Magnepan MG10.1 Floorstanding Speakers

Magnepan MG10.1 Floorstanding Speakers 

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 12  
[Mar 17, 2010]
saum
AudioPhile

Is this a joke? These speakers create a soundstage that is totally unbelievable. Hear Live to Tell by Madonna - a common song easily found, and wait for the time she breaks (before she starts singing 'if i ran away...' the sound (similar to the wind) will go through your head circling you. You'll never be able to tell yourself that there aren't 15 rear speakers behind you. They're so good.

I particularly like the 10.1s because of their size and quite frankly they look really amazing especially when compared to the big bulky larger Magnepans.

Don't know about the amplifier requirements others talk about because I power them with a Rotel 1090 which is 380 watts*8 ohms per channel. Sure the mid treble was a bit unresolved (compared to the B&Ws I had earlier) but that was resolved with a capacitor upgrade. Also, simple things like bypassing the fuse add so much more to the sound.

The speakers resolve so well that you can make out cable differences, bi-wiring differences; virtually any changes in your equipment.

Sure there isn't a very strong hit with things like snare drums etc. but the treble is so beautiful and revealing that I am not really sure if there exists better sound within a few thousands of Dollars.

A subwoofer is required and I would recommend a small 8 inch sub with a fast driver rather than a big one.
Also may underplay just a few mid bass frequencies but you have to listen really hard to make out.
Overall a super speaker.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Nov 28, 2009]
Excaliburn
Audio Enthusiast

A great value, if you can find a used pair in good condition. The imaging is exceptional for the price and the highs and mids are crystal clear. They have much of the "Maggie sound" in a much more compact size and aesthetic shape. If you're used to standard speakers, the imaging will blow you away. (On Moby Grape's "Changes," I swear that I can hear vocalists to my left and rear. It's not acoustic reflection from the rear wall...I checked. It first, I was convinced that I had somehow connected my rear theater speakers to the system. It's THAT clear.)

A few caveats, though....

1. Do the crossover mods with SoniCaps and a better inductor. Much clearer after after just 40 hours burn-in.

2. Positioning is tricky. The horizontal and vertical dispersion are quite limited. You WILL have a sweet spot in your room for listening. Keep them about 18" - 20" from the walls and experiment a bit. Just standing up from my listening chair ruins the imaging.

3. You will need a subwoofer, unless you just don't care about bass. I use two M&K MX-70Bs and I'm pretty happy. I cross them at about 80 Hz using an M&K LP-1S high-pass filter and the integrated low-pass filters on the subs. Some listeners say you should cross these at closer to 100 or 120 Hz, but the LP-1S works fine for me.

4. Bypass the tweeter fuse. You don't really need a tweeter attenuator resistor unless your room is really hard. A typical listening room won't be that hard.

5. Give them plenty of power. I use a solid-state amp, but I'm aching to hear them with tubes.

My system is not audiophile-quality (Adcom GFA-555II power amp with the M&K subs) but the difference the MG 10.1s made is truly significant. My old DefTech BP-20s are now sitting in the corner.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Nov 16, 1997]
Tom Ransom
an Audio Enthusiast

Let me start by saying that the 10.1's require patience in setting them up and allowing them to break in. They also require the use of a fast and accurate sub such as a Velodyne, NHT or an ACI Titan. They also love a power source with high current in my case a Rotel 980. I also found that putting a 85hz choke in line allowing the sub to handle below 85hz opens the Maggies up and prevents damaging bottoming out. Now for the sound. In one statement; mind bogling! The 10.1's portray a sound stage that I havent found in "cone speakers". Or atleast ones that are affordable. Not only do they have great depth they also convey stage height. You can hear vocals as if the singer was standing right in front of you.Female vocals such as Dianna Krall or Patricia Barber will run shivers up your spine. Piano sounds as if your head was inside a baby grand. Cymbals shimmer. They convey music as an experience and swallow you up in it. Closing your eyes listening to the Maggies is almost better than being there. They also do double duty as mains in my surround system. I firmly believe that no speaker can do what Magnepans do in the surround mode. They throw sound to the sides as if you had another set of speakers were next to them. Coupled with the Magnepan rear speakers they give you the ultimate surround experience. You have to experience it to believe it. I cant put into words the sound.
To sum up; be patient,use a high current amp,and a good subwoofer and the Magnepans will give you an accurate , tranparent, and incredibly detailed listening experience.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
[Aug 24, 1998]
vishal singh
an Audio Enthusiast

I recently bought a used pair of these speakers and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I am not very well qualified with terminology and all but here goes anyway: The first day I hooked these up to my Rotel RB-981, I couldn't stop listening. That is exactly the effect these speakers have; you will find yourself playing cd after cd to hear details that you never heard before. I've heard reviews that critisize "Maggies" for not having any bass. I found this to be false since there is some tight, accurate bass present. Of course, since these are designed only to go down to 75hz, you will need to buy a good sub.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Feb 10, 1998]
Taz
a Casual Listener

I traded in a pair of PSB 600i speakers for these so I got a discount on the demo ( Please see my unfavorable post on the PSB 600i's). I was lucky. I am in audio heaven now. I am rediscovering all my old CD's and hearing details in the music that I never heard before. The sound floats out of these speakers. Music sounds like music.
These are attractive slim speakers too! My girlfriend isn't jealous with my new love though. She loves them too.
I could never go back to most box speakers now. The only competition is other ribbon speakers, especially the Carver ALS III's Buy with confidence.
Now I need a good subwoofer. I auditioned these with a M&K V125 subwoofer. It sounded very good. Has anyone heard Energy or Pinnacle subwoofers?

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Feb 10, 1998]
Taz
a Casual Listener

I traded in a pair of PSB 600i speakers for these so I got a discount on the demo ( Please see my unfavorable post on the PSB 600i's). I was lucky. I am in audio heaven now. I am rediscovering all my old CD's and hearing details in the music that I never heard before. The sound floats out of these speakers. Music sounds like music.
These are attractive slim speakers too! My girlfriend isn't jealous with my new love though. She loves them too.
I could never go back to most box speakers now. The only competition is other ribbon speakers, especially the Carver ALS III's Buy with confidence.
Now I need a good subwoofer. I auditioned these with a M&K V125 subwoofer. It sounded very good. Has anyone heard Energy or Pinnacle subwoofers?

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Nov 02, 1998]
NEIL
an Audiophile

These 10.1 maggies are everything big maggies are known for in a slim, elegant package. Glorious highs, detail, and air beyond any conventional box speaker I have heard. The soundstage depth is layered, clean, and smooth. You will hear details in your music that you've never heard before. Cymbols ring with that shimmer that you rarely can only hear live. Be cautioned, that if your equipment is not up to standards, it will show with these speakers. Cable and source flaws show up more apparent than ever with these. Plan to use with a tight, defined sub, because these maggies where designed to use one and roll off at about 80hz. A sloppy, slow sub will not sound very good with Maggies. I just don't know why it took me so long to try these out. Incrediable bargin in high-end speakers!!!

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Sep 01, 1999]
Scott
an Audiophile

These speakers are some of the best that Magnepan has produced. Though it is recommended that you use a high quality sub-woofer, if you are not a bass freak and have a small room you can get a well balanced sound without a sub. My listening room is 12' X 17'. I have not used a sub and don't want one. Nevertheless, set up is still important to get the best balance of the speaker's virtues. Experiment with toe-in etc.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Dec 06, 1999]
Ben Schielke
Audiophile

Strength:

holographic imaging, neutral midrange and highs.

Weakness:

Small sweet spot, need good subwoofer to really shine.

Impressive...Most impressive.

I got a pair of these on demo from Definitive Audio in Seattle (BTW, Great shop... ask for Leigh) I was initially looking at some linn speakers (kelidth). I saw the 10.1's in the corner and asked to compare them to the linn's. The linn's are a fantastic speaker mind you, but these Magnepans can really rock! I was blown away by the image that they presented, needless to say I took them home that day for a trial run.
At home, a quick setup and listen revealed that I was now a proud Maggie owner. They sounded great! My system is:
Pre/Amp: Linn Majik
CD: Onkyo DX-7210
Cable: Kimber 4TC
Sub: HSU VTF-2 (Great sub)

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 26, 2001]
Maurizio Petracca
Audiophile

Strength:

Dynamic, transparency, soundstage

Weakness:

Low frequencies, home positioning, compatibility with amplifiers

My hardware: Aristom Turntable+Mayware+Linkk K9, Preamp. Beard Ca35, Poweramp. Beard P35, G&BL cables.
Maggies sond very well using high power amplifiers, let's say at least 100+100 watt, tubes are better than solid state using MG10.
Subwoofer is mandatory (Velodyne is a good choice)
and the home postitioning is quite critical.
Not too close to walls (at least 1/1,5 meters) not to far
(no more than 2 /2,5 meters), otherwise medium/bass frequencies are not correctly reproduced.
The soundstage is very good and natural using high quality hardware. MG10 should be positioned in order to maintain tweeter in the center and use the resistor to control highs.
Very nice to see and listen to, if you have high power amp and can dedicate the space that they nedd.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
Showing 1-10 of 12  

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