My New Maggies

[Pigmy Pony]

Lovely, just lovely...

I suspect they might need a bit of running in though

Even though the .7's are physically smaller than the MG1's the actual panel is larger and the thing I do notice is the bass as there's so much more of it with the .7's... which surprised me

The .7's seem better 'rounded' sound wise to the MG1's, a better top to bottom sound if that makes sense

When 'running in' my speakers I played a lot of early Rod Stewart stuff quite loud.

My Zu floorstanders didn't like it much but your Maggies May...

(sorry that was awful, I'll be better when I've had me cornflakes).

[struth]

When 'running in' my speakers I played a lot of early Rod Stewart stuff quite loud.

My Zu floorstanders didn't like it much but your Maggies May...

(sorry that was awful, I'll be better when I've had me cornflakes).

I'll get your coat

[User211]

Don't listen to anyone. Apart from me.

Run them off valves. Everywhere. Valve DAC, pre and power amps.

So a Xiang/Jolida, some budget valve pre, and some KT88 100 odd Watt vintage amp you have dug up from the grave and had serviced. You can probably get away with less power than that.

There is an empathy that planar magnetics have with valve setups.

Same is true of Apogees. Though a large number of deaf idiots thought Krells were the way. In fact, they were a bit shit with them. Some Apogees had to have solid state power amps to work, though.

It is easy to fool yourself with solid state. But after a while I always revert to valve power. No matter what.

It is very difficult to get a solid state setup to sound natural with them. It is easy to get a really hefty solid state amp and conclude it is the best solution, since it may initially impress you with what appears to be superior drive capability and dynamics. But after a while it will just piss you off.

Word (wink).

Deliberately worded strongly simply to make a point. Of course, it is only my opinion. But it is based on plenty of experience with foil and film drivers. And film only hybrids.

[Sherwood]

Don't listen to anyone. Apart from me.

Run them off valves. Everywhere. Valve DAC, pre and power amps.

So a Xiang/Jolida, some budget valve pre, and some KT88 100 odd Watt vintage amp you have dug up from the grave and had serviced. You can probably get away with less power than that.

There is an empathy that planar magnetics have with valve setups.

Same is true of Apogees. Though a large number of deaf idiots thought Krells were the way. In fact, they were a bit shit with them. Some Apogees had to have solid state power amps to work, though.

It is easy to fool yourself with solid state. But after a while I always revert to valve power. No matter what.

It is very difficult to get a solid state setup to sound natural with them. It is easy to get a really hefty solid state amp and conclude it is the best solution, since it may initially impress you with what appears to be superior drive capability and dynamics. But after a while it will just piss you off.

Word (wink).

Deliberately worded strongly simply to make a point. Of course, it is only my opinion. But it is based on plenty of experience with foil and film drivers. And film only hybrids.

Maggies can work well with valves but they need an exceptional valve amp to perform well. I tried my 1.7s with an Art Audio Quintet power amp in pentode mode. They sounded great but only at very low listening levels. At anything approaching normal listening levels the limitations of the EL34's became apparent, not least some serious clipping and an absence of any real bass. I am sure that a modern valve amp designed around the KT120 or KT150 would sound very good, but typically such amps are pretty expensive. Yes, many solid state amps sound awful with Maggies but that is because the load is too demanding and they are driven into clipping. I auditioned a Parasound Halo power amp (amongst others) with my 1.7s and I thought I was having my teeth drilled. The sound was shrill, grainy and just plain nasty. The same amp sounded wonderful with my Reference 3a de Capo speakers so it was not that it was bad per se: just not right for the Maggies.

I know that in its homeland, the USA, many Maggie owners run their speakers with mega valve amps. Perhaps the fact that in the USA Maggies cost around half of what they cost here means they have a bit more to spend on expensive "heaters"!

Geoff

[User211]

I don't know why a UK company doesn't make them. Risk of violating patents?

[Sherwood]

It would be a violation of "property rights" and no doubt the subject of legal action.

However, I am surprised that no big European manufacturer has produced their own version of a magnetic planar speaker. I doubt that the principle of a "coil" around a "magnet" could be protected by patent!

Geoff

[User211]

Well they had a go at Apogee and won.

Analysis do OK versions but they are expensive. Better made than Maggies, though.

You are right a good KT150 amp would work well but a very old 100 Watt pair of Audio Research amps well fettled and re-capped would be pretty damned good and cost less. I would hope.

[Ninanina]

Colin was round a couple of days ago and had a listen to my present set up and now doesn't much like his own system.. oops...

[Sherwood]

Colin was round a couple of days ago and had a listen to my present set up and now doesn't much like his own system.. oops...

Why don't you sell him your old Maggies and a self-assembly stand kit!

[Ninanina]

Why don't you sell him your old Maggies and a self-assembly stand kit!

Unfortunately he just can't fit them into his room. Even though the room is quite large his current speakers are sited in the bay window which just isn't big enough for the MG1's