incredible soundstage and accuracy

highs are a bit bright/ large and cumbersome

A friend of mine has had a pair of 1.5's for years and under
his guidance I auditioned the 1.6's. First things first,
if set up properly and used with tube equipment they can
sound very good (according to your source material). Warning: they need a good sized room to perform at their
best.Planar speakers are known to be incredibly responsive
and this is no more apparent than in the highs. However, these panels can sound bright at times which is why I suggest tubes. Which brings us to the midrange frequencies
(and lower) where cone designs tend to dominate. Although
there was sufficient mid/bass representation it clearly
lacked the warmth and depth of cones. However, with a
quality sub this could be rectified. I personally think the solution is boxless design such as Vandy or a transmission design by MEadowlark. Both of these use conventional drivers and sensible design to great effect. Have fun

Similar Products Used:

meadowlark kestrals/monitor silver 8i/Vandy 2ce

nothing more to add except these are the best speakers I have heard. My Outlaw amp and new Outlaw receiver sound great! My Bag End Sub sounds fantastic with these maggies. Just waiting now for the center maggies to be delivered. My Toshiba 9100 loves the maggies!!

Reproducing musical texture and life

Makes bad recordings really bad

These are certainly the best all 'round speakers I have experienced. As noted above, one drawback is the abilty to make listening to bad recordings so unpleasant that you turn them off. Older Genisis comes to mind. Although the latest remastered versions are better. Isn't some music mixed to sound best on low grade equipment? A great recording however is another story. Try Mary Chapin Carpenter's; Come On Come On or a well recorded jazz quartet. I find the ability to reveal the full texture of each instrument to be wonderful. As I've read elsewhere, female vocals are really captured well. The TV gets much less exercise.

I have learned a few things. I demo'd a Sunfire (the bigger one) and a Velodyne HGS12 Sub (the Velodyne was a better match). I was so excited about the fullness this added that I went a little crazy re-organizing my room. I reconfigured everything. I ended up improving the bass response SO much that I returned the very excellent Velodyne as unecessary (if your set-up is not capable of bringing out the bottom octaves the Velodyne HGS12 seemed an excellent match in a roughly 18x25 room). Additionally, the stories are true about power requirements. Although I don't go for massive volume or much heavy rock, I upgraded my amplifier from a Rotel RB991 to RB1090 and this really opened things up.

They will work great without a huge room tuning effort. However, for those willing to spend some effort the results can be fantastic.

Has anyone figured out a good solution for adding on the attenuating resistors in a bi-wire set-up? Any other tweaks?

Similar Products Used:

SMGa's

I recently listened to a pair of Magneplaner 1.6 and I enjoyed every moment of the experience. They are large and project a huge soundstage. Don't worry about a sweet spot. These speakers are the size of a large man and have a magnificantly large sound. All speakers in the line are well priced and these are no exception. They give you audiophile sound at an economical price.

I have been out hunting for the past two weeks and I am surprised that it is not possible to get into a set of speakers that sound decent below 1000.00. I have auditioned Martin Logan Aerius, Sonar Farber Concerto's, PSB Stratus Gold and finally today Magnepan 1.6. I am more convinced than ever that speaker sound perception is an almost completely objective experience. Why so many reviewers argue about the relative merits of speakers that they like is a complete waste of time. For example, the salesman that played the Martin Logan's spoke as if they were the greatest speaker in the world. Unfortunately, I did not share his enthusiasm. Although I have read reviews here that mention the great mids anf highs I did not find the same quality. At 2200.00, very overpriced. Decent imaging though. The Sonus Farber Concerto's were very nice. Beautiful imaging and balance with an obvious lack of low end. If you matched these with a nice sub, you would really have something. This match would ut you in the 3500.00 range though. But the Farbers are great. The PSB's were decent in the low end but ABing them against the Magnepans revealed their weaknesses. Somewhat boxy midrange turned me from the PSB's. The Maggies are really nice. The midrange is not heaven but it is really something for a 1500.00 dollar speaker. The Bass wa really surprising when I stuck on the Lauryn Hill CD. My vote among these would certainly be the Maggie's especially at this price. And please reviewers be nice to one another and respect other peoples opinion no matter how strongly you fell in your opinion. There is way too much venom in the world, already. I find it helpful to read differing opinions. If you pay attention to other ideas you just might learn. Thank you Audioreview for creating this great forum for opinions.

Remember the first time you fell in love? Everything was wonderful, your head was in the clouds, and you wished it could go on like that forever, right? Well, I just had a similar experience while auditioning the Magnepan Magneplanar 1.6QR speakers. For a few months I’d been listening here and there to speakers in the $1500 price range, and found that there were a few I’d consider, and some I wouldn’t want if they were free.
Then I paid a visit to Audio Connection in Verona, New Jersey -- a small, comfortable, and very knowledgeable store that gives superb demos. It was there that I had my encounter with the Maggies. I was not familiar with the 1.6QR, nor was I aware that they recently received two excellent reviews (Fi, 7/98 and Stereophile, 1/99), so I had no preconceived notions whatsoever. But as soon as I began listening to them, I knew they were far beyond anything, ANYTHING, that I’d heard anywhere near the $1500 price range.

To say that nothing else compares is an understatement. What you get with Maggies is a magnificent total sound, with a soundstage to match. Unlike conventional boxes where you’re darn lucky if you get left, right, and center staging, what happens with the Maggies is that your entire listening room wall, including the ceiling area above it, becomes alive. And it goes as far out and deep as speaker placement will allow. They’re large-diaphragm dipoles, front & back radiating. You can actually hear instruments side by side, in front of or behind, or wherever the band put them. It’s an experience like none I’ve ever had. I fell in love.

Picture this: most tweeters project their sound from something about the size of a quarter. In contrast, the Maggies’ quasi-ribbon tweeters are 48" high by 2" wide. Also, many conventional speakers in this price range "treat" you to a 8" woofer, or maybe a 10" at best. The Maggies’ magnetic planar woofers are 442 sq. inches, each. Needless to say, the 1.6QR sound can be as big as life, or bigger.

There are two catches: First, given the fact that these speakers are 5 ft. high by 19 in. wide and only 2 in. thick, placement is a concern. They have to be placed away from walls and each other, which may require a bit of redecorating. But for me, if these speakers wanted to stand where my couch sits, the next morning would find my couch by the dumpster.

The second concern is that Maggies gotta eat. They need power. Good, high-end power, at least 100 watts per channel. I heard them with 175 watts surging through their veins, and with the right juice, they’re utterly outstanding at high or low volumes. But this is the catch that will keep me from getting them right now. My NAD 60W per channel wouldn’t do the trick. I’ll have to wait a while until I can afford the whole package and do it right. Then those Verona babies will be mine!

I could go on and on about the majestically dynamic and wonderfully dramatic performance these speakers bless the listener with. But the best thing would be for you to experience them yourself. Even if you’re ready to buy another speaker, I mean, if you’ve got cash in hand and are walking out the door, do yourself a big favor. Wait one more day, or however long it takes until you can hear the Magnepan Magneplanar 1.6QR. Believe me, you’ll fall in love, too.

5 big stars!

Coherence, Sound Stage, Realism,

Still looking for some..

I can not add any new praises to the comments of others who own these speakers. However, perhaps I can partially dispel some of the criticisms/idiosyncrasies that have been leveled attributed to the Maggies while at the same time reinforcing others.
These speakers do not require enormous amounts of power; i.e. 200 watts per channel minimum.I have owned my Maggies for 2 months now and have driven them very successfully with my 30-year-old Marantz 2270 receiver pumping out 70 watts per channel. While the speakers sound somewhat strained at very loud levels (only heard when my wife is not at home) at other more reasonable levels they are simply magnificent. (To augment their superb sound, I have ordered an Odyssey Audio Stratos Power Amp)
These speakers are not difficult to set up and are “Wife Friendly”.I am still experimenting but placing the speakers approximately 30 inches from a rear wall toed slightly toward the listening position has brought me the best results. My wife actually preferred the Maggies to other speakers I was considering. The Paradigm Studio 100s, Dynaudio Contours and Martin Logan Aerius speakers sounded very good as well. But my wife remarked “they looked like speakers”. The Maggies actually blend in well with our decor.
These are the most musical speakers for the money I have ever heard. I listen mostly to Jazz. Well-recorded older CDs are beautifully rendered by the Magnepans. Conversely, poorly recorded CDs and LPs are ruthlessly revealed with all their shortcomings. Thelonious Monk’s “ Straight No Chaser” has never sounded better. I have also thoroughly enjoyed subtle nuances in Charles Mingus’ “Ah Um “ that I have never heard before. These speakers are able to provide a temporal musical environment which is unlike anything else I have ever heard. The female voice is replicated in an incredible fashion. Listen to Cassandra Wilson’s “Blue Light Till Dawn, Track 2 “Come On In My Kitchen” or Diana Krall’s “When I Look Into Your Eyes”. You will feel as if these ladies are standing in front of you. The realism creted is palpable. But electric instruments are also brilliantly portrayed. Bass is more than adequate as well. Check out John Scofield’s “A Go Go”, Track 2, “Chank”.
If you are looking for speakers and your budget only allows for a modest expenditure, you must audition these speakers. They are simply the best value in audiophile equipment available today.

My Other Equipment
Sony CDP -C345 CD Player
Onkyo P304 Preamp
Marantz 2270 Receiver
Onkyo CP-1055FII Turntable
Ultralink Challenger Bi Wire Speaker Cable
Monster Cable Inter-Connects

Similar Products Used:

Martin Logan Aerius i, Paradigm Studio 100s

soundstage size, imaging, detail, transparency, speed, value

waiting list, room sensitivity

After living with these speakers for almost 8 months, I can honestly say that they are absolutely fantastic and an incredible value. My first experience with maggies came by accident at a used audio store and after an in-home demo of the 1.6s (courtesy of Audio Dimensions in MI), I was sold.

The waiting list was quite long at the time and it ended up taking 2-3 months before I finally received the 1.6s. General setup of the speakers was actually quite easy but I must admit that it took several weeks to get to know my room, rearrange my furniture, and optimize the speaker placement.

I was replacing a pair of Linn Keilidhs (nice warm little speakers) and had listened to Martin-Logans, Thiels, B&Ws, Sonus Fabers, Proacs, Gallos, Dynaudios, Paradigms at local stores in the area. I quickly came to the conclusion that I would need to spend upwards of $3000 to get better transparency, dynamics, and bass and in the process, would lose some of the lifelike, full size soundstaging, imaging, and transient speed of the maggies.

Unlike the MLs, Thiels, and Proacs - the 1.6s sound excellent with modest equipment. However, I agree with the previous reviewer that the 1.6s are "high maintenance" - they will have you upgrading very quickly to bring out their best.

The 1.6s (to my ears) have a slight treble brightness and also require a lot of current and power reserve to properly control the planar drivers. It's not a matter of playing loudly - it's a matter of getting a faster and more controlled midrange and bass at modest volume levels. Unfortunately, many high power solid state amps (I would not recommend tubes for power) can be bright in the treble (avoid Krell KAV300i). So pick your equipement carefully - there does seem to be two schools of thought with maggies: 1) massive hard-sounding power amp with tube preamp to tame and smooth treble/midrange and 2) massive power amp that is slightly dark and midrangy (conrad-johnson, audio research, plinius).

By the way, the maggies are fantastic for home theater (although they reveal how the engineers created the sound effects) and their frequency response (not just soundstaging) is quite sensitive to the room (in-home demo is a must).

Equipment:
Classe CAP-151 (excellent match for 1.6s - blooms like
crazy and strong midrange balances very slightly forward
treble)
Rel Strata III (subwoofer adds weight across freq band
and integrates low bass)
Marantz CD-67SE (excellent value for CD player)
Straightwire Rhapsody II Speaker Cables
Audioquest/DH Labs interconnects

Clarity, imaging, coherency

Last bottom octave, directional, large + difficult to place, somewhat limited "slam"

I have been using my 1.6QR's for nearly a year now and am continually amazed by how good they sound. Warning: They are highly critical of associated equipment! (Not because they are difficult to drive, but because they are so revealing.) I have used three different amplifiers with them and have settled on a 125w/pc hybrid tube unit. After the panels broke-in (about 100hrs of play time) the sonics have been just amazing - very neutral and smooth!

The 1.6QR can be significantly improved by updating the crossover with Hovland caps and an Alpha Core air/foil inductor. See http://www.precisioncomputer.com/ocean/MagUp/index.htm for Ed Hsu's upgrade page. Proper stands also make a significant improvement in the way they sound. See http://www.precisioncomputer.com/ocean/MagUp/index.htm for details.

Current system configuration:
Amp: Music Refernece RM200 w/Svetlana 6550C
Pre: BAT VK-3i w/Amperex 6922 "PQ" & Visseaux 6V6GT & chassis damping
Analog source: Linn LP-12; ET-2 w/high-mass magnesium arm tube, Ringmat, Dynavector 20XL, Cetech carbon fiber chassis
Digital source: Cal Delta & Camelot Arthur upgraded OPA-2604

See: http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/443.html

Similar Products Used:

Acoustat, Quad, Spica, Vandersteen, Thiel

Dynamic life, midrange transparency, sounds like real live music with good source material.

Good placement and adequate room size is critical for best results. A powerful high quality amplifier is also needed.

Excellent dynamics both micro and macro. Auditioned against well regarded Vandersteen 2ce Signature. The Maggies were big winners. The 1.6's go far louder without getting ugly. Need lots of wattage to stay clean at high volumes but if you have the power (over 200 watts/4 ohms and even more is better!), they will sing. Even with rock. I love retro rock(Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes live the Greek) as well as classical stuff(anything by Aaron Copland) and jazz(like Diane Krall). Extremely neutral in the midrange especially compared with nearly any box speaker and also Maggies of the distant past(80's and 90's MG-1's,SMG,MG2c,Tympani 1d, etc). Far more dynamic than legendary MG IIIa as well. Detail and clarity is retained even at low volumes. Good setup is critical as is room size. Speakers must be placed a minimum of 3 ft into the room. 42" is optimal in my 26x18 room. And they should also be away from the side walls as well. This means you need a medium to large room for best results. Small adjustments in tilt and toe-in also make big differences in soundstage and tonal balance. Prepare to spend lots of time on setup. Also, they are very cable sensitive. You will need to experiment. I use it with a subwoofer but I use it to get better bass definition. I suspect that if I use better wire I could probably dispense with the sub as well.

CD player- Philips CD 960
Amplifier- Classe model 25(250wpc/8ohms, 500wpc/4ohms)
Pre amp- Forte model 2
Subwoofer- Spica Servo
Current main speakers- Magnepan 1.6qr
Interconnects- Audioquest Emerald(cd to preamp)
MIT MI-330(preamp to amplifier)
Speaker cables(biwire)
Monster Powerline 2(mid/tweeter)
Original Monster Cable(woofer/mid)
Other speakers- Spica TC-50, Apogee Caliper, Apogee Centaur Minor

Similar Products Used:

Apogee Caliper, Apogee Centaur Minor, Spica TC-50, Vandersteen 2ce