Magnepan SMGa Need a little TLC

audiocr381ve

So I found a pair of these on Craigslist for $50, which I thought was a great deal. Many of you know that I wasn't a huge fan of the 1.7's that I owned, but for $50 I couldn't pass up having a pair as a project set.

They were sold "as is" and have some issues that I hope can be fixed. I brought them home and both fuses were blown. I hooked them up anyway and one speaker only had mids and bass coming through, and the other speaker was the exact opposite only playing the tweeter. I read that the fuse in the SMGa's only fuses the tweeter, so that explains why one speaker is playing only the mids & bass. But what's going on with the speaker that's only playing the tweeter?

I know these speakers suffer from delamination but I heard it's fixable. My understanding is that I would hear buzzing and flapping, which don't seem to be the problem right now.

Any help would be wonderful! Thanks guys.

audiocr381ve

I found the problem with the speaker that only had the tweeter working.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24644882/Public%20Photos/915A9986.jpg

Yikes, how would one go about repairing this? Especially since the plastic bag looking surface is ripped?

mantis

They are nice little speakers , we have a pair of them on the floor , the new models. We also have the 1.7's , I can't imagine why you don't like them other then they are ugly as hell. I'm basically a hater when it comes to maggies but not of the sound quality. I just think they look terrible.

drumminman

audiocr381ve wrote: »

I found the problem with the speaker that only had the tweeter working.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24644882/Public%20Photos/915A9986.jpg

Yikes, how would one go about repairing this? Especially since the plastic bag looking surface is ripped?

There must be a maggie forum; I'd try there. On CP, nooshinjohn rebuilt some bigger maggies. Perhaps he'll chime in.

Churlish

Here's a couple links to some Maggie Forums:

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/MUG/bbs.html

http://www.integracoustics.com/MUG/MUG/

The audio asylum forum is especially good, with excellent magnepan devotees with a lot of planar knowledge.

Best Wishes

J

nooshinjohn

I am clueless on what to do with a torn diaphragm. Delamination is a piece of cake however. Take some pics of what you find inside and I will do my best to help.

audiocr381ve

Hey thanks guys. Spoke with Magnepan and will be sending these in for a full refurb. I heard these ones are worth rebuilding, and I just flat out like the look of these vintage Maggies.

Thanks again!

nooshinjohn

Forgot you are a local. Before you send them to white bear lake, let me take a look at them. I may have been the guy that made them in the first place.

audiocr381ve

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Forgot you are a local. Before you send them to white bear lake, let me take a look at them. I may have been the guy that made them in the first place.

Hey John, that would be wonderful. I had no clue you worked with Magnepan at one point. Did you see this high-rez pic?

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24644882/Public%20Photos/915A9986.jpg

That's pretty much the issue along with delamination and the need for new fuses.

This is gonna sound crazy, but even with the issues, I could tell these are something special. They have a great tone, and the bass is totally there which I wasn't expecting! I hear many like these older SMGa's over the new MMG's too.

Let me know what you think John.

nooshinjohn

Yep, they've delaminates. Looks like an attempt has been made in the past to fix them. I really need to see them to confirm if I can do anything with them. Shoot me a pm and let me know when it is a good time to meet up.