From: rmurphy@Tymnet.COM (Ron Murphy)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Magneplanars again...
Date: 11 Dec 92 21:09:38 GMT
Reply-To: rmurphy@Tymnet.COM (Ron Murphy)
Organization: BT Tymnet Inc.; San Jose, CA

Just another datapoint on this thread which is dear to my heart.

In article <1gaitbINNgcr@agate.berkeley.edu>, henken@ocf.berkeley.edu
(Matthew J. Henken) writes:
|> In article <sikorsky.724086181@ee.ualberta.ca>
sikorsky@ee.ualberta.ca (Mike Sikorsky) writes:
|> >For the time being, I'll be using the Magnepans in a 9' x 11' room; I know
|> >that this will degrade the audio, but I would also like to have a
speaker that
|> >will instantly fill into a bigger environment when I get one...8-) 
(Have to
|> >relocate now just for the audio system...truely bitten!)
|> 
|> I know the feeling.  At 9' x 11', the 2.6s are not necessary to fill the
|> room, and you will most likely have problems placing them there, but you
|> are smart not to buy a pair of speakers which you will be unhappy with
|> in a larger room.  My own listening room is 12 x 17 with 10' ceilings, and
|> the 2.6s are clearly ample for a room much larger; they can absolutely fill
|> the room now.
I think 12x18 or so is a good recommended minimum size room for the 2.6R and
similar planar/ribbon models.

|> >The planars will be amped with my NAD 7400...400+ watts/side with dynamic
|> >headroom considered.  Good thing the speakers are fused.
|> 
|> When I was in the store's listening room, I managed to clip the 555II which
|> has just about 400 wpc (if you include dynamic headroom), which blew the
|> fuse.  That much power won't damage the speakers, but it is good to see
|> you have the power to drive them.
I believe that I have blown my ribbon tweeter before blowing the 3 amp fuse,
although I didn't actually see this happen.  At the time, I was being a little
eager about my 100 watt amp and running at more like 200+ watts.  Anyway,
tweeter replacements are $75, which doesn't hurt too much, I guess.  You can
do it yourself, too.

|> >Exactly what kind of $$ am I looking at for the 2.6/R?  I plan on an
|> >aggressive session with my audio dealer after Xmas...2k?  1.5k?
|> 
|> They list for $1950.  I got mine as trade-ins for $1650. 
Agreed.  I got demo units for $1650.  I've seen them used in the Bay Area for
around $1300.  (You might also find 2.5R's, which use the same tweeter and
should be similar.)

|> >As I mentioned to John, the bass response is something I'm concerned
|> >about; placement is absolutely critical? (I would think so)
|> 
|> Probably one of the most significant differences between the models is the
|> increase in bass extension as you go up the model line.  The 2.6s
(and probably
|> the rest of the line) *really* get better extension after break-in. 
Placement
|> *is* important.
Staying away from the wall gets you bass in the first place.  Further placement
helps eliminate the "boom" and make the bass tighter.  Being over a concrete 
floor is especially good, as I found when I moved into a house with a wood
floor and crawlspace!  (Time to go get some sandbags...)

|> >Hmmm...what else...Well made?  Good product for the money?  Would Maggie
|> >owners ever consider going back to box/cone designs?
|> 
|> NO!  I'LL NEVER GO BACK TO BOX SPEAKERS!  YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!
|> 
|> Heh.  Actually, I would be more than happy to go back to box speakers if I
|> could find ones with the same ability to reproduce music as clearly and
|> involvingly for less than 13.5 bagillion dollars.  I must say that I found
|> that I didn't have the same emotional response to the sound produced by
|> the box speakers I audition.  Just a personal thing, but real.
If you like a big soundstage, planar speakers are hard to beat.  And yes, the
sound is very crisp, linear and well-imaged for the money.

I'm very satisfied with the build quality as well as the support; if you call
the company you can get to talk to an engineer pretty quickly if you want to.

|> 
|> Matthew J. Henken
|> henken@ocf.berkeley.edu

Ron Murphy
BT North America