My new project *PIC*

[dB]

Bought these off Craigslist this weekend. Absolutely amazing. Magnepan MG-1s. 5 ft tall, about 2 ft wide (the radiating panel is around 12" wide -- between the two vertical strips), and 2" thick.

I still just have them in my garage, so it's really not a good listening set up. But still, the sound is enveloping, spacious, dynamic, and detailed. And, I was really surprised that the bass extension was so good for a dipole.

Anyway, just go out and get you some.

Dave

[dancarroll]

> I still just have them in my garage, so it's
> really not a good listening set up. But
> still, the sound is enveloping, spacious,
> dynamic, and detailed. And, I was really
> surprised that the bass extension was so
> good for a dipole.

Bass extension won't be any issue once you pair them up with your dual subs, dude!

Looking good. Congrats. Was the buzz there about which the seller spoke?

Dan

[bking]

Something very seductive about dipoles. Several years ago there was an article in Speaker Builder magazine about how to make your own planar-magnetic mid/high frequency drivers that were coupled with a conventional cone woofer. I built a pair and although they probably didn't sound as good as they could have, the spaciousness of bi-polar speakers is really a nice alternative to cones. However, they don't like high spl's (at least mine didn't) and they need a lot of room behind and to the side to sound their best, so placement is more problematic than with regular loudspeakers.

[palouse1]

I don't seem to have a room right now that a set of Maggies would work in. I've always wanted a pair. But they need some room to the rear and the sides to sound right. More room than I currently have anyway. Pity.

[jaudio]

I have to ask. How much.

[dB]

> Bass extension won't be any issue once you
> pair them up with your dual subs, dude!

> Looking good. Congrats. Was the buzz there
> about which the seller spoke?

> Dan

Yes. It was a rattling buzz only on certain parts of some songs. I pressed on the back of the speaker in the area where I thought the problem might be and it went away. And hasn't come back in two days.

I still will be taking them apart to refinish the wood to brighten it up a bit, have the grille socks dry cleaned, and maybe re-part the crossover. Also will inspect and repair any problems I find with the diaphrams and wires. And I need to make new stands. The exising ones are part. board and the finish is a mess.

dave

[dB]

...which might be a bit higher than what you can find on ebay if you're an excellent bidder. Probably $165 average. But you might have to pay to ship, which I didn't, and shipping can be a chunk o change.

Condition is a factor, but if you buy MG-1s or any of the models built in the late 70s, you might not even worry about it and just be resigned to having to do a refurb. But if you do find a pair that the seller says are pristine and seems convincing about that, go for it and maybe pay a bit more.

dave

[diru]

> Bought these off Craigslist this weekend.
> Absolutely amazing. Magnepan MG-1s. 5 ft
> tall, about 2 ft wide (the radiating panel
> is around 12" wide -- between the two
> vertical strips), and 2" thick.

> I still just have them in my garage, so it's
> really not a good listening set up. But
> still, the sound is enveloping, spacious,
> dynamic, and detailed. And, I was really
> surprised that the bass extension was so
> good for a dipole.

> Anyway, just go out and get you some.

> Dave

You might want to go active x-over to the Maggies when you pair them up to your subs. [try to stay above 50hz]. This will give you a little more breathing room, and couple of db or so.

As old as these are , I would oppt to replace the passive x-over parts in the maggs with nice fresh parts.

If I remember right , max SPL @ 2m was on the order of 103db. Been a few years sence I worked there.

Don't try and get more then that output from these or you might melt the mylar.

Ohhh yeah one more thing, if you hit them heavy with the lows to hard and hear a slap noise. Count your bleesings you didn't rip the mylar. Avoid the slap at all cost.

[natediggidy]

Provided Link: MG1 improved


Somebody else who hangs out over at the Planar Asylum and here too ;^) .

Consider going to external crossovers if you don't want to bi-amp right away. Isolating the x-o's from the "panels" has it's advantages. The link provided is the MG-1 improved crossover schematic. It's so simple, upgrading it is a slam dunk.

You can get a couple of Jantzen air cores, four Jantzen caps (2-10's=20) and a couple of Theta AudioCaps for bypass duties for less that $50.

[dB]

> Somebody else who hangs out over at the
> Planar Asylum and here too ;^) .

Yeah, obviously I'm new over at the Planar Asylum. So far, lots of help from folks there.

Thanks for the schematic. I really would like to see some measurements -- maybe try some myself. Do these things really only need first order slopes? I'm think a cauer-elliptical 8th order -- probably 27 components with some notch filters thrown in for good measure.

> You can get a couple of Jantzen air cores,
> four Jantzen caps (2-10's=20) and a couple
> of Theta AudioCaps for bypass duties for
> less that $50.

Nah, I'd go for paralled 10 uF Thetas at $49 x 2 = $98 per speaker...yeah baby! Anybody know where I can find some silver inductors? Or do I have to wind my own: )

dave

[AJ]

The rate copper is going silver may end up cheaper! Hehehe...

[natediggidy]

> Yeah, obviously I'm new over at the Planar
> Asylum. So far, lots of help from folks
> there.

> Thanks for the schematic. I really would
> like to see some measurements -- maybe try
> some myself. Do these things really only
> need first order slopes? I'm think a
> cauer-elliptical 8th order -- probably 27
> components with some notch filters thrown in
> for good measure.

> dave

Magnepan seems to have really done their job. About the only speaker in the lineup that can benifit from different x-o points is the MMG. Yes, a first order it is. The epitome of K.I.S.S. The schematic is for the improved version rather than the first produced version. Before you get carried away on the crossover, just replace the stock parts with better grade ones (wherever your budget guides you) and see how it sounds. It's well known that the x-o parts are a Maggie weak link.
Now for stands, just make 'em verticle & rigid. Struts are a big plus, holding them panels still is a good thing.

[dB]

> Magnepan seems to have really done their
> job. About the only speaker in the lineup
> that can benifit from different x-o points
> is the MMG. Yes, a first order it is. The
> epitome of K.I.S.S. The schematic is for the
> improved version rather than the first
> produced version. Before you get carried
> away on the crossover, just replace the
> stock parts with better grade ones (wherever
> your budget guides you) and see how it
> sounds. It's well known that the x-o parts
> are a Maggie weak link.
> Now for stands, just make 'em verticle &
> rigid. Struts are a big plus, holding them
> panels still is a good thing.

Yeah, I know. They sound tremendous right now... Anything I might do wouldn't necessarily make an improvement. Re-parting, some cosmetics, and some kind of better feet/stands.

Dave

[natediggidy]

> Yeah, I know. They sound tremendous right
> now... Anything I might do wouldn't
> necessarily make an improvement. Re-parting,
> some cosmetics, and some kind of better
> feet/stands.

> Dave

Actually,re-parting with better x-o components and some stands with struts will make an easily noticed improvement. As I said before, the stock x-o components & wiring Magnepan uses CAN be improved on. Once you remove the sock to get a look at that suspect panel, you'll se what I mean. Maggies are very revealing speakers and will tell you if you've changed something upstream for better or worse.