OP
- Thread Starter
- #101
No, it is half the price. The JBL cost was for a pair, not a single speaker as is the case with MAG. It also has wide (compared to MAG) directivity that is textbook perfect.
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MAG Theatron M12-C Speaker Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Steakhouse
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Ah, OK I was missing that. Makes the MAG a bit of a bad deal then. The 708i seems to be like the better option here. The only thing the MAG does better is in the 80-200Hz range concerning distortion due to the bigger driver.
Philbo King
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Hmmm...
Maybe that's what 'drop shipped' means?
To be kind of flattering too, would say that both are different ... animals... Wouldn't expect any kind of refinement from neither of these...
Last edited:
Steakhouse
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Just checked that you basically get the Arendal Bookshelf 1528 for that price. They play very loud even if they are a Hifi Speaker.
Ok for a 25m2 room, not a 250m2 one...
But the Arendal needs a powerful amp - it's a 4ohm speaker with a sensitivity of 84db. That's not a comfortable load to drive at loud levels (with an AV Receiver)...especially in a large room. And before anyone mentions it - yes I know, you can solve that problem with amps from companies like Buckeye (can't stand typing that name...Michigan fan), Hypex, Nord, and a host of other class D wonders.
Steakhouse
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Yeah, I Know. But losing that much sound quality on the same price point is hard to swallow. I would probably opt for the JBL 708i if I needed that much output. As mentioned here, many Cinemas using the MAGs are imo not large enough to really justify that kind of speaker.
It was not so clear joke concerning the subwoofer being placed back in the speaker and having to go through a "waveguide".
Dear Amir and the Audio Science Review community,
Thank you sincerely for your thoughtful attention to the MAG Theatron M12. We deeply value your interest, the time you’ve dedicated to testing and publishing your findings, and your commitment to in-depth analysis and the advancement of audio science.
We recognize and respect the effort invested in your review. However, its tone and framing raise some concerns on our end. To foster a clearer understanding of what MAG Theatron represents — and equally, what it does not — we believe it’s important to offer additional context.
We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to share our company’s official position in this thread, as it has not been represented here. The discussion reflects a clear misunderstanding of the class of equipment you’re dealing with, as well as its specific installation and usage requirements.
This statement is not a challenge to a verbal duel or an invitation for debate. We’re not posting to justify, prove, or impose anything. It’s simply a statement of facts about the product, our vision, and its market positioning. We do not plan to engage in further discussion or comment on subsequent exchanges.
Who are we?
MAG Theatron is a brand that draws on the 20-year expertise of MAG Cinema, a leading manufacturer of professional cinema audio based in Ukraine. Our systems are installed in over 5,000 commercial cinemas worldwide, many of which have received the “Best Cinema of the Year” award. More details can be found at mag-cinema.com.
What is MAG Theatron’s philosophy?
We are not a Hi-Fi brand that adapts home speakers for home theater use, as many well-known manufacturers do. Instead, we take a different approach, leveraging our extensive professional experience to bring the technologies and spirit of large commercial cinemas into residential spaces.
By delivering power and expressiveness, and the spirit of a large cinema, we create an immersive experience where scale, emotion, and controlled sound pressure take center stage, prioritizing dynamics and dramatic impact in a way that cannot be replicated otherwise.
Is the MAG Theatron M12 a “plug-and-play” speaker?
No. Our systems, particularly the screen and surround models, are not designed for standalone use or outside the context of a fully installed home theater project. In their intended setup, they are always built into the wall and hidden behind acoustic transparent screens, which brings predictable acoustic corrections accounted for in their design. In other conditions, these systems cannot and should not sound correct.
A MAG Theatron system is a meticulously engineered full solution, always installed within a project that includes:
Testing an individual speaker outside of the full system is like listening to a solo violin without the orchestra; it doesn’t reflect the true capabilities of a unit designed to operate as a component of a single auditory organism in a specific environment.
Explaining the measurement results
Directivity
Our M12 model meets Dolby standards and is designed exclusively for use in a full-fledged home theater setup with a projection screen, in rooms measuring 7–14 meters in length. It is not intended for critical audiophile music listening at 1 meter from the speakers.
Hence, it delivers high sound pressure and a specific, manufacturer-intended directivity that may seem "narrow" at 1 meter. However, at the intended listening distance (1/2 to 3/4 of the room's length), this "narrow" directivity offers advantages by reducing unwanted reflections from the floor/walls and enhancing imaging.
Low Frequency roll off
The M12 is designed for installation in niches or flush with the wall behind a screen. This creates a half-space effect for low frequencies, resulting in an enhancement of this range. The programmed low-frequency roll-off compensates for this effect. As a result, there is less low-frequency hum and a more balanced frequency response.
High Frequency lift (18–20 kHz)
As mentioned earlier, the M12 is always positioned behind a perforated screen, whose acoustic transparency decreases as the signal frequency increases. This rise compensates for this effect, so no correction is needed.
Compliance with specifications
According to measurements from https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/MAG Theatron MC12-C/ASR/index_asr.html, the speaker system fully meets its specified characteristics, though our internal measurements show slightly better results. These results improve significantly when using the recommended presets, and even more so with fine-tuned DSP settings tailored to the room. Overall, there are very few real competitors in this class. Achieving such sound pressure and dynamics with these high acoustic parameters is only possible with top-tier professional audio equipment at a much higher cost.
Damage observed
The test unit clearly shows mechanical damage to the HF waveguide — likely from transit, such as a drop or impact. Such physical trauma can cause internal driver displacement, structural deformation, and a degradation in performance, particularly at HF. It’s difficult to assess the extent of this damage remotely, but it clearly could impact results.
About industrial design
The M12 is an installation system, typically placed behind a screen in the vast majority of cases. For this reason, its design is deliberately utilitarian, continuing the visual language of professional cinema audio equipment.
Its rugged, masculine aesthetic is intentionally designed to contrast with the glamorous look of consumer Hi-Fi systems during the selection process for a home theater concept. This emphasizes the M12’s roots in the professional world of cinema sound rather than designer showrooms. Yes, this is also a marketing element that targets the right audience and sets us apart from others.
What’s wrong with this review methodology?
We deeply respect independent tests, but believe that the evaluation and interpretation of measurements should consider the product’s intended purpose. The methodology suitable for studio monitors or bookshelf systems is not relevant for professional cinema audio, which operates as part of a system built on different principles, including horn-loaded designs and high-sensitivity dynamic drivers. These are typically installed in niches behind screens, designed for specific room sizes, engineered calculations, professional installation, and tuning.
It’s also worth noting that this class of audio allows for a certain expressiveness in sound and a sonic signature that isn’t linear. Instead, it recreates the atmospheric experience of a true cinema, not intended for analytical audiophile music listening.
Another point is the clear lack of relevant experience in comparing competing systems in this class, such as those from manufacturers like Ascendo, Procella, Krix, and others. Evaluating a product outside its intended context is like comparing line arrays to studio monitors. Unfortunately, interpreting numbers and graphs without context can be misleading about the system’s capabilities, potentially harming our reputation. This is especially true for systems already installed in dozens of premium home theaters, delivering immense satisfaction to their owners.
It’s important to note that our acoustic systems are not intended to be used without presets, and ideally, they require precise DSP fine-tuning. Most commonly, this is achieved using processing from Trinnov.
We are confident in the quality of our products. Our mission is to create unforgettable cinematic experiences, not to compete within traditional Hi-Fi standards.
How to Experience the True Sound of MAG Theatron?
We warmly invite you, and anyone from the ASR community, to visit the MAG Theatron demo room of our partners’ Grobi.TV in Germany. This is a prime example of the M12 in action, and following the link will give you a clear picture of how it should all look and happen.
In this properly installed and calibrated system, you’ll be able to experience firsthand:
• The depth of immersion
• The authenticity of immersive spatial and on-screen event reproduction
• The scale and grandeur of the soundstage
• The dynamics and physical sensation of sound that no graph can convey
Thank you for your interest and for the opportunity to discuss this topic. We look forward to further collaboration and showcasing the true potential of MAG Theatron. Also, as a heads-up, we’re planning to develop top-tier Hi-Fi audio systems, where your feedback could be invaluable.
With respect,
The MAG Theatron Team
Thank you sincerely for your thoughtful attention to the MAG Theatron M12. We deeply value your interest, the time you’ve dedicated to testing and publishing your findings, and your commitment to in-depth analysis and the advancement of audio science.
We recognize and respect the effort invested in your review. However, its tone and framing raise some concerns on our end. To foster a clearer understanding of what MAG Theatron represents — and equally, what it does not — we believe it’s important to offer additional context.
We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to share our company’s official position in this thread, as it has not been represented here. The discussion reflects a clear misunderstanding of the class of equipment you’re dealing with, as well as its specific installation and usage requirements.
This statement is not a challenge to a verbal duel or an invitation for debate. We’re not posting to justify, prove, or impose anything. It’s simply a statement of facts about the product, our vision, and its market positioning. We do not plan to engage in further discussion or comment on subsequent exchanges.
Who are we?
MAG Theatron is a brand that draws on the 20-year expertise of MAG Cinema, a leading manufacturer of professional cinema audio based in Ukraine. Our systems are installed in over 5,000 commercial cinemas worldwide, many of which have received the “Best Cinema of the Year” award. More details can be found at mag-cinema.com.
What is MAG Theatron’s philosophy?
We are not a Hi-Fi brand that adapts home speakers for home theater use, as many well-known manufacturers do. Instead, we take a different approach, leveraging our extensive professional experience to bring the technologies and spirit of large commercial cinemas into residential spaces.
By delivering power and expressiveness, and the spirit of a large cinema, we create an immersive experience where scale, emotion, and controlled sound pressure take center stage, prioritizing dynamics and dramatic impact in a way that cannot be replicated otherwise.
Is the MAG Theatron M12 a “plug-and-play” speaker?
No. Our systems, particularly the screen and surround models, are not designed for standalone use or outside the context of a fully installed home theater project. In their intended setup, they are always built into the wall and hidden behind acoustic transparent screens, which brings predictable acoustic corrections accounted for in their design. In other conditions, these systems cannot and should not sound correct.
A MAG Theatron system is a meticulously engineered full solution, always installed within a project that includes:
- room acoustic modeling and preparation by qualified audio engineers,
- precise positioning of all components,
- use of high-power amplification and dedicated DSP processors with factory presets (ideally our own MAG amps + DSP),
- in-room measurements and fine-tuning (delay, EQ, phase alignment).
Testing an individual speaker outside of the full system is like listening to a solo violin without the orchestra; it doesn’t reflect the true capabilities of a unit designed to operate as a component of a single auditory organism in a specific environment.
Explaining the measurement results
Directivity
Our M12 model meets Dolby standards and is designed exclusively for use in a full-fledged home theater setup with a projection screen, in rooms measuring 7–14 meters in length. It is not intended for critical audiophile music listening at 1 meter from the speakers.
Hence, it delivers high sound pressure and a specific, manufacturer-intended directivity that may seem "narrow" at 1 meter. However, at the intended listening distance (1/2 to 3/4 of the room's length), this "narrow" directivity offers advantages by reducing unwanted reflections from the floor/walls and enhancing imaging.
Low Frequency roll off
The M12 is designed for installation in niches or flush with the wall behind a screen. This creates a half-space effect for low frequencies, resulting in an enhancement of this range. The programmed low-frequency roll-off compensates for this effect. As a result, there is less low-frequency hum and a more balanced frequency response.
High Frequency lift (18–20 kHz)
As mentioned earlier, the M12 is always positioned behind a perforated screen, whose acoustic transparency decreases as the signal frequency increases. This rise compensates for this effect, so no correction is needed.
Compliance with specifications
According to measurements from https://www.spinorama.org/speakers/MAG Theatron MC12-C/ASR/index_asr.html, the speaker system fully meets its specified characteristics, though our internal measurements show slightly better results. These results improve significantly when using the recommended presets, and even more so with fine-tuned DSP settings tailored to the room. Overall, there are very few real competitors in this class. Achieving such sound pressure and dynamics with these high acoustic parameters is only possible with top-tier professional audio equipment at a much higher cost.
Damage observed
The test unit clearly shows mechanical damage to the HF waveguide — likely from transit, such as a drop or impact. Such physical trauma can cause internal driver displacement, structural deformation, and a degradation in performance, particularly at HF. It’s difficult to assess the extent of this damage remotely, but it clearly could impact results.
About industrial design
The M12 is an installation system, typically placed behind a screen in the vast majority of cases. For this reason, its design is deliberately utilitarian, continuing the visual language of professional cinema audio equipment.
Its rugged, masculine aesthetic is intentionally designed to contrast with the glamorous look of consumer Hi-Fi systems during the selection process for a home theater concept. This emphasizes the M12’s roots in the professional world of cinema sound rather than designer showrooms. Yes, this is also a marketing element that targets the right audience and sets us apart from others.
What’s wrong with this review methodology?
We deeply respect independent tests, but believe that the evaluation and interpretation of measurements should consider the product’s intended purpose. The methodology suitable for studio monitors or bookshelf systems is not relevant for professional cinema audio, which operates as part of a system built on different principles, including horn-loaded designs and high-sensitivity dynamic drivers. These are typically installed in niches behind screens, designed for specific room sizes, engineered calculations, professional installation, and tuning.
It’s also worth noting that this class of audio allows for a certain expressiveness in sound and a sonic signature that isn’t linear. Instead, it recreates the atmospheric experience of a true cinema, not intended for analytical audiophile music listening.
Another point is the clear lack of relevant experience in comparing competing systems in this class, such as those from manufacturers like Ascendo, Procella, Krix, and others. Evaluating a product outside its intended context is like comparing line arrays to studio monitors. Unfortunately, interpreting numbers and graphs without context can be misleading about the system’s capabilities, potentially harming our reputation. This is especially true for systems already installed in dozens of premium home theaters, delivering immense satisfaction to their owners.
It’s important to note that our acoustic systems are not intended to be used without presets, and ideally, they require precise DSP fine-tuning. Most commonly, this is achieved using processing from Trinnov.
We are confident in the quality of our products. Our mission is to create unforgettable cinematic experiences, not to compete within traditional Hi-Fi standards.
How to Experience the True Sound of MAG Theatron?
We warmly invite you, and anyone from the ASR community, to visit the MAG Theatron demo room of our partners’ Grobi.TV in Germany. This is a prime example of the M12 in action, and following the link will give you a clear picture of how it should all look and happen.
In this properly installed and calibrated system, you’ll be able to experience firsthand:
• The depth of immersion
• The authenticity of immersive spatial and on-screen event reproduction
• The scale and grandeur of the soundstage
• The dynamics and physical sensation of sound that no graph can convey
Thank you for your interest and for the opportunity to discuss this topic. We look forward to further collaboration and showcasing the true potential of MAG Theatron. Also, as a heads-up, we’re planning to develop top-tier Hi-Fi audio systems, where your feedback could be invaluable.
With respect,
The MAG Theatron Team
Last edited:
Steakhouse
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I have one question concerning the M12. Why is then bass driver recessed? Imo it creates diffraction issues and the aforementioned data would look mich better when mounted flush on the baffle.
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Not just that, but MAG's claims about only being designed to work with certain amps with DSP is belied by their distributors not mentioning such (from reports earlier in the thread), as well as demo installations such as these that MAB posted earlier contradicting the claims regarding only being installed in 2pi and at very long listening distances:
Not a 2pi installation, and not all that large a space or an unusually long listening distance.
Very much NOT a long listening distance, making that narrow directivity a problem. Granted, can't see what speaker model is actually in use for the mains here. Also I suppose it's possible that if the camera were turned around the screen/front wall could be much farther away than one would think, for some reason.
Soundman UA
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Hi, I have some connection to MAG, so I’ll comment personally.
1. You’re mistaken — MAG Theatron speakers are not designed exclusively for use with only specific amplifiers or DSP. The manufacturer never states this anywhere. MAG amplifiers appeared relatively recently, after the speakers were developed, and are only RECOMMENDED, as you can read in the official statement.
Of course, a DSP is necessary for system calibration. Additionally, an amplifier with sufficient power is desirable, as not every consumer-grade amplifier can deliver 300 W (RMS) and more.
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Soundman UA
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Not just that, but MAG's claims about only being designed to work with certain amps with DSP is belied by their distributors not mentioning such (from reports earlier in the thread), as well as demo installations such as these that MAB posted earlier contradicting the claims regarding only being installed in 2pi and at very long listening distances:
Not a 2pi installation, and not all that large a space or an unusually long listening distance.
Very much NOT a long listening distance, making that narrow directivity a problem. Granted, can't see what speaker model is actually in use for the mains here. Also I suppose it's possible that if the camera were turned around the screen/front wall could be much farther away than one would think, for some reason.
2. The projects you mentioned are more of an exception. The installation in a hotel hall is likely the only example where you’ll see the M12 not placed only behind a screen, or even used as surrounds. This is a unique, unconventional decision by the installers, which, nonetheless, delivered excellent results on-site after proper calibration.
It seems you’re confusing RECOMMENDED with MANDATORY.
This also applies to room length recommendations. There are optimal dimensions, but there’s also reality, where a client, for example, wants higher sound pressure and headroom for volume and dynamics. Naturally, an installer may make certain compromises. This doesn’t mean the sound will be poor. The existing dispersion angle is sufficient for the scenarios you’re referring to. Nowhere are seats placed 1 meter from the screen.
Soundman UA
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One more question was raised here, and I’d like to set the record straight. The M12 uses a compression driver. The manufacturer will likely clarify this in the specifications, as the discussion in this thread has shown that it’s not obvious to everyone and needs to be stated explicitly.
xavierjohn
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If the seating distance is 12 feet (3.66 meters) from the screen and 3 seats together are 6 feet wide. Which MAG center speaker will cover them?
Is the directivity of M-8 wider than M-12?
Is the directivity of M-8 wider than M-12?
OP
- Thread Starter
- #118
It is wonderful to have you here and to be able to express your point of view.
Sorry, no. I am fully aware of the class of products you are building or I would have knocked it hugely down for its looks, etc. I have tested plenty of speakers targeted at home theater use at all price points. My review was published in that context.
Please note that the core measurements adhere to CTA/CEA-2034 specifications. As you well know, that organization's direct aim is custom home theaters. Your own measurements, while more brief than mine, also have 2034 measurements. So don't know why you think I am evaluating the speaker in the wrong context.
Soundman UA
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There are no real complaints about the measurements themselves, except that they were taken from a damaged speaker. The issue seems to lie solely in their interpretation.
For example, some metrics are presented as negative when they are actually intended to be adjusted via DSP. Or, in some cases, they are deliberate design choices considered advantages by the manufacturer and installers, such as the directivity.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #120
Nothing was measured at "1 meter." Klippel near-field scanner, as the name indicates, actually scans closer than that. But by computing the full radiation pattern of the speaker, it can then present the results at any angle or distance. For the same of the review, and as I noted in the other thread, I show horizontal directivity at 3 meters:
We are in essentially far field of the speaker and measuring at longer distances would show little to no difference, as evidenced by your own measurements showing similar results:
The extremely uneven directivity will mean large seat to seat variations which cannot be fixed with any signal processing as it would affect all axis/distances. The tweeter is also beaming, making the sweet spot quite narrow -- the opposite of what you want in a home theater.
Compare your measurements to another Pro speaker aimed at this market, the JBL 4309: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-4309-review-speaker.27255/
This is its directivity:
As you see, it is in entirely different class than your speaker. Extensive research shows that smooth directivity correlates well with listener preference. We also have much wider directivity, maintained all the way nearly 20 kHz.
The complex and optimized geometry of the JBL compression driver is responsible for this excellent performance.
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