stustan

After all that....I neglected to add that I am extremely happy with the center channel setup. It is articulate, focused and extremely natural sounding. It is uncolored, open, and blends seamlessly and perfectly with my 1.7's to create a LCR front stage that allows you to almost immediately become involved in the theatrical experience and not the "Hi-Fi Audio Spectacular Show". You are instantly drawn into the image/movie. You are not watching/listening, you are experiencing.

Hi sdpt I am a little confused and do not exactly understand what you mean by your CC3 needing a little help. Perhaps you can elaborate further. My CC5 has a published frequency response of 200-20 kHz hence my need for a DWM (Published Frequency Response (40-200 Hz). Your CC3 has a published frequency response of 80Hz to 20kHz +/- 3dB. I am not sure how the DWM might help. Your small gain in low end extension does not seem to warrant the cost of the DWM, however you can audition it and return it if you are unhappy. Exactly what is it that you are unhappy about?? My DWM is connected as follows. The center channel output of my 5 channel amplifier is connected to the DWM input marked "Amp In". The DWM output is labeled "High Out", that is connected to the input of my CC5. The DWM basically sits in line, in between the amplifier and the CC5. It effectively creates a 3 way center channel, the CC5 and the CC3 are 2 way speakers. My processor's bass management crossover setting for the center channel is full range. I have tried a gabillion different cross over frequencies for center channel bass management and prefer full range for its spatial focus and lack of smearing. Magnepan has a novel workaround they recommend for home theater setup and bass management. It is slightly confusing and untraditional but it really works well in my system, in my room. I only recently began using their suggested procedure and I have stuck with it...it works well. You can go to the Magnepan website and look at the manuals for the DWM and CC5, they explain it at length...your CC3 would work exactly as the CC5 in the grand scheme of things. You can also call Magnepan with your questions, they are very, very, very helpful and will call you back. I wouldn't be surprised if Wendell Diller got on the phone to speak to you. I hope this helps, I am not the greatest explainer of things electrical. Let me know.

I am sorry for the late reply, extremely busy with work. I will reply over the weekend. Please tell me more about your system and room......I am interested

The Better News: I just got off the phone with Magnepan and they clarified my "problem". There is no problem! The CC5 and the DWM were meant to work in conjunction with each other and will present a 4 ohm load to the amplifier (not 2 ohms, as I mistakenly thought they said), when connected as per the instructions. They explained the CC5 and DWM should be considered a three-way system with an impedance of about 4 ohms. I just rewired and gave the system a perfunctory listen and I now have a full range center channel that sounds better than great. I will re-calibrate the system and listen all night and get back to you all.

How do I edit my previous post?

First the good news, All my Maggies have arrived and so has the Rythmik F12 Sub. Everything has come together beautifully, better than I expected....I had major room size concerns. I am equally thrilled with music and broadcast/blu-ray playback. I found it harder to place the 1.7's for musical playback than the entire package for the "theatrical presentation". It also took a while for me to integrate the sub but I must say once I found the proper balance and location the Rythmik disappeared for music playback, its only signature being an increased soundstage and a subtle extension of low end decay into the soundstage. I was surprised how low the 1'7's go right out of the box (after three days breaking in). The 1.7's seem to like my room! For theatrical presentation the sub carries it's weight (pun intended) without adding bloat to the lower bass, but helps with impacts and the subterranean demands of blockbuster movies. The CC5 playing without the support of the DWM is brilliant within it's frequency range. It is extremely articulate and detailed. It is a perfect sounding match to the 1.7's in the upper bass through the hi-end. Theatrically panned effects sweep across seamlessly and convincingly without tonal balance or volume changes. The "body" of a characters voice (male and female) is very convincing and dimensional without the DWM and should only improve with it. Please keep in mind the above comments relate to the CC5's stated frequency range (200-20kHz). Without that consideration I would say the CC-5 sounds "thin". The CC-5 anchors it's output firmly in the center of the LCR stage, even when standing outside the edge of the LR 1.7's in the back corners of my room. As I walk around the room the CC-5's image stays locked to the center without tonal shift or vertical venetian blind, or picket fence distractions. It just plays and sounds as if you are perfectly centered. It is a fantastic center channel design. I am thrilled with the entire package and it is improving each day as the speakers break in. The bad news: I have a DWM sitting unused! In all my research, in all my shopping, and in all my fact finding I failed to ask an important question and no-one volunteered one important piece vital information. Three weeks after I placed my order for the Maggies and during the week of delivery I found out that the CC5 and the DWM, when hooked up in series, presents a 2 ohm load to the amplifier. Gulp! I took delivery and began setup with the DWM sitting and sulking silently beneath the CC-5! I had four straight days of 12 hour "loud" listening sessions with all channels being driven by my Emotiva XPA-5 and the amp was always only warm to the touch even in my ,not yet, air conditioned room. I called Emotiva and they said my XPA-5 could easily handle the demands of the Maggies as I was currently set up. but strongly urged me not to add a 2 ohm load to the center channel by hooking up the DWM and the CC5. The solution: This is what I have come up with. I will purchase an Emotiva XPA-5 (500 watts per channel, continuous into 4 ohms all channels driven) and use that for the 1.7's. I will then use 4 channels of my Emotiva XPA-5 (300 watts per channel, continuous into 4 ohms all channels driven) for the rear surrounds (MMC-1's). the CC5 and the, DWM. I will split the center channel output from my Emotiva UMC-1 and feed the CC5 and the DWM in parallel so they each present 4 ohm load to the XPA-5. I am open to all comments and suggestions. Please keep in mind I came in right on budget and this conundrum just broke it. I cannot afford a fix in excess of a grand. I hope the above is clear and makes sense, if not ask and I will respond. I will report on the CC5 and DWM combination as soon as I hear them together.

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I share your concerns too, brunk. A few other posters on other forums offered encouragement, saying they have had success in rooms nearly identical in size, but that did little too dissipate my anxiety. They were referring to their 2.0 or a 2.1 setups. The room will be bare of extraneous furniture, just three comfy easily moved chairs that will slide easily on new carpet. I will be able to place the LCR Maggies at least three ft from the front wall (short wall) and the LR at least two ft from the side walls (long wall). The center channel right in the middle, TV Monitor mounted on wall. I will be able to sit 2 ft in front of the back wall (short wall) and the surrounds will be mounted on the rear wall at least 2.5 ft inboard of the corners. I should be able to place the sub wherever it sounds best. I did order the temporary mounting kit for the wall mounted MC1's, that will allow me to move the surrounds about with out fear of marking my freshly painted walls or drilling about a gabillion holes in the wall. I am very sure I will be constantly adjusting the positions of all the speakers, as well as my seating position as I search for "focus", depth and width of soundstage, and tonal balance. My guess is that I will be giving up a huge "presentation" and instead I am hoping to enjoy a spacious near-field "envelope". I will have plenty of time to move everything about as the Maggies break in and, in all honesty, I am prepared to have a huge tug of war with the constraints of the room. Room treatments will be installed as I grow comfortable with the setup and as the speakers find their "voice and character". Actually, I am happy that I have a room to fight with! So I thank you for your concerns, they are well meaning and carry more than a hint of the truth. I think the room will work out, not perfectly perhaps, but better than the den that I am leaving. Maybe a year from now I might feel differently, but at this point in time I would rather suffer with a less than perfect Magnepan room than a successful room with any of the many dynamic box speakers we auditioned. Again thanks, you were the first person to raise concerns on any of the forums and I respect you for that. Wish me luck and I will continue to post my progress.

That is pretty much what everyone is saying, thanks for your recommendation.

Quite a nice read, wish I was there to enjoy the music and the equipment and meet new music buddies. My 1.7's are due to arrive in about two weeks. I hope they sounds as good as yours.

Thanks your summation is making it sound like I am actually doing the right thing!

I am awaiting delivery of the following Magnepan System: CC5 and DWM woofer for the center channel, 1.7's for the LR, and MC1's for the surrounds. Rhythmic F12's for the sub??? The room is almost finished and speakers should be set up in about two weeks. Speaker placement should be finalized????? I took a real leap of faith in purchasing the Maggies as a home theater system. The package was within my budget and I could only audition the 1.7's as a stereo demo. I don't know any dealer in the New York area auditioning a home theater setup based on Maggies. I owned and sold my MGIIIA's many years ago and have always deeply missed the "emotion" of listening to music on them, not to mention the sound stage they threw. After a number of speaker auditions with my wife (my music and movie partner, among many other things!) I suggested, out of frustration, we audition Maggies. After less than a minute into our audition she quietly handed me the credit card and smiled. My younger son has recently moved out so I am giving him my Paradigms and moving into an admittedly small room: 11 x 13 x 8. It will be used exclusively for Movies and Music. I am determined to make the Maggies sing. My wife and I are Movie Nuts and I am also a music lover so I am trying to have the best of both worlds in one room.....let the adventure begin....as soon as the painter finishes and the carpet arrives! As soon as I have the room to my liking I am planning to dip my toes (ears?) into the high resolution download world....exciting times ahead!!

Long Island, New York

Motion Picture and Television Sound Editor. Music and audio nut soon to embark on the music server adventure.