User Review of the New Mini Maggie System

[sdolezalek]

As a recent beneficiary of Magnepan’s new Special Time-Limited 30-Day, Home-Trial Offer for the Mini Maggie System (Maggie Dealer-Direct), I thought it might be of interest for Computer Audiophile members to read a review that comes from an admitted Maggie fan.

 

First, to explain my admitted bias: I am a very satisfied owner of a Magnepan 20.1-based surround sound system that includes the new Tri-Center concept (a CCR and two motorized MMC2’s) plus four MC1’s to complete a 7.1 surround system. That system uses a Lexicon MC12-HD B EQ front end and a Lexicon RT-20 SACD player plus Levinson 432 (800watt) amplifiers. That system lives in my living room.

 

Unfortunately, I spend a lot more time at my office desk than in my living room. To date, I have satisfied my musical appetite in the office with a perfectly capable and expensive set of powered studio monitors that contain their own internal 24/192 DAC.

 

So when the Mini Maggies became available, I couldn’t help but call Magnepan and ask whether I might try a set. Just in time for Christmas, they arrived. Excitedly, I rushed to set them up on my desktop and start playing music – the initial result, not so great. Having experienced with my larger Maggie system that careful placement is a critical part of the equation, I started experimenting. I moved the panels forward, backward, toed them in, moved the tweeters to the outside then the inside, and finally played around with where to put the mid/bass panel. I also discovered that the accuracy of these speakers put to critical test the front end of my desktop computer system. Up until then, I had been reasonably happy with a front-end that consisted of J River Media Center 17 on a Windows 7 64-bit computer using a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD sound card feeding the studio monitors. The Maggies immediately exposed the limitations of that sound card, so it was off to the store to upgrade to an Assus Sonar Essence STX digital stereo card. I fed the analog output of that card into the only spare pre-amp and amplifier I had lying around the house (a B&K Reference 30 and a Sunfire Cinema Grand (400 watts of power that actually mates well with Maggies).

 

 

 

 

Now I was ready to return to listening tests. First, I decided to download a variety of high res material ranging from 24/192 to 24/96 material in classic, rock and jazz.

 

Wow! First, what a difference. With these improvements, the system is still a LONG way from being optimized, but the possibilities became quite obvious. So how do you put in words what I was hearing? Imagine the clarity of what you might hear from the highest end Sennheiser headphones (open, crisp, highly detailed and perhaps a bit bass light) but instead of the “between my ears” phenomenon you now have the full orchestra laid out right there in front of you. Terrific clarity, great imaging, very wide and deep soundstage and yes, a bit bass light. Next came the obligatory lets invite a few friends over to see what they think: “Wow, this sounds just like your Living Room system!” “Are you kidding me? That quality of sound is possible from this tiny setup?”

 

The answer is yes, it is possible. Obviously, having a fair amount of amplifier power on hand may have helped. But just how good was it? Therein lay the first problem: It was so good that I just wanted to listen to the music; I could no longer allow the music to play in the background while I worked. Instead, I kept catching myself getting caught up in the listening experience. That still has me scratching my head, as I clearly need to get my work done, yet these speakers are everything I ever dreamed of in a desktop system. Was the closeness to the real thing just preventing me from a background listening experience? I don’t know, only time will tell.

 

The second problem was the to-be-expected needling from my wife: “Dear, now that this sounds so great, do we really still need all those speakers in our Living Room?” Uh Oh, should have seen that one coming… The answer is “of course we do!!!” As unbelievably great as these Mini Maggies are, they ultimately can’t compete with the realism of the 20.1’s and that wonderful surround system.

 

What is the difference? Readers of this website have often referred to the acronym “PRAT” and whether you call it that, or slam, or speed, etc. there is just no way the Mini’s can move the amount of air needed to do that make the hair on the back of your neck sense of realism that the big Maggies can create. Now, admittedly, we are comparing a $2,500 system (including electronics – the Mini’s alone are about $1500) to a $50,000 one and so what did you expect? Ultimately, when I really want the music to carry me away, I need to take the time to go downstairs, warm up the system, pick my selections, sit back and let the magic happen.

 

Back at my desk, however, I now have to think about what to do about the fact that this tiny little system has the ability to pull me out of my state of concentration on my work and lure me away to listening to the music. Could it really be too much of a good thing???

 

 

[audiozorro]

The Magnepan 20.1-based surround sound system that includes the new Tri-Center concept (a CCR and two motorized MMC2’s) plus four MC1’s to complete a 7.1 surround system.

 

Perhaps if I had such a dream system I would put my Mini Maggies on the desk but IMO they perform and sound too good to be limited to the confines of a desk (unless you have a super large desk). Of course a desk helps raising the midrange/tweeter panels close to ear level and placing the DWM woofer in the foot well of the desk keeps them centered for proper stereo imaging.

 

Alas, I don't own your Maggie 20.1 surround system and I feel the Mini Maggies are too good for my desk. I first read about the Mini Maggies from the impressive 2009 CES show reports of the Maggie Mystery speakers. When they became available this year I thought they possibly would be great speakers for a second audio system. Small, sexy, reported to sound like the 3.7 and using technology from the 20.1, all for under $1500. After hearing the Mini Maggies at The Gifted Listener, I was impressed enough to buy. I have heard Maggies many times before but except for the Tympani speakers, I was never so impressed by any other Maggie model.

 

I have my Mini Maggies raised exactly to ear level and spaced 8-9ft apart. While I expected the low level detail and resolution coming from the Mini Maggies I was surprised at just how loud they can play. True these small speakers are no match against my 8ft tall electrostatics or your 20.1 panels for bass or earth shattering volumes but these Minis sound great.

 

Since I am a big believer in stereo bass and subs (for any speaker whose bass that is rated higher than 30Hz +/-3dB) and I wanted extreme flexibility in case I didn't want to place a sole DWM in the center, I bought another DWM woofer. So IMO the Mini Maggies, with dual DWM and subs will give the finest stereo speaker systems some good competition.

 

If you ever get a chance I would be interested to hear how the Mini Maggies would sound in your system if you used them instead of the CCR. If you ever get another DWM woofer I would also be interest to hear how they would sound in your surround system in lieu of each of the stereo pairs you have in your surround system. I am thinking that three pairs of Mini Maggies and 2 additional DWM woofers might make an excellent 5.2 music only surround system (2 midrange/tweeter panels for the center channel, a single midrange/tweeter panel for front and rear L/R speakers, a single DWM at each of the 5 locations and two dipole subs). Of course surround sound with identical audiophile speakers is never cheap (that's $6K worth of Maggies) but such a Mini Maggie system would fit in almost any size room larger than 10'x10'.

 

 

 

[sdolezalek]

Thanks for the thoughtful comments and questions. They have caused me to think more about the audible differences between these systems. First, I note your comment about getting the Mini's head high. Even on the desk, the sound improves significantly if I sit back in the chair and drop my head down to the level of the speakers (normally they are about 6 inches below my ears). That may be a unique attribute of the Mini's as most Maggies are a line source and tall enough to always be covering the height of your ears. The Mini's also sound like a line source in that their horizontal dispersion seems much more uniform than their vertical dispersion, thus begging to be kept at ear height.

 

In terms of replacing a CCR with two Mini's, you have to remember that my center channel is both a CCR and two MMC2's (so I end up both with significantly more true ribbon and significantly more overall radiating area than I could ever get from just two Minis).

 

I do believe that the radiating square footage makes a difference. You can't really hear it with a violin. But you can with a piano. The Mini gets the pitch and the spatial ambiance of the Piano just right, but it just can't produce enough slam to sound like a real piano in the room (the way the 20.1's certainly can). Turning up the volume doesn't solve that as we're ultimately talking about dynamic range and the little guys just can't produce that range of immediate dynamics, nor do they produce enough air to couple with the room in the same way.

 

That having been said, they absolutely get the spatial cues and soundstage depth just right. Your ears just have a really hard time believing that there is this whole little orchestra spread out 20 feet behind your desk. :-)

 

I'm curious: Since you have the Mini's 8-9 feet apart and at ear height, do you have the two DWM's sitting just below them? Have you played around with the relative distance to listener between the Mini's and the DWM's? Of course that also raises the question of whether the presence of the true ribbon in that configuration outperforms a pair of 1.7's sitting in the same place?

 

[audiozorro]

My original intention was to have the midrange/tweeter panels and the DWM woofer on a 34" tall wall divider in my living room but since the wall divider is 10ft long I figured I could experiment whether one or two DWM woofers would sound better.

 

Unfortunately I never got that far. I currently have the Mini Maggies downstairs playing with or instead of my modified Acoustat 2+2 speakers. Besides breaking in the new Maggies in a familiar setting, I was most interested in comparisons. As expected both the 8ft electrostatics and Mini Maggies bring different strengths and weaknesses to the table.

 

My current plan is to evaluate whether I want to set up a 5.4 system (I have 4 subs) downstairs using the Acoustats for the front L/R speakers, the existing Mini Maggies with two DWM woofers for the rear L/R speakers and a new Mini Maggie system with only one DWM for the center channel. Since I will be using the Acoustats, it's not Minis all around, though I do think that an all around Mini system might be an affordable sonic treat.

 

In the downstairs I will be exploring whether the DWM woofers sound better at ear level or right below the midrange/tweeter panel or on the floor. To me one of the beauties of the Mini Maggies is their flexibility in placement for optimizing sonics in the room.

 

The step up from an all around Mini multi-channel system might be to replace the front L/R Minis with the 3.7 or 20.1 speakers. I assume that would be more impressive, more expensive and require more space (like I'm telling you something that you don't know).

 

Of course if one is willing to move away from true ribbons or the 20.1 DiPlanar woofer technology, there are less expensive Maggies that one could use to explore these options but I not interested in those lesser Maggies.

 

Because of budget, other interests and time it may be several months before I complete my adventures but I view this as a hobby to be enjoyed as you travel down different roads rather than some rush to complete.

 

[ccclapp]

I've been looking at the mini for a home office zone, glad to see your review. I too have the lexicon mc12b (non-hd) in my main room with Infinity Prelude MTS tower/subs.

 

May I ask a few related questions:

 

-- it seems odd to me that the Maggie minis recommend the Mid/bas panel in the desk kick space. I would think the user' s ever changing leg position would not allow for a well tuned setup. I see you have that panel above desk level. Do you find that preferred?

 

-- as others suggest I also would have thought dual mid/sub panel would be preferred. What's your take on that?

 

-- what's an affordable amp(s) that is well suited for these?

 

-- as an alternative to a new amp, would it be a big mistake to run 30' from my theta dreadnought multi-channel amp in my main zone to the office Maggies with reasonably priced speaker cable?

 

--unrelated to Maggies , but since you have mc12... How do you find it's DAC vs a good external DAC for 2ch music?

 

Thanks??

 

 

[sdolezalek]

--I believe that the recommendation for putting the bass panel in the kick space is to maximize the bass reinforcement. I do agree, however, that it limits how the sound travels and so after experimenting a bit, I put mine behind and above my computer monitor. Not, however, that I use a corner desk and so my bass panel does benefit from the bass loading that the corner behindit creates.

 

--A dual mid/sub panel would be great, but also significantly add to overall system size. You could use them like AudioZorro does, in a stacked configuration as regular speakers in a smaller room, but it would be hard to get that much speaker on a desk.

 

--In another thread here there is a discission about using the compact Wired4Sound amp that sounds pretty interesting. I used a 400 watt/channel Carver amp that I had sitting around but it is pretty big.

 

--Running the 30 feet doesn't sound like a great idea because unless you are also using the main system as the source/DAC that means 30 feet each way.

 

--With regard to the DAC's in the MC-12, I don't think they compete with the better DACs discussed here on Computer Audiophile, but I run that system as a 5.1, so even a great DAC would still go through the Lexicon conversion process at some time. I'm paying close attention to the new Lexicon MP-20 to see what its DACs look like and obviously to see what the Harmann upgrade policy will be.

 

Good luck with your CAPS system.

 

[ccclapp]

"Running the 30 feet doesn't sound like a great idea because unless you are also using the main system as the source/DAC that means 30 feet each way."

 

Actually, if I drive the Maggies from my main room the source (CAPS) and Mytek DAC would be there too, so it's only a speaker cable length question ( with " reasonably priced cable " being relevant, since if cable price exceeds price of new amps, I won't have accomplished much)

 

Thanks for your reply

 

 

[audiozorro]

“May I ask a few related questions:

-- it seems odd to me that the Maggie minis recommend the Mid/bas panel in the desk kick space. I would think the user' s ever changing leg position would not allow for a well tuned setup. I see you have that panel above desk level. Do you find that preferred?”

 

As Magnepan is promoting the Mini Maggies as desktop speakers it makes perfect sense to have the DWM woofer in the desk kick space since it would be centered for proper stereo imaging and it would get bass reinforcement from the floor. This setup wouldn’t work for me since I value all the leg space under my desk to move around and stretch. On top of the desk in between the two midrange/tweeter panels would also work except for the likelihood that most people would have a computer monitor or laptop in that position, hence in the desk kick space is the logical alternative.

 

Personally the Mini Maggies are too rich for me to use as desktop speakers. For me it’s not just the expense but I think the Mini Maggies would make it harder for me to get my work done. I have been very happy using the Audioengine 2s for desktop speakers. If I wanted something more I would probably opt for the Audioengine 5s.

 

“-- what's an affordable amp(s) that is well suited for these?”

 

I am partial to tubes. The Vincent's SP-331 hybrid amp for $1199 provides 300 wpc at 4 ohms and works well with the Mini Maggies.

 

“-- as an alternative to a new amp, would it be a big mistake to run 30' from my theta dreadnought multi-channel amp in my main zone to the office Maggies with reasonably priced speaker cable?”

 

Rather than setting up a completely separate secondary system with source, DAC, and preamp I might run very long inexpensive speaker cables to Mini Maggies. I’m not sure of the exact length that I will need so I bought 60ft Monster speaker cable that Audio Advisor had on sale for $19.95

 

“-- as others suggest I also would have thought dual mid/sub panel would be preferred. What's your take on that?”

 

Dual DWM woofers and dual subs is definitely superior but the Mini Maggies with one centered DWM woofer does exceptionally well. Because I like deep powerful bass I might be inclined to recommend adding one sub to the Mini Maggies before going on to add a second DWM woofer and second sub.

 

 

 

[ccclapp]

"Dual DWM woofers and dual subs is definitely superior but the Mini Maggies with one centered DWM woofer does exceptionally well. Because I like deep powerful bass I might be inclined to recommend adding one sub to the Mini Maggies before going on to add a second DWM woofer and second sub."

 

What reasonably priced single sub would you mate with the minis with their single DWM?

 

Would such a system be driven with a single pair of speaker-level feeds, or would this be a combo of speaker and line level and/or other form of bi-amping?

 

Thanks

 

PS sorry to be jumping around on Mini Maggie threads with you, but I just reread this one...

 

[audiozorro]

I run my main speakers, whether my electrostatics or Maggies full range.

 

I prefer to use speaker inputs and I feed the plate amps of subs off my main speakers binding posts. I think this provides better synergy between the main speakers and subs. However when playing around with various setups, which I am currently doing, I use line level inputs for convenience.

 

There are several excellent subwoofers that work well with Maggies. For the budget conscious or if you want dipoles, you really can’t beat DIY.

 

DIY Ripole Subs:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=92003.0

 

Phoenix Dipole Subs:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/woofer.htm

 

Open Baffle Subs:

http://www.gr-research.com/pdf/obsub.pdf

 

If you prefer to buy something ready made, these are good choices for subwoofers to be used with Maggies. They are not cheap, but they are good which IMO is more important when adding subs.

 

Swarm Subs:

http://www.audiokinesis.com/product_ak_swarm.html

 

Rythmik Subs:

http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F12SE.html

 

 

 

[ccclapp]

Thanks @audiozorro! It was great of you to provide the links and options. Likely I'm not up for the DIY just yet. The audiokinesis are reasonably priced and have a good story to tell on their website, but I have no way of evaluating, since I know absolutely nothing about subs. Are these great or ok, in the context we're discussing , ie w mini Maggies?

 

Beyond the minis, is this a very good sub for other high quality setups and to expand with by adding a 2nd? Or, do you specially recommend them for the minis?

 

Thanks again!

 

[audiozorro]

I can't comment further whether the AudioKinesis Swarm v2.0 Bass System is sonically superior than two Rythmik Audio F12 subs for the Mini Maggies. It would be great if you could evaluate both in your home but my feeling both are excellent choices.

 

I would specify two Rythmik subs because I am a big believer in stereo bass. But there is the cost advantage of buying one Rythmik now and another later when your budget permits. However, while the AudioKinesis Swarm is a higher cost it does consist of 4 subs.

 

For the budget conscious and keeping in line with the Mini Maggie speaker system a single DWM woofer centered between the midrange/tweeter panels, a single Rythmik F12 sub might be the best way to go with fewer dollars.

 

 

 

[ccclapp]

Above I said: "The audiokinesis are reasonably priced and have a good story to tell on their website", but meant to say this of the Rythmik Audio.

 

You said: "For the budget conscious and keeping in line with the Mini Maggie speaker system a single DWM woofer centered between the midrange/tweeter panels, a single Rythmik F12 sub might be the best way to go with fewer dollars"

 

Sounds like we are on the same page...

 

Thanks again!

 

[lhissink]

Folks,

 

I've had a chance to listen to the Mini Maggies for some time now and can confirm some reported observations in the audio press (TAS etc) - they are accurate transducers but require a lot of amplifier power, more than what I had assumed.

 

My system is atypical - I dwell in a mobile home and have a desktop at one end that measures some 2 metres wide and 0.57 metres deep in a corner of the home; sort of a mobile office that I had purposefully designed. Centre piece is a HP LCD computer monitor hooked to the latest Apple Mac-mini (attached to the wall by velcro) flanked by the Mini-Maggies with tweeters inside. The bass unit is under the desk in the footwell. Sources are the Mac-Mini via a MF Vlink/Toslink connection to an Accuphase DAC-30 driving an Accuphase C2110 pre via Audioquest Columbia xlr's to Roger Sander's Magtech power amplifier. Other sources include a BAD Alpha DAC sourcing a Bryston BDP-1 or Cambridge Audio Azur 650T using XLR or coax cabling. SACD's are sourced via a Denon 2000AE player, and CD's via a MF M1CDT via XLR into the Alpha DAC. (I have great difficulty hearing any significant difference between the Alpha DAC and the DAC-30, by the way). The Azur tuner is being replaced by the Accuphase T-1100 as well.

 

I also have to admit I used to sell Hi Fi during mining downturns and as a result earned, whether deserved or not, a reputation as not having "cloth ears", an allusion that one is not tone deaf, so I am aware of the use of pyscho-acoustics to sell Hi Fi. In that sense I have to comment that the "high end" in audio means equipment that faithfully reproduces the recorded sound field. This definition does not apply to electronically confected music, however.

 

So how do the Mini Maggies perform in my system? Pretty well all considered. There is no gut-thumping bass, of course, the "doof-doof" one might encounter in a traffic jam, but, and depending on the recording, one does hear a near holographic reproduction of the recorded sound field.

 

As other reviewers have noted, the Mini Maggies are accurate in the sense that they reveal shortcomings in the equipment used to drive them. In my case using the C2110/Magtech combination in a near field environment at acoustically real replications of the recorded signal caused the amplifiers to clip. Yet playing electronically confected music, clipping seemed not to occur.

 

Could the Mini Maggies be improved?

 

Yup - add a subwoofer to reproduce the "start" of the music, but not the "doof, doof one must suffer during traffic jams. My choice is B&W's PV1D for the moment.

 

[mav52]

I tried the Mini's along with the MMG's at my home on loan from the local dealer with my Vincent's SP-331 hybrid amp, loved the sound. The mini's although sounding clear and articulate were just too big for my desk.

 

[ccclapp]

"I tried the Mini's along with the MMG's"...

 

...how would you compare the Minis to the MMG? I am trying to decide between the two in my 12x14 office. I would likely add some "treatment" at the reflection point on my glass desk and/or a cork overlay. [note in my config the desk is open...just a glass slab on metal frame.]

 

having considered options, I prefer the idea of the MMGs due to cost, flexibility (for other locations) etc.

 

I also still have conceptual issues with the mini 2.1 with low mid under desk. I may have to get and set up both, but Id prefer to narrow the options than torture myself and the dealer for that. Audiogon is also a good option for MMGs (I may mod mine anyway: x/o, stand, frame)

 

Any wisdom from all of you who know more than me?

 

Thanks

 

[crisnee]

Hey Caleb,

 

Fancy meeting you here. Why not do the 60 day trial from Magnepan?

 

I have the MG 12s and I have a small open platform desk on rollers. For critical listening I can roll it out of the way, but because it's open, fairly small and is mostly covered in leather and cloth it doesn't interfere too much even when it's in place.

 

Can you put rollers on your desk?

 

-Chris

 

[ccclapp]

Fancy, indeed.

 

Yes, you caught me replying on dueling threads (I guess that's dual, not dueling, as no fighting's going on)

 

I answered your similar reply to my similar post over there, which is here:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/My-new-system-underwhelminghow-do-I-improve-sound#comment-140275

 

For those scratching their heads, that is a non-Maggie thread that has become a "Maggie-fest" as described by another.

 

[maelob]

"Dual DWM woofers and dual subs is definitely superior but the Mini Maggies with one centered DWM woofer does exceptionally well. Because I like deep powerful bass I might be inclined to recommend adding one sub to the Mini Maggies before going on to add a second DWM woofer and second sub."

 

What reasonably priced single sub would you mate with the minis with their single DWM?

 

Would such a system be driven with a single pair of speaker-level feeds, or would this be a combo of speaker and line level and/or other form of bi-amping?

 

Thanks

 

PS sorry to be jumping around on Mini Maggie threads with you, but I just reread this one...

 

Hello,

I just bought a pair for my desk in my room, and I have to say wow they are really nice, very detailed and open sound. I am a newbie so I dont have a lot of experience with expensive speakers but they sound way nicer than my Dyanaudio Audience Speaker in my living room. However, the bass is not really strong, I mean you know its there but I feel its missing on bass output. Caveat to that I only got the speakers two weeks ago and I have not really broke them down yet, but still I am definitely adding a small subwoofer for the room soon. So if you love your bass, add a subwoofer for sure.

I am thinking of adding a HSU or EPIK sub since they are great bargains with good quality and performance.

[emailtim]

...

 

DIY Ripole Subs:

DIY Ripole Subs

 

Phoenix Dipole Subs:

Dipole Woofer

 

Open Baffle Subs:

http://www.gr-research.com/pdf/obsub.pdf

 

...

 

Rythmik Subs:

Rythmik Audio servo subwoofer 12" F12SE Signature Edition

 

I am going to give a Rythmik/GR Research OB dipole combo a try with my Mini-Maggies. I temporarily tried a Martin Logan Descent which added a nice bottom fill, but is way overkill for an office.

 

I will experiment with 2 H-Frame dipoles when the drivers arrive. If they work out, I will try more with my larger Maggies.

 

IvyBridge 3770S/SSD PC -> Win7-64/JRMC-18 -> Xonar Essence STX -> W4S STI-1000 Integrated -> Mini-Maggies.

[The Computer Audiophile]

The Mini Maggies have been on my mind since I first heard them several years ago at Audio Advice in NC. I'd love to try them on my desk, but have one concern about the space needed behind the speakers.

 

Anyone have a recommendation about how much room one should have behind the main two speakers?

[4est]

28 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

The Mini Maggies have been on my mind since I first heard them several years ago at Audio Advice in NC. I'd love to try them on my desk, but have one concern about the space needed behind the speakers.

 

Anyone have a recommendation about how much room one should have behind the main two speakers?

I would assume that it is similar to the full sized units in most regards. In the words of Barry D- every foot equates to a grand in value. It is about the delay time of direct vs reflected sounds as I understand it. I doubt there is anyway around it or I might have given up my HPs.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Yeah, I hear ya. I'm worried I don't have enough space behind my desktop speakers to place Mini Maggies. 

[Ralf11]

call up Wendell and ask - he is very honest and will tell you not to buy if he thinks it is not wise

 

but AFAIK, it depends on how important sound-staging is to you - I think they will still give you the Speed you Need

 

I have a thought experiment (or fantasy) where my Maggies form part of the ext. walls on my house... the back side of them radiates out into space

[nxrm]

On 1/20/2012 at 4:48 PM, audiozorro said:

I run my main speakers, whether my electrostatics or Maggies full range.

 

I prefer to use speaker inputs and I feed the plate amps of subs off my main speakers binding posts. I think this provides better synergy between the main speakers and subs. However when playing around with various setups, which I am currently doing, I use line level inputs for convenience.

 

There are several excellent subwoofers that work well with Maggies. For the budget conscious or if you want dipoles, you really can’t beat DIY.

 

DIY Ripole Subs:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=92003.0

 

Phoenix Dipole Subs:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/woofer.htm

 

Open Baffle Subs:

http://www.gr-research.com/pdf/obsub.pdf

 

If you prefer to buy something ready made, these are good choices for subwoofers to be used with Maggies. They are not cheap, but they are good which IMO is more important when adding subs.

 

Swarm Subs:

http://www.audiokinesis.com/product_ak_swarm.html

 

Rythmik Subs:

http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F12SE.html

 

 

 

Just wanted to know which sub one the Rythmik 12 sealed vs. the GR Research OB shoot out.

 

Which pair of subs sounded more musical, more accurate and less distortion (cleaner)? 

 

Assuming the recording had a large 3-D soundstage, which pair of subs delivered that best?

 

If you still have both the Rythmik 12" sealed and the GR OB subs, do you have both pairs of subs running always?

 

If not, which subs to you listen to most often?

 

 To what degree have you corrected the room acoustically (absorbers, diffusers, et al)?

 

 

 

 

To what degree have you corrected the room via software or hardware (REW, DIRAC, Camilla DSP, Audiolense, Mini DSP, et al)?