Check out what I just bought!

[mribnik]

http://gon4.audiogon.com/i/c/f/1126593627.jpg

Finally I saved up enough money to get them! I'm about to pick out a nice receiver too because I'm going to eventually add on some MMGW's for the surrounds and a nice sub for a 5.1 system. I'll let you guys know how great they sound when they arrive!

They are Magnepan MMG's btw.

[thrawn86]

those things look cool as hell, who cares how they sounds :p

[eshbach]

I have heard those, they are very nice speakers for their price range...

but please don't get a reciever.... get seperates.

[mribnik]

I have heard those, they are very nice speakers for their price range...

but please don't get a reciever.... get seperates.

I'm doing research regarding this as we speak. There have been very many people that got amazing results with receivers so I'm not leaving them out of the question. Recommendations for separates though?

Once I get them I'm also planning on raising them up about 8" off the ground and building wooden stands that hold them vertical. I've heard that will enhance the SQ by a great amount.

[eshbach]

I'm doing research regarding this as we speak. There have been very many people that got amazing results with receivers so I'm not leaving them out of the question. Recommendations for separates though?

Once I get them I'm also planning on raising them up about 8" off the ground and building wooden stands that hold them vertical. I've heard that will enhance the SQ by a great amount.

what's your budget?

if you get seperates you will want at least these 4 components:

SACD/CD Player
Preamplifier
Dynamic Range Expander
Power Amplifier

and yes, getting speakers off the ground (especially carpeted ground) will allow the waveform to develop much more naturally.

[mribnik]

what's your budget?

if you get seperates you will want at least these 4 components:

SACD/CD Player
Preamplifier
Dynamic Range Expander
Power Amplifier

and yes, getting speakers off the ground (especially carpeted ground) will allow the waveform to develop much more naturally.

I have the CD player so I wouldn't need that. For the rest I'm looking at options less than 1k. I've heard jolida sounds great with maggies.

Cheaper the better of course. ;)

Oh, and I'd much rather save money by getting used via audiogon. I should be able to get well under 1k used I'm assuming.

[eshbach]

I have the CD player so I wouldn't need that. For the rest I'm looking at options less than 1k. I've heard jolida sounds great with maggies.

Cheaper the better of course. ;)

Oh, and I'd much rather save money by getting used via audiogon. I should be able to get well under 1k used I'm assuming.

ok well 1k doesn't give you a whole lot of flexibility (and i don't think you'll find anything on audiogon for that price), but you can still get some fairly nice stuff.

a dbx dynamic range expander shouldn't run you more than $100 on ebay, and they're well worth it.

Rotel makes nice preamplifiers which can be found for $400-$500 new.

that should leave you with at least $500 for the power amp... which is a little tricky.

you could try to find a used vintage amp like an old McIntosh or Harman-Kardon. that would be my best reccommendation. an old 50-100W McIntosh should be ebay-able for under $600 and will still kick the pants off any newer amplifier.

[mribnik]

Alright, here is what I'm going to do. I'm going to disappoint the tradionalists so sorry in advance.

For the last few weeks I've been reading up on the new wave of digital receivers. I've read an 33+ page thread on the panasonic xr55 digital receiver over at avsforum, a bunch of threads on a JVC digital receiver at audiocircle, and have contacted countless members of both sites plus Mug regarding how they work with maggies. Everybody is amazed at how well the panasonics and jvc's work with the maggies and many have even replaced their adcom separates with it. I'm going to give it a shot. What do I have to lose? It's only like $230 and if it lives up to the hype there's a huge benefit to that. If it doesn't, I can easily sell it because of the demand. In which case, I'll go for the more expensive separates root. I wanted to find a great budget system and I might as well try this before I go higher.

I was concerned about the little panny being able to drive the 4 ohm speakers, but reviews by sound and vision, as well as a german magazine called stereoplay, as well as user reviews have assured me it will be fine, and sound amazing. The little panny did 169watts at 4 ohms in stereo mode and 153 watts at 4 ohms in surround mode. Anyways, I'll be the guinea pig and let you guys know how this little guy sounds. Hopefully it lives up to the hype. If not, I'm going to take the recommendations of eshbach and go that way.

For those of you wanting to read up on these digital receivers, check out these links!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=530504

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=mug&n=58617&highlight=panasonic&r=&session=

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=mug&n=79955&highlight=panasonic&r=&session=

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=20191

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=15668&highlight=jvc+maggie

[asmox]

but please don't get a reciever.... get seperates.

pardon the newbieness, but what do you mean by separates? i tried googling, but all i get are car audio sites.

do you mean a separate piece of equipment for each step in the amplifying/processing stage? as opposed to everything in a receiver?

[Hammerstein]

pardon the newbieness, but what do you mean by separates? i tried googling, but all i get are car audio sites.

do you mean a separate piece of equipment for each step in the amplifying/processing stage? as opposed to everything in a receiver?

Yup, that's what he means. This way you avoid any EM interference between components and you also get higher quality in each stage because no stage was compromised in order to meet a fixed "all-in-one" unit budget. Plus, it's easier to upgrade (if that's considered a plus)

And congrats on the speakers. I like flat panel designs a lot myself! Let us know how the receiver goes for you.

[Buster Sword]

Separates:
Separate components ;)
example:
DVD player
Receiver

Instead of a combination amp/tape/cd with included speakers.

[eshbach]

Separates:
Separate components ;)
example:
DVD player
Receiver

Instead of a combination amp/tape/cd with included speakers.

no, a receiver is not a seperate component it is quite the antithesis of "seperates".

[Candyman]

Receivers usually have a preamplifier (processes the input signal), amplifier (erm...amplifies), and tuner (receives radio stations) integrated into one unit. You can buy all of these things separately (and they will generally perform better), thus the term "separates".

[Buster Sword]

Oh yah i should of broke it down
Power amp
Pre amp
Monoblocks
Tuner
...

[rabidmoose171]

Those are some sexy speakers, very nice.

[eshbach]

Oh yah i should of broke it down
Power amp
Pre amp
Monoblocks
Tuner
...

you wouldn't have a power amp and monoblocks in the same setup. "monoblocks" just means that you have one power amp per channel instead of a two+ channel amplifier...

sometimes monoblocks are better, but usually with a high-end amplifier it's basically two speperate amps just strapped together with common control interface, so there's really no disadvantage.

[MrDigital]

That panasonic looks nice. I remember you recommending it to me earlier to power Energy speakers for my 0404. I'm still considering it. The lack of HDMI is unfortunate but is there any actual noticeable difference between HDMI and component/optical?

-MrD

[mribnik]

That panasonic looks nice. I remember you recommending it to me earlier to power Energy speakers for my 0404. I'm still considering it. The lack of HDMI is unfortunate but is there any actual noticeable difference between HDMI and component/optical?

-MrD

Are you responding to me? I can't remember speaking to you about the panasonic. I have heard rave reviews about it though using all types of different speakers. However, if you are looking for those features, you might want to check out the new JVC's. I believe they have the features you are looking for. Make sure to read up on them though, as I heard they are prone to overheating.

[MrDigital]

Whoops, my bad. :D I was referring to this thread: http://www.sharkyforums.com/showthread.php?t=273374

It was exocer who referred me. I think a google search must've sent me to that exact same avsforum link and I thought it was you who told me.

-MrD

[mribnik]

While I was waiting for the receiver, I went to Home Depot and bought some heavy duty shelf brackets, and some oak. I used those items to build some simple stands to elevate the speakers about 8" off the ground and hold them completely vertical. For only $30 it was perfect. Much better than spending $320 on mye stands right now anyways.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue4/magnapan1.htm

They are essentially like that, except I used oak for the bottom feet instead of metal, which IMO looks much nicer.

Anyways, after hooking up the speakers to the receiver last night I am amazed. I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile so you won't get a detailed review from me, but these things are unbelievable.

Vocals, classical, jazz, instruments etc., all sound amazing with these speakers. It's almost chilling how good the vocals are. The thing I like about the speakers the best are that you forget you're listening to speakers. The soundstage is huge and the speakers completely dissappear from the room. I completely get lost in the music and forget to analyze the speakers themselves. I can close my eyes and visualize the performers and point to exactly where they would be stage.

I'm definately going to get the MMG W's for the surrounds and a center channel as well. For the type of music I listen to it's not necessary, but for HT I'm going to need a sub as well. Thanks to soup for the recommendations!

I'll try to get some pictures of the setup with the stands and all later.

[Hammerstein]

How's low frequency response, btw?

Not a bass head here by any means, but given the nature of Magnepans as flat paneled speakers, they've never been known to offer low frequency response equal to that of dynamic speakers.

[sharkyfel]

Nice score on the Maggy's! Friend had a pair, they were a tad power hungry, make sure you get a good amp.

[Liver]

The new digital amplifiers are simply amazing. I replaced all my Pioneer Elite receivers with the digitals. I was using the Pioneers for home theater.

If the Maggies are biamp capable (read not biwire) than by all means get a digital amplifier. In the future get another (exact model) digital amplifier and biamp those speakers. Amazing sound quality. Heard them once, was quite amazed.

Basically set one of the amps to higher frequencies and the other to the lowers. The way to connect the amps is the optical out from one goes into the optical in. Don't know the correct (if there is one) sequence of connection.

Cheap and amazing sound quality. Google it, and check avsforum (like you have).

Congrats.

Liver