Well, I'm due to replace my vintage system which now gets all the critical listening. I'm going to sell off parts of it to fund a new system. I've settled on a few pieces to continue to explore and would like your help in determining any pitfalls to avoid and new directions that might be apparent. The room is 11.5' by 15.75' and has room treatments consisting of bass traps in the corners, and absorption panels at the first reflection points, behind the listening position and on the wall behind the loudspeakers. I'd likely play with removing the panels behind the speakers to allow the dipoles to "breathe."
I've heard the Magneplanar MMGs several times and think they will satisfy me longterm, particularly with successful implementation of a subwoofer. I know I could maybe double my speaker budget and go for 1.7s, but I think I'd like to try the MMG/subwoofer route first. For said hopeful successful MMG/subwoofer implementation I've found some pieces I'd like to try out which seem, based on initial research, to be potential solutions.
The subwoofer must be sealed and have a reputation for being "fast" to have any hopes of integrating well with the quasi-ribbon/planars MMGs. While I would love to find a used Martin Logan Depth, I am thinking that the Martin Logan Dynamo 10" 200 watts RMS in closeout for $450 is a good candidate. Finding the right low and high pass crossover configurations are also important for this endeavor. That is why I am leaning towards the Emotiva USP-1 preamplifier for this system. I've listened to this particular piece with the Emotiva XPA-2 through Vandersteen 2Ce Signature IIs and was impressed with its quality and sound.
The USP-1 has bass management capabilities which provide 12dB/octave high and low pass crossovers from 50 Hz to 250 Hz. The MMGs are measured to go down to 50 Hz -3dB. I'd have 30 days to try the USP-1 with the high pass output set at 50 Hz and above sent to the selected power amps driving the MMGs, and the low pass output set at 50 Hz and below sent to the LFE connection on the ML Dynamo sub. There would be some overlap between the two across their respective rolloffs.
To drive the MMGs I found the Norh Le Amp II intriguing. I've heard these amps several years ago and was impressed that $300 monoblocks could produce the sound they did. For $600 they will provide all the power the MMGs could ever use, especially considering they will be relieved of sub 50 Hz duty in the proposed system.
I'd use my existing sources for a while but can borrow some better stuff while I'm trying some of this.
OK, does this sound like an approach that might work given I have heard most of these pieces or does this make you cringe?
One Emotiva USP-1 preamplifier (delivered) $ 417.00
Two Norh Le Amp II monoblock amplifiers (delivered) $ 600.00
Pair Magneplanar MMG planar/ribbon loudspeakers (delivered) $ 629.00
One Martin Logan Dynamo 10
Well, I'm due to replace my vintage system which now gets all the critical listening. I'm going to sell off parts of it to fund a new system. I've settled on a few pieces to continue to explore and would like your help in determining any pitfalls to avoid and new directions that might be apparent. The room is 11.5' by 15.75' and has room treatments consisting of bass traps in the corners, and absorption panels at the first reflection points, behind the listening position and on the wall behind the loudspeakers. I'd likely play with removing the panels behind the speakers to allow the dipoles to "breathe."
I've heard the Magneplanar MMGs several times and think they will satisfy me longterm, particularly with successful implementation of a subwoofer. I know I could maybe double my speaker budget and go for 1.7s, but I think I'd like to try the MMG/subwoofer route first. For said hopeful successful MMG/subwoofer implementation I've found some pieces I'd like to try out which seem, based on initial research, to be potential solutions.
The subwoofer must be sealed and have a reputation for being "fast" to have any hopes of integrating well with the quasi-ribbon/planars MMGs. While I would love to find a used Martin Logan Depth, I am thinking that the Martin Logan Dynamo 10" 200 watts RMS in closeout for $450 is a good candidate. Finding the right low and high pass crossover configurations are also important for this endeavor. That is why I am leaning towards the Emotiva USP-1 preamplifier for this system. I've listened to this particular piece with the Emotiva XPA-2 through Vandersteen 2Ce Signature IIs and was impressed with its quality and sound.
The USP-1 has bass management capabilities which provide 12dB/octave high and low pass crossovers from 50 Hz to 250 Hz. The MMGs are measured to go down to 50 Hz -3dB. I'd have 30 days to try the USP-1 with the high pass output set at 50 Hz and above sent to the selected power amps driving the MMGs, and the low pass output set at 50 Hz and below sent to the LFE connection on the ML Dynamo sub. There would be some overlap between the two across their respective rolloffs.
To drive the MMGs I found the Norh Le Amp II intriguing. I've heard these amps several years ago and was impressed that $300 monoblocks could produce the sound they did. For $600 they will provide all the power the MMGs could ever use, especially considering they will be relieved of sub 50 Hz duty in the proposed system.
I'd use my existing sources for a while but can borrow some better stuff while I'm trying some of this.
OK, does this sound like an approach that might work given I have heard most of these pieces or does this make you cringe?
One Emotiva USP-1 preamplifier (delivered) $ 417.00
Two Norh Le Amp II monoblock amplifiers (delivered) $ 600.00
Pair Magneplanar MMG planar/ribbon loudspeakers (delivered) $ 629.00
One Martin Logan Dynamo 10