mcn
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$3000 Budget
JoeE SP9
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At 50WPC @ 8 Ohms/75WPC @ 4 Ohms the Music Hall IMO will be adequate for driving MMG's in the size room you mentioned. Adding a decent powered sub woofer to them will only enhance the sound. I must admit that I'm a very big fan of Magneplanars and the planar sound in general. I have owned "Maggies" in the past and currently own and use two pair of another type of planar speaker (electrostatic).

Taking your time to audition and re-audition speakers is IMO the only way to base a buying decision. You may get responses from others who say that an in store audition won't sound like in home. Well Duh! The whole point of in store auditions is to determine what to actually try in your home.

mcn
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Thanks for the response Joe. I did feel that I would need a sub (which I may choose to get eventually regardless of the speakers I choose) with the MMGs right off the bat but, at the price of the MMGs, that would still fit in my budget.

Did you listen to any rock or rap when you had your MMGs? If so, how did you feel it came across?

Thanks again

commsysman
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That all sounds like a good way to go to me, but i think you will want a subwoofer with the Mags.

They really have no bass at all.

I recommend the NHT B12D subwoofer.

I use it with my Vandersteen Treos, and it is excellent.

 

mcn wrote:

Thanks for the response Joe. I did feel that I would need a sub (which I may choose to get eventually regardless of the speakers I choose) with the MMGs right off the bat but, at the price of the MMGs, that would still fit in my budget.

Did you listen to any rock or rap when you had your MMGs? If so, how did you feel it came across?

Thanks again

JoeE SP9
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My ownership of Maggies pretty much pre-dates most rap but I listened to lots of rock back then (Stones, Led Zep, Santana, etc.). I bought a pair of MG-1's in 1976. I heard them in a store on my lunch hour and immediately placed a deposit on them. When I got home that day I put my B&O S-70's up for sale. Three days later I had my first pair off panels. I then moved to MG-2's and finally MG-3a's before switching to electrostatics in the early 80's.

I currently have several audio buddies that own current Magneplanars (1 pair of 3.7's, 1 pair of 1.7's and 2 pair of MMG's). All of them are very happy with their systems and I enjoy listening to them. The 3.7 owner and one of the MMG owners have sub woofers. The second MMG owner plans on adding a sub woofer.

IMO: MMG's are great speakers that become truly "world class" with the addition of a good sub woofer. However, if live rock concert levels in your home are what you're looking for, look elswhere

mcn
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I appreciate your input. This weekend I relistened to the MMG, MG12, B&W 683/684, Totem Sttaf, and added the Sonus Faber Venere 1.5. This time the MMG and MG12 blew me away relative to the others. I listened to them with the Rel T-5. So, my tentative plan is to purchase the MG12 with a sub woofer.

Questions: Would you have any concerns powering the MG12 with the Music Hall a15.3? Also, assuming that I can position them 2-3 feet from the rear wall, would you have any concerns with the MG12 in a very small (roughly 10'x12') room?

Thanks again

commsysman
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With that size room, the 4 ohm MG12 should work fine with that amplifier.

The speaker's sensitivity is rated at 86dbA at 1 meter for 1 watt. So, 10 watts will give 96dbA, and the 75 watts (at 4 ohms) of the MH 15.3 amplifier will give a maximum SPL of around 103dbA one meter in front of the speaker. Moving back to your listening position, perhaps 2 meters from the speakers, will drop that to around 100 dbA.

That is definitely concert hall/ full orchestra/ 5th row volume. I also question whether the MG 12 will play much louder than that without distress, so that is an appropriate amount of power.

I assume that you will get a good subwoofer, and that will cost you maybe $800-900 or so.

A pair of speakers that will play a lot louder with the same power and sound excellent are the PSB Image T6. They will also have enough bass that many people would not feel the need for a subwoofer. They run $1300 per pair. If you are interested, check the review Stereophile did a couple of years ago. Both The Absolute Sound and Stereophile picked them as speaker of the year.

 

IF you were going to be 3 meters from the MG12 speakers in a room twice as large, I would say you need to get an amplifier rated for at least 120 watts per channel at 4 ohms.

 

 

mcn wrote:

I appreciate your input. This weekend I relistened to the MMG, MG12, B&W 683/684, Totem Sttaf, and added the Sonus Faber Venere 1.5. This time the MMG and MG12 blew me away relative to the others. I listened to them with the Rel T-5. So, my tentative plan is to purchase the MG12 with a sub woofer.

Questions: Would you have any concerns powering the MG12 with the Music Hall a15.3? Also, assuming that I can position them 2-3 feet from the rear wall, would you have any concerns with the MG12 in a very small (roughly 10'x12') room?

Thanks again

mcn
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commsysman - thanks for the helpful data. much appreciated

Catch22
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I'd really have to love them to do that. Your sitting position should not be against the rear wall, so let's say you move out 3 feet away from the wall to sit. That leaves you about 6 feet away from your speakers at the sitting position if you use the 12 ft figure. Now, bring your Maggies away from the side walls a foot or so and you are really jammed right up in front of them trying to find the sweet spot.

Like I said, you really have to love them  and dedicate the room to them and not much else.

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