That reader was responding to my AXPONA report about Magnepan's new $650/pair Little Ribbon Speaker (LRS)—which I presume he also heard at the show.
Naturally, as a prattler who has long served at the altar of hyperbole, I was jealous of billmilosz's simile. So I'll try now to verify his observation—while fashioning a more thorough and maybe even philosophical description of Magnepan's newest entry-level…
I left my home in…
Description: Two-way floorstanding quasi-ribbon panel loudspeaker. Frequency response: 50Hz–20kHz, ±3dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms (3 ohms minimum). Sensitivity: 86dB/500Hz/1m/2.83V.
Dimensions: 48" (including feet) by 14.5" by 1.2" (H by W by D). Shipping weight: 46 lb.
Finishes: Natural oak, black oak, or cherry trim; off-white, gray, or black fabric.
Serial numbers of units tested: 011110-1 & 2.
Price: $650/pair Approximate number of dealers: 76. Also sold factory-direct. Warranty: 3 years to original purchaser.
Manufacturer: Magnepan…
Analog Sources: Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Jelco KT-850L tonearm, AMG Giro G9 turntable & 9W Turbo tonearm; AMG Teatro, EMT TSD 75 SFL, Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue, Zu/DL-103 Mk.II, Hana SL & ML, Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex cartridges.
Digital Sources: Mac mini computer running Audirvana Plus 3.2; JVC X-Z1010 CD player (transport only); Chord Qutest, Schiit Yggdrasil Analogue 2, Mytek Manhattan II, HoloAudio Spring "Kitsune Tuned Edition" Level 3 DACs.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23,…
When a loudspeaker is measured, the underlying assumption is that the distance from the speaker to the microphone is significantly greater than the largest dimension of the speaker's drive-unit array. With conventional moving-coil loudspeakers, this assumption is almost always correct: The microphone is in the speaker's farfield, where any differences in the path lengths from all the drive-units are negligible. However, with a panel loudspeaker such as the Magnepan LRS, this becomes difficult to arrange. The LRS's Magneplanar panel is 38" tall by 10" wide, which…
And at just the right time: Not only is there an unprecedented amount of sanely priced, excellent-sounding audio gear on the market; there's this thing happening between us right here and now—the fact that you're reading a letter I wrote especially for you. It's a serendipitous concurrence, because when I think back to when I was a tenderfoot, I wish I'd had a mentor—or, better yet,…
In all cases, the spirit and care with which we approach new territory helps inform our conclusions.
So it was with eager anticipation that I approached the Mimas integrated amplifier, the…
One of the…
Description: Tubed and solid-state integrated amplifier. Power section: Balanced bridge, zero-feedback, fully discrete, FET input, bipolar output. Power output: 150Wpc into 8 ohms (21.76dBW), 280Wpc into 4 ohms (21.4dBW). Frequency response at full power: 4Hz–150kHz, –3dB. THD at full power: <1%, both channels driven. Preamp section: Fully differential, zero feedback, tubed. Tube complement: two 6922. Inputs: 5 line, single-ended (RCA), balanced (XLR). Preamp output: single-ended (RCA), balanced (XLR), headphone (¼"). Volume control: differential switched…
Digital Sources: dCS Rossini SACD/CD transport & Rossini DAC & Rossini Clock; EMM Labs DV2 DAC; Intel NUC-7i7BNH computer with 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, running Roon; Linksys routers with 2 sets TP-Link gigabit Ethernet media converters & multimode duplex fiber-optic cables; Small Green Computer linear power supplies (3); external hard drives, USB sticks, Apple iPad Pro.
Power Amplifiers: Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia 2.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Diamond (…