Magnepan LRS Speaker Review

[Juhazi]

OK, perhaps I just didn't catch sarcasm! Anyway I think it is not polite to post critical comments based on other site's measurements or opinions in Stereophile or any other commercial magazine/site.

Stereophile recently published their "Recommended components" listings. It is perhaps their most annoying and obscure tradition, IMO. But I understand their position as one of most respected hifi magazines and those listings obviously are very popular and "trusted" among loyal readers.

 

[Purité Audio]

No commercial Hi_Fi magazine/advertorial deserves any respect .
Keith

 

[Vini darko]

Guys,
I let Stereophile know that their review of the LRS speakers is way off!!!! Told them next time, wait for amirm's review before committing to a recommendation!!!!View attachment 86342

Hahahaha you tell em m8

 

[12B4A]

Late to the thread but I'm not surprised by the measurements at all. I had a brand new pair of maggie 1.7i's still within the return window when I quickly set up a pair of LSR305s next to them. After about a minute of the 305s playing, I had enough to know the 1.7i's were going back. I don't think I've ever felt a purchasing panic moment like that before. I've owned 3 different versions of the MMGs over the years (still have Super MMGs with 2 bass panels boxed up) along with some Newform research R630s so I was a fan of panels/ribbons for quite some time.

TLDR, panel speakers are a lie. Definitely a strong speaker for "little girl with a guitar" music though.

 

[Joppe Peelen]

Late to the thread but I'm not surprised by the measurements at all. I had a brand new pair of maggie 1.7i's still within the return window when I quickly set up a pair of LSR305s next to them. After about a minute of the 305s playing, I had enough to know the 1.7i's were going back. I don't think I've ever felt a purchasing panic moment like that before. I've owned 3 different versions of the MMGs over the years (still have Super MMGs with 2 bass panels boxed up) along with some Newform research R630s so I was a fan of panels/ribbons for quite some time.

TLDR, panel speakers are a lie. Definitely a strong speaker for "little girl with a guitar" music though.

But your old ones will measure the same or even worse you where content with them and discovered something new or you feel the LRS sucks compared to those ?

 

[TheGhostOfEugeneDebs]

Late to the thread but I'm not surprised by the measurements at all. I had a brand new pair of maggie 1.7i's still within the return window when I quickly set up a pair of LSR305s next to them. After about a minute of the 305s playing, I had enough to know the 1.7i's were going back. I don't think I've ever felt a purchasing panic moment like that before. I've owned 3 different versions of the MMGs over the years (still have Super MMGs with 2 bass panels boxed up) along with some Newform research R630s so I was a fan of panels/ribbons for quite some time.

TLDR, panel speakers are a lie. Definitely a strong speaker for "little girl with a guitar" music though.

Different strokes for different folks. Love, love, love the sound of my 1.7is in my room. Have set up Klipsch RF35s, RF82s, RF7, RP600m, Wharfedale Diamond 10.1, and, most recently, KEF LS50 (non-Meta) in the room and nothing has wowed me anywhere near the psychoacoustic sense of the "wall of sound" for me. Bought them immediately upon hearing them with comparison to the Vandersteen Treo (not that I was about to drop that kind of dough, anyway, haha).

Un-EQ'd they still measured pretty well and have, if anything, a bit too much bass for the space.

If anything, my only regret is not having the floor space for the 3.7i. Well, I probably could have made them fit, but it's imposing enough in the room with the 1.7is staring at me.

 

[BDWoody]

Different strokes for different folks. Love, love, love the sound of my 1.7is in my room. Have set up Klipsch RF35s, RF82s, RF7, RP600m, Wharfedale Diamond 10.1, and, most recently, KEF LS50 (non-Meta) in the room and nothing has wowed me anywhere near the psychoacoustic sense of the "wall of sound" for me. Bought them immediately upon hearing them with comparison to the Vandersteen Treo (not that I was about to drop that kind of dough, anyway, haha).

Un-EQ'd they still measured pretty well and have, if anything, a bit too much bass for the space.

View attachment 86444

If anything, my only regret is not having the floor space for the 3.7i. Well, I probably could have made them fit, but it's imposing enough in the room with the 1.7is staring at me.

View attachment 86442

Very nice! It's a good thing to enjoy the setup we have, no matter what it is, and whether there's an Air Conditioner right behind the speaker adding to the ambience or not!

We fight on the battleground we're given.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Very nice! It's a good thing to enjoy the setup we have, no matter what it is, and whether there's an Air Conditioner right behind the speaker adding to the ambience or not!

We fight on the battleground we're given.

It is counter-balanced by the heater or ac unit on the other speaker. And the cat can be a dynamic tuning element.

 

[TheGhostOfEugeneDebs]

It is counter-balanced by the heater or ac unit on the other speaker. And the cat can be a dynamic tuning element.

The cat helped me do my room EQ by swatting at the mic as well as knocking a cup off the counter in the kitchen when she realized I wasn't going to let her play with the microphone. She's really helpful. Also, it's an air filter because air circulation in the back part of the room is shit and it gets dusty quickly. Works wonders at sucking up cat hair from the air.

 

[BDWoody]

The cat helped me do my room EQ by swatting at the mic as well as knocking a cup off the counter in the kitchen when she realized I wasn't going to let her play with the microphone. She's really helpful. Also, it's an air filter because air circulation in the back part of the room is shit and it gets dusty quickly. Works wonders at sucking up cat hair from the air.

My cats enjoy being equally helpful. One of them has a penchant for tracking down defective USB cables for me. She will disable them by chewing through them, to protect us all...no doubt. Otherwise I would have had no idea there was anything wrong with them. Thank goodness she's on the job.

 

[Blumlein 88]

You could get this:
https://www.amazon.com/Critter-Cord-CCM6-CritterCord-Protector/dp/B0014H51DY

Protects against cats, rabbits and dogs. I'm trying to imagine how peaceful a home with all three pets would be.

 

[Justin Ayers]

There is a capsaicin-containing tape for wrapping automotive wiring that might work, too. It wouldn't look so nice, though. From my Google search it seems that cats are sensitive to capsaicin. The benefit over that citrus wrap is that it's odorless and should last longer than something that has an odor that dissipates. A chemist friend told me the capsaicin molecule is very stable. Honda sells an automotive rodent tape (Honda 4019-2317).

Carmakers apparently switched from petroleum-based wiring to soy-based. This has apparently led to an increase in damage from mice, squirrels, etc. I had to have my VW towed to a dealership because wires were chewed. A local dealership couldn't fix it. The VW dealership claimed it would be a bigger repair bill than the car was worth. Too bad for them that I have full coverage, which does cover such damage (despite what I was told by three lower-level employees on the phone). My insurance agent got the bill knocked down to $800.

Carmakers could make their soy-based wiring have capsaicin in the coating but I don't think they are doing that.

 

[TheGhostOfEugeneDebs]

There is a capsaicin-containing tape for wrapping automotive wiring that might work, too. It wouldn't look so nice, though. From my Google search it seems that cats are sensitive to capsaicin. The benefit over that citrus wrap is that it's odorless and should last longer than something that has an odor that dissipates. A chemist friend told me the capsaicin molecule is very stable. Honda sells an automotive rodent tape (Honda 4019-2317).

Carmakers apparently switched from petroleum-based wiring to soy-based. This has apparently led to an increase in damage from mice, squirrels, etc. I had to have my VW towed to a dealership because wires were chewed. A local dealership couldn't fix it. The VW dealership claimed it would be a bigger repair bill than the car was worth. Too bad for them that I have full coverage, which does cover such damage (despite what I was told by three lower-level employees on the phone). My insurance agent got the bill knocked down to $800.

Carmakers could make their soy-based wiring have capsaicin in the coating but I don't think they are doing that.

I made candied jalepenos the other night, and my cat got on the counter when I wasn't looking and started licking up the jalepeno juice off the cutting board. Didn't seem to mind it. She's a little touched though... My special little forever kitten...

 

[David Harper]

My maggie LRS came with a warning in the owners manual about cats. They reportedly like to use maggies as a scratching pad. So I modified the boxes they came in so I could use them as sleeves over the speakers when I'm not home. But it turned out the little dope doesn't pay any attention to them at all. But she does like to go behind the system. Apparently she thinks there's something interesting between the back of the system and the wall. She thinks I don't know but I can see the kitty tracks in the dust on the surface of the glass.

 

[krabapple]

TS, I think you misunderstood, just the opposite!

er...no, seems pretty clearly to me to be snark directed at this site, because the guy loves his Maggies and is irked by Amir's unflattering measurements of them.

 

[fabrizzio71]

Hello Everyone,

So I have done a good deal of measuring for my LRS. I think I have them set up in their sweet spot for this room as of right now. I wanted to share my latest measurements. Some things I adjusted: a) I changed the mic angle to face speakers b) I lowered measuring volume to about 82 db for each channel separately and 85 db for both channels combined. The RTA measurements were done with the noise volume at 75 db. I set up tape on my floor and measured at 1 ft off wall through 4.5 feet off wall. I compared measurements at each place. I didn't mess with toe in until I had the distance where the frequency response seemed most even. Tilting the speakers forward made a significant increase in treble response 10k and above. Adjusting toe in also had an impact on this. I have attached a zip of the most recent measurements. These were all done with my sub integrated, crossed over at 75 hz. There are significant room modes around 50 hz 100 hz and 160 hz.

So far I am pleased with the sound, but I am still testing them. The ability of these speakers to create separation in space for instruments and voices such that you can pick out the individual lines of those parts with clarity is unlike anything I have heard. I also find the sense of depth presented is uncanny on some recordings in terms of a drum or instrument placement.

 

[Juhazi]

160dB scale makes them look fine!

 

[BYRTT]

160dB scale makes them look fine!

Thanks some sharp eyes there that waked me up see scale span down to -60dB below mute, wonder how that sounds like ....

 

[VMAT4]

I made candied jalepenos the other night, and my cat got on the counter when I wasn't looking and started licking up the jalepeno juice off the cutting board. Didn't seem to mind it. She's a little touched though... My special little forever kitten...

View attachment 86554

Time spent with cats is never wasted.

 

[BYRTT]

Hello Everyone...

...So far I am pleased with the sound, but I am still testing them...

Great thanks sharing curves and mdat-file and feel free for my comment about system tuning ignore whatever i say ..

In below your L/R channel curves are FDW filtered 1/6 width in cycle overlaid to some theoretical targets and PIR suggested for CEA/CTA2034 in Amir's LRS analyze, suggest try look at slopes and/or timing where LRS and sub meet each other in they could look have interference each other at 57Hz and suggest this because your seperate LRS measurements pages back didnt suggest a room mode there but maybe a tiny little one around 40Hz area, also sub looks much too hot below 40Hz and if the too hot sub is to mask that LRS looks roll off as CEA/CTA2034 PIR suggest then suggest try some EQ high shelf in 100-300Hz area and dial the top of LRS down 3-6dB and see how that will sound..