MMG's but dont have 3' from wall(suggestions)

[KRiTiKaL]

Hey everyone, As the subject says...I would like to buy the Magnepan MMG but, I do not have the space for the suggested placement. Any other way calls for completely turning my room around. Which currently is my bedroom/livingroom and is about 12 x 18. Is there a speaker in this price range($500) same quality and clarity that can be used a foot and a half from wall? Thanks everyone.

[Geoffcin]

Hey everyone, As the subject says...I would like to buy the Magnepan MMG but, I do not have the space for the suggested placement. Any other way calls for completely turning my room around. Which currently is my bedroom/livingroom and is about 12 x 18. Is there a speaker in this price range($500) same quality and clarity that can be used a foot and a half from wall? Thanks everyone.

The Magnepan MGMC1 are wall mountable, but you will need a sub for them to work as mains.

[Feanor]

Hey everyone, As the subject says...I would like to buy the Magnepan MMG but, I do not have the space for the suggested placement. Any other way calls for completely turning my room around. Which currently is my bedroom/livingroom and is about 12 x 18. Is there a speaker in this price range($500) same quality and clarity that can be used a foot and a half from wall? Thanks everyone.

One strategy that works is to deflect the backwave away from the speakers. For example, place a panel made of high-absorbancy ceiling tile behind the speaker, angled at 45 degrees with respect to the speaker, either towards the outside or inside.
This panel will partially absorb but mainly deflect the backwave so that it doesn't come back through the speaker itself and cause the dopler cancellations that otherwise make the sound pretty awful. This should work pretty wall even with only 1.5' behind the speaker.

[RGA]

Hey everyone, As the subject says...I would like to buy the Magnepan MMG but, I do not have the space for the suggested placement. Any other way calls for completely turning my room around. Which currently is my bedroom/livingroom and is about 12 x 18. Is there a speaker in this price range($500) same quality and clarity that can be used a foot and a half from wall? Thanks everyone.

With the MMG can you not return them if not satisfied -- That was part of their marketing appeal if I am not mistaken. The only way to know if not positioning them according to manufacturer recommendation is going to work is to give it a try. Some speakers are very rigidly designed to work properly at a certain spot while others may be less good but still very listenable when positioned in the wrong place.

The MMG may actually yield more flexibility due to their size relative to the bigger models - then again maybe not.

[JoeE SP9]

I'm with RGA. If you get the Minimag's and they work for you good. If not return them for a refund. "Sounds" like a good deal to me.

[bonsaiguitar]

I'm in the same boat, I was dead set on Klipsch RF-82's until I saw the Maggie add here. So I went back and forth. I just don't want speakers in the middle of my floor so I'm sticking with the Klipsch.

[JoeE SP9]

Have you heard the Maggy's?

[bonsaiguitar]

No I haven't. Read several reviews and liked the 60 day return policy though. The Klipsch sound better than anything I've heard to date.

The other thing is my Onkyo is only 65 watts.

[Florian]

Maggies are seriously inefficent. So, becarefull what you mate them with. Also, a Planar speakers needs surface area to create dynamics and bass. The more area and lighter the material is better. Please remember that the MMG's are a hook. If bass "quantity" is what your looking for then you wont be impressed with the MMG. But otherwise YES

[JohnMichael]

A tip I read years ago about owning Maggies was to figure out where they sound best in the room and either weave a color thread in carpet or tape on a solid floor. Then when the listening session is over put them back flush against the wall. When you are ready to listen again bring them out to the line you created for them.

[GMichael]

A tip I read years ago about owning Maggies was to figure out where they sound best in the room and either weave a color thread in carpet or tape on a solid floor. Then when the listening session is over put them back flush against the wall. When you are ready to listen again bring them out to the line you created for them.

Huh? This would imply that I turn my system OFF! Do I have to?

[RGA]

I'm in the same boat, I was dead set on Klipsch RF-82's until I saw the Maggie add here. So I went back and forth. I just don't want speakers in the middle of my floor so I'm sticking with the Klipsch.

Two things here -- the Klipsch is going to play a LOT louder without strain and be FAR more dynamic than the MMG and the 1.6. If you like big ballsy music the MMG and 1.6 are not going to cut it -- forget Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Big Band Jazz and complex music. On the other hand if you love solo acoustic instruments or play music like Gershwin then the 1.6 (I have not heard the MMG) can be supurb and very difficult to beat for the money. You really need to hear Magnepan a lot to be able to know if they are going to cut it for you -- but then that;s true about everything.

As mentioned simply putting markers on the carpet can let you move the speakers to where you want for listening and move them back when not -- they are very easy to move and that is something my dealer no doubt very much likes because he carries so much damn stuff you don't want to lug around 900lb beasts all the time -- the 800D he carries they have to kind of drag around which umm must not do wonders for the floor or the woodwork of the speakers!

[Florian]

I basically agree with RGA, but one should add that Maggies do not ADD the resonance in the bass from a cabinet which is not on the recording. Most Rock music is not recorded well, with a few exeptions.

Now dont exepent a huge dynamic impact from a MMG or a 1.6 but with the right amp and placement they will get a lot more right then the Klipsch. Now if right or wrong is Right for you, is a different story.

-Flo

[JoeE SP9]

You can't lose if you try the MMG's. If you don't like them return them for a refund. If they don't have enough bass get a subwoofer. I haven't heard any $500 a pair speakers that couldn't use a subwoofer.

[Florian]

Hey Joe i found a treat for you, complitly eliminates the power transformer in the acoustats! Similar to the Acoustat Servo Charge amp :-)

[RGA]

Not all resonances occur from the box though -- And the 1.6 is certainly not free from upper mid lower treble resonances which are glass like audible. All speakers are nowhere near accurate -- so this poster must decide for himself whether the 1.6's obvious weaknesses are acceptable.

As to music the only thing that matter here is what he listens to -- whether it was recorded properly or not (and even Chesky has put out some stinkers) because if one likes rock music one needs a speaker that is going to do it well -- and The Klipsch will do it well. The K-horn I prefer for classical music as well because it has a dynamic ease that is far more palpable with classical despite the speaker's frequency issues -- it is plain more fun to listen to than most speakers out there (probably why it's been selling for 5 decades.

[JoeE SP9]

Hey Joe i found a treat for you, complitly eliminates the power transformer in the acoustats! Similar to the Acoustat Servo Charge amp :-)

I'm all ears. Tell me about it.

[KRiTiKaL]

What would be a suitable stand-in spreaker for the MMG at the $500 price range?

BTW; I have a Yammie5790 130wpc @8ohm theatre reciever. I will prob never use 75% of that... was a good deal at $300


Now in a technical question; Is it the amp wattage or "speaker wattage handling" that effect the effeciency? If I have a big 200w nom handling speaker what would the efficient wattage need be? Is effeciency reached when the speaker is "flexing" or when you actually put the rated nominal wattage? Thank you everyone.

[RGA]

Firstly efficiency and volume capability have FAR LESS to do with the amplifier than it does with the speaker -- think of a speaker like a Bucket in a Well. The bucket makes requests on the well to get the water it needs to feed the village.

The endless babble about high current high power is largely used as a marketing tool to sell something to people. Most places have atrocious listening rooms and nothing sounds particularly good let alone great so you're left with spec sheets and the salesguy saying you need lotsa watts.

There are two major things about speakers when discussing how loud it can go and how "easy" it is to drive. For the speaker's maximum volume you need to "honest" numbers (don't hold your breath). First you need the maximum amount of power it can take in watts(not peaks) and both the sensitivy rating and minimum impedence characteristics (and this latter one still isn't encompassing because you need to know at which frequency how broad etc).

A 10 watt amp with a 95db speaker will play a lot louder than a 100 watt amp and an 82db sensitive speaker all else being equal.

Conversely, a 1 watt amp with a 110db sensitive speaker will play louder again.

Most people listen at about 75db in the listening position which means it probably is putting out between 80-85db before it gets to your ears.

Now each time you double the amplifier's watts you gain 3decibals in volume (it takes a ten decibal increase for you to notice a doubling of the volume.

Simpler terms using a speaker that does not dip under 3.5 ohms and has no wild big impedence swings:.

A speaker rated 85db 1 watt @ 1 meter with a 100watt power handling capacity (using 100 watt amp)

1 watt = 85db
2 w = 88db
4 w = 91db (LOUD)
8 w = 94db
16w = 97db
32w = 100db
64w = 103db (Max is about 104-105db with a 100 watt amp)
128w = 106db (The speaker can not achieve this because it is passed the watt max)

256w = 109db.

Now let's take the 95db sensitive speaker with 100w max

1w = 95db (you needed 14 or so with the other speaker to get what this does with 1)
2w= 98db
4w = 101db
8w = 104db (A ten watt amp here will produce what the 100 watt amp equals above)
16w = 107db
32w = 110db
64w = 113db (max volume level is about 114-115)
128w = 116db

256W = 119db

You can see that having speakers that can handle high watts are not that impressive because the numbers are doubling for 3 decibals of gain (3 db is barely noticable). For the last number you would need a speaker that can handle 256 watts and an amplifier that can deliver that figure. You won;t be able to determin one playing at 116db and the other playing 119db. As you can see selling watts is largely marketing.

The 1st watt is the important one -- I personally prefer higher efficiency speakers with gusto to give the impression of scale at level -- and I'm not talking about bass - this pressure is here in the midrange and treble and adding bass does not add to the others.

A receiver of 100 watts should be enough to drive almost every speaker out there as well as they can be driven -- there is more to it than the watts, numbers on the spec sheet etc.

[KRiTiKaL]

Thank you RGA! That was very informitive. So a typical listening decibel range is about 75db? That what I really needed to know. I might go take my db meter and audition some different speakers. Thank you again

[RGA]

Well the important thing is to find the db rating you require at the listening position.

The above is simplified mind you because music is still dynamic so you need sufficient headroom to handle the peaks. I have had Bryston in my home and now have a 10 watt amp. For me both my speakers will play with very solid bass to very loud levels but that is because both my speakers are dead easy to drive mostly hovering in the 10 ohm range with 93 and 95db sensitivity. More watts is a waste. BUT, if I owned a typical Dynaudio then I might have to rethink my amplifier choice.

I heard the B&W N801 with several amplifiers over the years -- the best it has ever sounded to me was with an 11 watt SET from some company in Australia. The problem was it simply could not play loud enough to warrant the cost -- but at the volume it did play at it was really very good. The synergy between the componants of the system is important not necessarily the quality of the componant on its own. Which is why most all single componant reviews are worthless -- you simply don;t know how a Bryston will do with a given speaker -- I have heard the same amp sound terrible in one system and very nice in another.

Good Luck -- the speaker shopping is the most fun IMO.