Maggie MMG vs 1.7 Is 10hz worth $1400.00

[pdaddy]

Okay so I have been following KlineMJ's thread and I have hit all the reviews on the Web, and yet I still have to rationalize this. How much more will I get from 1.7's vs MMG's. I know this is a VAST over simplification, but is 10hz on the low end worth $1400.00 difference in cost. Are the new crossover considerations in the 1.7 plus....a, what else? going to be that much of a difference? Not to mention that while I have asked many folks lately (several tech guru's at Emofest included) I am still not convinced that I would not also have to move away from my Yaqin MS 20L tube amp at 50 watts a channel to drive 1.7's, but might (and I repeat might) be able to get away with keeping it for the MMG's.

Thoughts?

[DYohn]

This is not the answer you're looking for but my advice is to find a store who carries them and go listen for yourself. Only you will know if the price difference is worth it to you.

[garbulky]

There's a speaker called the tekton pendragon that may give you what you are looking for. It's been reviewed by one person as being liked quite well going from his maggies 3.7's but it can be driven with a tube amp to powerful levels.

[klinemj]

I second DYOHN's opinion.

Mark

[pdaddy]

Thanks Dyohn, garbulky and KlineMJ.

[Jean Genie]

A little different approach. Since stores don't carry MMG's, go to a store and listen to 1.7s. If you fall in love with 'em, see if they'll let you take them home for a week to try in your room. Form an opinion and bring 'em back. THEN call Magnepan and order a pair of MMGs to try in your room for up to sixty (60) days. If you keep the MMGs, you've got up to 1 year to upgrade to 1.7s (or higher level, I think)
and get full credit or close to it toward the 1.7 purchase price ;D

g

www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
(edit to add link)

[GreenKiwi]

I highly recommend listening to both... either at a dealer or through friends/local audiophiles. If you can find a dealer, they might even know someone who has MMGs.

For what it's worth, I was quite happy with a 40W tube amp (Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP-1) and the 1.6s. Now maybe I would have been happier with 100W tube or 200+W SS, but I was by no means unhappy. Adding a good sub to the mix dealt with any issues that I might have had.

[jackfish]

First, while the 1.7s reportedly will pull 10 Hz lower than the MMGs, the quasi-ribbon bass driver is so light that the bass generated definitely sounds different. Anyone will notice this comparing the 1.6 and 1.7.
Second, is the nightmare crossover in the 1.7 really a plus?
Finally, I'm biased I admit. But I would take a Magnestand MMG over a 1.7 any day. (Gee, I did!) It might cost a about 35% more, but it will do bass just about as well, and with about 92dB/1w/1m sensitivity a 50 wpc tube amp would be a real possibility. Plus, they will sound better.

However, one is likely able to have their cake and eat it too. Ultimately, one can find mint 1.6s used for under $1000. So with under $3000 for 1.6s and Magnestand mods one can have speakers which will rival $45,000 Wilson MAXX2s and many other speakers costing tens of thousands.

JMHO

[paintedklown]

Being that I just recently auditioned the1.7s and the MMGs back to back, I feel I should chime in here.

First, I am going to echo the sentiment that has been presented by David and Mark. The best thing to do is audition them and see what you think.

IMO, the MMGs and the 1.7s do sound different from one another. I listened to the 1.7s for about an hour and a half, then switched to the MMGs (everything else was the same) immediately afterward.


There was an obvious, and not too subtle difference in their sound signatures.

There may be people with more Magnepan experience who will disagree with me completely. I am just sharing my personal experience with them.

Having said that, I don't believe the extra funds to upgrade is merely going to some extra bass extension. I feel the funds are going into the new design of the 1.7 as well as a different sound signature, and more resolution.

I know that may not be a lot of help, but I feel that you really are getting a different speaker for your money, not just an MMG with better bass.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[rclark]

Sept 4, 2012 19:02:02 GMT -5 jackfish said:

First, while the 1.7s reportedly will pull 10 Hz lower than the MMGs, the quasi-ribbon bass driver is so light that the bass generated definitely sounds different. Anyone will notice this comparing the 1.6 and 1.7.
Second, is the nightmare crossover in the 1.7 really a plus?
Finally, I'm biased I admit. But I would take a Magnestand MMG over a 1.7 any day. (Gee, I did!) It might cost a about 35% more, but it will do bass just about as well, and with about 92dB/1w/1m sensitivity a 50 wpc tube amp would be a real possibility. Plus, they will sound better.

However, one is likely able to have their cake and eat it too. Ultimately, one can find mint 1.6s used for under $1000. So with under $3000 for 1.6s and Magnestand mods one can have speakers which will rival $45,000 Wilson MAXX2s and many other speakers costing tens of thousands.

JMHO

big +1

[sidvicious]

This is one area where DYohn comment is spot on. Here is my experience, I actually listened to the 1.7 first, 1.6 second, 1.2 third, 3.6 fourth and the MMG last. The 1.7's from top to bottom are more coherent speaker. (The sound is more balanced)

I had heard about the Maggie sound from a local used dealer, because I just couldn't get my system the way I wanted it and based on what I told him he told me that tubes and Maggies might be to my liking. The 1.7's, I heard at a new dealer who had just broken them in. I listen to some Springsteen and the guitar was solid, you hear the plucking from the guitar like you were in the 1st room.

The bass was okay, but any Maggie owner that is honest will tell you that you need a decent sub or two decent subs so that you can cover that bottom octave. Not any sub will blend well with Maggies, it must be a musical sub, Emotiva, Rel, Rhythmic come to mind. 2 weeks later my favorite used shop called me and told me that they had a pair of 1.6's in and I went to hear them.

The sound was similar to the 1.7, but that top to bottom sound that the 1.7 provided wasn't quite there, but believe me it was close enough and the price was right enough and I bought that day. I went back to the used store looking for a tubed pre-amp and walked out with a Belles 20-A and demoed the 1.2's, which were alot like the 1.6's, but not quite as full sounding, obviously because the Planar driver was larger.

I went back to the new store looking for a Rega turntable and I got to listen to the Rega P3 with the MMG's and the 3.6's with the Rega P-5. The MMG's are good, but no match for 1.2's, 1.6, 3.6 or 1.7's. Remember that like any speaker placement is everything and Maggies have to be 3-5 feet from the back wall and at least a foot or two from any side wall. The 3.6's blew the doors off of both with it's full ribbon tweeter.

I later bought the Rega P3 online for an incredible price. Are the 1.7's worth the extra money, over the MMG, in my opinion, yes, but like any speaker, your room is a great factor. Some people have bought the Maggies and sold them based off of the fact that they no longer had the room and the WAF.

It's more than the 10 Hz that's advertised, between the MMG's and the 1.7's, you must hear the whole picture from top to bottom. Remember numbers are numbers and nothing takes the place of hearing and making an informed decision for yourself.

Now a more interesting question is would I trade in the 1.6's for the 1.7's, no because the dealer has already told me that it wouldn't be worth his time and he wouldn't make enough money in the deal, but told me if I went up to the 3.6's, which they no longer have or the 3.7's he could do something.

Maggies are sensitive to your equipment and if you have garbage, you will hear garbage, the XPA-2, with the Belles 20-A makes them sing. The XPA-2 with the USP-1, not so much for me. I like an articulate sound and want to hear all of the instruments and have a tubed/ solid state Phono Pre-amp and have rolled the tubes.

I currently have the Maggie 1.6's, Emotiva -ERT 8.3, Martin Logan Prodigy. Guess which one produces the most bass, The Logans, but the ERT 8.3's battle the Maggies, but over-all the Maggies win it.

You must here it to believe it and in my journey the Maggie sound is unbelievably good and one that you won't forget. No speaker is perfect, but at the Maggie's price they will leave an impact on you that's hard to forget, ask any Maggie owner, JACKFISH has his 1.6's modified and will swear by them. Good luck and happy hunting.

[jlafrenz]

Sept 4, 2012 18:15:50 GMT -5 Jean Genie said:

A little different approach. Since stores don't carry MMG's, go to a store and listen to 1.7s. If you fall in love with 'em, see if they'll let you take them home for a week to try in your room. Form an opinion and bring 'em back. THEN call Magnepan and order a pair of MMGs to try in your room for up to sixty (60) days. If you keep the MMGs, you've got up to 1 year to upgrade to 1.7s (or higher level, I think)
and get full credit or close to it toward the 1.7 purchase price ;D

g

www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
(edit to add link)

It has been a while since I have listened to Maggies at a dealer, but the last one I did had a pair of MMG's in stock.

[paintedklown]

Sidvicioous (great screen name BTW),


Great post, very informative, and good information there.

One thing I see mentioned in your post is the relation of Maggies to the side walls. This seems to be what everyone says about Maggies. Keep them far from the front wall (pull them into the room) and side walls. Oddly, the store I did my demoing at, placed both the 1.7s and the MMGs against the side walls with the tweeters in. The room wasn't very wide, but was fairly deep.

In my small room I have them placed tweeters out (after a tiny bit of playing the first day I hooked them up, plan to do a lot more tomorrow and the next day) with no toe in, and about three feet (at most) into the room. I know this isn't optimal, and I will be doing a lot of playing, experimenting with placement, toe in, tweeters in/out, and using the jumpers vs. the attenuators.


Good info, and a nice compare/contrast of the different Magnepan models.

[pdaddy]

Awesome feedback guys. I am lucky that I have a local dealer that has both 1.7's and MMG's available to audition. I am going to set a time to go listen to them both and plan (as I believe Mark did) take my amp and cables with me.

[Jean Genie]

Sept 4, 2012 19:46:35 GMT -5 jlafrenz said:

Sept 4, 2012 18:15:50 GMT -5 Jean Genie said:

A little different approach. Since stores don't carry MMG's, go to a store and listen to 1.7s. If you fall in love with 'em, see if they'll let you take them home for a week to try in your room. Form an opinion and bring 'em back. THEN call Magnepan and order a pair of MMGs to try in your room for up to sixty (60) days. If you keep the MMGs, you've got up to 1 year to upgrade to 1.7s (or higher level, I think)
and get full credit or close to it toward the 1.7 purchase price ;D

g

www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
(edit to add link)

It has been a while since I have listened to Maggies at a dealer, but the last one I did had a pair of MMG's in stock.

edited for erroneous info
I stand corrected. Must be these new orthopedic shoes! ;D

[GreenKiwi]

Sweet, definitely go and listen... and also see whether or not you can take them home for a listen.

I'd also keep a lookout for some used 3.6s (or 1.6s). There have been a few around 2k, and there was one pair locally here in SF that needed new socks for $1200.

[pdaddy]

Thanks gaglione and greenwiki! I will listen to both. Before I listen, my leaning is towards the advise of getting the MMG's new from Magnepan and upgrade to 1.7's in a year assuming I like the sound enough from the MMG's as compared to the 1.7's. I know not too likely, but I also still have the amp cost to consider as I know I will want more to drive the 1.7's.

[Jean Genie]

A UPA200 (200wpc /4 ohm) would probably be fine, but if you hold your horses, I'm sure a few very reasonably priced XPA2s(500wpc/4 ohm) will surface on the 'for sale' threads when the XPA1-L becomes available

[pdaddy]

good call gaglione. that will be about the time that I upgrade from the MMG's to the 1.7's

[Deleted]

pdaddy, how big is the room you will be using the speakers in? Treated? reflective surfaces?

I've owned both so I can give you some input.