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My experience with the Magnepan LRS speaker. Did it live up to my expectations?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ส.ค. 2024
- #hifi #audiophile #speakers #stereo #magnepan
Gear used to review the Magnepna LRS
Matrix Mini-i Pro 3 DAC (Non-affiliated link)
apos.audio/pro...
Burson Conductor 3 DAC
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Integrated amp
Mcintosh MAC 6700 integrated amp
Hegel H300 integrated amp
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Tube integrated amp
Cayin CS100 tube integrated amp
Cayin CS55a tube integrated amp
Doge 10 tube integrated amp
Willsenten R8 tube integrated amp
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Power amp
XTZ Edge poweramp
Wyred4sound ST1000 poweramp
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In my attempt to shorten my video, I edited out 2 things you should be aware of. 1) These speakers are not super dynamic and you will not feel the punch of the bass. 3) Imaging is not pinpoint sharp like Focal speakers, for example, it is as I said, a wall of sound. Now, you don't buy Magnepan for that, you buy it for that big airy soundstage. You buy it because you don't want to 'hear' the speakers and enjoy that 'open' sound.
Exactly.
I enjoyed this great and revealing review. Have been considering for a new speaker finally, the magnepan LRS are on my hit list, I know someone who has them I liked them and his amp was not even totally up to it. To drive I have my eyes possibly older 2 mcintosh mc2255, or 1 mc 2500. Currently own 2 old carver m400t Cube amps which I d try them out on as well. Looking to pair them with some type of REL sub. Anyhow thanx for education and detailed review
The XTZ Edge does very well... better than the Mac? I need my Hp’s to check that one! Quick and dirty reviews keep ‘em comin’ Thomas 👍
How about Piano sound in Classical music? A reliable friend of mine told me that Magnepan is the endgame for real piano sound.
@@jun701 everything sounds awesome with the proviso that your source is good, the amplification is up to the job and the speakers are positioned suitably in a room of appropriate size since Maggies work best (in my experience) in a big room with placement away from the wall. The sound appears as if by magic with no discernible point source. The notes of a piano will hang in the air, almost as if the piano was in the room with you. Its an entirely different experience to a speaker in a box.
Had I the space, I would certainly have another set.
This was one of the clearest and cut to the chase review with all the information intact. Great job Tom.
I have owned 3 pairs of Magnepans over the last 35 years and have driven them with a wide variety of amplifiers from the original NAD 3020 to huge super amps. I used the original SUMO Nine (a James Bongiorno class A design) for many years with my MGIIb’s and found them a wonderful combination. I later added another Bongiorno amp; the Class AB Andromeda (375 watts per channel/4 ohms) and drove those same speakers using the Magnepan external crossover. I eventually went back to the single Class A amp. The MGIIb’s were perfectly happy that way. Sometimes you just find yourself the right amp/speaker match.
OTOH, my pair of MMG’s needed more power and of the available amps on hand, sounded best with a Parasound HCA-2200ii and needed dedicated Sound Anchors stands. That amp is a total beast and produces huge amounts of both watts and current.
I’m currently having an Onkyo M504 restored and upgraded to try with my LRS.
What I am saying is that there are plenty of older amps out there that will make your Maggies happy and not cripple your wallet. I too would love a new Pass Labs or Plinius amp but I also like eating and buying music.
I have the Magnepan MG 1.7i with an SVS SB3000 subwoofer running from a Parasound HALO integrated Amp(260 watts at 4 ohms) can never go back... this is just... “Holy Shit!”
Also run my Maggies with a Parasound. They to seem to be a good combination.
I love it when Thomas uses his Mister "x" pseudonyms for his friends. I don't know why, but I get a kick out of it.
Yeah, and how he gets them all "involved" in everything, haha.
Here's hoping after your hiatus you decide to come back and hopefully using the same format Thomas. I really enjoy your take on things, your humour and your honesty. If not thanks for everything. You will be missed.
By far the best audio reviewer on you tube. He knows how to describe sound and knows what Is important in a review.
On point. He knows how to describe sound without getting confused. Excellent!!
Always glad to see Maggies getting some love. I got my first pair in 2005 and Im addicted. I like pairing them with a tube pre and a high wattage class D amp. Im putting 600 wpc into my 3.6 and .7 Maggies, and they play loud, dynamic, and with a huge soundstage. Theyre not overly forgiving with poor recordings, but theyll reward you when you feed them the good stuff. Maggies just sound more "alive" to me than other speakers.
My Dad has a pair of the amazing 3.7i and he dropped shipped me a pair of LRS to use in a second system I was putting together for another room. This second system has a NAD 218 THX certified amp that does about 450 watts into 4 ohms. This amp is about 20 years old. Good thing I kept this amp as it drives the LRS very well. The LRS are very good speakers regardless of price. Much more balanced in sound than I thought they would be. I had lots of fun listening to them without a sub. However I did eventually add a Rythmik F12SE sub and it has blended itself beautifully just by following the simple instructions in the Rythmik sub manual.
Nice, thanks for sharing.
Everyone should own a pair of Magnepan’s as part of their collection. I own several pairs of “cone” speakers and always have a pair or two of Magnepan’s. Magnepan’s can’t do everything but it’s soo good, almost unbeatable, when playing certain songs / music.
I use a Mark Levinson power amp. 100wpc 8ohms, 200wpc 4ohms, 400wpc 2ohms.
Still have my MMG and MMGC. FANTASTIC for surround duty (MMG front, MMGC rear). Running Tekton Moab right now as my mains, just doing the 2ch thing for now.
@@tupuhumuhumunukunukuapuaa3093 We are like-minded people, you and me!
1) I'm getting a pair of LRSs to replace my current center channel. Nearly the same as MMG.
2) My main towers are Zu Audio Dirty Weekend, not far removed from Tekton.
3) Amplification from Bryston, not too dissimilar to Mark Levinson.
4) I'm also doing 99.9% 2-channel only.
I bet your system sounds GREAT!
What???? Shutting down the channel....sad news..have really enjoyed your take on things
I started 45 years ago with the MG II. Still have them over two rebuilds. Along the way I picked up some MG 20's and 3.7. I do have other box speakers but as far as I am concerned nothing beats a Maggie.
Agreed. I only have SMGa's from '89 and MMG's from 2 yrs ago.
I see many reviewers with KEF and Klipsch. I'd love to try either, but it's not possible in the 3rd world I'm in.
I have had the LRS for a year. I’m really pleased with them. I have purchased Magnariser stands, so they sit upright. I have replaced the jumper with Kimber Kable 4TC. Paired with the Hagel Röst and Denafrips Ares II DAC and a pair of SVS SB-1000 subs. I sometimes listen to my system and think is this what Thomas means when he says “good enough”? I know there is better out there, but this is good enough for me. Sure some songs don’t sound that good, mainly in your face rock music like Song2 by Blur, the sound projects behind the speakers, so doesn’t reach forward and grab you. But many other genres that I have tried are awesome. Rebekah Del Rio’s Llorando fills my small room and feels so spacious. The speakers are very placement sensitive, but sound really fantastic when set up properly. I did listen to the .7 at the dealers, but found the bass decay too fast, the LRS are fast too, but not as fast as the .7s in my experience, I auditioned both in the same room.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I would LOVE to try higher end Magnepans one day myself.
Your review is right on & thanks for reviewing it. I've owned 2 panel speakers before and I like them. They produced excellent 3-D soundstage and are very fast and detail. The negatives are they produced a very narrow sweet spot and need a high power tube or solid state amplifier to drive and you will need a very good sub.
Thomas you mention "1) These speakers are not super dynamic and you will not feel the punch of the bass".
It's not exactly like a dynamic driver that punches out a more tactile dynamic sound pressure.
The notes are still there, just that there is no real rattling light bulb filaments and pictures on the walls :)
So this is an IDEAL consideration for folks with neighbours.
Have the 1.7 with Mye stands with a top forward tilt.
Setup due to backwave cancellation is critical ( took ~8 or so hours of minor adjustments over time lol ).
Have you tried the tweeter strip sections to the outside? ( the area of more concentrated traces ) Looks like you have them on inside edge(?)
Fuses on the rear are "seen" inline with tweeter section, so I use a silver filament fuse ( hard to say if it helps ).
Big sonic upgrade was changing the all nickel-plated steel binding posts to WBT, and fuse holder to high copper content one.
Wasn't expecting much but wow.
= BUT AS-IS without tweaks, they are supremely enjoyable without getting obsessive I'd have NO problems reverting them back to stock form at all ( maybe I will :P ).
Can still remember hearing the first few notes out of them, speed was the first thing noticed. Then the stage.
Great to see you testing these LRS.
Don't forget their bass reinforcement woofer panel thing too...
Really enjoyed the review,
THANKS !
Thanks for sharing your tips. Unfortunately Mr. Kanta bought them off me and I will not have the chance to try.
I’ve owned the LRS September and would agree with most reviews about the base response. So after trying various high end amplifiers I’ve found a great sounding low cost solution to make the LRSs really sing!!! It’s comprised of the Sonos Amp and Sonos Sub crossed over at 60Hz. In my opinion this is one of the best sounding combinations of lower cost components that I’ve heard.
The snippet of the monolith and hominids scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey was truly a funny surprise! Good one! Another great, thorough, even-handed, and revealing review. I appreciate your very solid work.
Glad you enjoyed it!
As someone endlessly fascinated by speakers, I enjoy these videos. Thomas reviews many of the speakers I'm curious about, including the Magnepans. He's serious about sharing his love for the hobby and it's helpful for us who love speakers.
For budget Magnepan, look at the used amplifier market and get something for like $500-1000, class AB with a good power supply. The amazing thing about Magnepans is that they benefit from high end components, but they can get you close to your destination for a fraction of the price. They don't need Pass Labs or McIntosh for a baseline, just something with brute force.
Brute Force means very high current.
Yers ago I had a pair of EICO mono tube amps that had parts upgrade and new tubes, maybe 25 WOC. I also had some of the old Magnapan 2c speakers. For fun, I put them together one night and of course the little tube amps didn't play very loud but the detail and nuance that the combination pried out of my source LPs was enchanting.
I've had these speakers for close to a year. They're special, but the caveats Thomas set forth are valid. I would only add that it's possible to get great sound out of them without going into serious debt. The first time I set these up in my smallish living room, I wasn't all that impressed (even though I had them positioned properly away from the back wall). I powered them with my Emotiva A-300 and was able to achieve a very loud volume. However, to get there I had started to run out of room on the volume dial. The Emotiva was fine at moderate volumes, but after the more energetic workout I heard the fan, which was the only time I've ever known it to come on. I like the Emotiva but I just didn't feel good about it long term, so I considered my options. The best choice for me was to use the preamp section of my old Harman Kardon 3490 receiver and couple it with a new Crown XLR 1502 power amp ($400 at the time). I also I felt I wanted the speakers upright. In listening to them, I had oriented my body upward to get that effect, and the speakers sounded noticeably better. So I purchased a pair of Magnariser speaker feet (a little under $250) to get the speakers standing vertical. These were so much better than the stock feet. I also hooked up a sealed box Pioneer Elite subwoofer (which I already had), setting the Crown to highpass only the frequencies above 80 Hz to the Magenpans. With the much more potent amplification, the sub and the new feet, the overall sound was superb. How superb? I don't know what Thomas heard or what anyone else has heard. I only know that the Magnepans compete very well against my Polk Audio LSIM 705's, which sit beside them. In my view, these Polks are serious and wonderful speakers. They sound very different than the Magnepans and allow me to go back and forth between the two sets of speakers to enjoy a little variety. So, bottom line, to get the Magnepans doing what they can do, it cost me about $1,300 (which coincidentally is what I paid for the Polks, which were on sale) and the use of a sub and preamp I already had. Whether something like this would work for others, who knows. But I like what I'm hearing.
Nice, thanks for sharing.
Getting similar results out of my crown xls1002.
Hi, not sure if you will see this as it's two years old but wanted to hear from an owner regards positioning. Can you tell me, are these speakers fussy with regards to placement and minimum distances from rear and side walls, distance from the listener, etc.? I have a small to medium-sized room 3.8 x 4.5 meters so there is a limit for my speaker placement. I am not sure if these would be suitable?
I have a television and two pairs of conventional speakers along a wall of a similar sized room to yours, so I bring the LRSs out a couple of feet in front of the existing speakers, which also places them about four feet from the front wall. I think they sound pretty good, but they can't be left in that position once I'm finished listening.@@elthamlad468
2001 cut scene was brilliant
Thank you!! I couldn't resist 🤣
Thomas & Stereo I totally agree. It's about time someone makes the link between the Magnepans and 2001. And some people even say that the recent appearances of a few monoliths in Utah and Romania are sponsored by Magneplanar! 😅
@@jean-pierrethibaudeau7201
Indeed!
Similarly, once set up correctly, ...
both the Maggies and the monoliths you mentioned pull a disappearing act.
Magnepan actually made a video with 2001 theme a while back. m.th-cam.com/video/HyjMuetVxJM/w-d-xo.html
@@hawkins55 I was about to say the same thing haha
I started with Magnapan SMG‘s and approximately six years ago bought a pair of Magnapan 0.7‘s .having owned Magnapan‘s for an extended period of time I could not go back to a box speaker although I do use box it in my video set up I cannot use box speakers for music Having said that is what I’ve experienced for some reasonMagnapan ships some of the speakers ,the lower end ones with stands that tilt the speaker backwards and I believe these speakers sound better straight upright. They also need a decent size room ,they have to be away from the wall otherwise they sound constricted I am used to subs with them I’ll explain my system at the end of this and they were hell on amplifiers. Regardless of price or maybe because of price I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better set of speakers anywhere near the money I run theMaggie’s with a VPI turntable an Emotiva 250 watt/channel amp,a Parasound Halo 6 preamp, and a BluOS vault 2i. These speakers excel at human voice if you want to hear them at the best put on a very recent James Taylor album it’s like James is sitting in the room with you they can handle more complex music they do not play loudly without the soundstage collapsing a little bit I’ve never heard them distort they just stop putting out any more sound and they need subwoofers for the bass and that’s difficult because finding subwoofers the fast enough to keep up with the Magnapan‘s is difficult I used two elac 10 inch subwoofers and it takes a surprising amount of pre-amplification to supply the gain needed for them to push the Magnapan you need to be in a very very specific spot in the room for the Magnapan‘s to give you what you’re looking for they do not have a wide range in terms of seating girlfriends hate them,my cats do not touch them but when I put on music , regardless what room they’re in they come in to the living room sit down and literally will sit for hours listening to music on them in my opinion Magnapan was and is the best speaker on the market for the money.
Thanks for the honest comments. I have been watching you and Jay and taking your tips on
pairing the Maggie's. I own the SMG ,s and a Hafler dh 200 amp with a dh 110 pre amp very
Old school with plenty of power never went past 10 o clock.
I used Jay's past video on Placement: tweeters on the inside ,
4 ft from wall , 5 ft apart
and 5 feet away slight
Toe in and the sound staging was amazing
!
Nice, he is the expert on it. Me, I just had fun with it for a while.
I have two sets of magnepans that I loved one that I'm repairing and the other ones that I have to do some repairs to and I have to admit you need to have a big nice room for these puppies to really shine.
for those of you that are low budget audio files? Pick up a crown in and don't look back and you will love the magnepans with the crown gear driving them.
Crown? It's good to know! I have two integrated amps, Musical Fidelity and Outlaw. If needed, once I buy the .7 will definitely look into Crown.
@@Beyondabsence Get them used if you can. A lot of Amps have just been sitting since the Plandemic, and are just sitting in Temp controlled whorehouses.
What I love the most is the Balance inputs. Almost ZERO noise even in a Noisy Home environment with lots of PWM power supplies & gear that down the line in the house has a love of injecting noise in the AC line and into the air. (Same with some WiFi Routers and Weirdly, someone who has a Certain brand of Electric lawn equipment. Had that happen to me. :-)
They guys that did the design are from the OLD SKOOL audio crowd. So many of the parts like the Op Amps are upgradable.
(Read:EVEN LOWER NOISE FLOOR and HIGHER S/N ratio!)
On the Maggies? Make sure to upgrade the X/O parts like the the Caps. I'm with Garry RIchtie on this one of *G&R Research* and can say that using non ferrous input lugs really do make a difference on this low impedance speakers.
Last mod has to be using them with a FAST Open Baffle Woofer. At higher volumes (like I like to listen) it cleans up the sound so well, its hard to go back. But I don't have the right room to really let them breathe.
All the Merry!
BTW, I enjoyed this video. Very laid back. Oh, and you're spot on a lot of times. These speakers need POWER. LOTS OF IT.
Yes! Thank you!
I have a small listening room. I have these paired with 200W solid state monoblocks and a sufficiently fast subwoofer. It is a magical setup and I haven't felt the need to upgrade any components in years. That should say something.
In general, the more power you feed a Maggie; the happier they are! You should have very happy Magnepans. If you are not running a good tube preamp, you might try one and see if you like it. I have been using a Counterpoint SA-5 all tube pre (upgraded with the Plitron transformer) and find I quite like the results. The problems of dealing with “orphan components” is another matter altogether. I’m sure owners of Rappaport and Electro Research will sympathize big time. (Donations from owners of Electro Research A75 amps who are sick of dealing with problems are gratefully accepted! I will split the freight costs with you. 😀 )
Audiophilia is a magnificent obsession.
And expensive
@@elsey1976 It can be, but not necessarily so. Audiophiles take very good care of their gear. You can buy second hand equipment on Audiogon at half the price.,
Thomas! Don’t shut your channel down, just quit your job.
Easy peasy 😁
Easy to say but difficult to do. But i know its a joke but still.
Magnepan on the end of Parasound amplification is a many times tried tested and approved combo... A21/+ or even JC5 and you'll have no shortage of current... Underpin them with a pair of smallish Rel subs..... Killer musical performer..... Thomas, I look forward to you pausing the channel...... But ONLY so I can look forward to pressing play again. 👍🏻
Thanks, I would most likely make 'discussion' videos once in a while during the pause. There will be no review videos during that time.
@@ThomasAndStereo that will be a fair T&S fix in the interim...perhaps a Sean, Steve, Jay, Thomas multiscreen mashup Live Q&A stream..... But let us all know when... UK here (but I'll tune in anytime for that!!)
Maggies work best in a big room and if the sensation of more bass is desired, a sub although its not really going to improve the situation owing to physics. It's a different experience and "pinpoint imaging" and boomy bass is not what they are about. That's the domain of box speakers. Instead you get clarity, dynamics and huge soundstage, hence why they need space.
Once experienced, it's hard to go back. Vive la difference.
Very nice review Thomas. All true, short and to the point. Once you go Maggies, you're a Maggie fan forever. Just add a good subwoofer to complement it and you're good for life. 33 years so far with my MG1c Magnepans and still going strong. Thanks.
It is amazing your Maggies are still working after 33 years.
Thanks Thomas and Stereo. I needed some advise on LRS and you answered most of my questions!
I've lived with Maggies (several models) over the years, electrostatics, and box speakers.
I currently have boxes that I recently sold my Maggies to buy. The Maggies may produce a large open soundstage, but they don't have the pinpoint imaging that good boxes can do. I was missing that aspect, so that is why I sold them.
Yup, Focals are great for the pinpoint imaging. I had it in my notes to talk about this point but forgot about it, thanks for pointing it out.
Mine do. But mine are modded and have very expensive crossovers.
I have focals in my studio space and intend on getting Maggie’s for a more laid back listening experience.. yin and yang
I had the Magnepan 1.7 speakers and loved them. Crossed them over to two Paradigm PW-2200 subs (12” woofers) with a McIntosh MEN 220 with RoomPerfect. Drove the Maggie’s with a Classe CA300 amp (600 watts @ 4 ohms) and never ran out of power. With the crossover set at 60 Hz the system had the best soundstaging, especially on large choirs, and went very deep as well. Had to sell them when I moved as I didn’t have the required space for them to sound right. I sure miss them sometimes.
Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful review. Thank you. After being out of audio for the past 20 years, I'm now in the research stage for a new system. As always, budget is a consideration. But, I'm considering either the Maggie LRS or the .7 as speakers. Amplification is the key, I know. So with 'budget' in the mix, I'm considering the Dayens Menuetto integrated amplifier. I don't need Trans-Siberian Orchestra volume levels in the family (music) room, but realism is necessary. Unfortunately, here is SD there are no places to see and audition either...so this will be my first internet system, so to speak. But I do think that some products can be purchased with a wee bit of 'blind faith'. Thanks again for a great review!
thank you. super clear. got two Tyrs with Ragnarok 2 driving beautifully.
I own Maggies .7 and they’re fantastic but yeah, you need the POWER! In my case, it works amazing with my moon 330
Nice, I have yet to seriously try the new moon stuff.
Thomas & Stereo I am in MTL, so anytime, you’re welcome for an exchange
Very nice review Thomas as always! You hit the nail on the head the first time I heard these!
I have owned the 1.6, 1.7 Maggie’s. Then changed to a box speaker. I think I might go back.
Remember the first time I've heard a pair of big Magnepan in the 90's, they were hook-up on a big Bryston amp, it was awesome!
Thank you! I've been saying it for years that you need very powerful amplifiers to get Maggie's to sound great and you get these toolsheds on forums saying things like "what are you talking about, mine sounds fine on my 20 watt.." Finally someone on TH-cam to say it, you need an amp that can throw a car to really hear them.
I own 1.5+1.6 (earlier MG12) and I have tried everything from budget NAD 325 2x50w to McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe with 2x600w. I currently drive 1.6 with Muse Model 160 (2x250w), all solid state. The differences between the amplifiers is definitely not worth it when comparing price tags. I believe most of the comments are a little bit over exaggerated in terms of "you must have a beefy 5000 dollars amp to fully drive Magnepans". You will get a lot of wonderful natural sound from a descent moderate amp, specially if you look second hand... I believe placement of speakers, listening location and room acoustics really gives you more benefits. Magnepan is not for everybody though as they lack punch and bass slam no matter what you feed them. You will probably end up buying one or two descent subs and with a little "know-how" you will get them to sing beautiful together. I take the drawbacks in Magnepan construction as everything else is top notch. Just saying...
Perfect description Thomas...
Great review...thank you!!! Ill add my personal experience after being pretty much dedicated to Focal speakers for 10+ years...
Owned Focal Utopia Micro's, and swore I would never get rid of them, unless replaced by a higher end Focal. On a whim, picked up a set of LRS (from Jay at NextBestThing when he worked at Audio Excellence) and was immediately taken with the huge soundstage and large image. Forced myself to sell the Focal Micros, as I got 2x the money for them that I paid for the LRS. Within 2 months of buying the LRS, I got rid of the LRS, as I traded them back in and ordered a set of Magnepan 1.7i. The 1.7i is significantly better, if you can believe it....especially in the lower end in my 500 sq. ft. room with 10ft ceilings.
The most interesting thing that I can say about the Magnepans, is that they are like a window to see into your system. For the relatively low price they sell for new, this is pretty crazy. I can finally clearly hear the difference of changing amps, changing cables, changing tubes.... I can even hear the difference as a new set of tubes burn in! The differences are not small...every change can be clearly heard...LOL. This was a shock to me, as I was never fully a true believer in high end cables and such, until I got the Magnepans. I could hear some difference with the Focals, but the Magnepans seemed to be even more transparent, and really allow me to hear what everything else was doing.
It was funny when you said, "they just sound right." Because, that is the exact phrase that comes to mind when I think about my current system with the 1.7is. I believe, it essentially has to do with the speed of the panel at all frequencies. It is just so quick, and makes everything sound natural and real. I have been very careful with my sub selection.... which is right now dual 8" 1500w sealed subs, crossed over from about 50hz and below to 28hz. They only play loud enough to add presence, not any thump. I turn them on and off while adjusting the volume, until I hear them blending seamlessly with the Magnepans, and not detracting to the main speakers quickness in any way.
OK, now a word of warning... these speakers may be relatively cheap, but for me they have lead to me spending so much more on everything else in the system. Not because I have to... but because now I can hear the difference everything else makes. Every time you swap out a cable or buy a new DAC and are blown away, you are really happy!!!.....for a certain amount of time. However, it wont be long until you want to hear what difference the next cable higher in the line can make.... and so on, and so on...
Currently, I am running a 50w/ch SET amp which seems to be a perfect match. I also have a pair of 25w/ch SET monoblocks, that I think would be fine for the average listener. Although I have other amps, I have become a huge fan of SET tube amps, so that is all I can really recommend at the moment. As you noted, the Hegel is supposed to also pair well.
I also have bypassed the fuses and resistor jumper in my 1.7is. The initial listening revealed amazing clarity. However, as I listened further I realized that from about 1.5khz and up, they were way too bright. Through trial and error with the eq in ROON, I eventually brought the top end down by about 3db, from 1.5khz. The mod definitely added more clarity, but I would not recommend it to anyone who doesnt have a way of eq'ing the system following the mod. I feel the speakers are tuned to account for the fuse and resistor, and bypassing them makes the speaker too bridght from 1.5khz and up, with no longer a way to tame it (without further mods.)
So, the next step up for me would be the 3.7i. However, I think I would rather just keep modding the 1.7is then going to the 3.7i. The 1.7is are already WAY to big astechically for my living room, and the 3.7i purchase would likely lead to a divorce. So, Ill stick with the 1.7i for now :)
Bottom line is that I highly recommend these speakers over pretty much anything else. At the price they sell for, they cannot be beat. However, this only applies to audiophiles and music lovers who are willing to setup the rest of the system to bring out the best in the Magnepans, and swap gear/move speakers around/rearrange furniture/get a new Wife/etc. until it sounds "right." If you dont have any interest in investing the time/effort/funds in the rest of your system, then I think a more traditional speaker might be a better choice.
The good news is, the resale on the LRS is super high. They come up so rarely on the used market, that selling them at 80-90% of what you paid is no problem. So if you are borderline on your decision, this might provide some form of safety net.
cheers!
Nice, thanks for taking the time to write such a long comment. Definitely appreciate you sharing your story.
Thank you for posting you answered many of my questions
Had a mmgi basically same speakers,my main speakers are Tympani I.
So far no point source doesn't even come close to the sound field they can produce.
The speakers are NOT (impedance) hard to drive, they a a resistive load due to not having a traditional voice coil.
It's true that they are stupid low on sensitivity. So indeed current will benefit them tremendously.
Dynamic low end is where they ALL lack even the Tympani. Subs to me is a must, it's super hard to beat what these speakers can do on mid high. For the money spend it can match some high end brands out there. And even hand their ass.
Wonderful speakers, and for anyone that's new you get these. You'll be looking hard to really beat them. I agree with you on many things.
No cabinets, no coloration
Line source drivers (especially the big ones)
Dipole which gives it that incredible airiness.
A audio engineer friend of mine described them the best. "It's like having a top model pair of cans, but size 10"
It hugs you without any fatique, especially when driven right ..
Great review thank you. I put my order in two months ago and looking like I'll probably have to wait two more months. Can't wait to get them in. In the meantime I'm on the hunt for the best bang for buck amp that will drive these. Sounds like it's not just about how much power but that they need a lot of really clean power? I still don't quite understand this whole current vs power thing even though I've researched it to death.
Will miss your channel a lot ! Very informative 👌
All that from a $700 speaker. Switching to Maggies was the best decision I've made in this hobby.
What amp have you paired them with? Is there a recommended center channel to use for a home theater set up?
@@necromancer69able thanks so much, man! 🥃🥃
I was wondering how the LRS would sound with XTZ, good to see you have a demo here. Kudos.
Thank you Thomas for reviewing these. I have had the LRS in my system since September 2020. I am using a PS audio Stellar Gain Cell Dac and an older Pass Labs x-150.5 I bought new in the mid 2000's. I have not heard these on your level of gear, but everything you said resonated with me. I have been using some older Thiel CS 2.4's that I also purchased new around the same time that I got the Pass Labs amp. The Thiels never pushed the bias meter to the 12 o'clock position even when pushed to a volume I consider loud. The LRS though, LOL just getting it to a bit louder than normal can push the bias meter to noon. If I want some volume, I can easily move the meter past 1, even 2 o'clock. In 15 years I never saw my amp do that. So just like you said, these speakers DEFINITELY need a real high current amp.
I also agree that the bass is enough without a sub. I'd love to get a good sub for these and see how that sounds, but they offer a nice bass by themselves.
Anyway, thank you again. I am in love with my LRS, I can't see them ever leaving my system.
EDIT: I have been listening to the new AC/DC album Power Up. I also love listening to Beck, The Dandy Warhols, the Pixies and in general rock. In fact I listen primarily to rock and I think the maggies do just fine. :D
Nice, thanks for sharing.
Try a set of dedicated stands such as the Sound Anchors. Bass will improve as well as imaging. Replace the fuses with Hifi Tuning Supreme. You will squeeze out a bit more improvement. If your new stands allow, try filling with dry white sand, cat litter or KEF stand filler. Or mix that with tiny shotgun pellets (non-lead type like bismuth or steel. Maybe #8 or #10.)
Meant for desk next to bed duty. You get same 3d image siting or standing in chair. And option to listen to it on other side of bed sleep rest.
Good video and agree about Magnepans. I used to sell Magnepans for years and have some suggestions. First I feel both electrostatics and planar magnetics like the Magnepans absolutely sound there best with vacuum tube amplification. So would have to disagree with you there.
Also another trick is try reversing the speakers having the tweeters on the outside rather than the inside recommended by Magnepan. This will give you a more open soundstage and with more air and finesse. Of course all Panay speakers must be slightly toed in.
I'm still listening to my MG1-Bs that I bought in 1983 (just refurbished by Magnepan last fall, though). I drive mine with a Crown DC300 (1974) -- 150W per channel, DC coupled -- and a Crown IC150 preamp. My Crown gear is by no means "good" or "great" by 2022 audiophile standards -- but my Maggies sound GREAT with this gear.
Be forewarned -- as others have said, Maggies are VERY revealing. I have a CD of Bach Organ Concertos recorded in "the great cathedrals of Europe". Sadly, the orchestra was recorded in a studio and then mixed with the organ during production. On "regular" speakers, it sounds fine. With my Maggies, the mismatch in ambiance is unlistenable. The organ is expansive and sounds like, well, a cathedral. Having an entire symphony orchestra playing from a shoebox at the same time just sounds WEIRD!
Anyway, nice video.
Another great video Thomas! Very informative and funny. :)
Thanks for the review. Very helpful. I am waiting for mine to ship.
Glad it was helpful!
I have an audio-buddy who bought a pair of Magnepan LRS a few years ago. It did excellent job on playing back 1980s era Iron Maiden albums and Judas Priest. But when it comes to heavy metal music in general, the Magnepan LRS doesn't like over-compressed recordings and those kind of recordings sound absolutely lifeless on these speakers - akin to a boombox with a harmonic distortion filter. But with the right rock / pop recordings, it sounds as if the singer is in your listening room.
I've found the more transparent the system, the more the quality of the music production shows. For better or worse.
Another excellent watch. Sorry to here you may be closing the channel, always informative and watchable.
More like suspending the reviews. I might still make discussion videos.
will miss you. please come back soon.
1.7i is my end game speaker, paired with Bryston 4B3.
Danny, If you have not yet got the Bryston, Have a look at Sanders Magtech amps. I have the 1.7s and the magtech is purpose built for them.
I bought a used set of Magnepan MMGs with an NAD 326BEE. The NAD had problems so I tried an Onkyo TX-8555 that I had laying around and it works fine. Local repair shop found nothing wrong with the NAD and I traded it, plus some extra cash, for a used Outlaw RR2160. Outlaw RR2160 works with the MMGs and also the .7s that I just bought. Magnepan sounds great with acoustic instruments and vocals. Not the right choice if you want booming party speakers.
Cant wait for your Golden Ear review. Holding off on a purchase till I hear what you have to say about the Golden Ear. Please....
I've been playing with ribbons for years, from custom made with Raven ribbons, to Newform research R645's and listened to Magnepan 1, 3 and 20 series. I currently have the 20.7's. Yes everyone is right, current current current! But, quality current amps are needed. Bryston 4B squared was ok, Talk Electronics Monoblocks ok, Sanders Magtech Monoblocks 9:10, PS Audio BHK 300 Monoblocks = wow synergy 10:10! Even still, the Maggies still don't do dynamics like a large horn based system. I have the Cornwall's and they don't flatten out like all Maggies do in dynamic scale. That is their achilles heel along with placement in a space.
Sad to hear you are going to pause for awhile, but all the best to you in the new year!
Nice to hear 5-figure amps can drive $750 speakers really well, LOL. But, if you're playing with that kind of money, surely there are many interesting speakers to consider that give the LRS a run. I think the question is really what the minimum investment required to provide a satisfying result. I'm sure it's an old topic, but wonder if you've got suggestions that are more than "OK", albeit with down to earth pricing.
Yeah, dynamic is the LRS weak point.
Hi Vic, I am getting satisfying results with a crown xls1002 amp.
Great review Thomas and precisely tells that the Magnepan LRS speakers deserve a high quality amplifier to get all the beauty out of them. Love the 2001 monolith analogy. BTW... I remember seeing the 2001: A Space Odyssey at the theater in 1968...it blew my mind. I surely would love to hear Richard Strauss's Thus Also Sprach Zarathustra on the Magnepan LRS...Mind Blowing I'm Sure👍🤯
Thanks, yeah I thought it was funny.
Just bought these. Can't believe $650ish USD speakers can sound this good. I am running them with Bryston 4B Cube amp. I think the amp powers LRS well. Coming from box speakers, these planars sound more coherent (although LRS cannot compete with my Dyn's in terms of clarity, precision, and base). With a right music though, you get a wave of sound coming from LRS that is pretty spooky. Mid base is pretty good and fast as you pointed out. For my set up, LRS sounded the best when tweeter section of the speakers are facing each other.
Outstanding! I’m interested in revisiting Maggie’s after this review! Thx Thomas
So glad I subscribed to your channel you're a great reviewer thanks so much.
Thanks for subbing
I have the next one up, the .7's and drive them with my old school Spectron musical MK II class D amp that weights 54 lbs! 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm and will do 65 amps for 500 milliseconds All l can say its as close to a live event that I've heard from a set of speakers as the dynamics, inner detail and sound stage are amazing! Maggie's love watts/current! I do have them intergrated with two SVS Ultra 13 Subs and typically listen to music around 80 db
Considering the price and I mean it's impressive how affordable these speakers are if you look at the big picture, they really are amazing. In all fairness, ALL speakers are significantly dependent on the amp. I've heard many "unimpressive" speakers in my days that went from so so to amazing with an upgrade in the amp driving it.
Not true.
As long as the amps is transparent and has enough juice to drive the speakers, you can't differenciate them in a blind test anymore.
I think you should change your verbiage from "shutting down the channel" to "putting it on pause" two completely different meanings.
Zero fidelity likes to say the same thing. It’s IMO to invoke a psychological reaction and increase engagement of viewers. It’s a level deeper than click bait headlines.
Actually you are 100% right. The only fear I have is after I am gone for a few months, I might actually be too lazy to come back :( You are right though, because the intend is just to pause it for a while or maybe just make videos discussing topics but not reviews.
Thomas & Stereo Please don’t do that to us Thomas
@@ThomasAndStereo Oh I completely get it. After 300 videos, I have ideas and things I want to do, I just don't want to have to edit the dam things!
@@ThomasAndStereo
A simple, long form stream-of-consciousness type approach would be fantastic.
Little to no editing, yet still possesses that cathartic component.
Much appreciated
All the best either way, as you're 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 Karma wise ...
the superb content you've created ... imo, just nails that sweetspot for what I enjoy.
Your existing work, it's a permanent reference that will maintain it's relevance for quite some time.
A pair of Magnepan 1.4 was my first audiophile loudspeaker. Though I listen to Martin Logan nowadays, I never got back to Box’d speakers.
These work perfectly well with the $800 Yamaha 803 or 703 integrated amp. 200 watts into 4 ohm's.
I have them too Thomas. LRS is good I find. Pair them with ls100 pre and goldmund srm250 monos and it's great to me.
For the price I should pick these up. To bad they are on backorder. Fantastic review Thomas. Hope we have a few more before you go on hiatus.
Thanks for watching!
16weeks of backorder or more
I have a pair of Magaplanars and they're stunningly accurate just need a sub. You have to hear them to really get it. And you need lots of power. An amp that doubles when the resistance halfs. No tubes, solid state is where it's at for these. The way they fill the room is impressive. Same volume 50 feet away as from an inch away. I find them to be stunning personally.
Yeah, I would lean more towards solidstate myself for Magnepans. It did play really well however with the Cayin CS100 but that one has 8 powertubes.
@@ThomasAndStereo yup it's like night and day. I'm using a TOA amp 150w and it lights them up. Put them in the corner of your room, 3 feet from the wall and it's something to behold. The bass is not that bad like you said its fast and really clean they throw the music across the room like nothing else and all things considered they are somewhat cheap!
the sensitivity might be a problem , since they stated it at 2.85 volt at 4 ohm, witch means 2 watts instead of regulary used 1 watt. so you can substract 3 db from the 87dB. besides that it is measured at 500Hz, there most efficient region... so much for the v shape or smiley shape :) its the opposite.
also the LRS would be destroyed by a quad to be fair. not for the price maybe.. but in the end the 63 is already much better. it also measures better.
My amp is a Parasound A21. On many occasions I heard people saying that Parasound gear pairs well with Magnepans, so I wanted to try the Magnepan sound to see if it is for me. About a year ago I had the chance to audition Magnepan LRS and 1.7i in my room.
Over the 30 day trial period two things became pretty clear to me:
1) Parasound A21 has plenty of current to drive both LRS and 1.7i with ease. I refrain from saying "to their full potential" because I did not pair them to higher-end gear.
2) Magnepans are not for me 😞 The bass is indeed ultra-fast, but there is no weight behind the impact. My main system must sound good with movies, and Magnepans sadly don't have enough dynamics to rock out.
Try dedicated heavy stands that get the panels straight upright. I might also suggest different speaker cables. Maggies can be very cable sensitive. Experiment with room placement. A few inches can make a huge difference. Try swapping the panels left to right. Also try reversing phase. That might well be the problem. Apply sound treatment to the wall behind the speakers and be sure they are at least three feet from the back wall. For movies you definitely WILL need a fast, powerful subwoofer. Try the new KEF. I use the KEF 8b with my MMG’s and intend to pick up the new KC62 for my new LRS. Being a cinema lover, you might appreciate dual subs. The KEF wireless option makes placement very easy.
Good Luck! Don’t give up on the LRS just yet.
1.7 with dsp sub can compete with any speakers under 10k.
Respectfully; I highly disagree with mr Quad. I find it odd how our findings can differ, Naim can definitely drive the LRS from my experience.
Was the amp clipping or distorting at listening volumes and a bit higher?
Not sure of his room dimensions or listening habit but looking at the big quads fitting in there... lrs may have just been too small for the room? And these speakers are not for those that plays at extremely high spl levels with really bass heavy music
- a combination of those (too big room & high levels of bass heavy music) will make the speakers distort (not the amp clipping)
What! Let me go give him shit!
Part of the reason I chose my Nait XS3 was because of your review that a 50W Naim can drive Magnepans which I would like the option of getting some day. The Nait XS3 is rated 70wpc but has a 350va transformer.
A very good review and perspective, thank you for making this video. I have owned Maggies off and on for nearly 40 years... currently own a 2nd hand pair of 3.5r, use them in one of my systems. I listen mostly to dynamic / box type speakers, but always have the Maggies set-up with a big MOSFET amp, I "use them to 'test' drive capabilities" of amps I build... they can 'take a lot of power'. As you said they can "demand a lot of current from an amplifier...", and yet be a sensible load for an amplifier (my words)
I have been curious about the LRS model, do have a number high current amps for powering them. Now I am even more curious about, and want to hear the LRS...
I like the Magnepan presentation as well, the illusion of depth is amazing as is the transparency. But I’m sure Zero Fidelity will say it’s fake and that he can hear the sound emanting from the speaker. Sometimes Sean just takes all the fun out of high end audio. Comparing the 3 amigos, Jay is like an over enthusiastic puppy, Sean is the older gruff cynic, and Thomas is sort of a happy middle ground. And of the 3 Thomas is the only one who regularly enlists the opinions of his audiophile buddies to enhance his review. Something that Sean would never do. But variety is the slice of life and it’s entertaining to watch all of you guys.
lol, grumpy old Sean. 🤣🤣
Sean is not much of a reviewer. He is more about the business side of the industry.
For my listening to your two samples, the McIntosh came through with a slight enhancement of the attack on percussion and the bass was cleaner. I wouldn't say the bass was stronger, just cleaner. Then again I'm playing it through the Internet with lesser stratospheric equipment.
Nice description, and great gag at the beginning😹
If you like the LRS or the LRS+, try the big brother - the Magnepan .7 for $1,995. I use the US made Rogue Sphinx v3 integrated amp w 100 WPC with the tube preamp. It costs about $1800. You’d have to spend 5 to 10X this and I doubt if you could replicate the clarity, detail and big soundstage of this combination. I chose the .7 model after an A B comparison of the LRS+ vs the .7 and it wasn’t even close. These speakers disappear like no other. Unless you listen to electronica, no sub is needed. The .7 goes down to 40 hz but this speaker is all about speed and high quality sonics. One caveat is that you must move the .7 out into your room because they are dipoles. The .7s weigh under 30 lbs., so moving them is no big deal.
Nice review,as always!
I tried the Hegel h 390 with my magnepan 1.7 I and the sound was very dynamic ,a lot of bass,but very boring and fatiguing...
Vtl tube ( st 150 or mb 125) are a better match for me.
Hegel ,it s ok the first hour ,then you don’t want to listen to music anymore...
Yeah, the older Hegel seems smoother.
knew I was entering a new territory in reproduction of music when I swapped the box for a OB dipole, good one Thomas
It's not just the LRS that has that full soundstage it's all well built and driven open baffle speakers. Box speakers create boxy sound it's in the name box versus open another point you plug and play guys really need to take it to the next level with speaker management gear.
You said it right Thomas, You need high current to drive Magnepans.
I have tried them with my new tube power amps featuring KT-150 tubes and wow do they sound good.
I also tried them with my vintage Harman/Kardon Citation 22, which is a high current amplifier and my goodess, what a speaker for such a little price.
Thomas, I think you Doge 10 can handle KT-150 tubes, if it can. I recommend you to buy The Tung-Sol KT-150 and also two Genalex Golden Lion 12ax7 Gold Pin for the pre-amp section.
You will really see what your tube amp can do, it sounds so smooth, powerful and detailed.
Thanks! The Doge 10 cannot handle KT150 sadly. I have tried KT120 on them though.
@@ThomasAndStereo Yes, that's another great tube.It's amazing how a tube can alter the sound of an amp. Sometimes I wonder how we could alter the sound of a solid state amp, by changing to high quality capacitors.
Excellent review if one only had another room And the power to drive them they would be keepers
They really come to life with the McIntosh.🌺
Bryston is also a good match. Magnepan used Bryston amps to drive their speakers in hifi shows.
@@dannyng5427 audio research ... They even distributed speakers for them back in the day (mine has the audio research logo on the back plate)
@@MichelLinschoten You are correct. I am not sure when they switched to Bryston.
I'd like to know if the combo Iotavx Sa3 and Pa3 bridged could drive these?
Using a Crown xls1002 on mine which is very good.
Although i have not heard magies in recent years. The ones i heard about 50 years ago at the Australian Hi Fi audio show were absolutely stunning, especially in the mid range.
Cats really LOVE Magnepans!
Yes, unfortunately. Torn between the love for my cat and the love for my Maggies. Lets say the cat has spent more nights out in the cold than my 1.7's.
Hi Thomas. Happy new year.You have piqued my interest even more on these speakers.I just may have to get myself out to audition them in person.Be safe.
You should!
Ah, young Jedi, welcome to Magnepans ;) And they only get better from there. To date myself, I had had some audio gear before, but I consider Magnepans to be my first "real" speakers. MG-IIBs, with a Conrad-Johnson tube amp and preamp, a nice turntable with a Grace tonearm and carefully set up Grado cartridge. I bought all this new when in high school, then schlepped it all to college, and beyond. Back then I was choosing among Maggies, the Dahlquist DQ-10, and the Rodgers (or Chartwell) LS-3/5A. In hindsight, by far, the Rodgers would have been the best choice. I would LOVE to have a pair good original LS-3/5As now (when I sold the MG-IIBs, the person who bought them offered a trade for his LS-3/5As, but I took the cash).
I have since had MMGs and 1.6QRs. I've driven them with a large variety of gear. In any system, you can't have too much power, but you can have too little. And quality always trumps quantity (even if quantity may have a quality all its own). No, the venerable Dynaco ST-70 wouldn't drive any of the Maggie models I've had well, but a nice C-J or ARC tube amp of 75+wpc or a good transistor amp of 100+wpc can do a fine job. At one point I had four C-J Premier 12 monoblocks (140wpc each) plugged into each of the biwire/biamp inputs of the 1.6QRs. What I found from that is that it didn't sound any better than just two of them, which didn't work or sound better than a single C-J Premier 11A. Four amps like that was just very expensive in terms of floor/rack space, amps, tubes, and electricity.
Wow, you are like the grand master of Magnepans! 4 monoblocs? I can only dream.
@@ThomasAndStereo Ha! Seeing all the top-quality kit surrounding you and your friends, it looks like you're already swimming around in audio nirvana.
great information !!!
Nice review Thomas. Have you heard the Magnepan bass panels? I think that would be an interesting review if you have.
We will be here when you come back (if you decide to do so)👍🏽
Thanks for the recordings at the end. It sounds thin and dry with the Class D. A little better with the Mac but still a bit thin and dry.
I heard a Magnepan pan once. It's VERY different! It takes a while for your brain to adjust.
Adjusting to the pure majesty is what.
If it's set up right you will not have any issues listening to them.
@@MichelLinschoten I am a tube guy now so Magnepans are out for me.
Precisly, you need a powerful driver. I used the $200 Behringer A800 to great effect.