Magnepan Tympanis?

[Blue Meanie]

I apparently have a chance to acquire a pair of Magnepan Tympani speakers (don't know which version) for free. The guy (local) I'm getting them from got them for $10, when purchasing a bunch of other relatively high-end vintage gear for resale on Ebay. He has no room to set them up to test, so he doesn't want to try to sell them on Ebay (not to mention shipping issues due to size). He just wants to unload them to free up space in his storage locker. He says they are in good cosmetic condition, but knows nothing else about them. I'm assuming they'll need some type of refurbishing/repair. Is this doable by the average "handyman" such as myself? Any idea if it would be expensive? Thanks for any insight offered!

Jeff
P.S. Posted these questions in the Planar forum also. Hope that's OK.

[JoeE SP9]

For $10 what do you have to lose?

[Blue Meanie]

For $10 what do you have to lose?

It's quite obvious even to me that I have nothing to lose. I was inquiring as to whether they can be repaired without sending them to the factory. My point was that if these generally aren't repairable at home, why even bother getting them, as I'm not able to absorb the cost of a factory repair at this time. In that event, I would have given the contact info for the guy with the speakers to someone else. Fair enough? Since my original post, I have received a reply on AK with a link to the repair procedure, and will most likely be attempting it myself.

Jeff

[JoeE SP9]

Did the seller give you any indication they needed repair? There is always the possibility they need repair or they may not. For the price it wouldn't hurt to find out after purchase. If they do need repair and you are not in a position to accomplish this there are plenty of folks on audiokarma as well as this site who would pay much more than $10 for the privilege of owning and repairing them. If someone is willing to pay substantially more than $10 for them even if they need repair how can you lose? At least they will be used and not stored in some unheated u-store-it facility.

[Blue Meanie]

The seller has given me no indication as to whether they need repair or not. I'm only guessing that they probably do, because from what I've heard and read, the vast majority of older ones eventually do. I have dealt with this guy before, and my guess is that he knows that they need repair and is not telling me because he needs to dump them. I very much doubt that the guy that sold them would have let them go for 10 bucks if they were functioning perfectly. This is all pure speculation on my part, but I'd be quite surprised if I were wrong.

I certainly wouldn't trash them even if I decide not to repair them. They have already been promised to an Audiokarma.org member for pretty much what I end up paying for them.

Thanks for your input!

Jeff

[JoeE SP9]

I've been following this thread on audiokarma as I'm a member also. Even if they need repair the eventual owner should be very happy.
In 1982 I was using a pair of MG-2's with an ARC SP-3 and D-79 from an AR TT with Shure cartridge. I went to my boss' house for dinner. He had a pair of Altec A-7's which I thought sounded awful. I didn't want to be rude so I kept most of my opinion to myself although I did suggest he should hear my system. I invited him to my house for dinner the next Sunday. He came, heard my Maggy's and called me two days later to say he had sold his Altecs and bought a pair of Tympani's. I went to visit him the following weekend. He was driving them with all Mac gear and they sounded fabulous.