imo people don't need to spend anywhere near 30k to get great sound and looks , the bmr towers are about 4 grand... good luck beating those at any price...
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Full range floorstanders ~$1500 budget
- Thread starter MKR
- Start date
This thread ended up having a great closure and sounds like @MKR is happy/satisfied. 
@GXAlan; thank you for the youtube link to that Magnepan LRS manufacturing process!
That speaker is not just made in the (hi labor costs??) USA but every piece seems to be fabricated in-house and every process-step manually done by hand.
Surprising that the pricing is below a 4-figure outlay!
@GXAlan; thank you for the youtube link to that Magnepan LRS manufacturing process!
That speaker is not just made in the (hi labor costs??) USA but every piece seems to be fabricated in-house and every process-step manually done by hand.
Surprising that the pricing is below a 4-figure outlay!
Bren Derlin
Active Member
Blow your budget by $100 and get these? Dynaudio Evoke 30 - $1600/pair
Depending the size of your room, I'd be tempted to go with these instead of floor standing speakers...
Revel M16 - $700/pair
Revel Speaker Stand - $275
Rel HT1003 - $600
Total = $1575 <---- you could come in way under this with less expensive speaker stands. This is one fantastic little rig that'll make a $1,500 budget EXTREMELY happy - and it's damn near 20Hz to 20Khz
I have this very set-up, and I compared them directly to my Polk LSi15 floor standing speakers - and I preferred that M16 rig above to the LSi15 towers. ...and it wasn't by a small margin.
Depending the size of your room, I'd be tempted to go with these instead of floor standing speakers...
Revel M16 - $700/pair
Revel Speaker Stand - $275
Rel HT1003 - $600
Total = $1575 <---- you could come in way under this with less expensive speaker stands. This is one fantastic little rig that'll make a $1,500 budget EXTREMELY happy - and it's damn near 20Hz to 20Khz
I have this very set-up, and I compared them directly to my Polk LSi15 floor standing speakers - and I preferred that M16 rig above to the LSi15 towers. ...and it wasn't by a small margin.
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It's always much appreciated by me when the OP follows up regularly and advises the others on the thread about a final purchase and then any observations after using the product for a while.
- Thread Starter
- #106
@theshade Thank you for your advice. The issue is there are some new speakers that I am very interested in for the "end game" system that will not be on the market for another 2-3 months. So, I need something to carry me until then (I had sold all of my previous speakers few years back due to overseas move, so I have had nothing, and can't take the audio wasteland any longer!)
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That speaker is not just made in the (hi labor costs??) USA but every piece seems to be fabricated in-house and every process-step manually done by hand.
Surprising that the pricing is below a 4-figure outlay!
The Magnepan LRS measures very poorly on the Klippel, but Amir also listened to it in mono as opposed to stereo, and he describes it well: "The Magnepan LRS is a hugely flawed speaker with moments of delight. "
Stereophile's measurements are also helpful
AudioXpress
Those moments of delight are really special. I personally don't recommend the LRS -- I would recommend restored vintage models over modern smaller models. Magnepan can rebuild any generation of speakers, so if you find broken ones, you can still ship them to the factory for restoration at a fraction of the original cost.
It's also important to know that Magnepan's aren't 100% neutral nor should they be your solo speaker system. But the way they work in-room is actually great.
Magnepan MG-20 loudspeaker Planar Imaging
Sidebar 2: Planar Imaging I find planars to be the only speakers inherently capable of properly reproducing image size. I'm just as impressed as the average card-carrying audiophile with the soundstaging capabilities of a good minimonitor. Such a point-source speaker can be adept at fleshing out...
www.stereophile.com
1) They also do really well after room correction/EQ and give you a larger than life experience.
2) This is also a really good set of measurements of the MG 1.7 showing how the in-room integration/distance makes a difference which is why they measure poorly but actually can sound great in room with sufficient distance.
Magnepan 1.7 - Measurements - [email protected] - Planar Speaker Asylum
Magnepan 1.7 - Measurements - [email protected] - Planar Speaker Asylum
www.audioasylum.com
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The video previously posted was really great. Looks like a student project but it was nice to see how a Maggie is made. I truly appreciate the craft. Sadly, Ive heard them at a friend’s house and I just feel like they lack so much weight in the bottom. I really wish I could like them as much as my friend. OP wins with a really solid purchase that will always sound great in a 2nd room if he buys some $30k speakers. I think that if I had $30k budget I might spread that around to room improvements and front end equipment. At a 1/3 of the price you are looking at SOTA actives or some of the most amazing looking speakers like a custom finish on a BMR tower.
Battlebeast
Member
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Not true. The UniQ plays as low as the dedicated bass driver. It also is used for the midrange of course. On my Q750s and Q650 the both drivers play until 500hz then just the UniQ up to the tweeter crossover. So you have 2 bass drivers and 2 passive radiators.
Which Magnepan's did you hear? If you really think about the Magnepan concept, the original MG-I, MG-II, and MG-III represent the requirements of this design. The original Tympani was even bigger.
You really need a lot of size to get the effect of planar speakers. That really means MG 1.6 and up in size.
The LRS's have to be thought of as a KEF LS50 when it comes to bass response, even though they're physically huge.
The MG 3.7 type of speaker have to be thought of as JBL 708p when it comes to bass, even though they're physically huge.
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The speaker is designed to look more expensive and more powerful than it is, but the reality is they have bareboned it, making it as cheap as possible without you noticing. This is what you get for your money if you buy a cheaper model range from a higher priced brand. Buy Polk R700 and you get a much much more powerful and capable speaker for about the same money.
Tom the Barber
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Actually, I 'shopped' for them in my living room on a 90 day trial. They sound better than my Paradigms.
Battlebeast
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Define powerful and capable. I'll take the UniQ dispersion pattern any day over the traditional design, even at the low end.
Bren Derlin
Active Member
I took a $900 pair of speakers over a $2,000 set of KEF UniQ driver speakers.
Erin raved over these https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/wharfedale_linton_85/
Maybe not technically a floor stander. But if you're OK with the stands I don't see much of a difference.
Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary speaker review & measurements by Erin's Audio Corner
It seems he really likes them: Parting / Random Thoughts As stated in the Foreword, this written review is purposely a cliff’s notes version. For details about the performance (objectively and subjectively) please watch the YouTube video. But a couple quick notes based on my listening and...
I'm not sure about their price with stands now, the might be a bit over your budget.
I agree. The Wharfedale Linton are really excellent and very neutral. They sound good out of the box even without EQ. For sure they are too big to be considered as bookshelf loudspeakers!Erin raved over these https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/wharfedale_linton_85/
Maybe not technically a floor stander. But if you're OK with the stands I don't see much of a difference.Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary speaker review & measurements by Erin's Audio Corner
It seems he really likes them: Parting / Random Thoughts As stated in the Foreword, this written review is purposely a cliff’s notes version. For details about the performance (objectively and subjectively) please watch the YouTube video. But a couple quick notes based on my listening and...
I'm not sure about their price with stands now, the might be a bit over your budget.
Are they good, though? Has anyone measured them?
BMR bookshelves are good, but not flawless. Overpriced, in my opinion (in the sense that there are higher fidelity speakers in this price range). What makes you think towers are better?
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Roland68
Major Contributor
If you google it you will find some test reports and also charts.
Heco loudspeakers are already a price/performance killer at the RRP, with the currently reduced prices it will be very difficult for others.
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What? WHAT??
- Thread Starter
- #119
UPDATE: Just heard back from Harman (JBL) ... Assuming UPS holds up their end of the bargain, 590s will be delivered this Friday (11/4)! Will post my initial impressions at some point during the weekend
Audioholics did a review of the 1000 in may, I missed that. They are indeed pretty good, putting them on my short list! Not much info about Aurora 700, though.