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Magnepan LRS Speaker Review

RoyB

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Fantastic read as I prepare to drive an hour and buy a set of used Magnapan MMGs........! I wanted to order the LPS but talking to Magnapan I was told a 19 week wait. I hate waiting and 19 weeks puts us right in the middle of fishing season and not much time spent indoors....

What really interests me is, Magnapans are not known to the General "Best Buy" public. Those that are buying the LPS, I would think, are usually an audiophile on a budget.....Folks that have always wanted "Maggies" but simply couldn't afford them. With a 60 day return policy, its a wonderful way to experience a "flat" speaker in your own home.

But this said, there are zero returned speakers available for purchase out of the hundreds upon hundreds (maybe thousands) that have been shipped. Are Audiophiles on a budget this tone deaf? I would think most folks buying these would have something reasonable to test them against. I can't believe but a very small percentage are buying these as their first speakers.

I own a V6 Toyota Venza......The reviews are horrible.....It does everything wrong!......It is the only car I've ever owned for over 10 years and 125,000 miles because it is magnificient. Every year I test drive other and stay with this horrible Venza. (I'm a car nut with an 1987 911 Carrera, BMW 550i and Mercedes C350......Even my wife like the Venza!)........I've actually convinced a whole bunch of friends to get one......

Can't wait to get the MMGs and see what the fuss is all about..........Thanks again for a great thread!
 

RoyB

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Well, I got the Magnapan MMG speakers. Running them with a Yamaha M45 and a choice of Yamaha CX800u, Schiit Saga, DOUK TwoTube preamplifiers..... Source is streaming Qobiz and Amazon HD through Andover Songbird....They sound amazing! Love the open sound field with classical and using a B&W subwoofer, rock and jazz are wonderful. For me, it was a bucket list item. Always wanted a set. Just wish I hadn't waited so long!
 

wje

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During this past summer, I had the LRS, the .7 and the 1.7i. I should have never gone to the 1.7i - too massive for my condo. But, with the LRS and the .7, I realized they performed better with a class A/B amp (Parasound A23+) as opposed to the class "D" Crown XLS1502. I've since sold off both those amps and brought my restored McIntosh MC-7270 back into service. The mids and bass are a bit better, to my ears, than the Crown XLS1502 was. This is most likely due to the current demands that the Magnepan speakers have. About a month back, a new pair of LRS speakers were available locally, so I sprung for them. Using my MiniDSP DDRC-24, I have the subwoofers (a pair of RSL speedwoofers) crossed over at 65 Hz with a 24dB slope, so the bass from the subs keep up with the Magnepan. I don't think I've ever been so happy with my sound after being in the hobby for 40 years. Yes, I'm aware of how the LRS measured in the reviews, but my ears are happy. Even my fiancee could notice the difference with the sound being so much bigger and open than the previous box speakers I've owned in the past - and I've owned plenty.


magnepan lrs 03052021.JPG
 

DonH56

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As an aside, direct sunlight is very bad for Maggies -- it breaks down the panels and shortens their lifetime. Years ago I made covers from black trash bags (cut one open, taped two together, slid over the panels) to protect them. When playing whilst the sun was shining, I hung the bags over the backs of the speakers to protect them.

Supposedly the adhesive material is better these days, I don't know for sure, and I've no idea if the membrane material has changed tuhs is more resistant to sunlight.
 

RoyB

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BTW...This is the only speakers I have that I can actually hear the difference between Class A and B on this Yamaha amplifier....
 

Vasr

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As an aside, direct sunlight is very bad for Maggies -- it breaks down the panels and shortens their lifetime. Years ago I made covers from black trash bags (cut one open, taped two together, slid over the panels) to protect them. When playing whilst the sun was shining, I hung the bags over the backs of the speakers to protect them.

Supposedly the adhesive material is better these days, I don't know for sure, and I've no idea if the membrane material has changed tuhs is more resistant to sunlight.

They did change the original 3M glue that was susceptible to humidity and sunlight, the two main reasons for delamination. It didn't affect the membrane material itself. The wires (especially the tweeter without the coating like the mids) could get oxidized and corrode but that took decades to manifest unless it was exposed to extreme conditions.

But as far as I know, the de-lamination issue only affected the older "wires bonded to Mylar" design not the ribbons (which offer a greater area for bonding unlike thin round wires). So the glue issue may be moot.

When I redid by SMGa to fix the delamination I used the stronger DAP Weldwood to bond the wire to the mylar to hold them in place and a coating of the new 3M Fastbond over the entire wires/panel. The latter is the glue that is now used by Magnepan I believe. Comes in clear and green varieties.
 
D

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I don't think I've ever been so happy with my sound after being in the hobby for 40 years. Yes, I'm aware of how the LRS measured in the reviews, but my ears are happy.
Clearly you missed this part of the review...."What I do know is that this is not a product finished and fit for use by a consumer." :)

Dave.
 
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Clearly you missed this part of the review...."What I do know is that this is not a product finished and fit for use by a consumer." :)

Dave.
I have no dog in this fight (except the refundable $650 I spent yesterday to see what the commotion is all about). My $.02? Driving them with a tube preamp and lots of power (I've tried them with Krell and McIntosh), these are astonishingly good sounding speakers for jazz, classical quartet and piano. Deep bass? It is completely MIA. But an octave higher and the bass is beautiful. And I don't like them at higher volumes. But I have fallen in love with them. I had zero intention of keeping them when I bought them -- I thought I would return them if they are lousy, or if they were just ok, I would give them to one of my kids. Now? I'm keeping them for me even though I really don't have the room for another set of large speakers. They are thoroughly enjoyable speakers for chamber music and jazz. I have HUGE respect for Amir and his work. I also really like these speakers for what they do well.

Edit: My set came with an extra loose screw (threaded bolt for the technically inclined), a metaphor which I thought the haters might appreciate!
 

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3DLight

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I've had the LRS for getting close to a year. Much respect to Amir. While his review certainly does point out valid issues with the speaker, it also omits some things that are harder to define. Since listening to Magnepans, I've had a hard time going back to box speakers due to the obvious resonance of their cabinets. They sound like they are inside a box, while the LRS sounds open. People say transparent. Maybe?, but I prefer the term, open. I can see Amir puts little value in that, or perhaps he simply has other open-baffle speakers that do it better? I don't know.

I can hear the limitations of the frequency response, and I'll be getting other speakers to add to my collection that have better responses... but it's going to be very hard not to go back to the open sound of Maggies.

If someone that disregards Maggies due to this review have never heard them, I would suggest they try a listen. It was the 1.7i that sold me on a pair. The LRS aren't quite as good, but they share many similarities in tone and of course that wonderful open sound. I've never heard strings and vocals on any box speaker that rivals the Maggies, but hey, I have a lot to learn, so that may not mean much;)
 

amper42

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I've had the LRS for getting close to a year. Much respect to Amir. While his review certainly does point out valid issues with the speaker, it also omits some things that are harder to define. Since listening to Magnepans, I've had a hard time going back to box speakers due to the obvious resonance of their cabinets. They sound like they are inside a box, while the LRS sounds open. People say transparent. Maybe?, but I prefer the term, open. I can see Amir puts little value in that, or perhaps he simply has other open-baffle speakers that do it better? I don't know.

I can hear the limitations of the frequency response, and I'll be getting other speakers to add to my collection that have better responses... but it's going to be very hard not to go back to the open sound of Maggies.

If someone that disregards Maggies due to this review have never heard them, I would suggest they try a listen. It was the 1.7i that sold me on a pair. The LRS aren't quite as good, but they share many similarities in tone and of course that wonderful open sound. I've never heard strings and vocals on any box speaker that rivals the Maggies, but hey, I have a lot to learn, so that may not mean much;)

I think you either love the LRS or hate it. I bought them based on some very positive reviews I read on-line. I installed the LSR 5 feet out into the room and listened for hours. Then, I went back to my Ascend Sierra Towers. It was NIGHT and DAY - the LSR was like being in a concert hall with lots of reverb and limited definition. The Sierra Towers offered a clarity magnitudes above the LSR. It was like a curtain being pulled away from the sound and everything was crisp, clear and dynamic. There wasn't any chance I was going back to the LSR or anything build based on those principles... The LSR is like sitting in the balcony. The Sierra Towers are like sitting in the front row.

It's sad really, I had high expectations for the LSR. But no matter whether I used the Monolith 7x200, a Purifi amp or a Hegel H90 the LSR lacked clarity by a wide margin compared to the same amps with the Sierra Towers. I'm glad they worked for you. It just goes to show my favorite speaker won't be yours... so take every review you read with a grain of salt.
 

3DLight

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One might expect a speaker over 3x the price to sound better. I’m only beginning my audio journey, and I am fairly aware of the limitations of the LRS, but the strengths are also hard to ignore. I’ll certainly be getting more speakers over the years so I can have fun comparing and contrasting. The speakers are, as Amir mentioned very very difficult to place. I’ve set them up in 3 different rooms now, and each of them like a completely different setup to sound their best. Very finicky, and for that reason alone I have to agree in part with Amir’s review. But if you have some tenacity and like messing with them, you’ll find a good arrangement for your room.

all that said, I do need to hear a lot more speakers before I can be relied on for an opinion. But having my jaw drop on a regular basis when listening to these things ain’t bad;)
 

3DLight

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Oh, btw, do the ascends have the ribbon tweeter? I am kind of a junkie for ribbon tweeters.
 

chekhonte

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My first set of decent speakers were the original maggies. They started rattling and buzzing and I got rid of them but I miss them. These are cheap enough and I might have to pick up a pair and a respectable amp.
 

MrPeabody

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I've had the LRS for getting close to a year. Much respect to Amir. While his review certainly does point out valid issues with the speaker, it also omits some things that are harder to define. Since listening to Magnepans, I've had a hard time going back to box speakers due to the obvious resonance of their cabinets. They sound like they are inside a box, while the LRS sounds open. People say transparent. Maybe?, but I prefer the term, open. I can see Amir puts little value in that, or perhaps he simply has other open-baffle speakers that do it better? I don't know.

I can hear the limitations of the frequency response, and I'll be getting other speakers to add to my collection that have better responses... but it's going to be very hard not to go back to the open sound of Maggies.

If someone that disregards Maggies due to this review have never heard them, I would suggest they try a listen. It was the 1.7i that sold me on a pair. The LRS aren't quite as good, but they share many similarities in tone and of course that wonderful open sound. I've never heard strings and vocals on any box speaker that rivals the Maggies, but hey, I have a lot to learn, so that may not mean much;)

If there are resonances of any sort they will show up very plainly in the frequency response. The "open" sound that you like is most likely the effect of the reflected sound from the wall behind the speakers. Some people like this effect, some people don't. For people who like it, there are other choices in dipole radiators that don't have the issues that Amir identified with the LRS. The biggest issues were mostly due to the use of a very large "tweeter" located lateral to the woofer as opposed to above or below the woofer. There are some dipole speakers where the only drawback is the issue with bass (which is easily overcome with the help of a subwoofer). The first time I listened to Magnepan speakers was almost forty years ago. I liked the effect of the sound reflected from the wall behind the speaker. I thought it added a sense of realism, while the other people I was with at the time thought it seemed unnatural.
 

amper42

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The first time I listened to Magnepan speakers was almost forty years ago. I liked the effect of the sound reflected from the wall behind the speaker. I thought it added a sense of realism, while the other people I was with at the time thought it seemed unnatural.

Forty years ago I bought the Ohm F. They had 360 degree sound dispersion which I had not experienced before. As a musician, it was an inviting sound that reminded me of real instruments, but it suffered from a lack of dynamics and when I drove them too loud the bottom surround (at the base) detached from the cone. I thought these speakers sounded great for acoustic instruments. As long as you were aware of their short comings they were fun to listen to. However, they wouldn't last long with some of the bass candy I listen to today. :D


1.png
 

chekhonte

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If there are resonances of any sort they will show up very plainly in the frequency response. The "open" sound that you like is most likely the effect of the reflected sound from the wall behind the speakers. Some people like this effect, some people don't. For people who like it, there are other choices in dipole radiators that don't have the issues that Amir identified with the LRS. The biggest issues were mostly due to the use of a very large "tweeter" located lateral to the woofer as opposed to above or below the woofer. There are some dipole speakers where the only drawback is the issue with bass (which is easily overcome with the help of a subwoofer). The first time I listened to Magnepan speakers was almost forty years ago. I liked the effect of the sound reflected from the wall behind the speaker. I thought it added a sense of realism, while the other people I was with at the time thought it seemed unnatural.
That room filling sound Is what I miss about my old pair. I concur that it's reflected sound that makes them sound so big even with out much bass impact. My brother and I built these plywood wedges that we placed behind the speaker to project the sound up to reflect off the ceiling but the room was so small that it made almost no discernable difference.
 

MrPeabody

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That room filling sound Is what I miss about my old pair. I concur that it's reflected sound that makes them sound so big even with out much bass impact. My brother and I built these plywood wedges that we placed behind the speaker to project the sound up to reflect off the ceiling but the room was so small that it made almost no discernable difference.

There used to be some conventional forward-radiating speakers that placed an extra tweeter on the back of the speaker to achieve a similar effect. I recall, I think, that Snell used to do this sometimes. And of course Bose did it with some speakers at one point in time. And the original Revel Ultima Salon and Studio speakers had a rear-facing tweeter. And of course Definitive technology has long been making those speakers with a pair (or three) rear-facing drivers the same as the front-facing drivers. While not dipole radiators, these speakers all produce that room-filling sound effect. In upper treble the radiation pattern is similar to a dipole radiator owing to the directivity of the tweeters at high frequency. So the most obvious difference between these speakers and a true dipole is that everywhere in the spectrum except for the upper treble, the radiation pattern of these speakers will be either omnidirectional (at lower bass) or else somewhere between omnidirectional and front-radiating. So, while this type of speaker does not have all of the properties that Linkwitz sought with the dipole design, they nevertheless have some of those same properties. And they don't have the bass problem that all dipole radiators have. I've thought about all this many times over the years, and my thought is that the dipole approach may well be the best approach were it not for the bass problem. I don't have a sense of whether it is best to have a pattern that is omnidirectional at the deep bass and switches to cardioid or the dipole pattern in an abrupt way in the mid bass, vs. a pattern that transitions gradually from the omnidirectional pattern at deep bass to the dipole pattern at high frequency. I think this is an interesting question, and the only way to answer it, I think, would be through extended listening of both types. Sometimes when I think about the next speaker I might build, I think about the rear of the speaker having a small tweeter and a midrange, with a slow rolloff and a knob for adjusting the level. And then I realize that Definitive Technology has been building this kind of speaker for a long while.
 
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