I'm submitting this review not as an owner or even prospective buyer of the Maggies, but as a lover of music. I have had a lot of recent listening to these speakers in the process of making a decision on purchasing a new CD player, while they have been hooked up to a variety of mid-priced electronics (B&K, Rotel, and Adcom top end amps and preamps; Rotel 971 and 991, Adcom 750, and Arcam Alpha 9 CD players). In a nutshell, these are amazing speakers for the money: natural highs, detailed and seamless mids, and believe it or not, lows that extend down with power to 35 Hz or so. They throw a wide and deep soundstage, are musical, dynamic, and very accurate tonally. Yes, I said dynamic: these speakers will slam you pretty well on rock or a symphonic crescendo. They are utterly unfatiguing to listen to, yet open up the details of the music. For $3000 these would be very good speakers; for the $1475 they retail for they are a great deal. If I didn't live in a household with a 6 year old, an 8 year old, a large and clumsy Labrador retriever and most importantly, a cat who likes to sharpen her claws on anything vertical I'd be selling my current speakers and buying these, but I figure the potential for damage to the ribbon tweeter and midrange drivers is too likely here.
I give these five stars as one of the best values in hi-fi.

Well, I did it. I made the mistake of auditioning a set of Maggie MG-12's when I went in to pick up a set of B&W 602's and wound up spending $400 more than I'd intended (they made me take them home!). Several weeks later, my dealer offered to let me trade them in on a set of 1.6's they'd been using as demo's for a couple hundred more. So, since I figured these silver-white things would brighten up the room more (the black MG-12's seemed a bit dark), I made the trade-up. Every bit as good as the MG-12's but with better bass and a bit more realistic imaging. I can't get over how they sound on piano (even to the pedal sounds) or reeds, and if I close my eyes on this one latin CD, I'd swear one of the guitar players was sitting right in a chair I have placed on the wall several feet to the side of the speakers. Amazing soundstage! Just wish I could have afforded to keep the MG-12's for rear speakers on my HT setup (unlike my old speakers, I find I don't need a center-channel speaker with these and rarely even bother turning the subwoofer on for movies anymore ).Equipment: Yamaha RX-V995 reciever, Pioneer 606d DVD and Yamaha CDC 665 cd player.

Well, I really think it's about time everybody finally woke up and smelled the coffee!! Magnepan has made a great and reasonably priced product line for quite a while. I first found out about this co. about 20 years ago when I was 15 or so. A cousin of mine had a small pair like the SMG's and the first time I heard them I was just blown away! And that was 20 years ago!! Right then and there I knew if I could ever scrounge up the cash I was gonna buy Magnepan's.
Anyway, in 1991 I finally bought a pair of 1.5's and have been a frequent and happy visitor to celestial bodies and alien worlds ever since!!

I see a lot of you reviewers are powering your equipment with Adcom like equipment. I had done the same. I recently upgraded to an Aragon 8008-ST (I bought it new for $1,500.00, and couldn't resist!) and it's like buying my whole digital CD collection again.

As far as placement is concerned, my cousin put it like this: "If you buy Magnepans, you're married to them. If you can't be married to them, don't buy them." That was 20 years ago. It was true then, and it's true now.

In conclusion, let me say there can be no question I've found the right partner, and if the couch has to move to make Maggie happy, I guess it'll just have to be that way.

Since this is a review of the 1.6's, I have heard them as well and can confidently state that what goes for the 1.5's, also goes for the 1.6's at a minimum.

Associated Equipment

Aragon 8008-ST Power
Bryston BP-20 Preamp
Monster Cables
Sony CD Player

I listen to music seriosly at home, but also have a system and listening room at work. I used to have Monitor Audio Studio 6 speakers connected to 2 Mono tube PP amplifiers. I tried the Magnepan 1.6 QR with a Classe DR-25 first to replace these, and bought the Magnepan immediately. Then tried it with my tube amps, and there was the miracle. The best sounding system in my listening room until that time.
Midrange and highs are extremely detailed, and musical. Bass is the best that I have heard in a system of this price, except that it should not be compared to say; a Krell PSB amp and Dunlavy IV combination, which I use at home.

Considering it's price it is a steal. Highly recommended.

I have been in this hobby for 20 years and finally found a speaker that in a very reasonalble price range "blew me away!" I can't think of any speaker regardless of pricerange (except for the Magnepan 3.6's} that even come close.I remember listening to the Magnepans (5) years ago and thought they just don't have any bass! The 1.6's are a technological breakthrough! I have never enjoyed listening to music so much! I recently sold a pair of Hales Revelation 2's because I just wasn't satisfied with them. The 1.6's do everything right; vocals, midrange and mid-bass, bass. With out a doubt one of the best buys I have ever made in my life!! This is one speaker that is a keeper for a loooong
time!!! Highly Recommended.

Associated Equipment:

Classe CA-100 amplifier
Classe CDP.5 CD player
Audible Illusions L-1 pre-amp
XLO speaker cable
Homemade silver interconnects made from a review on www.soundstage.com

After reading all of the enthusiastic reviews on this speaker, especially the comparisons to the Martin Logans Aerius' that many people have made, I had my cash in hand, being excited at the prospect of purchasing these $1400.00 speakers that "sounded better" than the $2400.00 Martin Logan speakers which I love so well. But when my wife and I got to the audio store and auditioned these speakers, I couldn't believe what I heard. My listening experience was so disappointing, I felt that something had to be wrong with the Rotel CD player and amps (Top of the line Adcoms) that the Maggies were hooked up to. Thinking this HAD to be the case, I asked the store manager to hook these speakers to the high priced amps in their elite listening room, thinking that these speakers were sure to impress. I almost had to ask the salesperson if these were actually 1.6QRs. In short, the music was "just there". Uninvolving to say the least. After spending the past month auditioning speakers between the price ranges of $500.00 to $3500.00, I would definitely say that these Maggies sound like $1200.00 speakers, nothing more. As always, you get what you pay for.

This is my second review for the Maggie 1.6/QR.
I had purchased these when they first came out (I think I was the first customer at my dealer).

Since my last review, I wanted to mention to everyone who has these or are thinking of getting one to please try Bi-Wiring them.

About a month ago, I was fortunate to get discount for some quality speaker cables thus I bought enough to bi-wire them.
Now that I am using the 1.6/QR bi-wired, I cannot belive the improvement of the sound. I used to thik bi-wiring and/or better speaker cables were mumbo-jumbo myth but try them for yourself and then decide. For me, the imporovem in sound quality esp. better bass definition was significantly worth the extra cost.

Still the best speaker for the buck and as fro Martin Login's Aerius, yes, I have auditioned them seriously and was disappointed. I think the guy who had bad experience with these Maggies 1.6/QR had a defective one at the dealer. I suggested going to a different dealer and give them another chance.

Kyle
could you please email me as i have a few questions on the maggies...i really am wondering how these hold up under home theater use....i love their stereo sound, but i want to know if they can handle movies...especially the strains put on by action and special effects scenes....

Let me tell you something. If you don't listen to rap, there is no other speaker that can come close to 1.6QRs!!! Seriously how can Magnepan make a speaker like this and charges only $1500. Don't you want to be in the same room with Tom Petty when he is singing? I do! 100 stars!!!!

I have just spent the last 4 months reading magazines, surfing AV web sites and traveling all over my area to audition speakers, and finally, my search is over for the best speakers my money can buy. I went to a dealer that carried Magnepans. I had read about them before. I first listened to the 3.6 then to the1.6 and was absolutely blown away by both. They made me excited to listen to music. They sounded so smooth and life-like that I was surprised that I was listening to reproduced music. When listening to these speakers I did not have to consciously try imagine anything, everything was so obviously 'there' that I could stop critiquing and begin listening. I know there are no perfect speakers but great sounding speaker for me at a good price. This speaker is natural and throws and excellent and dynamic soundstage. No other speaker does not compete with this at the $1500 price range. After broken in it sounds better even feel few hertz go down to lower base.
Associated Equipment

Audible Illusions Modulus 3A Preamp
Bryston 3B ST Power Amp
NAD 515B CD Changer (going to upgrade)
Magnum Dynalab 101A Tuner
Magnepan 1.6QR
Jon RischÕs Recipe Cables