I love my 3.7i which replaced my MG III which died after 30 years plus of use! I live in the UK so not many folks use magnepan speakers over here! Size puts them off! But nothing really gives the scale of these! Never disappointed which them!
My MG IIs are still hanging in there. I have to pray that they stay good. Can't afford to replace my speakers and cannot imagine having to put up with a box speaker again!? Long live Magnapan!
I had IIIs. Very nice if you turn them around the way most later models do. It’s nice that they are getting better AND smaller. I have Salk Song Towers now ( love them in my 13’x16’ dedicated room with duel 6.5” subs) because any 6’ speaker just gets tiring after awhile.
I've been living with standard LRS with the aftermarket stands for a month now. They're are great dynamically in the mid/high freq and very revealing. Mine are paired with a sub. So far they have made me smile every time I've listened to them.
This is where I really wish there were brick and mortar hi-fi stores, I know they exist, but not around me-anymore. I would love to be able to hear these in person, mostly because your descriptions of mid range and sparkle are so compelling. You are a true sommelier of sound!
I have a pair of 1.6 QR. Bought them new two decades ago. Driving them with a McIntosh MA6450. Have no desire to get anything else. Good audio equipment doesn’t become obsolete.
I have magnapan 1.7s in storage. I used them and loved them for many years. No sub needed, just really good bass. I only stopped using them because of the addition of 2 kittens to the household. They are not cat friendly speakers, providing a very tempting scratching surface
1@@cvanbuilders8992 Above my pay grade, I'm afraid -- I don't know enough about the behavior of cats! Question: does it matter if they scratch the socks? I have a friend with a couple of Acoustats and one had been badly scratched by a previous owner's cat.
Always a joy to witness your experience of the youthful enthusiasm you’ve managed to keep, simply enjoying fully functioning stereo audio playing the world’s greatest performances. My first High-End (quad-amplified) nightclub experience ignited a massive volcano in my determination to assemble a very high performance home entertainment source. A hodge-podge of various manufacturers, I’m up to 1,975 w/Ch, with a goal of 3,800. All inspired by you, dear friend🌹
I have a 1.7i. I can't see an additional 2k for an upgrade it sounds so well with 100wpc Rouge Audio Magnum III. If it was a bit cheaper I would consider it. Thanks for including a classical music recording I really appreciate it
You might be interested to hear my direct testing and sound recordings I recently did on two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers to help answer your question. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
For $4,000 I would look at the emmient technology LFT 8b at $3,200. I started my dipole journery with the LRS+ and dual rel tx/5 subs. I enjoyed the soundstage and tonal accuracy. However, I was missing the dynamics and as Steve mentioned, the solidity and weight of the music. I swtiched to the LFT8b and have been very happy. I listen to a variety of music , orchestral, jazz and rock and the LFTs suit my taste in music. LFTs are a hybrid dipole with a ribbon tweeter, magnetic planar, and sealed sub. The construction is top notch using a steel frame, the magnetic planar portion has magnets on both sides of the membrane. They are heavy, you won;t be sliding them around the listening room.
I lived near Magnepan in White Bear Lake Mn in the 80s. Last spring I drove by the factory for the first time since the 80s. There was someone in the parking lot unloading a car. I stopped to talk and it was Wendell Diller. I think I was irritating him. But I did manage to have a nice conversation.
He was easily irritated exactly 40 years ago, when I had an issue with my brand new MG-3 speakers. OMG!!! I thought he would have mellowed by now. I never forgot. .
What the X Upgrade program is offering is what Magnepan SHOULD have been doing in the first place and want to charge an outrageous insane price to do it, $2K for the .7s? GR Research upgrade I did for $300/pair to the LRS Plus did what you were describing of the .7X at a fraction of the price.
Not everyone is willing to pay that money for the upgrades. Think about them offering the original LRS speaker for $650. They couldn't do that with an X version!
Ageee with the observations here. The Orginal LRS was great for the price. It is, however, not without some weaknesses . The + sounds "different" but better? Less bass and a touch of brightness added... well for me, just different. As for .7 , not too long ago it retailed for $1200. Now you want $4,000? No thank you! 😢
My Maggie 3.6 R speakers blends perfectly with my Carver true subwoofer in a room that’s 13 x 21 1/2 ft. It’s truly remarkable the way this combination synergy works.
Wasn't the 3.6 with Sunfire (Carver) sub a system recommended by Harry Pearson many years ago? Sub blending with Maggies can be difficult but apparently that one worked.
@@iampryso9548 I started reading Absolute Sound from the Volume 1 # 2 way back in 1973 or somewhere around that time and I can honestly say that I don’t remember Harry ever recommending this combination but that is so long ago you have a good memory. Yes it does work for me. I’ve tried an SVS sub and had to return it immediately because it just wouldn’t blend. The SVS had incredible midbass but it was clearly coming from the sub, so when I switch back to the Carver it was like magic. Thanks for sending the comment
Steve, you have the Pure Audio Project Duet 15 with its 15" Dipole bass unit with totally open back panel with all the connections exposed. For those who want to use the Magnepan with even dynamic music, you should consider using an active crossover to unload the bass excursion from Maggie panels and use dipole bass units for bass (GR research, DIY, or even Pure Audio Project bass driver)!
The tympanis were really a treat! A friend had them back in the 80s. They were really outstanding at the time ..but ...they took up a lot of space with all of those panels,! I dreamed and cajoled and I'll admit...I begged...but. I was married at the time and was told no...in no uncertain terms! Lol. I no longer have that problem. My golden years will be just that. Golden.
Well designed and deployed subs add power and extended range without "thump " unless the recording had thump. Maggies small enough to get in an average room have issues with dynamics and power below 80 or so. Detailed and nice but not as exciting as real kick drums, electric and acoustic bass guitars and the low notes in some electronic compositions. Forget about the low end of many pipe organ recordings. I love Maggies but deep, powerful bass is not their Forte.
Well, took a while, but great to get this review. I’ve had my .7i Maggies for not all that long. And I heart them to no end. They cost me $1600 at the start of the pandemic. Reasonable enough for me to afford a nice Rel sub and a pair of Magnariser stands. I drive them with a Hegel H190 and the sound is spacious, precise and downright exquisite. But… they lose a lot if you are standing. Most people are going to have ears a foot above those Maggies, and you really need your ears at about 2.5 to 3ft for an ideal soundstage and the full upper range you buy them for. As for the price of the new Xs, that kinda makes me go hmmm. The 1.7s I auditioned sounded a little better than my .7s and they were well south of $4k. They were just too big, but their price was not.
I’m having a really hard time swallowing the $2.000 premium over the regular .7. No matter how high-quality those crossover parts are, they can’t possibly justify a 100% price increase.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I noticed you were careful not to opine on the “value” proposition, particularly in relation to other Magnepan models. I’m sure the “X” is outstanding, but I’d be really curious to know whether they warrant the premium. I would have to imagine the non-X 1.7i is objectively better than the .7X for $1,000 less money. But maybe I’m wrong.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I think I get your point, but shouldn't Magnepan have carefully matched their crossover components in their previous versions prior to X? It almost sounds like they saw a flaw in their original crossover design and they are now charging their loyal customer base to pay for their error. Also, not to say that Danny was right or wrong from GR research. I will leave that discussion to others smarter than myself. However, Magnepan's focus on improving their crossover components appears to have only occurred after Danny and others suggested that better sound improvements could be had by choosing better crossover components, fuses, and speaker connectors. Just sounds funny to me. By the way Danny's Do-it- yourself LRS+ parts kit could be had for $260 for the pair. I'm just saying I agree with the above comment that $2,000 does seem a bit steep. Love your show. I corrected for GR from 600 plus to 260.
Would love to have these. Years ago. One of our teachers at high school had electrostatic speakers and a BIG .Macintosh amp. We could visit and have a music appreciation session--' I remember it was when Fleetwood Mac came out with Bare Trees. It was an experience!.
Thank you for saying how these magna pans don’t have that problem of the “drivers” singing along w/ the speaker boxes. A friend had a pair of older ones. They sounded really good. The bass response was noticeably not so good. I would imagine you need a really good subwoofer with these.
Speaking of India, I am planning to migrate to that country within the next couple of years, and when I am settled there, I plan to order a pair of Magnepans (not sure which model, however - it depends on the size of my lounge room).
Steve is very, very good at what he does. He hears what I hear. I ultimately did not buy the .7's because of the size of my room (small) and lack of dynamics at low listening levels. He is right about learning to listen with a SPL meter (phone app). Magnepans come alive when played loud. Many older audiophiles (like me) will admit that they got hooked the first time they heard Magnepans - I previously owned 2 pair. Thanks, Steve!
Love my 1.7i and I have a pair of rythmik servo subs integrated with them and they sound just right. I’ll need to look into the upgrade options on the crossover to see what the costs and potential performance improvements would be. Hard for me to wrap my mind around what parts of sq would be improved by an xover and by how much.
I would suggest to by the normal edition and then upgrade those with a Gr research kit. In that way you get a more linear, realistic response, you get rid of the horrible binding posts and better component quality than the X. And it is the more affordable solution.
You might be interested to hear my direct testing between two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers one pair with an upgraded GR Research crossover. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
Steve - this video has some underlying great content - I took snips of the Maggie Upgrade chart and a snip of your favorite SPL meter - - been playing with maggies since the early 80's so all the .7X info held my interest - still have my original (but heavily modified) MGIIIa's kicking around, currently running the 3.7i's - - there's no way I could ever give up the "scale" that Magnepan's push out - and, they never sound "hi-fi" to me - - don't know if that the boxless thing or the gentle slops they've been known to use in their crossovers, maybe it's just the lack of dynamic type drivers - even Jay's bizillion dollar system comes across as Hi Fi to me - imo, his best sounding system was the 20i's which would never work for his taste, they were gone in 2 weeks - - I don't comment that often so thanks for all you do - it's appreciated.
Hello Steve from Meaford Ontario Canada : Steve I have recently restored my Nakamichi TA 3A receiver, I used all Elna Cerophyn caps and the unit is fantastic and I know that Nelson Pass designed the TA series for Nakamichi back in 1989 ,these units were not cheap back in 89 and I remember them being in High End HiFi shops ,These STASIS amps are A-B amps but hi definition and run very warm and my 2010 Naim Nait 5i amplifier sounds extremely similar and I always wanted to ask you Steve if you thought that there were amps from the 80's and 90's that can still compete with new gear of its caliber, Thank you good sir and have a great day Steve
He’s definitely not the only. I’ve seen several people reviewing them. Only one person actually played them and compared them with a pair of Klipsch and blew them out of the water
A dealer who carries both said he sells more Dyptiques, but that the Maggies are more realistic. The Dyptiques do have more bass but it's one note bass -- this has to do with the physics of the acoustic equalization, if you use the energy to extend the bass you lose energy in the midbass.
I have the 1.6 QR that are in good shape. A friendly pro speaker builder offered me to try a few cross-overs as an upgrade. He's talking about 200, 400 and 800 dollars. What quality is in the X-series?
I find it interesting that any box speaker, stand speaker... you review and even just as a general suggestion ... you suggest pulling them away from the wall. You tell people that just as a general suggestion. This would put the front of any such box speaker as far into the room as the Maggies. The overall floor space required from the wall to the speaker front is about the same. What messes with people is the space behind it is open and not taken up with the box and/ or stands. Even if the space taken up is the same.
Yes I do say that all the time. Then again if you had someone play an acoustic guitar with their back up against the wall, listen to that sound, and then have them move 3 feet away from that wall I can assure you they would sound better! It's not a speaker limitation, it's acoustics! Having a large reflector, the wall, close up to a speaker or an instrument, isn't a good idea.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I've done some of my best guitar jams crammed against some bar's back wall! 🙂 The idea being Maggies don't really require more floor space when you consider how much floor space regular cabinet and even floor standers moved away from the wall take. It's more the optics of the space behind them being open instead of filled with a box.
Makes perfect sense, where plate reverb was so often used EG on jazz vocals & instrument solos - a plate would logically be the best way to reproduce that or any reverbs, including real recorded concert hall delays, or those of aprings, or echo chamber rooms Question - could you not make a spring operate as a tweeter?
I started with Maggies about 20 years ago with IIIs...used. Most everything I buy is used. Over the years I've had 12s...1.7s...the wall mounteds...1.6s. Non Magiies are Triton 1s. I just bought 3.7s...man how I missed the tru ribbon. It's a sonic miracle. I still have the Tritons, the 1,6 and also a pair of Monitor Audio 6s. I guess I should thin the herd but I always end up regretting selling stuff.
As an audiophile and a recordist, after listening to this record on Tina, I'd love to know WHICH MICS were used ?? ( you said they only used 2 covering her and the band )
Doubling the price for using nicer crossover parts? Talk about a money grab 😉 My guess is that they fixed the frequency response and that’s a good thing.
My LRS+ works almost perfectly in my small 12x11x9 room with partial acoustic treatment. Would the .7x fit in a room this small. I also have some issues with the LRS+ not being as detailed as some other speakers I have used in this room, such as the KEF LS50 Meta. However, the LRS+ experience is overall a better listen. If I can improve the details a bit, then my first world problem disappears.
I bought the 1.7, CC5 and MMGW based on your reviews over a decade ago. I sold the setup recently for KEF R11 metas because I wanted a Dolby Atmos system but I miss them everyday. How does this compare to 1.7? I'm thinking of buying another pair of Magnepans.
Danny Richie changing speaker designs from a small TH-cam channel. I have the LRS plus and I’m in the process of upgrading the kit. Good to see that that old-time family run company is willing to change.
Maggies have a very small sweet spot in many rooms ,,,,,, be sure you are ok with that ..... I liked the LRS but the tiny listening area drove me nuts in my home.
I've read that there is an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE IMPROVED SOUND QUALITY. However there's a huge increased price, as the system includes a crossover unit, triple subwoofer, and a power amp. Not sure if the binding post s are improved.
After all the years I denying there was any bass issue, yes they are developing a omni cone bass unit but do not call it a "sub." Been several months since I saw a video demo.... so who knows when or if will be available. They have had a quasi-ribbon unit for quite awhile.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I love my 63's, always trying to justify something better but can't, however I'm a jazz and classical guy so maybe that's the difference.
Quads sound wonderful back in the day. Issues were deep bass and SPL. In a lot of music and preferred listening levels this isn't a problem. Keep on e joying the Quads!
I do trust my years of experience in audio. What's better than ever? Actually products as the low end. I have a pair of powered recording monitors bought at less than $300 that hold up wellahsin by $2000, $2800, old school JBLs and tbe LRSs. They play clean and loud and deliver a very smooth response according to reviews who have actually measured them. I have new and old school components, high current class A-B power amp as well as three other class A-B amps and one high wattage Class D amp. When we actually had dealers I auditioned everything within a 100 mile range. Yes. Audio is better at the low end making high end even more absurd. Now if I can just figure out to unload all this stuff...
I am curious to know how much is the SOUND difference between the .7 vs .7X. Does the parts upgrade of .7X worth the price of an extra set of .7 speakers?
@@michaelwang9535 the absence of such a comparison (or subjective opinion) was very telling to me. I would sooner purchase a pair of 1.7i for $1,000 less than the .7X.
I created a video and test to answer a similar question about the Magnepan 1.7 speakers. You might find this helpful: th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
@@ericrichardson5006 Thank you for sharing your crossover upgrade experience. It sounds to be a positive one and I would agree, but at what cost? Everyone has their own threshold, I would not spend more than 30% of the original speaker cost let alone 100% what Magnepan is asking.
Mid-range is where planer and electrostatic speakers shine. No other design can compete with them in that area. The big BUT: Roll off in the bass and treble, power hungry and the aesthetics. Some audiophiles don't want speakers that look like space heaters or room dividers.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac my buddy picked up some 1.2's and I knew they were something special the second I heard them. I jumped on an NAD 2200 power amp + preamp + tuner stack and a set of 3.5s without working tweeters or mids. The tweeters are being restored by holt Hill audio and I have replacement mids. I can't wait to get these puppies roaring!
Loved Thiel speakers back in the day. A bit bright at times .... perhaps the result of the amp and preamp used ... or merely a bright recording. Sounded great in the shop with ARC and Macintosh amps . Enjoy!
Weak dynamic range capability? I was thinking I might need to hear these until you said that. I listen to a lot of jazz & classical. Seems these won't be replacing my old B&W 802 anytime soon. Is this also true of the LRS+?
I have LRS+ speakers with Magna Riser stands and dual REL T9/X subs and amazing and MUCH more expensive electronics. My only real gripe is the treble range could be better. The Quasi ribbon tweeter is OK, but I would rather have the TRUE RIBBON tweeter.
Magnepan does things in Magnepan time. It will show up eventually. As for the 10 K response, sorry that's a bad idea. I seriously doubt that'll make it to market.
Yes, but it's not all that new, just an update of an existing model. I'm not all that interested in reviewing an electrostatic speaker, I lived with a Quad 63, and I've heard plenty of quads over the years. Not my flavor.
I’m upgrading from a lp60x to a fluance rt85 with a sumiko Rainer as my cartridge and pairing it with a schiit mani2. I was wondering if you’ve heard the schiit mani 2 and if so what do you think about it?
That top to bottom immediacy characteristic is the lack of inductance, rise times are superior. Wonderful thing. But, as with all things loudspeaker design, the tradeoff is the power the big motors of the Pure Audio Project, bring to the experience. Textbook trade offs in loudspeaker approach laid bare. Thanks Steve
Look like they're still using an MDF frame. They need to move to thin, light aluminum frame and cut the weight by more than half and allow for a thinner footprint.
I’ll stick with my 1.7’s with 2 subs. I love their sound. I don’t see a reason to change anything. Especially since the price is ridiculous just to have something they should have been doing all along.
It's about time Magnepan went to outboard crossovers w/ much better parts. The crossovers were always the weak link. And not just crummy parts, some of the way the slopes are designed just are not right. I'm building the GR-Research crossovers for the LRS. They make a kit for the 0.7 that is far less expensive than the Magnepan 'X'. The new new LRS crossover uses US made air inductors and a Sonicap. Plus fixes the slope/driver overlap issue. Oh.....the speaker connectors on a std. Maggie is horrible. Ferrous metal...yuck. When I had my old 2c's back in the 80, I swapped the cap for Hovland (which were the hot cap of the era) and installed solid copper binding post.....Cardis if memory serves. Favorite speaker I ever owned.
You might find this video I made comparing two different pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers, one pair with upgraded crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
Wish more folks appreciated clean bass... so much bad and compressed pop and hip-hop has destroyed the comprehension of great bass notes. Love your videos. Thanks.
Many "pop" recording just don't sound very good to my ears. A multitude of effects are used to get "that sound " With a modest system you can hear those issues. With a Martin Logan electrostatic, Maggies and many other models with definition, the problems are more obvious. If I like the tunes I listen any way and enjoy the music and try to ignore the annoying sound problems.
The difference is reviewers are always saying..oh these things compete with others worth three or four times the cost. So they use better parts. Can I buy a kit to upgrade the old version or should I just live with the fact that they could have used better parts but didn’t.
$300 for those two simple metal brackets you call stands is pretty rich. I do like Magnepan overall but there are significant response flaws with the LRS due to interference effects you don't seem to report or even notice. It's been written about with measurements to back it up. The thing needs reworking. I hope the .7x does better as their higher models are definitely excellent for the money.
Love the cheap-in-the-U.S.A. XLR+ and I would buy them in Europe if only shipping and VAT would be added. But these are a pack more than TWICE the price here in Europe!!! What ridiculousness is that? 😢
I’ve never listened to Magnepan, but I have listened extensively to MartinLogan. I found that electrostatic speakers were excellent with simpler music, if the music was complex it sounded like the sound was starting to ‘break up’. Does this happen with the Magnepans?
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac But you’re agreeing that MLs do? That simply doesn’t comport with most people’s experience. My CLS handle complex music better than my Cornwall IVs or Magnepan .7s.
Hard to figure the break up issue. Martinlogan always sounded great in my limited experience. Driven to very high sound pressure levels Maggies will distort or clip the power amp. Both speaker systems play plenty loud for me. Martin Logans sound very different in the way they filled the room but I liked the sound. I liked the big ones and didn't want to spend the cash for the speaker and the right power amp to drive them. If I could listen to one of the models given recent reviews I would seriously consider getting a pair. More efficient and better integrated they say.
@@memcdm You’re confusing volume with complexity of input. My comment about the MartinLogan sound was that I felt the panels could not deal with something like heavy orchestral music. The layers did not remain distinct. Jazz and folk were fine, but otherwise they were outshined by cone speakers. They were powered by the dealer with a variety of large, expensive amps, so that was not the issue.
@TheBTG88 Not confused at all a our volumn or "complexity." Just trying to figure out what you are hearing. Due to very little mass electrostatic speakers generally are extremely detailed. Maggies are exceptional at detail and In Handling complex orchestra recordings. Martinlogan. electrostatics ability to handle orchestra is usually noted as a positive by reviewers. They can reveal problems in less than stellar recordings. Cones....in general.... have greater dynamic contrast. The LRSs I have driven with lots of power simply to not deliver the dynamic I get from my JBL studio monitors but the detail is better an the LRSs. I still like LRSs on very goid orchestra recordings. To each his own.
This might help as I did a test between two magnepan 1.7 speakers, one set with upgrade crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
I would like to listen some words about a comparison between a LS50 and the LRS+ Know these are different systems, at the end rhey playing te same music .g. Miles Davis
I am honored to hear from you Mr. Davis! The LRS+ is hugely more transparent and spaces sounding. The LS 50 is sweeter and fuller sounding. And also much easier to drive.
I have a .7. I have owned several speakers in the past several years. I have been completely satisfied with them longer than any of the others I have owned. I have a subwoofer which I don't feel I need.
Yup! There are great alternatives at that price. Not too long ago a .7 pair was $1200! 1.7i was under $2,000. I would try to redesign the crossover but better components would be nice. I simply can't justify the price for the X Upgrade. Sorry Maggie!
By nearly every single metric that has been discussed in Steve's reviews, if I was going for that open dipole sound, I'd go for open baffles like the Pure Audio Project. While I am sure the Maggies have a certain advantage in some very specific areas, there are simply too many compromises in them to make them desirable to me. And that upgrade price on all of their various lines smacks of a cash grab. If you market various lines of speakers that benefit so much from a costly upgrade -- KA-CHING!!! -- maybe they're not being well designed in the first place. 🤔
Double the price just doesn't make sense. 1/3 more cost might make sense. Magnepan should be working on that bass cube they teased us with a few years back.
LRS plus is harder to drive. Neither one is easy to drive, both need the good stuff. it's a bad idea to try to get by with Budget gear with either model.
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Very helpful. I have a Rogue Chronos III tube amp(100 wpc) that sounds excellent with original LRS. I sold the original LRS to get the LRS+. May get the 0.7x instead. Sounds like if my Rogue tube amp drove the LRS to my satisfaction it will probably drive the 0.7x enough as well.
I have done a test between stock and GR Research crossover upgrades between two pairs of magnepan 1.7 speakers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
I made a video of my testing to answer that question of does the upgraded crossover make enough difference? I used two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers, one pair had upgraded crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
I love my 3.7i which replaced my MG III which died after 30 years plus of use! I live in the UK so not many folks use magnepan speakers over here! Size puts them off! But nothing really gives the scale of these! Never disappointed which them!
My MG IIs are still hanging in there. I have to pray that they stay good. Can't afford to replace my speakers and cannot imagine having to put up with a box speaker again!? Long live Magnapan!
I had IIIs. Very nice if you turn them around the way most later models do. It’s nice that they are getting better AND smaller. I have Salk Song Towers now ( love them in my 13’x16’ dedicated room with duel 6.5” subs) because any 6’ speaker just gets tiring after awhile.
I've been living with standard LRS with the aftermarket stands for a month now. They're are great dynamically in the mid/high freq and very revealing. Mine are paired with a sub. So far they have made me smile every time I've listened to them.
This is where I really wish there were brick and mortar hi-fi stores, I know they exist, but not around me-anymore. I would love to be able to hear these in person, mostly because your descriptions of mid range and sparkle are so compelling. You are a true sommelier of sound!
I have a pair of 1.6 QR. Bought them new two decades ago. Driving them with a McIntosh MA6450. Have no desire to get anything else. Good audio equipment doesn’t become obsolete.
Absolutely!
I have magnapan 1.7s in storage. I used them and loved them for many years. No sub needed, just really good bass. I only stopped using them because of the addition of 2 kittens to the household. They are not cat friendly speakers, providing a very tempting scratching surface
consider to ask to a welder for build a cage, like a extra frame to cover the speaker
You could try taking the socks off and leaving the drivers bare. Will cats scratch a bare surface?
@@Josh442 Would you take that risk?
1@@cvanbuilders8992 Above my pay grade, I'm afraid -- I don't know enough about the behavior of cats! Question: does it matter if they scratch the socks? I have a friend with a couple of Acoustats and one had been badly scratched by a previous owner's cat.
Thank you for including low volume listening in your review.
Now I want a a pair of Magnepans.
Ayup. They've gotta' be the most popular 2nd pair. And the LRS+ is still $995.00.
Always a joy to witness your experience of the youthful enthusiasm you’ve managed to keep, simply enjoying fully functioning stereo audio playing the world’s greatest performances. My first High-End (quad-amplified) nightclub experience ignited a massive volcano in my determination to assemble a very high performance home entertainment source. A hodge-podge of various manufacturers, I’m up to 1,975 w/Ch, with a goal of 3,800. All inspired by you, dear friend🌹
They did a nice job on the raised stand design. Makes the whole speaker more visually appealing. 👍
I have a 1.7i.
I can't see an additional 2k for an upgrade it sounds so well with 100wpc Rouge Audio Magnum III. If it was a bit cheaper I would consider it.
Thanks for including a classical music recording I really appreciate it
You might be interested to hear my direct testing and sound recordings I recently did on two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers to help answer your question. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
For $4,000 I would look at the emmient technology LFT 8b at $3,200. I started my dipole journery with the LRS+ and dual rel tx/5 subs. I enjoyed the soundstage and tonal accuracy. However, I was missing the dynamics and as Steve mentioned, the solidity and weight of the music. I swtiched to the LFT8b and have been very happy. I listen to a variety of music , orchestral, jazz and rock and the LFTs suit my taste in music. LFTs are a hybrid dipole with a ribbon tweeter, magnetic planar, and sealed sub. The construction is top notch using a steel frame, the magnetic planar portion has magnets on both sides of the membrane. They are heavy, you won;t be sliding them around the listening room.
Excellent. Love all the great detail here. Thank you.
I love Magnapan Bass, its so detailed.
i could not describe better the experience of hear magnepan speakers. they sound just like live music
I lived near Magnepan in White Bear Lake Mn in the 80s. Last spring I drove by the factory for the first time since the 80s. There was someone in the parking lot unloading a car. I stopped to talk and it was Wendell Diller. I think I was irritating him. But I did manage to have a nice conversation.
He was easily irritated exactly 40 years ago, when I had an issue with my brand new MG-3 speakers. OMG!!! I thought he would have mellowed by now. I never forgot. .
What the X Upgrade program is offering is what Magnepan SHOULD have been doing in the first place and want to charge an outrageous insane price to do it, $2K for the .7s? GR Research upgrade I did for $300/pair to the LRS Plus did what you were describing of the .7X at a fraction of the price.
This is exactly what I thought also, that what youre mantion on Magnepan and the GR Research Upgrade!! 👍
Was the GR research upgrade hard to install? Did they upgrade the mounting plate that you connect the speaker wires to, or offer one?
Not everyone is willing to pay that money for the upgrades. Think about them offering the original LRS speaker for $650. They couldn't do that with an X version!
Ageee with the observations here. The Orginal LRS was great for the price. It is, however, not without some weaknesses . The + sounds "different" but better? Less bass and a touch of brightness added... well for me, just different. As for .7 , not too long ago it retailed for $1200. Now you want $4,000? No thank you! 😢
I’d give my money to Magnepan 10 times over before “Danielle” over at GR research, sees a penny.
My Maggie 3.6 R speakers blends perfectly with my Carver true subwoofer in a room that’s 13 x 21 1/2 ft. It’s truly remarkable the way this combination synergy works.
Wasn't the 3.6 with Sunfire (Carver) sub a system recommended by Harry Pearson many years ago? Sub blending with Maggies can be difficult but apparently that one worked.
@@iampryso9548 I started reading Absolute Sound from the Volume 1 # 2 way back in 1973 or somewhere around that time and I can honestly say that I don’t remember Harry ever recommending this combination but that is so long ago you have a good memory. Yes it does work for me. I’ve tried an SVS sub and had to return it immediately because it just wouldn’t blend. The SVS had incredible midbass but it was clearly coming from the sub, so when I switch back to the Carver it was like magic. Thanks for sending the comment
@@stimpy1226 As I remember (and I'm old so lots of failures) that was not HP's top recommended system, but rather his "cost effective" system.
Steve, you have the Pure Audio Project Duet 15 with its 15" Dipole bass unit with totally open back panel with all the connections exposed. For those who want to use the Magnepan with even dynamic music, you should consider using an active crossover to unload the bass excursion from Maggie panels and use dipole bass units for bass (GR research, DIY, or even Pure Audio Project bass driver)!
I am insanely happy with my 0.7 coupled with an SVS MICRO, crossed over at 60.
Still listen to my 30 year old tympani's every day!
The tympanis were really a treat! A friend had them back in the 80s. They were really outstanding at the time ..but ...they took up a lot of space with all of those panels,! I dreamed and cajoled and I'll admit...I begged...but. I was married at the time and was told no...in no uncertain terms! Lol. I no longer have that problem. My golden years will be just that. Golden.
Ahhh! The Typani
All due respect, a quality sub is about more than "thump". I've been seriously thinking about a pair of Maggies lately -- thank you!
Well designed and deployed subs add power and extended range without "thump " unless the recording had thump. Maggies small enough to get in an average room have issues with dynamics and power below 80 or so. Detailed and nice but not as exciting as real kick drums, electric and acoustic bass guitars and the low notes in some electronic compositions. Forget about the low end of many pipe organ recordings. I love Maggies but deep, powerful bass is not their Forte.
Well, took a while, but great to get this review. I’ve had my .7i Maggies for not all that long. And I heart them to no end. They cost me $1600 at the start of the pandemic. Reasonable enough for me to afford a nice Rel sub and a pair of Magnariser stands. I drive them with a Hegel H190 and the sound is spacious, precise and downright exquisite. But… they lose a lot if you are standing. Most people are going to have ears a foot above those Maggies, and you really need your ears at about 2.5 to 3ft for an ideal soundstage and the full upper range you buy them for.
As for the price of the new Xs, that kinda makes me go hmmm. The 1.7s I auditioned sounded a little better than my .7s and they were well south of $4k. They were just too big, but their price was not.
Great review. Great shirt. ❤
I’m having a really hard time swallowing the $2.000 premium over the regular .7. No matter how high-quality those crossover parts are, they can’t possibly justify a 100% price increase.
@@dannyfannyfoodle 💯
That's cool, don't do it! Buy the not X version!
GR Research will sell you a kit for 1/8th the price with quality parts. Magnepan has lost their mind, I think it is insulting.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I noticed you were careful not to opine on the “value” proposition, particularly in relation to other Magnepan models. I’m sure the “X” is outstanding, but I’d be really curious to know whether they warrant the premium. I would have to imagine the non-X 1.7i is objectively better than the .7X for $1,000 less money. But maybe I’m wrong.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I think I get your point, but shouldn't Magnepan have carefully matched their crossover components in their previous versions prior to X? It almost sounds like they saw a flaw in their original crossover design and they are now charging their loyal customer base to pay for their error. Also, not to say that Danny was right or wrong from GR research. I will leave that discussion to others smarter than myself. However, Magnepan's focus on improving their crossover components appears to have only occurred after Danny and others suggested that better sound improvements could be had by choosing better crossover components, fuses, and speaker connectors. Just sounds funny to me. By the way Danny's Do-it- yourself LRS+ parts kit could be had for $260 for the pair. I'm just saying I agree with the above comment that $2,000 does seem a bit steep.
Love your show.
I corrected for GR from 600 plus to 260.
The question I’ve always wanted answered
Would love to have these. Years ago. One of our teachers at high school had electrostatic speakers and a BIG .Macintosh amp. We could visit and have a music appreciation session--' I remember it was when Fleetwood Mac came out with Bare Trees. It was an experience!.
I have the LRS plus with three subs in a Marantz home theatre sounds great but took a lot of setting up 😊
Thank you for saying how these magna pans don’t have that problem of the “drivers” singing along w/ the speaker boxes.
A friend had a pair of older ones. They sounded really good. The bass response was noticeably not so good. I would imagine you need a really good subwoofer with these.
Speaking of India, I am planning to migrate to that country within the next couple of years, and when I am settled there, I plan to order a pair of Magnepans (not sure which model, however - it depends on the size of my lounge room).
Don't come we have to many of your brothers here
@@rukosody420, kindly repeat that in ENGLISH, Miss.☝️
Incidentally, are you VEGAN? 🌱
Steve is very, very good at what he does. He hears what I hear. I ultimately did not buy the .7's because of the size of my room (small) and lack of dynamics at low listening levels. He is right about learning to listen with a SPL meter (phone app). Magnepans come alive when played loud. Many older audiophiles (like me) will admit that they got hooked the first time they heard Magnepans - I previously owned 2 pair. Thanks, Steve!
Magnepans suck at playing loud lol
Love my 1.7i and I have a pair of rythmik servo subs integrated with them and they sound just right. I’ll need to look into the upgrade options on the crossover to see what the costs and potential performance improvements would be. Hard for me to wrap my mind around what parts of sq would be improved by an xover and by how much.
I would suggest to by the normal edition and then upgrade those with a Gr research kit.
In that way you get a more linear, realistic response, you get rid of the horrible binding posts and better component quality than the X.
And it is the more affordable solution.
You might be interested to hear my direct testing between two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers one pair with an upgraded GR Research crossover. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
Steve - this video has some underlying great content - I took snips of the Maggie Upgrade chart and a snip of your favorite SPL meter - - been playing with maggies since the early 80's so all the .7X info held my interest - still have my original (but heavily modified) MGIIIa's kicking around, currently running the 3.7i's - - there's no way I could ever give up the "scale" that Magnepan's push out - and, they never sound "hi-fi" to me - - don't know if that the boxless thing or the gentle slops they've been known to use in their crossovers, maybe it's just the lack of dynamic type drivers - even Jay's bizillion dollar system comes across as Hi Fi to me - imo, his best sounding system was the 20i's which would never work for his taste, they were gone in 2 weeks - - I don't comment that often so thanks for all you do - it's appreciated.
Thanks!!
Hello Steve from Meaford Ontario Canada : Steve I have recently restored my Nakamichi TA 3A receiver, I used all Elna Cerophyn caps and the unit is fantastic and I know that Nelson Pass designed the TA series for Nakamichi back in 1989 ,these units were not cheap back in 89 and I remember them being in High End HiFi shops ,These STASIS amps are A-B amps but hi definition and run very warm and my 2010 Naim Nait 5i amplifier sounds extremely similar and I always wanted to ask you Steve if you thought that there were amps from the 80's and 90's that can still compete with new gear of its caliber, Thank you good sir and have a great day Steve
bass is really really clean, translated there is no bass
How come Steve is the ONLY person on TH-cam covering this speaker?? 🤔
He’s definitely not the only. I’ve seen several people reviewing them. Only one person actually played them and compared them with a pair of Klipsch and blew them out of the water
In fact Steve is the last person I saw review them. Never even heard of them before
As of today, searching YT for "Magnepan .7x" results in only this video.
Will you ever compare Maggie’s to Diptyque speakers?
The diptyque are on a whole another level. The best speakers I’ve heard in person
A dealer who carries both said he sells more Dyptiques, but that the Maggies are more realistic. The Dyptiques do have more bass but it's one note bass -- this has to do with the physics of the acoustic equalization, if you use the energy to extend the bass you lose energy in the midbass.
I have the 1.6 QR that are in good shape. A friendly pro speaker builder offered me to try a few cross-overs as an upgrade. He's talking about 200, 400 and 800 dollars. What quality is in the X-series?
Thank you very much!
This is what customer were asking for and now they have it. Of course you have to pay the premium cost.
I find it interesting that any box speaker, stand speaker... you review and even just as a general suggestion ... you suggest pulling them away from the wall. You tell people that just as a general suggestion. This would put the front of any such box speaker as far into the room as the Maggies. The overall floor space required from the wall to the speaker front is about the same. What messes with people is the space behind it is open and not taken up with the box and/ or stands. Even if the space taken up is the same.
Yes I do say that all the time. Then again if you had someone play an acoustic guitar with their back up against the wall, listen to that sound, and then have them move 3 feet away from that wall I can assure you they would sound better!
It's not a speaker limitation, it's acoustics! Having a large reflector, the wall, close up to a speaker or an instrument, isn't a good idea.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I've done some of my best guitar jams crammed against some bar's back wall! 🙂
The idea being Maggies don't really require more floor space when you consider how much floor space regular cabinet and even floor standers moved away from the wall take. It's more the optics of the space behind them being open instead of filled with a box.
@@glenncurry3041 since you were at a bar, does that make it a ‘Blund drunk’ test. Cheers. Useful information.
@@EvenHarmonics A clap test so to say.
Makes perfect sense, where plate reverb was so often used EG on jazz vocals & instrument solos - a plate would logically be the best way to reproduce that or any reverbs, including real recorded concert hall delays, or those of aprings, or echo chamber rooms
Question - could you not make a spring operate as a tweeter?
I started with Maggies about 20 years ago with IIIs...used. Most everything I buy is used. Over the years I've had 12s...1.7s...the wall mounteds...1.6s. Non Magiies are Triton 1s. I just bought 3.7s...man how I missed the tru ribbon. It's a sonic miracle. I still have the Tritons, the 1,6 and also a pair of Monitor Audio 6s. I guess I should thin the herd but I always end up regretting selling stuff.
I am not giving up my DynAudio boxes 😀 …but I would love to hear a pair of these.
As an audiophile and a recordist, after listening to this record on Tina, I'd love to know WHICH MICS were used ?? ( you said they only used 2 covering her and the band )
Based on how good a persons hearing is, also room accoustics, i wonder how many would even notice/ perceive the improvement?!?
Doubling the price for using nicer crossover parts? Talk about a money grab 😉
My guess is that they fixed the frequency response and that’s a good thing.
Luckily you're too smart for that!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliaci think i would buy the regular model and use PEQ filters 😉
My LRS+ works almost perfectly in my small 12x11x9 room with partial acoustic treatment. Would the .7x fit in a room this small. I also have some issues with the LRS+ not being as detailed as some other speakers I have used in this room, such as the KEF LS50 Meta. However, the LRS+ experience is overall a better listen. If I can improve the details a bit, then my first world problem disappears.
I bought the 1.7, CC5 and MMGW based on your reviews over a decade ago. I sold the setup recently for KEF R11 metas because I wanted a Dolby Atmos system but I miss them everyday. How does this compare to 1.7? I'm thinking of buying another pair of Magnepans.
Danny Richie changing speaker designs from a small TH-cam channel. I have the LRS plus and I’m in the process of upgrading the kit. Good to see that that old-time family run company is willing to change.
Maggies have a very small sweet spot in many rooms ,,,,,, be sure you are ok with that ..... I liked the LRS but the tiny listening area drove me nuts in my home.
Doesn't Magnepan have a separate woofer system in development to complement their main speakers? Any word on how far along that project has come?
Maggie time moves VERY slowly.
I've read that there is an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE IMPROVED SOUND QUALITY. However there's a huge increased price, as the system includes a crossover unit, triple subwoofer, and a power amp. Not sure if the binding post s are improved.
After all the years I denying there was any bass issue, yes they are developing a omni cone bass unit but do not call it a "sub." Been several months since I saw a video demo.... so who knows when or if will be available. They have had a quasi-ribbon unit for quite awhile.
As a lifelong Quad owner I listened to Maggies at Axpona this year and was underwhelmed.
Funny, I feel the same way about Quads. I owned '63s, BTW
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I love my 63's, always trying to justify something better but can't, however I'm a jazz and classical guy so maybe that's the difference.
Quads sound wonderful back in the day. Issues were deep bass and SPL. In a lot of music and preferred listening levels this isn't a problem. Keep on e joying the Quads!
@@memcdm Right I have them since 1990, time to try something new. Possibly Pearl Sibelius or Qualio IQ's.
@@huskydogg7536 Go for it and HAVE FUN!
I do trust my years of experience in audio. What's better than ever? Actually products as the low end. I have a pair of powered recording monitors bought at less than $300 that hold up wellahsin by $2000, $2800, old school JBLs and tbe LRSs. They play clean and loud and deliver a very smooth response according to reviews who have actually measured them. I have new and old school components, high current class A-B power amp as well as three other class A-B amps and one high wattage Class D amp. When we actually had dealers I auditioned everything within a 100 mile range. Yes. Audio is better at the low end making high end even more absurd. Now if I can just figure out to unload all this stuff...
I am curious to know how much is the SOUND difference between the .7 vs .7X. Does the parts upgrade of .7X worth the price of an extra set of .7 speakers?
@@michaelwang9535 the absence of such a comparison (or subjective opinion) was very telling to me. I would sooner purchase a pair of 1.7i for $1,000 less than the .7X.
I created a video and test to answer a similar question about the Magnepan 1.7 speakers. You might find this helpful: th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
@@ericrichardson5006 Thank you for sharing your crossover upgrade experience. It sounds to be a positive one and I would agree, but at what cost? Everyone has their own threshold, I would not spend more than 30% of the original speaker cost let alone 100% what Magnepan is asking.
Mid-range is where planer and electrostatic speakers shine. No other design can compete with them in that area. The big BUT: Roll off in the bass and treble, power hungry and the aesthetics. Some audiophiles don't want speakers that look like space heaters or room dividers.
I was saving up for some lrs+ but ended up getting some thiel 3.5s
Wow that's a big difference. Thiel made great speakers!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac my buddy picked up some 1.2's and I knew they were something special the second I heard them. I jumped on an NAD 2200 power amp + preamp + tuner stack and a set of 3.5s without working tweeters or mids. The tweeters are being restored by holt Hill audio and I have replacement mids. I can't wait to get these puppies roaring!
Loved Thiel speakers back in the day. A bit bright at times .... perhaps the result of the amp and preamp used ... or merely a bright recording. Sounded great in the shop with ARC and Macintosh amps . Enjoy!
Weak dynamic range capability? I was thinking I might need to hear these until you said that. I listen to a lot of jazz & classical. Seems these won't be replacing my old B&W 802 anytime soon. Is this also true of the LRS+?
I have LRS+ speakers with Magna Riser stands and dual REL T9/X subs and amazing and MUCH more expensive electronics. My only real gripe is the treble range could be better. The Quasi ribbon tweeter is OK, but I would rather have the TRUE RIBBON tweeter.
What happened to the open baffle subwoofer sys that magnepan was showcasing? The sub that was able to play upto 10khz.
Magnepan does things in Magnepan time. It will show up eventually. As for the 10 K response, sorry that's a bad idea. I seriously doubt that'll make it to market.
And with Blocks Stellar MB1200 do they work?
Great Chanel Steve. I hear there is a new Quad ELS. Have you heard anything regarding this?
Yes, but it's not all that new, just an update of an existing model. I'm not all that interested in reviewing an electrostatic speaker, I lived with a Quad 63, and I've heard plenty of quads over the years. Not my flavor.
I’m upgrading from a lp60x to a fluance rt85 with a sumiko Rainer as my cartridge and pairing it with a schiit mani2. I was wondering if you’ve heard the schiit mani 2 and if so what do you think about it?
Yes it's terrific for the money. And the Fluance is also excellent. Enjoy
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac thanks! Im loving it keep up the great work on the videos
As a owner of the lrs, it's gonna be a love hate relationship
That top to bottom immediacy characteristic is the lack of inductance, rise times are superior.
Wonderful thing.
But, as with all things loudspeaker design, the tradeoff is the power the big motors of the Pure Audio Project, bring to the experience.
Textbook trade offs in loudspeaker approach laid bare.
Thanks Steve
Look like they're still using an MDF frame. They need to move to thin, light aluminum frame and cut the weight by more than half and allow for a thinner footprint.
I’ll stick with my 1.7’s with 2 subs. I love their sound. I don’t see a reason to change anything. Especially since the price is ridiculous just to have something they should have been doing all along.
I guess they’ve been focusing on offering the .7 at a price point.
It's about time Magnepan went to outboard crossovers w/ much better parts. The crossovers were always the weak link. And not just crummy parts, some of the way the slopes are designed just are not right. I'm building the GR-Research crossovers for the LRS. They make a kit for the 0.7 that is far less expensive than the Magnepan 'X'. The new new LRS crossover uses US made air inductors and a Sonicap. Plus fixes the slope/driver overlap issue. Oh.....the speaker connectors on a std. Maggie is horrible. Ferrous metal...yuck. When I had my old 2c's back in the 80, I swapped the cap for Hovland (which were the hot cap of the era) and installed solid copper binding post.....Cardis if memory serves. Favorite speaker I ever owned.
You might find this video I made comparing two different pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers, one pair with upgraded crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
Wish more folks appreciated clean bass... so much bad and compressed pop and hip-hop has destroyed the comprehension of great bass notes. Love your videos. Thanks.
Many "pop" recording just don't sound very good to my ears. A multitude of effects are used to get "that sound " With a modest system you can hear those issues. With a Martin Logan electrostatic, Maggies and many other models with definition, the problems are more obvious. If I like the tunes I listen any way and enjoy the music and try to ignore the annoying sound problems.
Not a quack comment. Came from Jim. Company was bring sued. Very early in their history and losing the suit would have been
devastating.
The difference is reviewers are always saying..oh these things compete with others worth three or four times the cost.
So they use better parts. Can I buy a kit to upgrade the old version or should I just live with the fact that they could have used better parts but didn’t.
How do they compare to the Diptyque speakers you reviewed?
$300 for those two simple metal brackets you call stands is pretty rich. I do like Magnepan overall but there are significant response flaws with the LRS due to interference effects you don't seem to report or even notice. It's been written about with measurements to back it up. The thing needs reworking. I hope the .7x does better as their higher models are definitely excellent for the money.
Love the cheap-in-the-U.S.A. XLR+ and I would buy them in Europe if only shipping and VAT would be added. But these are a pack more than TWICE the price here in Europe!!! What ridiculousness is that? 😢
With all lower end Maggie's if you push them they can't handle the bass and start to distort.
Cross them over to a sub and they clean up.
I’ve never listened to Magnepan, but I have listened extensively to MartinLogan. I found that electrostatic speakers were excellent with simpler music, if the music was complex it sounded like the sound was starting to ‘break up’. Does this happen with the Magnepans?
No it does not
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac But you’re agreeing that MLs do? That simply doesn’t comport with most people’s experience. My CLS handle complex music better than my Cornwall IVs or Magnepan .7s.
Hard to figure the break up issue. Martinlogan always sounded great in my limited experience. Driven to very high sound pressure levels Maggies will distort or clip the power amp. Both speaker systems play plenty loud for me. Martin Logans sound very different in the way they filled the room but I liked the sound. I liked the big ones and didn't want to spend the cash for the speaker and the right power amp to drive them. If I could listen to one of the models given recent reviews I would seriously consider getting a pair. More efficient and better integrated they say.
@@memcdm You’re confusing volume with complexity of input. My comment about the MartinLogan sound was that I felt the panels could not deal with something like heavy orchestral music. The layers did not remain distinct. Jazz and folk were fine, but otherwise they were outshined by cone speakers. They were powered by the dealer with a variety of large, expensive amps, so that was not the issue.
@TheBTG88 Not confused at all a our volumn or "complexity." Just trying to figure out what you are hearing. Due to very little mass electrostatic speakers generally are extremely detailed. Maggies are exceptional at detail and In Handling complex orchestra recordings. Martinlogan. electrostatics ability to handle orchestra is usually noted as a positive by reviewers. They can reveal problems in less than stellar recordings. Cones....in general.... have greater dynamic contrast. The LRSs I have driven with lots of power simply to not deliver the dynamic I get from my JBL studio monitors but the detail is better an the LRSs. I still like LRSs on very goid orchestra recordings. To each his own.
Very excellent review as usual… they are very affordable and with the addition of a sub like HSU … it would satisfy most…
I think he lives in Chennai (Madras, previously)
Boy, you really "dished" my Maggie's, I don't agree that mine are not 'audiophile' quality!
LRS? Absolutely audiophile quality!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac .7 not LRS.
I assume the Naim Supernait 3 would drive the .7x well. Does that sound correct to you?
Not sure, does it have a 4 ohm rating? If it does then sure!
Hey Steve what do you think of DCS suing a reviewer for giving one of their products a negative review?
That sucks.
Unfortunately, Steve didn't compare the sound of the .7 with the .7X.
This might help as I did a test between two magnepan 1.7 speakers, one set with upgrade crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
So, how did they do with the different amps?…s
How does it compare to the ET LFT-8b?
Sorry I don't have that superpower that some reviewers do, where they can mentally compare speakers heard a year apart.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac seems like a great comparison, right? I think you're giving Magnepan a break here.
I would like to listen some words about a comparison between a LS50 and the LRS+ Know these are different systems, at the end rhey playing te same music .g. Miles Davis
I am honored to hear from you Mr. Davis! The LRS+ is hugely more transparent and spaces sounding. The LS 50 is sweeter and fuller sounding. And also much easier to drive.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliacthanks for responding regards from Germany, Helmut
I have a .7. I have owned several speakers in the past several years. I have been completely satisfied with them longer than any of the others I have owned. I have a subwoofer which I don't feel I need.
Thanks Peter! Enjoy!
can you drive maggies with 211 SET tube amplifiers around 25watts? thanks
I don't think so does it have a 4 ohm tap?
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac yeah it does! i use a cary 805 anniversary edition amplifier, but not sure if it enough power for the maggies
@@GH-zs8eq very unlikely
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Thanks for the reply Steve! :) btw, digging your channel and keep up the good work!
Hello!Would you be interested in reviewing our KAEI-TAP2?It is a tube headphone amplifier.
Sorry, not doing much with headphones anymore.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Ok, thank you very much for your reply!
Wow, $4k. Pricey little suckers. I'm sure they sound great.
Yup! There are great alternatives at that price. Not too long ago a .7 pair was $1200! 1.7i was under $2,000. I would try to redesign the crossover but better components would be nice. I simply can't justify the price for the X Upgrade. Sorry Maggie!
By nearly every single metric that has been discussed in Steve's reviews, if I was going for that open dipole sound, I'd go for open baffles like the Pure Audio Project. While I am sure the Maggies have a certain advantage in some very specific areas, there are simply too many compromises in them to make them desirable to me.
And that upgrade price on all of their various lines smacks of a cash grab. If you market various lines of speakers that benefit so much from a costly upgrade -- KA-CHING!!! -- maybe they're not being well designed in the first place. 🤔
Once a Magnepanist always a Magnepanist 😂😂
Is your XA-25 the class A or Solid State?
Class A solid state
Double the price just doesn't make sense. 1/3 more cost might make sense. Magnepan should be working on that bass cube they teased us with a few years back.
Can the .7X be bi-amped?
No.
And a Hegel h360...is enough?
Sure!
In practice, is the 0.7x as easy to drive as the LRS?
LRS plus is harder to drive. Neither one is easy to drive, both need the good stuff. it's a bad idea to try to get by with Budget gear with either model.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliacRogue Sphinx v3 does a great job with the .7.
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Very helpful. I have a Rogue Chronos III tube amp(100 wpc) that sounds excellent with original LRS. I sold the original LRS to get the LRS+. May get the 0.7x instead. Sounds like if my Rogue tube amp drove the LRS to my satisfaction it will probably drive the 0.7x enough as well.
@@snowpuppy77 I think you'd be fine with the .7 of either variety. Good luck!
I thought magnepan was developing their own subs.
Yes they are, but the company moves very very slowly to develop new products.
Not really a "sub" says Maggie but a omni cone system with very wide frequency response. If you want bass response below..... say 30 look elsewhere.
Has anyone done a comparison between the Magnepan X upgrade and the GR research upgrade?
I have done a test between stock and GR Research crossover upgrades between two pairs of magnepan 1.7 speakers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
I'll have to investigate further, they seem overpriced at first blush. 4k is quite a bit
Did u say the stands are aftermarket ? Jeepers
@@jamesrobinson9176 Comes with stands, and the ones I used were the optional ones.
I made a video of my testing to answer that question of does the upgraded crossover make enough difference? I used two pairs of Magnepan 1.7 speakers, one pair had upgraded crossovers. th-cam.com/video/ijNtfNaxswo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=02i6sSxECdOqmpay
At least it’s not $16,000 for a pair of three-way speakers.