Clarity, palpable imaging, balance, the best on female vocals.

Only moderate depth

I was the first to review these speakers back in August of 1998. Since then, I have sold my 1.6s and bought the 3.6s. I'm here to tell you that there is no huge leap forward. Yes the 3.6s are better: Smoother overall, silkier highs, slightly deeper bass. But it's not like you feel you're getting double the speaker for more than double the price. It's more like the 1.6s are giving you 85% - 90% of the 3.6s. And, in a couple of places (presence of female vocals, stronger midbass) the 1.6s actually outperform their big brothers. This is not to denegrate the 3.6s - they may be the best speaker out there below the $5000 range - but, I'm pointing out what an amzing speaker and value the 1.6s are. If you are spending less than $3000 for speakers, you must audition the 1.6s. At $1500, the value is outrageous. (I agree with the 2 - 3 weeks break-in for the 1.6s. The 3.6s take 2 - 3 months).
--Terry

Similar Products Used:

MG 3.6R

I recently purchased a pair of these astounding loudspeakers for $1,475.00. At this price point, I do not think a better loudspeaker exists. In fact, one could easily spend upwards of twice as much and never experience the kind of musical reproduction these loudspeakers are capable of.

These loudspeakers impart a remarkable depth to the soundstage. Imaging is concise and stable, and unlike some earlier Magnepan models the MG 1.6 Q/R series now have fantastic dynamic range. This is one superb pair of loudspeakers. On certain pieces of music these speakers are truly magical.

I thoroughly enjoy these loudspeakers. I have driven them with several different power amplifiers and found their sound to be magnificent. They do work best though with higher powered amplifiers. My favorites being an Audio Research D76A and a Rotel RB-991.

I have also driven them with lower powered amplifiers; an Audio Research D40, Dynaco MK-III and MK-IV monoblocks and a pair on Stereo 70s. While they will not produce the highest sound pressure levels with these amplifiers, they can still play quite loudly.

Listening room size will govern the power amplifier requirements to a large degree. In a smaller listening room of 16x24 feet or less, a 75-100 watt per channel amplifier should be sufficient. Larger listening rooms may require power amplifiers producing 150-300 watts per channel.

Bass is adequate, but a good powered subwoofer can really make a difference here. Bass response improves with time though. It took a full month before the low frequency diaphragms would produce their full bass.

Overall room placement is not as critical as some would suggest. I have gotten good results with the loudspeakers placed about four feet from the back wall and about six feet from the adjacent side walls of my listening room.

Be warned though, these speakers can be quite revealing as to the quality of source material and the other components in the reproduction chain. A high quality power amplifier, preamplifier and CD player are requisite to achieving the full sonic performance these loudspeakers are capable of.

If you are in the market for high quality loudspeakers you owe it to yourself to audition the Magnepan MG 1.6 Q/R. Highly recommended.

Sound: *****
Value: *****

Similar Products Used:

Dahlquist DQ-10 Phased Arrays

Huge Soundstage, Transients, Transparancy

Limited Bass Extension (i.e needs a sub), Power Hungry, long Lead Time (order wait time), Big (Lousy WAF)

System Used in Evaluation:
Acurus RL-11 Preamp
Aragon 4004 Amp
Rotel RB-980 Amp
Acurus 100X3 Amp
Rotel 990 Tuner
Rega Planar 3 Turntable w/ Super Elys Cartidge
Velodune FSR-18 Sub
Lexicon CP-3 Plus Processor
Technics 300D Processor
Mirage FSX3 Crossover


I don't own these bad boys yet but after a lengthy in-home audition they're now on order. Bottom line: I'm hooked in a big way. I first tried them out at the dealer - several sittings over a few weeks (1 to 2 hrs at a time). First impressions were favorable but they did take some time getting used to since my 40 yr old ears are "tuned" to traditional cone speakers. My distant memory of planars is of the Magnepan Tympanis from about 20 yrs ago - very convincing soundstage but limited dynamics - outstanding for classical but not rock (which was my main interest back then).

The 1.6's sounded open, very transparent, huge soundstage, quick transients, fairly dynamic (big surprise) but with a somewhat emphasized mid bass. I didn't attempt to adjust the placement at the dealer and I know the dealer spent no time tweeking them. So home they went for an extended weekend. I spent about 6 hrs adjusting placement and subwoofer integration via (1) Stereophile test CD with an SPL meter and (2) my ears. Everything that has been said concerning small adjustments making big differnces is fairly true. Well all I can say after investing the tweeking time is WOW! Live "you are there" transparency like I've never heard in my large faimly room (18 x 26 with 9 ft ceilings) with a big as life soundstage.

The 1.6's are replacing my Thiel 1.2's. Even though the Thiels are (were) in the same price range and oveall better built (like tanks), the Maggies are in a totaly different sonic league. Don't get me wrong - the Thiels are excellent dynamic speakers. They just don't sound "real" compared to the 1.6's (after being properly set up). The Maggies do take lots of juice to make them cook - my amps (tried all three) ran much hotter then they ever did before - but all three drove them just fine. Integration with the Velodyne was seamless once properly adjusted (of the 6 hrs of tweeking I probably spent 4 of them integrating the sub).

I very much miss the Maggies after returning them to the dealer. I also auditioned the Center Channel but I much preferred (and was very pleased) with the "phantom setting". I believe this had to do with my compromised placement (on top of my 62 inch Pioneer RPTV) rather than the speaker. But since I always sit in the sweet spot (and since no one else in my familiy gives a crap about this stuff) I might as well save myself the $$.

In summary: They're outstanding. They're also an absolute steal by my standards - I've been in this since 1974. I think they're worth 2 to 3 times the price. Now I just have to wait for my order to be delivered :-(

Similar Products Used:

Theil, B&W, DCM, NHT, Infinity, Spica, Vanderstein, Mirage

Balance, throughout the musical spectrum. Superb delicacy and definition in mid range and upper registers. Improved dynamic range over previous models.

WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor...I had Maggies before I got married, so she got us both as a package deal) User needs patience to experiment with placement, room treatment, as well as other componets/interconnects/cables in the system.

It's all about the music. If you have never heard REAL music,then nothing I am about to say will mean anything or make any difference to you. Like a lot of younger people, I started out listening to popular/rock music at very loud levels..."with my back to the music" so to speak (I played in a rock band). As I grew older I came to realize there are only 2 types of music...GOOD and BAD! Which ever you like, the Magnapans will deliver it to you in spades...dead on.. with brutal honesty.

These speakers are designed for critical listening ONLY. They are not for partying down or casual listening to elevator music. They are for intense, active and emotional musical listening enjoyment. They will reproduce (with the exception of a few db in the last,lowest octave or so) exactly what is fed into them. The good...and the bad! (This includes bad recordings of good music and good recordings of bad music...as well as any weak links in your system, i.e. cheap CD players/DACs, cheap or mis-alined phono cartriges, or any mis-matches in preamps, power amps interconnects and/or speaker cables. While these are not really designed for plug-and-play "types" who are not willing to take the time to fine tune the complete system, including the room, they still can be enjoyed by the casual listener, and at there very worst, will still sound better than those little Bose "cubes" you get at the Wal Mart.

Having had several Magnepan models over the years, two words came to my mind when I first auditioned the 1.6. The first word was BALANCE. They seem so smooth and musical, and exhibited a more extended dynamic range over previous units I had owned. The details of the quietest passages are astounding...the loudest passages are handled with great authority. They have a very quick and open bass response totally void of any enclosure colorations that are present in all but the very best, high end, cone type, boxed speakers. (You rappers will miss the boom and thud that you "think" is part of the music... Classical listeners and audio perfectionists may want to add a good, quick sub for the lowest octave. Many have never heard the last octave produced...or re-produced correctly!

The second word is VALUE. I have owned MANY speakers over the years that retail for more...some 2 to 3 times more than the 1.6 (Including larger, more expensive Magnepan models) I have never heard ANY speaker that delivers as much at their price point as the 1.6's! The $1500 price point is about where the "men" start to get seperated from the "boys" in the audio speaker world. IMHO unless some other manufactorer makes the "discovery of the century" in the next year or so, when supply catches up with demand, the Magnepan 1.6 will literally OWN the $1500 price point!

Similar Products Used:

4 other Magnepan models over the past 22 years. Most recently Soliloquy 5.3's and B&W CDM SE1's in same room with the 1.6's.

SUPPERIOR IMAGING AND DETAIL THAN BOX SPEAKERS

NONE FOUND YET

PUT THESE SPEAKER SIDE BY SIDE WITH A SET OF BOX SPEAKERS SWITCH BETWEEN THEM THEN THROW AWAY THE BOX SPEAKERS,ENOUGH SAID.

Similar Products Used:

JBL,POLK,NHT,THEIL

soundstage width & height (wave launch characteristics), neutrality & speed

dynamics, low bass, size, soundstage depth

awesome speakers for the $, but given their faults have limited applications (would be great for orchestral music, but not R&R with lots of info <100hz).

coupled with a nice subwoofer, this would make for a killer combo (and frankly for the money, i wish i had thought of it before buying my mains). the way maggies load a room is a love / hate thing---you'll love how maggies engulf the room with sound, and it'll make you start hating other speaker for not doing it as well.

neutrality & detail are excellent--comparable to speakers costing thousands more. ribbon drivers may be flimsy, but if you live in a house & aren't the wandering kind, these may be perfect for you.

they are HUGE though.

Awesome, life-like sound

size (but I think its cool)

I just had a chance to listen to these babies. I couold not believe what I was hearing. They are the best sounding speakers I have ever heard. Period. At any price. I will order these next year as my budget will allow then. These speakers have the ability to excite a person beyonf belief. I think calling them speakers is an understatement. They should be called "sound transports" And the bass was perfectly adequate unlike other reviews comments. But I guess that is just a matter of preference. Besides if you want more bass you should get a quality sub. A sub is essential for HT anyway. I whole heartidly reccomend these to anybody who has the space for them. I will review again once I aquire them.

Similar Products Used:

none

Can not do better at this price.

Placement could be difficult, be prepare to experiment.

A lot have been said about the 1.6 QR. Those are about music. The texture of the acoustic instruments, the voices, is addictive. After more than a year, they seem to play better than when they were new.

There are few things I would like to point. First, they can play very well with a lower power amplifier. We use an ARC CA-50 (power tubes upgraded to Svetlana KT88). Granted, they will take all the power the amp can provide but they are not parties speakers anyway.

The other thing is they have very natural bass and except few very low notes, everything is there. Many people used to the traditional bass thump could will need some time to get used to it. We try few subwoofers at the beginning only to find that the 1.6 QR work better without them.

They will also sound smoother after some time (several weeks).

Similar Products Used:

Magnepan MMG, Rogers

Soundstage, clarity

Directional, power requirements, loudness

For the price Magnepan is the best choice so far. Magnepan easily rivals speakers at double the price. However the 1.6 speakers do have some drawbacks. The most notable is the very narrow sweetspot for imaging. If you are in the sweetspot nothing else compares, but if you are out of the sweetspot the music seems to lack depth and warmth. Surprisingly the directional speakers were not only directional horizontally, but also vertically.

The speakers would rank a 5 on value, but a 4 for performance.

Similar Products Used:

Marin Logan Aerius

Transparent, Deep soundstage,clarity.......elegant looks

none in my room,,,wife factor

when i first heard these speakers i fell in love with the unique sound....i read reviews but was worried about speaker placement.........so i finally got a pair and right out the box they sounded beautiful..So when i went to work the next day i left them playing at a moderate level..and when i returned home they had a deeper bass response some what and they seemed to loosen up.i have never enjoyed music the way that i am now......who ever said that they didnt have bass is full of it . my sub is back in its original box because i have no use for it at all...i'm hearing things i've never heard from my favorite cd's...at first i started with the speakers 2ft from the back wall at that point they sounded good....but when i placed them 4ft from the rear wall the whole image opened up even more....its funny because you see these elegant panels in front of you and the sound seems to be behind and in the center of the room...you must have a high current amp or reciever not watts but clean power at least for best results...i looked at the martin logans but the sound seemed artificial and prudent..IMHO.....these are the best speakers for the money....i sit back and listen and and i get lost in all the sound...BEWARE these maggies are very revealing to recordings and equiptment.....go buy a pair and find out what you been missing.in music............Greg

Similar Products Used:

paradigm,def tech