


I sat behind a piano in full scale orchestra for 4 years in highschool.
Also, played in concert band and marching band for 4 years. Had Scholarship to play Piano in college, but all I wanted to do was argue with the music department so I quiet studying music after 1.5 semesters.
For that, I have more experience sitting behind instruments than sitting in more acoustically favorable positions (audience seating).

I had a pair of Maggies until about a year ago with BAT VK-3i and PS Audio HCA-2. They were very good, but extremey limited to what they can play. Here are my impressions of 1.6QR on above music:

Jazz
-Dreadful

Hip Hop -
-Head Nodding turned into head wobbling. I almost felt the same emotion of old glumpy men, raising fists at cars driving by.

Acoustic rock
- Guitar sounded like $59 K-Mart special. It reminded me of a 30 yr old man still wearing Nirvana Tees who should've sold his guitar 15 years ago.

Small ensemble music (strings)
- Unbelievably good at times, but mostly just great.

Electronica
- I also became a "Firestarter" to my own pair of Maggies.


Blues
- I don't recall much of my experience.

Large Scale Orchestra
- Mixed feelings for sure. Strings were magnificient, but brass sounded very thin and bright. I've tried different resistors to tame the treble, but all it did was supress the entire treble band. Output level was less, but never changed their sound characteristics. Overall inconsistancy didn't allow me to enjoy the music.

Rap (radio oriented crap)
- No experience. I prefer to avoid this non-sense.

Rock 'n Roll (Typical FM 103.5 WTYN or whatever...)
- No experience. It doesn't excite me anymore. Prehaps 15 years ago, but I was dubbing radio onto cassette tapes, and never once cared for sound quality. I thought the bass boost on my boombox and the Walkman was the shizznit.


I think you'll be better off with conventional box speakers. Have you considered a used NHT? They can be acquired within your price range, and they should provide years of pleasure. Paradigm offer excellent bookshelves too. Most of Dealers can offer Paradigm at discounted price (up to 15%?).

Have Fun,
JRA

[Feanor]

FWD112,

Looks like you are getting good recommendation here.
As RGA stated, everyone builds up their "Reference" sound aka preferance.
They are not right or wrong, but if you still around here long enough, you'll get to know the type of sound/music each members prefer.

Here is my impression of Magnepan, incase you are considering the MMG or others:
...

I think you'll be better off with conventional box speakers. Have you considered a used NHT? They can be acquired within your price range, and they should provide years of pleasure. Paradigm offer excellent bookshelves too. Most of Dealers can offer Paradigm at discounted price (up to 15%?).

Have Fun,
JRA

Free,

JRA might have a point: depending on your listening preference, a speaker other than Mageneplanar might be a better bet for you.

Notwithstanding, what he is saying here is largely humbug. Check out some review links at the Magnepan site. A good one is THIS by Johnathan Valin regarding the MG 1.6.

(Can you take seriously a guy who listens to a full-range driver with a whizzer cone? Give me a break. )

[JoeE SP9]

JRA, maybe you spent too much time on stage.

Maggy 1.6Qr's dreadful on Jazz? Can't agree on this one.

Can't agree with acoustic rock sounding bad.

Blues of any type have always sounded good to me on Maggy's.

I can't comment on Rap or Hip Hop.
They are in the same category as most Rock and Roll is for me.
Like you, they just don't really interest me any more or any less.

[jrhymeammo]

JRA, maybe you spent too much time on stage.

Maggy 1.6Qr's dreadful on Jazz? Can't agree on this one.

Can't agree with acoustic rock sounding bad.

Blues of any type have always sounded good to me on Maggy's.

I can't comment on Rap or Hip Hop.
They are in the same category as most Rock and Roll is for me.
Like you, they just don't really interest me any more or any less.

Something might have been wrong in my setup, but I'm 99% confident that I just didn't like the sound of Maggies. It seemed like a good and manageable idea at the time, but
didn't work out. Well enough of this Magnepan arguement cuz I'll just get treated like a second-class citizen.

JRA

[JoeE SP9]

Nah, to get true second class treatment you have to think Bose 901's are SOTA!!!!

[RGA]

Something might have been wrong in my setup, but I'm 99% confident that I just didn't like the sound of Maggies. It seemed like a good and manageable idea at the time, but
didn't work out. Well enough of this Magnepan arguement cuz I'll just get treated like a second-class citizen.

JRA

You won't by me. Many of your observations are the same as mine. I have heard them in several locations in several set-ups. I think I like them more than you in fact but I would not buy any of them except the 1.6 which I still contend is one of the best speakers in the $2k price range - but it's got problems - all speakers have problems though and I think the 1.6 has some advantages that a lot of the competitors don't have. But the MMG is just a speaker to get people to upgrade without a comparison. It's great marketing to get people to avoid listening comparisons giving them a huge advantage.

[jrhymeammo]

(Can take seriously a guy who listens to a full-range driver with a whizzer cone? Give me a break. )

WHAT!!!!???
Well, I'm glad it's my system & not yours, and I'm sure that's something we can both agree on
Then again I haven't heard your exact setup... have you heard mine or anything similar? Probably ....

Com'on my man, you must've been joking or exaggerating... right?
JRA