3.6's in the hizouse

falconcry72

So.

I just got a you-can't-pass-it-up deal on a pair of immaculate Magnepan 3.6's, and, well, I couldn't pass it up.

I wasn't planning on this purchase, but **** happens.

I have been experimenting with maggies a lot this year: from owning my very first pair (MG-12's), to graduating to 1.6's, and then, two weeks ago, snagging a pair of the new 1.7's.

Well, sirs, the 3 series is in a different league, because, of course, of its true ribbon tweeter as opposed to the aforementioned speaker's quasi ribbons.

That being said, there are things that the 1.7's do better than the 3.6's: mainly in the mid-bass area, where the 1.7s' fully integrated quasi ribbon mid-bass driver is quicker and more tactile than the 3.6s' planar drivers; however, the 3.6 is a superior speaker overall.

The 3.7 is probably the f*cking bees knees. I want. Too expensive.

When I got the 1.7's two weeks ago, I felt like my system was in perfect harmony; now I feel like every link in my chain is horribly deficient in comparison to the speakers, but at the same time, I view having the 3.6's as a value oriented conundrum, because, while they require higher quality gear, they will exhibit the benefits of higher quality gear exponentially better than the 1.7's would..... either that or I'm just really good at talking myself into buying new gear; G*d da*n this hobby.

I will now resume the listening of my entire collection, as it all sounds unlike I've ever heard it.

Good day comrades, and Godspeed.

quadzilla

Congrats. Now, see what ya get for buying new speakers?

falconcry72

quadzilla wrote: »

Congrats. Now, see what ya get for buying new speakers?

Thanks, man.

Seriously though, I don't just feel like I need to upgrade my gear; I feel like I need to get new furniture, shave more often, and change my clothes.

These speakers are intimidating.

BuckeyeTim

Pics or it didn't happen

Congrats! Would love to own a pair....maybe someday

stuwee

Congrat's dude!!

What do you think are the weak links? Amp/preamp? Or the CDP/DAC's?

falconcry72

I think the DAC's are fine, and I don't use the CDP, so...

the preamp and amp.

I want a Bryston 4B-SST and an Audio Research LS-15.


I have a lot of **** to sell just to get back to even, so any more upgrades are a long ways out.

dkg999

The 3.6's are amazing with source gear that is at the same level. That's why I stick with my 1.6's as they require far less intense and expensive source gear to sound good.

Congrats and enjoy the journey!

falconcry72

BuckeyeTim wrote: »

Pics or it didn't happen

Congrats! Would love to own a pair....maybe someday

Pics will come tomorrow for sure.

These things are effing huge... way more massive than the 1.7's. I didn't realize how much bigger and heavier they were until I got them home. They'd sound a lot better in a larger room, but they still sound better than any of my other speakers in my current room.

falconcry72

dkg999 wrote: »

The 3.6's are amazing with source gear that is at the same level. That's why I stick with my 1.6's as they require far less intense and expensive source gear to sound good.

Congrats and enjoy the journey!

I am seriously considering keeping the 1.7's and being content with my other gear as opposed to keeping the 3.6's and chasing the dragon until I'm bankrupt.

We'll see what happens, but I think I'll be very happy either way.

polkfarmboy

You could have a killer HT setup if you add a maggie center

Congrats on the purchase as they are just a fantastic pair of true high end speakers

F1nut

Chase the dragon, the reward is worth the effort.

falconcry72

polkfarmboy wrote: »

You could have a killer HT setup if you add a maggie center

Congrats on the purchase as they are just a fantastic pair of true high end speakers

My dad is running a maggie HT setup right now: 1.6's as fronts, one of my MG-12's as a center, and some mirage surrounds. It sounds damned good. The MG-12 does dialog unlike any center I've heard.

markmarc

dkg999 wrote: »

The 3.6's are amazing with source gear that is at the same level. That's why I stick with my 1.6's as they require far less intense and expensive source gear to sound good.

Congrats and enjoy the journey!

Nice work Falconcry!

dkg999: If you plan on going to the grave with your 1.6's, consider doing the Skiing Ninga x-over upgrade, it brings them oh so close to the 1.7's. Right now I've got mine being powered by the new Musical Fidelity M6i 500 integrated at 500wpc that's in the house for a future review. It's a low Ohm load battle of brutes right now.

nooshinjohn

falconcry72 wrote: »

I am seriously considering keeping the 1.7's and being content with my other gear as opposed to keeping the 3.6's and chasing the dragon until I'm bankrupt.

We'll see what happens, but I think I'll be very happy either way.

If the 3.6's need a new home, let me know as I have been on a hunt for the right ones for some time now.

falconcry72

nooshinjohn wrote: »

If the 3.6's need a new home, let me know as I have been on a hunt for the right ones for some time now.

If they do need a new home, it's going to be a local DC'ish home because Magnepan boxes are not worth a crap to ship in. I have the original boxes for the MG-12's, 1.6's, 1.7's, and 3.6's, and I would never ship any of them in those boxes. There is no padding or foam or anything. I'd have to crate them to feel safe about it..... but.... I think I'm going to keep them. They just sound right.

falconcry72

F1nut wrote: »

Chase the dragon, the reward is worth the effort.

I think I'm going to have to.

I won't know if the next level is worth it until I hear it, so I have to hear it.

If there's one thing I've learned in this hobby, it's that not a damn thing matters except your own ears.

And the beauty of finding good deals on used gear is that you can try stuff out at no loss if it doesn't work out.

SteveFord

A subject near and dear to my heart - congratulations!!!
You can ship in the Magnepan boxes without fear - I sent my 1.6s to Norway in the stock boxes and they got there just fine. The heavy cardboard keeps them from away from each other and the top and bottom of the box.
That comment about an MG12 making a good center speaker has given me some more ideas...

Did you get those from The Listening Room in Towson, MD, by any chance? Black with natural oak trim, external crossover box with Kimber Kable hooked up by someone who can't braid to save their life, taken as a trade-in?

The people here have been very helpful so if anyone from this forum is interested, I had a local welder make up some massive stands for the 3.6s which really firm up the bass on them.
They made the bass too boomy for the 3.7s so they're sitting unused.
I've got $90 into them, $90 to the new owner but you have to pick up as they're pick up truck time BIG. I'm real close to the MD border in PA off of 83 if you're Baltimore/DC area.

falconcry72

SteveFord wrote: »

A subject near and dear to my heart - congratulations!!!
You can ship in the Magnepan boxes without fear - I sent my 1.6s to Norway in the stock boxes and they got there just fine. The heavy cardboard keeps them from away from each other and the top and bottom of the box.
That comment about an MG12 making a good center speaker has given me some more ideas...

Did you get those from The Listening Room in Towson, MD, by any chance? Black with natural oak trim, external crossover box with Kimber Kable hooked up by someone who can't braid to save their life, taken as a trade-in?

The people here have been very helpful so if anyone from this forum is interested, I had a local welder make up some massive stands for the 3.6s which really firm up the bass on them.
They made the bass too boomy for the 3.7s so they're sitting unused.
I've got $90 into them, $90 to the new owner but you have to pick up as they're pick up truck time BIG. I'm real close to the MD border in PA off of 83 if you're Baltimore/DC area.

Thanks!

No, I got these used from a dude. They came with Mye stands and Mye spikes, so I'm good on that front.

I still wouldn't ship in those boxes.

Seriously, try a MG-12 as a center... or even a MMG, both would be superior to the normal Magnepan center, not the newer multi thousand dollar one.

stuwee

falconcry72 wrote: »

I think the DAC's are fine, and I don't use the CDP, so...

the preamp and amp.

I want a Bryston 4B-SST and an Audio Research LS-15.


I have a lot of **** to sell just to get back to even, so any more upgrades are a long ways out.

I know it's a ways off, but I might have a lead on a nice Bryston or two for you, PM me when you're ready

tonyb

falconcry72 wrote: »

I think I'm going to have to.

I won't know if the next level is worth it until I hear it, so I have to hear it.

If there's one thing I've learned in this hobby, it's that not a damn thing matters except your own ears.

And the beauty of finding good deals on used gear is that you can try stuff out at no loss if it doesn't work out.

Well said, and a good plan to continue on the journey.

I often feel as you do, speakers that beg for higher end electronics. But the wallet is chained up right now and has been for a few years so that holds me back.

falconcry72

stuwee wrote: »

I know it's a ways off, but I might have a lead on a nice Bryston or two for you, PM me when you're ready

Very cool, man, very cool.

I'll definitely give you a shout when the time comes; hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later.

falconcry72

pics as promised.

They would do better in a larger space for sure, but they still sound damn good to me.

I didn't know what the cherry wood looked like on the 3.6's until I got them home, but I was pleasantly surprised. There's more grain and depth to it than what I assumed from seeing pictures.

falconcry72

more pics.

Of note here are my new ATS acoustic panels and bass traps (not ATS). I have (3) more to hang on the ceiling, and I'll be done. I think the ceiling ones will have a huge effect because my ceilings are only 7.5' and the speakers are 6'!

Also of note, I currently have the 3.6's bi-wired using Audioquest Hyperlitz's on the lows and MIT AVT-3's on the highs. The Audioquests have always had really great bass. They are made of (8) strands of solid-core copper per cable... talk about garden hoses. The MIT's are definitely better at the mid range and treble.

I wasn't planning on bi-wiring, but the owner didn't have the jumpers anymore, and I don't have any either, so for now I'm bi-wiring. I was lucky that my amp has two sets of outputs so I could just run two independent pairs of speaker cables, seeing as I don't have any bi-wire cables. If anything, at least I'm doubling my AWG...

Those cables connecting the crossover boxes to the speakers are supposedly high quality and have silver connectors, but I need to research them. I can use any short speaker cables in that place as long as they're terminated with bananas on both ends. I might just get Frank at Signal to make me up some 18" Ultras. Suggestions welcomed.

pietro944

Wow.....nice pics,falconcry72......beatifull room with those maggies(BIG!).....I'm so jealous(L0L)....can't wait to get the mmg's in my man-cave...congrats!

audiocr381ve

Dude, nice.

audiocr381ve

Btw, I hated my 1.7's. I did however like the MG12's that I had to return because of a buzzing issue (they were on consignment when I bought them). I think I only spent a week with them and was bummed to catch the issue on my way out of the house. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the 1.7's in a different room now that I'm finding out just how bad mine is. The only reason why I'd never go back to Magnepan is because they aren't as diverse with music as I am.

I'm fortunate enough to live less than 5 minutes from one of the biggest high-end stereo shops in San Diego county and they carry the 3.6's (which I've never heard). I'm thinking about paying them a visit this week to take a listen. Enjoy bro!

stuwee

Other than the ceiling height, that's a great room for those Maggies!! You may want to lose the other speakers behind them, and move the 1.7's more towards the listening area along that wall (used as a soundtrap) and play with the throw rug placement. Just my armchair QB advice

dkg999

markmarc wrote: »

Nice work Falconcry!

dkg999: If you plan on going to the grave with your 1.6's, consider doing the Skiing Ninga x-over upgrade, it brings them oh so close to the 1.7's. Right now I've got mine being powered by the new Musical Fidelity M6i 500 integrated at 500wpc that's in the house for a future review. It's a low Ohm load battle of brutes right now.

My 1.6's already sound better than the 1.7's and I haven't been motivated yet to modify the x-overs. I'm not a fan of the 1.7's, they have some issues in my opinion. I'm not sure why anyone would strive to have their 1.6's sound more like 1.7's?

madmax

You may want to get rid of that table, a big flat surface like that could cause problems with the sound. Those look awesome!

reeltrouble1

Nice. You are getting your hi-fi on for sure.

RT1

falconcry72

audiocr381ve wrote: »

Btw, I hated my 1.7's. I did however like the MG12's that I had to return because of a buzzing issue (they were on consignment when I bought them). I think I only spent a week with them and was bummed to catch the issue on my way out of the house. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the 1.7's in a different room now that I'm finding out just how bad mine is. The only reason why I'd never go back to Magnepan is because they aren't as diverse with music as I am.

I'm fortunate enough to live less than 5 minutes from one of the biggest high-end stereo shops in San Diego county and they carry the 3.6's (which I've never heard). I'm thinking about paying them a visit this week to take a listen. Enjoy bro!

Man, I'm surprised you didn't dig the 1.7's. When I A/B'd them against the 1.6's, there was nothing that I didn't like better on the 1.7's. Room is a huge consideration though; it makes as much of a difference in sound as the speakers do.

Definitely check out the 3.6's out your dealer. They may only have the 3.7's, since that's the current model. Both the 3.6 and 3.7 use the true ribbon as opposed to the quasi ribbon that the mmg's, 12's, 1.6's, and 1.7's use. The true ribbon is physically and sonically a different beast. You may find that it is more versatile to fit your musical tastes. The 3.7 uses the quasi ribbon technology for its bass and midbass like the 1.7 does, and I bet it's phenomenal. I've never heard it.

I have diverse tastes as well, and that's why for the last year I've kept two pairs of speakers in my two-channel system at all times: one pair of Maggies and one pair of SDA's. Between the two I was set. Now with the 3.6's, I don't know how much playing time the SDA's are going to get. I'm tempted to move them out from behind the 3.6's to let them breath more, but that would essentially mean that I won't be listening to them anymore. That would be a sad day.