Magneplanar MG-III
Mr. Bubbles
Posts: 736
I am in talks of a deal where someone wants to trade me some MGIII's for some other speakers I have (VMPS Tower II SE). I have no experience with the Maggies and can find little useful info on them from "quick" searches. Can anyone help me with some sort of relative value or general going rate. I also see where these are very well liked but have a tendency to de-laminate? Is this correct? If so is this a simple repair or major? What should I look for if inspecting these. I can basically find little on these other than them being liked, need 3+ feet behind them, and have a tendency to de-laminate. Please help me gain some insight to determine if this would be a suitable deal for me to proceed with.
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!
Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium.
Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium.
Post edited by Mr. Bubbles on
Comments
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Can't comment on maintenance of that speaker, but I have heard them and they sound amazing when set up correctly.
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Due to its age, it's very likely the bass panels will have delaminated from the "voice coil". Delamination is caused when the aluminum wire used as a voice coil oxidizes and seperates from the mylar film. When this happens, the aluminum wire usually is a green color.
Play something with some bass, if the the music buzzes or the panel rattles, then the mylar has indeed delaminated. You can also try and shine a powerful flashlight through the fabric covering and see if the panels look green. Delamination is prevalent in the south or humid areas. If you are handy, you might be able to repair the panels but it is a moderately difficult time-consuming job.
You also have to be aware that if the panels have not delaminated, it will do so down the road. All I can tell you, in Hawaii, the speakers usually do not last more than five years before the delamination starts to creep in. -
As stated above you want to listen to them closely from both front and back. When the wires start to come loose it is normally top and bottom so feel around with your hand on the back side. While playing start with you hand in the middle on the back side and slowly move to the top and bottom and feel for loose wires. The wires will curl out away from the panel.
If you type in "magnepan repair" over at you tube you will find some good resources for checking and repair of these speakers. I have done the repair to one set and while it takes time and patience it can be done with great result. -
Mr Bubbles . . . I own MGIIs which are different then MGIIIs . . . Here is a link to a forum that has a lot of Owners of Magnepan Speakers . . .http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/etv.mpl?forum=MUG
Good Luck with Your Quest . . . Stephen.
PS I love my MGIIs !!! -
Ciao
I own the MG I's that have been completely refurbished. There are a lot of better speakers out there. but, there is a saying that "Once you go FLAT, you never go BACK". I am 62 and have tried over a hundred pairs of speakers in my lifetime (since I was 16). I settled on the Maggies. Gives me everything I want....a little shy on bass, but Have a neighbor that **** when bass is turned up. Can fix that problem with a sub. If you like open. realistic sound ...these are for you. They do need quality amps with power. Best system I ever heard (in my YOUTH) was the 3 panel Magnapan - Magnepan Tympani 1 . They were driven with the best components money could buy back then. Was in my friend's brother's loft in SoHo in early 70's. 18' ceilings. Awesome SOUND....when loft was empty. For his bachelor party with hundreds of people....we had to barrow som JBL 100's.
...The original music I heard was Pink Floyd ....with the bells. Awesome for speakers back then. -
I also have some maggies, MGII. You should be a moderate to advanced woodworker/tinker type to re-build these. It is not expensive, just spent $75.00 for a complete re-build kit with wire for the base section and tweeter section and adhesive. Time consuming but fun and worth it. They will run 6 down to 4 ohms so you will need a good amp and a good musical sub.Main Family Room: Sony 46 LCD, Sony Blue Ray, Sony DVD/VCR combo,Onkyo TXNR 708, Parasound 5250,
Polk SDS-SRS with mods, CSI 5 center + Klipsch SC2, Polk RT2000P rears, Klipsch KG 1.5's sides, Polk Micro Pro 1000, Polk Micro Pro 2000, Polk SW505, Belkin PF60, Signal Cable Classics,Monster IC's, 2 15 amp circuits & 1 20 amp circuit.
Living Room: Belkin PF60, Parasound HCA2200, MIT ProlineEXP balanced IC's,Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/Pre,Emotiva ERC2 transport,MIT AVT2, Polk LSI 9's. -
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=magnepan+repair&oq=magnepan+repair&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_l=youtube.3..0.508l3392l0l3879l15l15l0l5l5l0l192l1280l1j9l10l0.
This link will take you to a three part video that takes you through the entire process. I did an old set of Tympani's and agree with michael1947. Take your time and it should not be a problem. -
Mind you, Magnepans are bass-shy if you like deep bass. They will probably go down to 50Hz and no more. So, you will need to get a sub if you want bass. Maggies are very dynamic speakers, they have great transient response, and if you get a "slow" sub, it will be noticeable. Many find it hard to find a sub that will match the Maggies coherent sound.
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....my favorite "TEST" cd to show off the Maggies is "Jazz at the Pawnshop"....it's like you were there. Gorgeous highs with the clinking of glasses in background. As has been stated....they are bass shy....but depending on your type of musical taste....they can fulfill. Not meant for rap and such....but they do a great job on most oldies.
