Large, detailed, sweet sound; no boxiness; no irritating distortions.

Not as forceful or gutsy as a good horn system; physically awkward to move or ship; fussy set up.

1) The ribbon tweeter in even the cheapest Magnepans is superior to nearly any other tweeter; especially if you are young and can hear up to 20khz. Apart from cymbal crashes, gongs and bells, it''s nice, when listening to jazz, to hear such a clean ride-cymbal beat. 2) The bass is not bad, nor should it be, since the radiating surface meets the floor -- an ideal situation for propagating bass frequencies. They also accept a good subwoofer gracefully. Use a small, fast one and a low crossover point. Avoid passive radiators or ported designs. The old sealed box subs from M&K earned their market niche by their synergy with early Magnepans. I haven''t heard the more recent models though. 3) Magnepans radiate in a cardioid pattern which means they do not throw as much sound to the sides. Therefore, there is less danger in putting them close to side walls. There is more danger in leaving insufficient room behind them however. Therefore, unlike box speakers, they may well sound best in front of the short wall of the room instead of the long wall. In any case a lot of tuning is needed to get the best sound. 4) Even the smallest Magnepans are low immpedance designs and need a high current amplifier -- no cheap receivers. Even separate power amps may fail to do them justice if they lack good current delivery into low impedance loads. Look for an amp or receiver that doubles or nearly doubles power into halved impedance, e.g. 100wpc into 8 ohms and 200wpc into 4 ohms, etc. Some of the H_K receivers, especially older ones, may do the trick. A crude test is weight. If it weighs a ton it''s probably ok. 5) Though large, Magnepans are arguable the most decorator-friendly quality speaker on the market. The only thing missing is designer grill socks featuring Chinese water-colors or Mondrians. It is a mystery why the company has missed this marketing opportunity. 6) The larger the Maggie, the farther away you should listen from, since the sound propagated from top and bottom will be somewhat out of phase and time alignment.

Similar Products Used:

Magnepan SMG, 1.5, 3.5

1.- Tonality and coherence in the 50HZ-18KHz range. 2.- Dynamics and resolution up to medium sound levels, say 85-90 dB. 3.- Very musical representation

1.- Obstrusive looks 2.- below 50 Hz resolution 3.- Large ensambles blured presentation

Maggies 1.6QR represent one of the finest values in High-End. Drives up to excelent soundfield levels with easy, immposible to beat in a small-medium sized room.

Similar Products Used:

Monitor Audio 20SE Piega JM Lab

Solid bass, yes solid bass(w/ the right components)openness,vocals(midrange)incredible dynamics,real smooth, fantastic seperation,and good price.

placement is critical, and you better be using good components,but you should anyway

I reviewed these about a year ago.My Denon 4800 did a fair to good job driving these.I realized after some time I needed to give these speakers the power they deserve.I picked up a used set of Bryston 7B-STs.WOW!!!!The difference was staggering.I actually have some bass slam(with the bass control up)Very satisfing bass slam.On a scale of 1 to 10 I`d give the bass on my system a 7 or 8.I can feel these speakers now.To get the most out of these get a high quality amp.I`m no audiophile but I do know Bryston Is a good match for these. I also use a Sunfire MKII sub which never integrated well,but when I got the new amp it blended in very very well.I am still learning.I run this equipment w/ the AH!TOEB 4000.I can run tube(nice)or coax,depending on what I want to hear.Nordest Blue Haven ICs,14 gauge Rat Shack wire(will upgrade)I want to upgrade to the 3.6s, because they are better in every dept.Money might stop me from getting these.If It does the 1.6s will still always be treausured in my house!!!

Similar Products Used:

NHTs-nice

bloodline, price, uncanning soundstage, off the scale "wow" factor, American made

possible WAF,mild but adequate bass,

"The Magnepan 1.6QR" or "How I joined the ranks of Audiophilology without going broke" 1. First allow me to submit my own two cents worth (to review my impressions on the Magnepan 1.6QR pls skip to paragraph three): 9-11 has taught us that life is very short. Fullfill your needs, take advantage of what life has to offer. I do not consider myself to be a "audiphile" I do not have the money or resources. However, I recently refueled my interest (since adolesence) in audio gear. Myself (like many others) grew up reading the now defunct monthly magazine "Stereo Review". It amazed me how every review (it seemed to me anyway) of audio equipment was at the least adequate/never glaring or negative. I guess it fell under the "don''t bite the hand that feeds you" principle (most equipment reviewed were also built by major advitisers of the magazine). But alas, the periodical always satisfied and stirred the interest of audio/hi fi gear in me. It seemed the world of (high end?) hi fi equipment such as Revox, Meridian, Infinity (hey were''re talkin'' 70''s here!), Marantz, yes even Carver was far beyond my grasp. 2. Enter Ebay. Sure I''m aware of the caveats, shipping horror stories, unwarranted items etc., but hey, you got to admit-you can''t find some of this stuff at your neighbor''s garage sale! And isn''t that what Ebay is anyway -a giant (worldwide) flea market?! Plus there are certain safeguards in place ie, safeharbor, etc. But to see some of the gear available from the 70''s going for pennies! I a aquired a Marantz 1060 and 14 Integrated Amp for $40 bucks each! Mark Levinson''s going for 50 cent on the dollar used (of course). B&W 801 Matrix considered by some to be the best speaker in the World -pound for pound (a speaker a former roomate of mine "swore" he''d own one day which at the time retailed for $5000!) on Ebay for $2300! Who cares it the things weigh 300 pounds and special shipping/crating required? My point is I succesfully built a-what I consider to be a high end system. I do not make a lot of money (apprx 35k annually); but most importantly I have (what my wife and I disagree on:) priorities! ie; the kids needing shoes -vs-oh, say $200 interconnects for my speakers-that sort of thing! Well with some sneaking and a little white lying (I keep telling/convincing myself/her: at least it ain''t crack!) I was able to come

Similar Products Used:

Vandersteen 2 series

another demension, a whole new level; a steal

I can''t understand why people (usually purist anyway) complain about lack of bass; get a sub!!

al·che·my: Pronunciation: ''al-k&-mE Function: noun Etymology: Middle English: a power or process of transforming something common into something special It''s not fair. It''s not fair there are people who unknowingly walk this planet content with their bargan basement so-called hi fi systems-sometimes costing thousands upon thousands of dollars and not know about the Magnepan legacy. And they laughed at us when we were kids always taking apart old stereo equipment/tv''s/radios etc, splicing this, splicing that-Marveling at our older sibling''s systems. I had a cousin who returned from the far East/Viet Nam and his system (although not high end) blew us all away! And while we''re at it-what happend to Album oriented Rock! Well anyway, It''s not fair for $1600 Luther Vandross, Carly Simon, Jill Scott, Billie Holiday, Wyton Marsalis (the list goes on..) performs in my living room each and every night, each performance more magnificent than the last. I will put my Vandersteen 2C''s on sale as soon possible. Well, I''ve got to go; Ella Fitzgerald''s stopping by later to remind me how deep is the Ocean...

Similar Products Used:

vandersteen''s 2C''s, (don''t laugh): Bose 901''s, Maggie 3.3''s (legend in it''s own right)

Best Sound for its price (2000$ in Greece)

*HUGE* power needed

Let us first see what is the accomanying machines

1. Turntable : Clearaudio Solution with Morch and ClearAudio Victory head
2. pre : Symphonic Line RG-3
3. power : Syphonic Line RG-7
4. DVD-CD : Pioneer DVD 717
5. interconnects : Nordost Red Dawn with ClearAudio connectors
6. speaker wires : Nordost Red Dawn

Rule No 1 : EVERYTHING of the chain IS important. You can hear BIG differnces just changing the connectors of the interconnects.

Rule No2 : God, these Maggies, DO need current and a very fast power amplifier. RG-7 is a 200W RMS I think (regardless its specs) power amp and it is the first amp that I think works a little OK. We are speaking here maybe for the fastest amp in the World. It has currents and weighs 30 kilos. But on the other hand it has a sweet- like tubes - type of Sound. His ideal pair is RG-3 which I use

Having impaired all these, I heard SOUND. But all the other are too expensive in comparison to 1.6s. So you need a real fast and powerful amplifier to make these Maggies move

Last year I tried with Densen Beat B-300 amp, some passive peamps, Symphonic Line RG-11, but there was no Hi-End sound at all. Just good hifi. Man, you really need a beast to gain Music.

Oh yes there is bass there, depending on the current of the Amp. If you hear some distortion when the volume is up, its NOT the loudspeakers, its your amp kicked down like a dog.

Use short and quick cables together with big Monoblocks. When I use my turntable the image is MONSTROUS there.

Well, if you have any questions e-mail me, I have tried the 1.6 with many amplifiers and a variety of sources

Is the best in its price? Absolutely, but at a little higher prices there are better conventional speakers (e.g. Dali Grand).

I also seek opinions for comparison between B&W 801N and MG 20s

Similar Products Used:

SMGc

Clarity, imaging, neutrality and Company support

Ultra highs

I thought it might be appropriate to make a comment regarding the integrity of Magnepan as company. Although I do not own a pair of 1.6's, I do own a pair of 1's, which I purchased 23 years ago (man, I can't even believe it's been that long!). My audio quest went on hiatus while I married, had kids, moved around etc., but my MG-1's went through it all with me. Sometime in the late 80's one of my crossovers went and the cloth grilles started to unravel. I called Magnepan, they sent me a shipping box, I mailed the speakers back to them and for a very nominal fee they re-upholstered the grilles and upgraded the crossover circuitry. All within 2 weeks.

Reading the sonic descriptions of the 1.6's reminds me of similar experiences I had when auditioning the 1's in 1977 - and after 23 years I still am amazed that their ability to re-create live performances. But consider that I have yet to add a ribbon high-end or sub as a testimonial to just how 'liveable' these things are! And yes, you eventually just integrate them into your life, like when we were looking for a new home in '92, one of the criteria was, 'how will the Maggies' work here?'.

I am now re-examining my system components and wondered what was going on with Magnepan so found their site which is how I got here. As you might tell, I'm not looking anywhere else for speakers. Consider that the highest testimonial most anyone could give.

price, maggie magic, easy to move around

awkward placement necessary for best sound potential

It is amazing that people still buy Magnepan speakers when you consider how terribly most dealers demo them. I finally got a chance to sit down with some MG1.6QR's at a local dealer and had a terrible experience. As expected, the dealer set them up for listening the way you would typical box speakers, right up against the wall with only three feet of clearance and a monolith of equipment between them. They were hooked up to some decent Rotel electronics (RCD971 etc.), but the sound was not typical Magnepan, and I was very dissapointed. I don't know whether to blame the Rotel equipment, the room, or the fact that all the power cables and IC were a tangled mess. This review is more of a warning about how not to evaluate a product from a single dealer visit. When I was left alone, I moved them out from the wall and farther apart, but it was still difficult to get the sound off the panels, and that electronic grungy tamed-down sound didn't go away. The mid-bass seemed tipped up too high as well. I have a hunch the overly damped rear wall had negative affect on the soundstage that the rear wave helps to give the illusion of a staggeringly hugh soundstage that Maggies are capable of.
I'm not enough of an expert to tell you exactly how to evaluate MG1.6QR's effectively at a dealer showroom to really hear their potential, but at home where I love the sound of my Magnepan 2.5R's A) I bring them out from the rear wall (no sound treatments) over 7ft B)get rid of the coffee table or anything behind, in-between them and C) move them around till they simply disappear (sound is no longer on the panels!!), which they will do and you will be amazed! Musicians in your living room with realistic bass (get a bunch a Cerwin Vega's if you want concert-level rock....although Maggies do sound good for listening to TOOL, or the Chilli Peppers at high sound levels).
I would highly recommend the 1.6QR's in the right setting. Most dealers would NOT LIKE people to know that for the killer sound they are capable of you need to place them practically in the MIDDLE of your listening room, but hey, they are easy to move back out of the way when not in use. In addition, the true ribbon makes a big difference, and it wouldn't be unwise to buy a pair of used MG3a's, 3.3R,or 3.5R's if you can find them for the same price or much less.

Similar Products Used:

Magnepan 2.5R true ribbon, Magnepan 1c's, Infinity QLS

Inner detail, speed, soundstage, textured bass

too reveiling for many electronics and cables

I am from Minnesota where these are produced. The dealer, Audio Perfection, where I have purchased all four of my Magnepans, does a superb job of auditioning all of their speaker lines, particularly their Magnepans (room treatments, distance from walls & other electronics, etc.)

If positioned appropriately in your room, all of the quibbles people have written regarding bass extension are non-issues. The 3.5Rs obviously had the best extension into lower frequencies with a rich texture, but the 1.6s also can get the job.

I have never heard speakers capable of fast transients or capable of portraying inner-detail as well as Magnepans. In terms of physics, it is really not possible for most driver-speaker technology to have this ability. The drivers simply "move" too far.

Martin Logans I have heard have the ability, I think, to create some of the midrange clarity and palpability that Magnepans do. Their soundstage presentations are also very open, spacious, and revealing. However, they can not create the detailed, smooth highs that magnepans can. Their highs are actually quite "dead" sounding. Bass textures are not there either. They are there in abundance because of the cone driver they choose to use, but the sound is not as natural as Magnepans.

The only disadvantage I have heard is really a positive if you are willing to listen to a lot of different equipment and open your wallet. Lower quality electronics and cables are revealed in their entirety (usually not good)with these speakers. I have used Adcom, Counterpoint, Vacuum Tube Logic (VTL), Bryston and Mark Levinson amplifiers with these speakers (yes, I have some audio-related debt). Adcom clipped, Counterpoint sounded grainy, Vacuum Tube Logic sounded muffled, Bryston was good; clean, crisp, detailed, very logical sounding (sounded right). Levinson sounded the most musical, although the Brystons (mono for each speaker) came close.

I got married . . .

I sold much of what I had to fund the ring and the honeymoon. We have 1.6s now. To keep to our budget, I am considering a Bryston B-60 or an Anthem Integrated 2 now. Integrated is the way to go right now. No loss with interconnects, and companies are doing a good job at issolating the pre-amp and amp sections.

I like a Sony XA20ES CD player, or a Rotel piece (can't remember the model), or the Rega. I have owned a C.E.C. belt drive unit which loads from the top, so I like the Rega for the effect it has on me.

Cables I have enjoyed are those that have very open, uncluttered sounding high ends, while maintaining strong bass response. Tara Labs "Master-2" series has been the best I've had. I have been recommended NBS by Eric (or Erik) at Audio Perfection for our new system (in the works).

In conclusion, get Maggies, you won't be disappointed. Then get good quality amplification. I like integrateds. Don't worry about too much power no matter what you've read or heard. Unless you like to actively ruin your hearing, you can get by with as little as 50 quality watts for most listening levels. Following that, get your CD player (skip the old separate theory here as well; you generally loose more with transports & DACs, I have found). After that, carefully and slowly select cables. You can make this a little project. A good dealer will let you take everything home for free and try them for weeks at a time.

HAPPY LISTENING!

Similar Products Used:

Magie 1.5, 2.7, 3.5R.

Large soundstage, incredible value

needs lots of power

Back in December, I began assembling a seperate home theater in my home so I could have dedicated music and movie systems. I auditioned a pair of Magnepan 1.6QR and a few days later they found a very happy home in my new theater. They sounded incredible and filled the entire room with a giant soundstage. They were perfect for a home theater and my video system was off to an excellent start!

A few weeks after the Maggies got home, I blew a tweeter in the speakers in my "music" system, a pair of B&W Silver Signature 30. So, as an interim solution until I could get the B&W's fixed, I inserted the Maggies in their place. WOW!!! The soundstage and imaging with Class-A gear was simply sensational. I was totally blown away by the performance of the 1.6. Considering that the B&W's cost 8.5 times more money than the Maggies, the Maggies performed amazingly well. So well in fact, 2 months later I still haven't felt the need to get the B&Ws fixed! This is not to say that the 1.6 is a better speaker than the Signature 30, it can't begin to compete with the B&Ws when it comes to inner detail... but it is just as enjoyable to listen to, and that is what counts! You can't go wrong with the 1.6!