I purchased a pair of Magnepan Tympani 1-B speakers locally this past week from a very nice fellow who had owned them for over 20 years and was moving out of state.

He told me that he was the second owner and that when he purchased them they were owned my an employee of Krell and that these speakers were used by Krell at trade shows to demo their equipment in the late 70's and 80's.

So with great anticipation I set these up in my listening room in the basement and fired up my Marantz 2270 and listened. They sounded better that my other speakers; Kef 104/2's and Allison 2's but something was missing. I had the Marantz t 50% of its volume settings and after reading articles on this and other forums decided to add more amplification.

So I hooked up a Phase Linear 700B that I was getting ready to sell and the speakers really came to life. So the Phase is now a keeper and the Tympani's are also keepers. Even in a less that perfect room these speakers sound amazing, the soundstage and detail is very impressive. Especially considering these speakers are 42 years old. So I could not be happier with my $400 purchase and feel very lucky to own them. They make everything from CD's, records and yes even my cassettes sound like the performers are playing right in front of me. Next step will be to contact Magnepan and ask about new speaker socks for the speakers. All I can suggest is that if a pair of Tympani's become available near you get them, you will not be disappointed.

Okay, okay, here's a list of buzzwords (I blush):
Transparency
Attack (speed)
Neutrality of coloration
Dimensionality (3-D, that is)
Coherence
Ability to reproduce incredibly dense and complex music and still delicately differentiate between all of the sound
SIZE (of the sound)
Bass (where it happens, which--though room dependent--is pretty generally flat and powerful down to 60Hz or so and is quite usable down to about 45 or 50Hz)

SIZE (of the damn speakers)
Weight and general inconvenience
Bass in the lowest octaves
and a really, really picky little point--there are a VERY few instruments that get kinda bloated, y'know, like, say, a 6-ft wide ukelele, etc. This really is NOT a big problem, though

This is a review (actually more like a positive rant) about the Tympani 1-D three-panel planar speakers made by Magnepan sometime in the late 1970's.

Simply, these are THE BEST. If you have the room (and they DO take an absurd amount of room) and you are familiar with and enjoy live music of the acoustic variety--folk, jazz, classical, opera, musical theater, any type of vocal, etc.--then DO NOT HESITATE, purchase a set of these as soon as you are able. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Personally, I am also VERY VERY happy with the way amplified and heavily processed and heavily mixed sound is reproduced by these ancient wonders. I admit that I just don't listen to rap or hip hop, but I believe pretty much every kind of music is represented in my library and ALL of them are brilliantly, heart-breakingly portrayed by these speakers. Hey, who knows, they might even render 50 cent in some sort of way that would make his sonic gyrations bearable (though I don't really see how they'd translate the puerile misogynistic lyrics of his ilk into anything approaching a recognizable seriary handbag).

Back to the speakers...oh wait, a note on me--just to validate my view for you just a little bit. I've been professionally involved in music and music reproduction for...ummm...let me think...around 30 years. I've owned a hifi (we used to call it that) store; I was the first importer of Linn products in the state of Texas (hey, Ivor--how's it hangin'?); I've personally recorded Willie Nelson, Earl Scruggs, and umpteen gajillion orchestral and chamber groups; I was one of the principals in a high-end planar speaker manufacturer (we were even reviewed in TAS...not very favorably, but reviewed); etc.

Also, despite that litany of what I'm sure appears to be self-aggrandizing bragging (I promise you it's not intended that way--just the fax max), mostly what I bring to this whole thing is a VERY experienced set of ears and--believe it or not--absolutely NO interest in the latest glitz/gotta stay on top of the trend/gotta make my man cave uber cool. I've pretty much had the same system for...oh...about 25 years (more on that later).

What I AM interested in is ENJOYING the music, being transported, FORGETTING that I'm listening to a damn stereo (or HT or whatever).

And...here's the real bottom line...these babies accomplish that amazing feat.That is, the feat of essentially disappearing. They don't tire or accost your ears (like, for instance, Klipschorns or any Bose or many of those supposedly high-tech metal dome tweeter systems). They're most definitely not mushy, though (like some of the SEP systems I've heard). In fact, they're so damn quick and responsive that there is always a danger that they'll be a little harsh.

I'll admit that I haven't hung out in high-end audio salons for over two decades (not that I haven't HEARD WAtt Puppies and Martin-Logans and Sonus Fabers and quite a few of the big boys). I don't really see any reason to spend my time listening to systems that cost more than I make in six months. I am NOT going to spend that kind of money and I'll further admit that I think that anyone who does is out of their bleeding gourd and probably needs to take a close look at their personal priorities.

Oh yeah, I'm running these dudes with an Onkyo 702 (dented a bit in the front by an unknown assailant) that I bought on ebay for $70. The source is an old Sony CD changer (MX-355 or something like that, you know one of the 300 disk jobs). I've got it plugged in to the Onkyo w/an optical connection so I'm using the better Onkyo DSPs. And, well, I admit I'm cheating a little and I've got an Anthony Gallo MPS-150 sub wired inline (through the speaker pass-throughs). I'm using some REALLY fancy 14 gauge wire I bought a spool of (really, folks, look at the PHYSICS of these things--wires are NOT metaphysical beings that require virgin's milk).

And that's it.

And I promise you that this system will make an angel weep with joy.

Good luck. Get a pair yourself.

P.S. Oh yeah, I admit that these things so SO WONDERFUL, that I feel bit by that old audio bug once again and I DO expect to be making some further purchases. I probably will buy some kind of used electronic crossover (probably for less than $100) and I MIGHT even spring for a nice tube amp for the tweeters--and I know that that will cost me, maybe even as much as a grand (gulp), that is I THINK I can puy a couple of Van Alstine modded Dynaco St. 70s for that, and I'll probably just keep using the Onkyo for the low end. Oh, and I've got a pair of IIcs coming in that I bought for $100 and I might use those in the rear. Again, enjoy, good luck, don't listen to the snake-oil salesmen...listen to LIVE music and then trust your OWN ears...and please, please, spend responsibly on this stuff...Cheers

Customer Service

The quirky folk in Minnesota are a trip. Worth calling 'em up and bothering them, I say.

But siriusly, folks, they offer FANTASTIC rebuilds and service for the money. Can you BELIEVE that they'll rebuild 30 YEAR OLD speakers for such a pittance. What great service...unmatched.

Similar Products Used:

OMG, so many products used have I (sez Yoda)...
...errr...I've listed a few up there in the review and it's really late and this review is really long...hmmm...
Quads (various models)
KEFs (lots of different models)
Duntechs and Dunlavys
Radfords (those were pretty nice speakers)
IMFs (the last incarnation of the TLS 50 was an EXCELLENT speaker, but a very limited sweet spot)
AR LST was pretty good
Does anyone remember the old Crown electrostats? ES-225, I believe.
KLH nines
Dayton Wrights (I'm really dating myself now)
Infinity Servostats
Oh, well, you get the idea

Okay, okay, here's a list of buzzwords (I blush):
Transparency
Attack (speed)
Neutrality of coloration
Dimensionality (3-D, that is)
Coherence
Ability to reproduce incredibly dense and complex music and still delicately differentiate between all of the sound
SIZE (of the sound)
Bass (where it happens, which--though room dependent--is pretty generally flat and powerful down to 60Hz or so and is quite usable down to about 45 or 50Hz)

SIZE (of the damn speakers)
Weight and general inconvenience
Bass in the lowest octaves
and a really, really picky little point--there are a VERY few instruments that get kinda bloated, y'know, like, say, a 6-ft wide ukelele, etc. This really is NOT a big problem, though

This is a review (actually more like a positive rant) about the Tympani 1-D three-panel planar speakers made by Magnepan sometime in the late 1970's.

Simply, these are THE BEST. If you have the room (and they DO take an absurd amount of room) and you are familiar with and enjoy live music of the acoustic variety--folk, jazz, classical, opera, musical theater, any type of vocal, etc.--then DO NOT HESITATE, purchase a set of these as soon as you are able. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Personally, I am also VERY VERY happy with the way amplified and heavily processed and heavily mixed sound is reproduced by these ancient wonders. I admit that I just don't listen to rap or hip hop, but I believe pretty much every kind of music is represented in my library and ALL of them are brilliantly, heart-breakingly portrayed by these speakers. Hey, who knows, they might even render 50 cent in some sort of way that would make his sonic gyrations bearable (though I don't really see how they'd translate the puerile misogynistic lyrics of his ilk into anything approaching a recognizable seriary handbag).

Back to the speakers...oh wait, a note on me--just to validate my view for you just a little bit. I've been professionally involved in music and music reproduction for...ummm...let me think...around 30 years. I've owned a hifi (we used to call it that) store; I was the first importer of Linn products in the state of Texas (hey, Ivor--how's it hangin'?); I've personally recorded Willie Nelson, Earl Scruggs, and umpteen gajillion orchestral and chamber groups; I was one of the principals in a high-end planar speaker manufacturer (we were even reviewed in TAS...not very favorably, but reviewed); etc.

Also, despite that litany of what I'm sure appears to be self-aggrandizing bragging (I promise you it's not intended that way--just the fax max), mostly what I bring to this whole thing is a VERY experienced set of ears and--believe it or not--absolutely NO interest in the latest glitz/gotta stay on top of the trend/gotta make my man cave uber cool. I've pretty much had the same system for...oh...about 25 years (more on that later).

What I AM interested in is ENJOYING the music, being transported, FORGETTING that I'm listening to a damn stereo (or HT or whatever).

And...here's the real bottom line...these babies accomplish that amazing feat.That is, the feat of essentially disappearing. They don't tire or accost your ears (like, for instance, Klipschorns or any Bose or many of those supposedly high-tech metal dome tweeter systems). They're most definitely not mushy, though (like some of the SEP systems I've heard). In fact, they're so damn quick and responsive that there is always a danger that they'll be a little harsh.

I'll admit that I haven't hung out in high-end audio salons for over two decades (not that I haven't HEARD WAtt Puppies and Martin-Logans and Sonus Fabers and quite a few of the big boys). I don't really see any reason to spend my time listening to systems that cost more than I make in six months. I am NOT going to spend that kind of money and I'll further admit that I think that anyone who does is out of their bleeding gourd and probably needs to take a close look at their personal priorities.

Oh yeah, I'm running these dudes with an Onkyo 702 (dented a bit in the front by an unknown assailant) that I bought on ebay for $70. The source is an old Sony CD changer (MX-355 or something like that, you know one of the 300 disk jobs). I've got it plugged in to the Onkyo w/an optical connection so I'm using the better Onkyo DSPs. And, well, I admit I'm cheating a little and I've got an Anthony Gallo MPS-150 sub wired inline (through the speaker pass-throughs). I'm using some REALLY fancy 14 gauge wire I bought a spool of (really, folks, look at the PHYSICS of these things--wires are NOT metaphysical beings that require virgin's milk).

And that's it.

And I promise you that this system will make an angel weep with joy.

Good luck. Get a pair yourself.

P.S. Oh yeah, I admit that these things so SO WONDERFUL, that I feel bit by that old audio bug once again and I DO expect to be making some further purchases. I probably will buy some kind of used electronic crossover (probably for less than $100) and I MIGHT even spring for a nice tube amp for the tweeters--and I know that that will cost me, maybe even as much as a grand (gulp), that is I THINK I can puy a couple of Van Alstine modded Dynaco St. 70s for that, and I'll probably just keep using the Onkyo for the low end. Oh, and I've got a pair of IIcs coming in that I bought for $100 and I might use those in the rear. Again, enjoy, good luck, don't listen to the snake-oil salesmen...listen to LIVE music and then trust your OWN ears...and please, please, spend responsibly on this stuff...Cheers

Customer Service

The quirky folk in Minnesota are a trip. Worth calling 'em up and bothering them, I say.

But siriusly, folks, they offer FANTASTIC rebuilds and service for the money. Can you BELIEVE that they'll rebuild 30 YEAR OLD speakers for such a pittance. What great service...unmatched.

Similar Products Used:

OMG, so many products used have I (sez Yoda)...
...errr...I've listed a few up there in the review and it's really late and this review is really long...hmmm...
Quads (various models)
KEFs (lots of different models)
Duntechs and Dunlavys
Radfords (those were pretty nice speakers)
IMFs (the last incarnation of the TLS 50 was an EXCELLENT speaker, but a very limited sweet spot)
AR LST was pretty good
Does anyone remember the old Crown electrostats? ES-225, I believe.
KLH nines
Dayton Wrights (I'm really dating myself now)
Infinity Servostats
Oh, well, you get the idea

~ The bass panels can be separated from the mid/tweeter panel and used as a sub with other satellites. Then you'd have one of the finest subs extant. ~ Does a larger soundstage/image field exist? ~ Price - if you can find them on the used market. I picked mine up for a (relative) song back in 1998. These were MSRP $3000./pr. in circa 1983, and would now cost in the $5-8K range if they were produced today, maybe more.

The usual "audiophile headaches", such as: ~ Tweeter ribbons are fragile and usually need periodic replacement. ~ Size. (The main reason Magnepan stopped making them.) ~ Current/power demands. ~ X-overs could be tweaked.

What can I say about the "Mother of All Maggie's" that hasn't been already said? The Tympani IV beats their MG20, and most other "panel" speakers on the market, (term used loosely) with the possible exception of the Apogee Diva and Scintilla, big SoundLab's, etc. It goes without saying that you need a very large room because these monsters are 6' tall and 4.5' wide, and require at least 3.5' of space behind them. And you'd better bring your arc-welder amps along for the ride too. If you can accomodate them properly, it doesn't get a whole lot better than this in Audiophile-Land.

Similar Products Used:

Magneplanar 2.6R, Martin-logan CLS IIa, Apogee Stage.

Imaging, balance, realism, resolution, dynamics, frequency response, SPL.

One only. size.

My version is the IVa from 1986. After loving the Magnepan sound (see my MG12 review) I kept thinking about how good the ribbon versions must be and I had listened to 3.6's. After finding used Tympani's and listening to the Tympani's in my home for a couple of months, I still can't believe how good these are. I recently moved them to vaccum in the area and connected a set of Rega, 2 way speakers in their place while cleaning. My daughters said "when are you going to put back the real speakers." They put their finger on it, they do sound "real" and I can not image, nor have I heard a better sound, in anyones setup, anywhere. If you can find them,and you have the room, buy them. Magnepan (what a fantastic company) told me they are committed to supporting these for at least another ten years. Oh yea!

Similar Products Used:

Other Magnepans (only Magnepans and other dipoles can be considered "similar")

Read above.

Had to fix a coil and put the custom x-over in a box.... I may experiment with some supports and mass increase to see if that deepens the bass or increases the focus of the high end... but hey,.. Jim and Wendell made a masterpiece.. Who would I be to mess with it?

I have a pair of T-iv-a's that I gave up a pair of new 3.6's for. In a 18x31 room these things are more wonderful than I could ever imagined. Everything that Maggies are the best in the world for is there and much, much more. Extended bass, much more detail in the dimension of vocals and the strings, oh the lush and lovely strings. I will never part with these things, and am looking for another pair for my office.

Similar Products Used:

Lots of other Maggies,..

Highs and mid range. sound stage. style. Magnepan quality

Bass! bass! bass!. setup.

I have a pair of Tympani 1C's. I think they are the only speakers Magnepan made that were 8 ohms.(correct me if I am wrong). I purchased them from the original owner (1978) who had just gotten them back from Magnepan. New socks, hinges, and of course brought up to factory specs. That was 1999. I use them with a Adcom 5400 pwr. amp. Denon preamp and Denon 460 cd player. I have them in a 20' by 30' room. I am a Maggie lover and I have a system though not the most expensive is one I enjoy. I have not had any problems. The speakers sound great and when people first come in the room do a double take when they see them. I just purchased a McIntosh MX 110 which will replace the Denon preamp soon

Similar Products Used:

MGI improved

Listen to Max Roach attacking toms and kettle drums. It is so startlingly real. Each stroke on a tom feels like someone is tapping you on the head with a little hammer. You have to hear it to believe it. I've built pretty exotic cone speakers, using 400kg concrete and steel boxes, with tweeters alone that cost 5 times what I paid for tympanis. The tympanis leave them for dead in transients and image. You don't need a bif room (with the right treatment). My room is only 10' x 12', and they sound great. I have rugs on the walls and floors, heavy drapes and padding on the walls behind them. I also have a parachute in the ceiling, but that was more for looks than sound.

You have to have a great amp. I ran them with a 100W/8ohm Rotel power amp. I used a subwoofer as the tympanis didn't have any slam in the bass. Then I got an old 100W/8ohm Audio Research D100. WOW! The subwoofer is now connected to my pc. I have never heard a power amp make so much difference. I now use an ARC D250, which at 260W/4 ohms would be the minimum I'd recommend. I mounted mine is 200lb hardwood frames. That helps bass and attack enormously. Room position is the most important, though. 4-5' from the walls, and even then, I'd recommend treatment on the walls. Cats like to use the coarse weave covers to sharpen their claws! Major issue is the corroding voice coils. Every set I've seen (6 in total) has needed the voice coils replaced. I've also advised a number of people over the internet on how to do it. Even if you buy a set for a couple of hundred, and then spend another few hundred getting the voice coils fixed, they are a bargain!

You MUST have a great amp capable of at least 200 REAL Watts into 4 ohms (not an aneamic 2x100W @ 8 ohms). You MUST have them well placed in a suitable room. You MUST have them well braced (ditch the flimsy original legs). Do all that, and you will get an unbelievable sound. No audiophile who's heard my system can believe what they're hearing. The air around instruments, the precise imaging (especially front to rear) the attack on toms especially, leave them amazed. The fact that the incredible slam is coming from a panel just leaves them more amazed. I've owned three pairs of these. All of them had one or more dead panel when I got them. I rewired all panels with new voice coils. Two sets have found happy new owners.

Similar Products Used:

Concrete monitors with Tannoy 15" Monitor Golds. Concrete monitors with dynaudio, jbl drivers. I've listened to dozens of other high end speakers. The tympanis beat them all hands down.

Bass,Sound staging, everything. If you love music you will love these.

Very big and heavy. Difficult to move. Must have very good electronics with high power to get the full effect.

The Tympani 4 is one of the classic speakers of our time. The soundstage it recreates is truly awsome. The bass is the best I have heard for anything remotely close to its price. It is a great buy if you can find one. Be carful of rattles and buzzes on the used market.

That sweet Tympany sound. Incredible fast, tight bass. Unparalled sound stage.

Size, power, & placement requirements.

I have owned these speakers for more than 20 years. Several others have come and gone. Ive listened to speakers costing in excess of $20,000 with the intention of buying them. I still listen to my Tympanies and the others (while very fine speakers) are in someone elses home because they havent convinced me they are any better at any price. If you want the best possible musical speaker for under $40,000 you have to listen to Tympanies. They havent made them for years but can still be found on the used market. For well under $1000 you can have these rebuilt and they will last you 20 years (with proper care). That is a bargain that cant be beat. Im having a hard time deciding between keeping my Tympanies or moving to the MG20s. I would have to say, for the money Tympanies unquestionably are still far and away the best speaker available today.

Similar Products Used:

You name it Ive tried it.