Jas Carpender

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I've always enjoyed good music. Built my share of Knight, Heathkit and Dynaco rigs back in college. Had EPI's and JBL l-88's for speakers. Now that I'm in my fifties and retired, I have spent many thousands in the past four years trying to build my ultimate system. With no direction except the desire to get a tube system, here goes a sad list of equipment I've purchased on ebay. Started with 4 Allied Knight monoblock tube poweramps, 2 Dyna Pam's and (count em) 4 sets of JBL L-100's (mint or near mint) 800 -1k per pair. I then moved up to Audio Research. (AR factory is less than 25 miles away). 2 - 300 w monoblocks, AR CD-2 c.d. player, AR SP9-II preamp. I purchased some of this equipment from AR's head engineer's personal collection. Even got 2 pair
of AR custom litzline speaker cables. (7 & 10 meter lengths). bought for $100.00 a pair (new old stock). AR uses two pair of wilson speakers in their two listening rooms.

Their head listener referred to up there as "Golden Ears" told me that Magnepan 1.6 qr are one of his favorite
speakers in any price range. (Magneplaner factory is less than 15 miles away from my home). I can't find enough time in the day to enjoy these speakers and gear. Have about 30 items to post on ebay this fall, starting with JBL speakers!

RO106666

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.56 of 5, 9.00 votes

Price Paid:  $850.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
The first time I listened to the Magnepan line I was talked into the 3.6's as the dealer offered me a great deal on them and at that time I thought the more you spent the better. I liked the sound of the 1.6 over the 3.6's the very first time I heard them. Dumb me got talked into the 3.6's and ended up selling them 4 months later.This was the beginning of a VERY EXSPENSIVE LESSON! In the end I ended up spending up to $20,000 for speakers (Revel Salons alot of money)and over $70,000 in my system. I spent so much money on my system all I did was worry about was that EVERYTHING had to be PERFECT! Ended up worried about the system than enjoying the music. Lost my job and sold it all. Then I decided when I got a new system I would build it the way I liked it and tried to build it in ind of "Best Bang for the Buck" system I could come up with. So I bought the 1.6's some what wondering how they would handle ALL types of music. WOW, was I surprised! They are the tallest speakers I have owned and reminded me of the HUGE Soundstage that the Wilson Grandslams presented ( not as nice as the Slams, but not $80,000 either). Jazz and the Blues just knocked my socks off and they sound very good on all music. Seperation and Soundstage is great and the upper bass is excellent. I will probably add a sub to finish them off Im not sure which way to go as i have always had full range speakers and have never used a sub.They seem to love power but theres nothing wrong with that. Folks talk alot about placement of these and I am lucky enough to have a large room so that has not been a problem. i have heard them 12 in. from the wall and did not find the unbearable. i could set here and throw all the fancy terms around but thats a waste so I would recommend that you listen to them. I would put them in the top 10 in speakers under $2,000.

Strengths:
everything

Weaknesses:
a good sub would finish them off

Similar Products Used:
PSB Stratus Golds
Thiel 1.6,2.3,CS 6,CS7, MCS 1's
Eggleston Andra's
Magnepan 3.6
Revel Salons

popetucson

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.60 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1650.00 from WILSON AUDIO

Summary:
I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT AND SIMPLE, IF YOU HAVE ENUOGH POWER ( 200 WATTS RMS AT 8 OMHS) ANY KIND OF EAR FOR MUSIC, AND $1800.00 YOU CAN HARDLY GO WRONG WITH THIS SPEAKER. I ALSO HAVE THE MMG'S AND THE DIFFERENCE IS STRIKING!! IF SOMEONE SAYS THIS IS THE WORST SPEAKER THEY HAVE EVER HEARD, THEY PROBABLY LISTEN TO A BOOM BOX!!!!!!!!

Strengths:
IMAGING, HIGH END, MID BAND, MID BASS, AS LIFELIKE AS ANY $5000.00 SPEAKER I HAVE EVER HEARD.

Weaknesses:
IF YOU HAVE TO PLACE THEM CLOSER THAN 3 FEET FROM THE BACK WALL YOU WILL NEED RWA'S ( REAR WAVE ATTENUATORS) THEY COVER THE BACK OF THE TWEETER TO REDUCE THE HARSHNESS OF THE SOUND BUT STILL LET THE BACK PLATE RADIATE FOR THE OPENNESS OF THE MUSIC. YOU CAN GET RWA'S ON EBAY.

Similar Products Used:
MAGNEPAN MMG, NHT, DEF TECH, B&G, POLK, INFINITY, ECT

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This product is not as good as reviews says. It is not worth the money, I would say it is not even worth the trouble getting them for free. Can´t listen to them, gives me a headache. Why? They are coloured. Sounds shouty and not real-like. Peaky midrange, glassy character, bass is really bad, worse than the original Quad ESLs. Auditioned them with Krell Evolution and Audio reseach CD, Nordost cables.
Sorry.

Strengths:
looks quite stylish

Weaknesses:
the sound

Similar Products Used:
Quad ESL 57, 63, Beveridge 2, 2SW

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Price Paid:  $1795.00 from House of Stereo

Summary:
Purchased new two weeks ago..these speakers are a screaming bargain. I sold my Odyssey Martin Logans thinking I would buy ML Vantages Summits or Quads,

Although not broken in yet, I think these already sound far superior to the various Magnepan speakers I have owned in the past with the exception of the bass of my Typani IDs. The staging and imaging are much better than the Odysseys or the Vantage but with less but very sufficient midrange transparency. Their coherence top to bottom does remind me of my USA 63 Monitors but I am able to listen to them at concert sound levels if I so choose without a Quad protection circuit clamping down when things really get dynamic.

After hearing them, I am happy that I have found a speaker I can live with at one half or one third the price of the other speakers I was considering.

Strengths:
Coherence top to bottom
Staging
imaging
detail
musicality

Weaknesses:
Should bi wire
Should have an amp capable of doubling its wattage at 4Ohms
Requires careful setup
Reveals the beauty and flaws of source components
a bit large for some
probably need a good subwoofer

Similar Products Used:
Quad
Martin Logan
Accoustat
Typani