Magnepan LRS Speaker Review

[StigErik]

Afaik, asymmetrical tie-downs are used on 1.6 and possibly other magneplanars as well, but not the larger 3.6 or 3.7.

 

[MaxBuck]

I've listened to Magnepan / Magneplanar speakers since the early '70s. I've never understood why anyone bought the things.

 

[StigErik]

I've listened to Magnepan / Magneplanar speakers since the early '70s. I've never understood why anyone bought the things.

Because of rave reviews in hifi magazines I guess ….?

I never understood this either. The maggies I’ve heard were cluelessly set up in regular living rooms, and usually with a subwoofer just thrown in. Horrible.

 

[MarnixM]

The buttons (or “tie-downs” in Magnepan parlance) that clamp the diaphragm at different locations, are placed there to both damp the fundamental resonance and create a redistributed group of resonances to passively, self-equalize, or enhance the output of the frequencies between the dipole baffle cutoff frequency and the lowest resonant frequency.

Any open baffle, dipole loudspeaker without this approach, and a driver with a “Q” of 0.707 or less, will have a first order (6dB/octave) high pass characteristic from the baffle cutoff frequency down to the fundamental resonant frequency, below which it will fall at 18dB/octave. Alternatively, most dipole film loudspeakers, such as an ESL or planar magnetic, will often have a singular high “Q” peak at the fundamental resonance with a droop in the amplitude response between the fundamental resonance and its baffle cutoff frequency.

While all the current Magneplanars use the distributed mode approach with symmetrical positions and button count on the left and right loudspeaker, the LRS and LRS+ are unique among the Magneplanars in that the system pairs use asymmetrical “tie-down” buttons, with (most examples) having 1-button on one of the loudspeakers, and 3-buttons on the other loudspeaker, creating 2-distributed modes on the first and 4-distributed modes on the second loudspeaker, or a total of six interleaved modes of different frequencies. This is effective at allowing the pair, when working together, to produce smoother and deeper bass than either single unit alone.

This makes achieving an accurate, meaningful measurement, more difficult, particularly if the tester doesn't know they are different or doesn’t understand how and why they are different from each other. Almost everyone that has publically disclosed measurements of the LRS’s appear to be unaware of this design element and have just measured one of the two speakers, providing a misleading result.

I hope this helps clarify the issue.

- James Croft

James, thanks very much for your elaborated explanation. Had to read it twice to understand it in its details, but indeed my right speaker has one “button” and the left three. I don't know in my situation if this option for "smoother and deeper bass" is very effective because I use a 4-channel amp with seperate woofers with an active 24dB X-over at 160Hz. So both my LRS+ panels act as mid-bass/high sources. . With the use of ARTA I optimised the combination for flat response, but later on, based "on listening with my ears" I gave the woofers +3dB extra output. Recent DSP corrections below 300Hz didn't bring the expected final optimalisation to the sound and is now deactivated again. A DIY soft dome ultra tweeter with reflective omni-directional cone completes the speakersystem. Although I like to experiment with my total music equipment, my main focus is on playing "good music", for me mainly classical and jazz albums.

 

[MarnixM]

I've listened to Magnepan / Magneplanar speakers since the early '70s. I've never understood why anyone bought the things.

I listened (and build) several types of speakers (horns, bass reflex and closed) systems and never understood why not everybody is using open baffle systems........ Great Linkwitz fan!

 

[StigErik]

I agree with that. But Magnepans out of the box is not the best solution.

 

[Heyu]

Magnepan LRS love power. Will Buckeye ncx500 be good for them?

 

[Ordin Aryguy]

Magnepan LRS love power. Will Buckeye ncx500 be good for them?

Spend some time with the Amplifier Power Required section of the Crown Audio online System Design Tools. Your answer will be found there.

Crown Audio - Professional Power Amplifiers | English (US)

www.crownaudio.com

Just be sure to use 83dB for the Loudspeaker Sensitivity Rating as the Magnepans are rated at 2.83V, which actually comes out to 2W given their 4 Ohm impedance. This is the reasoning for reducing the 86dB to 83dB.

The LRS has a relatively flat impedance of roughly 4 Ohms, so whatever amplifier you choose, just make sure it's comfortable driving 4 Ohms.

A little bit of research and some logic will help you quickly dispel the myths that seem to surround Magnepans regarding "lots of power" and "lots of current."

 

[mlee]

Another data point for LRS. Mic is not calibrated for absolute SPL so disregard that. Measurements left and right from listening position 1/24 smoothing. Positioned for good imaging at LP, tweeters inside with toein (small sweet spot but really good when there). Limited in the placement with this room. A little over 3ft from the front wall and a little over 2 feet from the side walls. Room is symmetric.

Later applied baffle step correction at 600hz and a notch to bring down the 50hz a bit....................After that these sound really good. As good as anything I've had in this room given the extension limits at the top and bottom. Of course they don't go to concert SPL and can use a high pass filter below where it goes south. These are definitely more than reasonable speakers. They present like all OB/Dipoles in this room, nice quality bass presentation and midrange is great. I wish for a bit more extension in the top end but overall very good after baffle step correction. No sense trying to get more extension on the bottom end of these. It could be the room as all the OB in this room tap out at 45 to 50hz.

As with everything, good but with caveats. If you don't have eq then they sound thin due to native FR response.

 

[Hellasärö]

Another data point for LRS. Mic is not calibrated for absolute SPL so disregard that. Measurements left and right from listening position 1/24 smoothing. Positioned for good imaging at LP, tweeters inside with toein (small sweet spot but really good when there). Limited in the placement with this room. A little over 3ft from the front wall and a little over 2 feet from the side walls. Room is symmetric.

Later applied baffle step correction at 600hz and a notch to bring down the 50hz a bit....................After that these sound really good. As good as anything I've had in this room given the extension limits at the top and bottom. Of course they don't go to concert SPL and can use a high pass filter below where it goes south. These are definitely more than reasonable speakers. They present like all OB/Dipoles in this room, nice quality bass presentation and midrange is great. I wish for a bit more extension in the top end but overall very good after baffle step correction. No sense trying to get more extension on the bottom end of these. It could be the room as all the OB in this room tap out at 45 to 50hz.

As with everything, good but with caveats. If you don't have eq then they sound thin due to native FR response.

I bought a pair of used Magnepan mgmc1 (discontinued surround model) for testing. Here's some measurements of them crossed over to a sub at 200hz + PEQ . The room is treated, but small. Magnepans are placed 1,2 meter from front and side walls. Listening distance is 1,7 meter.

Have to say, these sound great with EQ. Actually, so good I'm thinking of buying the LRS+ or 1.7i (used).

But they are extremely finicky with placement and toe in.

The second pic is a anechoic measurement (purple trace) of the speaker (sound & vision)

 

[StigErik]

I think Amir's conclusions in his test of the LRS is quite fitting...

"The Magnepan LRS is a hugely flawed speaker with moments of delight."

"The best way I can explain this is that the designers solved 30% of the physics of building a speaker, and threw you in there to solve the rest! You take on the job of spending what must be a lifetime messing with location, tilt, EQ, etc. to get sound that is good for more than a few select tracks."

I think this is true of virtually any speaker made by Magnepan. I've not heard the 30.7, but all other current Magnepans, and quite a few of the previous generations. At some point I owned seven pairs of them. Currently I have a pair of 1.5, 1.6 and 3.7, and two pairs 3.6. I have ripped them all apart, measured them and know them in and out.

Some observations:
- None of them come close to a smooth and controlled in-room frequency response, regardless of room and setup. 20.7 is the best I've measured among them. LRS+ the worst.
- Very uneven off-axis response
- Bass distortion is horrible at any SPL
- The bass panel's distortion increase at lot below 400 Hz, but is extremely low above 400 Hz.
- The mid/tweeter panel's distortion increase a lot below 700 Hz, but is extremely low above 700 Hz.
- Both panels show virtually no resonant behavior/breakup at all.
- The true ribbon tweeter of 3.6/3.7 will buzz and distort below 2500 Hz
- The wire (1.5/3.6) mid/tweeter panel's sensitivity is about 80 dB @ 2.83V
- The QR (1.6/3.7) mid/tweeter panel's sensitivity is about 78 dB @ 2.83V
- The ribbon tweeter's sensitivity is about 80 dB @ 2.83V
- The bass panel's sensitivity is quite good at 90 dB @ 2.83V above 500 Hz. But expect 10 dB loss at lower frequencies.

If you want to get the best out of your Magnepans, I suggest the following based on my own experience:
- Remove the passive crossovers and replace them with DSP and multiple amps.
- Bypass the fuses as well, and consider removing the original connectors and solder new wire directly to the panels. The original wiring use spade connectors, and have a tendency to corrode.
- Use high quality, high power amps, as they will need a lot of watts. The impedance is ruler flat, so they are very easy to drive.
- Use very steep FIR filters, because the acoustic distance between the different drivers is large. Steep filters (i.e. Brickwall filters) help reduce off-axis comb filtering at the crossover points to a minimum.
- Cross over the bass panel to a dedicated dipole woofer system no lower than 400 Hz.
- Use the good sensitivity of the bass panel to cover most of the midrange. Crossing over at 3 kHz is indeed possible without scarifying off-axis response.
- Do not cross over the true ribbon tweeter (3.6/3.7) lower than 4 kHz. I currently cross at 6 kHz.
- Consider removing the front grilles of the 3.6/3.7. They cause reflections and diffraction for the mid/hi panel and ribbon tweeter.

 

[Heyu]

Tube amps won't cut it with Magnepan because they require lots of watts correct?

 

[StigErik]

Tube amps won't cut it with Magnepan because they require lots of watts correct?

Not necessarily. There are tube amps with more than enough power.

300W

500W

650W

 

[Heyu]

Not necessarily. There are tube amps with more than enough power.

300W

View attachment 358175

500W
View attachment 358176


650W

View attachment 358177

Yes but not in my budget. I was looking at the Black Ice f11, f22 and f35. Per Black Ice rep the f22 on up will do just fine idk.

 

[DonH56]

Yes but not in my budget. I was looking at the Black Ice f11, f22 and f35. Per Black Ice rep the f22 on up will do just fine idk.

Tube amps and Maggies are a great match because Magnepans' impedance is pretty flat across the frequency band. They are insensitive so do need more power than many speakers (though my current conventional speakers have similarly low sensitivity, and much wider impedance variations). I drove a pair of MG-IIIa's for years with a 75 W/ch tube amp (ARC D79) and they were plenty loud for me. Assuming you are not sitting too far away I would think an F22 or F35 would be fine.

Check an online calculator for a rough idea how much power you need: http://www.hometheaterengineering.com/splcalculator.html

 

[Newman]

Tube amps and Maggies are a great match because Magnepans' impedance is pretty flat across the frequency band.

Shouldn’t you have said any amps?

The way you wrote it sounds like maggies are best with tube amps.

 

[DonH56]

Shouldn’t you have said any amps?

The way you wrote it sounds like maggies are best with tube amps.

He asked about tube amps. I'll let you grammar experts debate the rest. I think mine were driven about 50/50 over their lifetime with tube/SS amps. Both worked fine, though bass was better with the SS amps I used.

 

[Heyu]

He asked about tube amps. I'll let you grammar experts debate the rest. I think mine were driven about 50/50 over their lifetime with tube/SS amps. Both worked fine, though bass was better with the SS amps I used.

Yes, I reached out to Black Ice and they said the F22 line and up will work and the rep knows this from him currently owning LRS+.

 

[Heyu]

For fun I listened with my SVS Prime towers and Magenpan. For some reason there was way more bass with the Magnepan using rather same sub and same setting. I thought SVS would have more bass.
Any reason for this?

 

[raindance]

For fun I listened with my SVS Prime towers and Magenpan. For some reason there was way more bass with the Magnepan using rather same sub and same setting. I thought SVS would have more bass.
Any reason for this?

Yes. Because the maggies are about half as loud at the same volume dial setting due to their low sensitivity. You have to lower the sub volume to blend it correctly.