Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Acoustic Research MGC-1 loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 2: MGC-1 Specifications

Description: Mirror-image system incorporating separate direct-sound and ambience speakers in each of two cabinets. Comes with electronic control and amplification unit. Driver array, direct sound portion: two 8" acoustic-suspension subwoofers in separate sub-enclosures, two 4" acoustic-suspension midrange drivers in separate sub-enclosures, and a dual dome drive unit with a 11/2" upper midrange dome and a ¾" tweeter dome. Driver array, ambience portion: one 6" woofer, one 1" dome tweeter. Crossover frequencies: 220, 1100, and 5300Hz using phase-aligned filterss. Frequency response: 39Hz–32kHz, –3dB (direct sound), 450Hz–6kHz (ambience).
Dimensions: 52" H by 26" W by 16" D. Weight: 150 lbs (loudspeaker); 4" H by 17" W by 12" D. Weight 22 lbs (electronic control and amplification unit).
Price: $3650/pair (1985); no longer available (2015).
Manufacturer: Teledyne Acoustic Research, Canton, MA 02021 (1985); Acoustic Research division of Audiovox/VOXX International (2015). Web: www.acoustic-research.com.

COMPANY INFO
Acoustic Research division of Audiovox/VOXX International
www.acoustic-research.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
contest's picture
Submitted by contest on September 15, 2015 - 5:45pm

I still have my AR 3a speakers from 1975. Still sound great.

corrective_unconscious's picture
Submitted by corrective_unco... on September 16, 2015 - 11:13am

Shades of the Concert Grand SI from ESP Loudspeakers? Even though those were more meant to derive from the Beveridge line source, rather than being a very low dispersion radiator with delayed ambience drivers, there are some similarities in terms of general form factor and how various drivers aim off from the central axis, imo.

I like some of the theoretical ideas at work here, and wonder what could be done with a modern implementation.

Dingus Mcgee's picture
Submitted by Dingus Mcgee on September 19, 2015 - 3:11pm

i have Ken's old pair of MGC-1's that i was able to restore with the help of a friend. i couldnt procure a working MGC-1e ambient controller, so i use an HT receiver to drive both driver arrays, using the front arrays as main speakers and the side firing array as surround speakers.

i also installed a center speaker and dedicated sub to outfit the system. this works quite well, but i do not employ a delay to the side arrays and instead rely on the receivers dsp abilities to reproduce stereo recordings in a 5.1 mode. surround recordings are reproduced in true 5.1 with glorious results.

i have yet to hear the MGC-1 as they were designed to be used, but my modern version of implementation is jaw-droppingly good.

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