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July 23, 2008 - 11:25am
#1
what do you think of this starter system
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I like the amp and the CD player, even with the possibility of driving Magnepan MG12s ($1100). If you need in your face bass the Magnepans MG12s will not get you there, although for most music I'd be satisfied with their low frequency extension. You can always add a subwoofer later. I don't know if you can get free shipping, these components won't be coming from a discount warehouse you know. Spearit Sound, Underwood HiFi, New Tube, USA Tube Audio, and Response Audio are all reputable on-line vendors. Contact them and see who you can get the best deal from. You might get free shipping for the Jolida stuff if you get both pieces from the same outfit. I don't know who will ship Maggies to you but the closest vendors are probably in Denver, Portland, Seattle, or Sparks.
For speaker wire any decent 14 gauge speaker wire should do. My guess is that you will need bass traps in the corners and absorption on at least the first reflection points.
This is gonna sound a little weird, but I think the sound of the Maggies can be altitude dependent.
JA may be able to comment on his Santa Fe experience, but I distinctly hear differences in Maggies between sea level and places like Denver, Salt Lake City, and other locations where I've heard Maggies.
I heard one pair at sea level in San Francisco, then heard the same pair on the same electronics installed in the mountains above Lake Tahoe (about 7,000 feet) and it was like two different speakers.
I say all this just to keep in mind as you shop for speakers for your location, about 5,500 feet elevation.
(For the record, I think Martin Logans do a similar thing.)
Primary effect of altitude is to reduce the sensitivity, so the speaker will need a bigger amplifier to reach satisfying levels or the same amplifier will clip at a lower level. I wrote about this nearly 20 years ago, performing measurements at 7000' and at sea level: see www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/590awsi.
These experiments primarily used conventional speakers. Things are more complicated with panel speakers, due to the fact that the air load is much larger than with a cone speaker. The high-frequency response of a panel will tilt down very slightly at 7000' compared sea level. And electrostatics will arc at a lower drive voltage, reducing dynamic range.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile
JA, you are not just "a" man, you are "the" man.
I seemed to recall that being your take, but it seems like only 3 or 4 years ago, to me!
Tempus Fugit!
Is there a reason that mail order is the chosen way for you to buy a system?
Magnepan doesn't allow dealers to sell via the internet. The only exception is the MMG, which they sell direct. A sort of gate way drug. They are big, big believers that dealers add a lot of value to the transaction. Things like system matching knowledge, home demos, generous trade ins down the road, loaners if gear goes out for repair, etc, etc.
the altitude thing might be real here. its at 5600 m/l
it affects my breathing sometimes at night.
how about a nice box speaker..same price, available online..
????
You'll find that many, many high end manufacturers don't allow sales over the internet or by mail. But of course that doesn't affect whats on the used market. One of the downsides to the used market is there is no return possibility. Maybe do the Magnepan MMG (which they sell direct) and put the money saved into other components. Plus Magnepan will give you the full purchase price towards one of their larger speakers for one full year. Many, many years ago Stereophile used to do a reader pole asking what readers owned. at one point more than 25% of the magazine's readers owned Maggies. I'm sure the figure is no where that now because everybody and their brother is now in the speaker building business.
PSB Image T65
Paradigm Studio 60
Paradigm Monitor 11
Monitor Audio RS8
Epos ELS-303 in closeout now for $800 a pair!
Quad 21L2 on sale for $990 a pair!
Dali Evidence 470
Dali Ikon 6
If you lived in Montana I bet you'd also be buying mail order (internet really).
just 1 more thing.. is there really anything to worry about concerning the manufacture of Jolida in China... I hear they
make at least 2 different quality levels depending on what country they are supposed to go to... lousy way to do it..
???
No.