Speaker of the year: Magnepan 3.6/R
I've reviewed a gazillion speakers, and I can't remember more than a few dozen of them. They're just a string of big and little boxes; some sounded really nice, most were merely OK, and surprisingly few were truly awful.
Magnepan's speakers stand out from the crowd first because they're so thin, the MG 3.6/R is 1.5 inches thick, and standing 71 inches high, it's really tall. But it was the sound that blew me away. It's an incredibly clear, high-resolution sound, and sounds decidedly unspeakerlike. That's why it's the Audiophiliac's Speaker of the Year.
The 3.6/R at home
(Credit: Magnepan)As I said in my Home Entertainment magazine review "That's why the MG 3.6/R will sound like a revelation to first-time listeners; the gap between the sound of real, live music and recorded music feels a whole lot smaller. The speaker projects a more full-bodied, three-dimensional soundstage than any box can; correction, the MG 3.6/R's sound was bigger and deeper than I've ever heard from a speaker retailing for less than $50,000. With the MG 3.6/R instruments and voices emerge closer to their real-life scale and size. Clearly, Magnepan engineers changed the way speakers move air."
Instead of the usual woofer and tweeter, the MG 3.6/R uses three "planar-magnetic" drivers: a 55-inch tall aluminum foil "ribbon" tweeter; a 199-square-inch 0.5-mil-thick Mylar midrange diaphragm; and a 500 square inch Mylar woofer. The speaker is essentially a panel that moves air, and projects sound from its front and rear surfaces. The drivers are Magnepan patented designs, all manufactured at the company's factory in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. American hi-fi at its best.
The affordable Magnepan, the MMG
(Credit: Magnepan)More about the planar-magnetic midrange and woofer. Rather than use a conventional voice coil that pushes and pulls the center of a cone diaphragm, wire grids are deployed across much of the surface of the flat planar-magnetic diaphragm--the design gambit produces lower distortion than cone or dome type drivers. Sounds radical, but the MG 3.6/R is far from a cutting edge design: It's been in production for more than ten years, and the original MG 3 debuted in 1983.
The sheer believability of the sound can be, at first, a little jarring. The ribbon tweeter is so much more realistic sounding than any dome tweeter I've ever heard. Cymbal crashes sound like crashes. The treble dynamics/impact/vibrancy are absolutely state of the art. So much so that returning to box speakers can be a letdown, they sound smaller, more contained, and well... boxier.
The MG 3.6/R goes for $5,395 a pair, and sure, that's a lot of money. But it's an investment that pays off over the long haul; it's the kind of speaker you can own and enjoy for decades. Let's compare and contrast the MG 3.6/R with Nikon's latest dSLR, the D3, that retails for $5,000, without a lens. Nikon will probably sell thousands of them.
I'm sure it's a great camera, but digital camera technology is still advancing at a fast clip, and this state-of-the-art wonder will be hopelessly out of date in a few years. Besides, anybody who can afford to drop that kinds of money on a camera will likely move on to the next big thing by then. It's "disposable" technology, so in that sense it's way more expensive to own that a great high-end audio system.
Some lucky so and sos blow $932 a day to rent a Ferrari 355 GTS.
I've blogged about the 3.6/R's little brother, the MG 1.6/QR ($1,895), but if that's still out of range, check out Magnepan's $599/pair model, the MMG (which is sold direct). Match that baby up to a nice integrated amplifier like Rotel's sweet RA-1062 ($699), and you'd be well on your way. I haven't heard the MMG yet, but hope to review it sometime next year.
Steve Guttenberg is a frequent contributor to magazines and Web sites including Home Entertainment, Playback, and Ultimate AV. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. 
Would also like to see its directional characteristics for the tweeter, for sitting vs standing.
My family has owned a pair of the original MG 3's so I think I can answer your questions. The low frequency response isn't great, but it isn't terrible. It's has a little bloom around 70hz and it rolls off pretty quickly below that. As for efficiency, I can't remember the exact numbers but the pair I listen to are bi-amped by a modified Hafler 500 and a modified Hafler 220. I've heard them run with just the 220 and they didn't sound nearly as full or dynamic which leads me to think that the efficiency has got to be pretty low. In terms of the directional characteristics, the sound I hear does depend on the sitting height and listening position. If you sit too close to the outside of the speaker of have them toed-in too much the ribbon tweeters sound unnatural and harsh, however with correct positioning they sound a lot like what Steve was describing in his review, as well as the comments below by rocketplanet. Overall the MG's aren't my favorite speaker because I find that I enjoy a little bit of a warmer sound and they're kind of like holding a magnifying glass up to whatever source material you feed them - i.e. MP3's sound particularly crappy and the recording techniques of modern pop music often becomes unbearable. Then again, if you throw in some decent vinyl or even a decent redbook cd they sound amazingly alive.
The problem with open woofer is that as soon as half-wavelength becomes longer than the trip from the back side to the front side, the output begins to fall. Even with wavelength under that trip length there can be a few good drops in the frequency response.
Tall tweeter only gives reasonably good response in quite narrow angle. For example, on 5 kHz (66 mm wavelength) the main lobe of the response diagram (assuming the tweeter is 55" or 1400 mm tall) is only 3 degrees wide (at -3dB), though in the room you're close to the near zone, where directionality is more complex. 3 degree at 2m distance is 100 mm difference in height. At 15 kHz that would be just 1 degree. The harshness you experience when you're far off-axis is because the frequency response becomes very uneven, with deep minimums. A traditional dome tweeter doesn't have that because of its small dimensions.
Also, you need a VERY, VERY powerful amp to drive them and make the bass come alive. These are a very ineffiecinent speaker and require a lot of power. You start looking at a 300watt (into a 4 ohm load) and go up from there. The bigger the number, and the better the amp, the better the results. New digital amps have made this much more affordable.
The Sanders Sound (formerly Innersound) ESL amps, Bel Canto Ref1000 Monoblocks and the awesome Cary Audio 500MB amps are a great place to start.
But in truth nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to Magneplanar. I have the second generation 3.6 II MG's which I have had for 20 years. I have been through another 5 pair of selected home theater and stereo speakers since this time and built many DJ and band speakers that at first impress and then disapoint over extended time (the band speakers are still fine for their application).
Their is an indescribable characteristic of the Magneplanars that envelope you in sound, the speakers disapear and they create a 3 dimensional image of the sound that transports you to the live setting. You can actually identify where the musicians are on good recordings. The midrange is good on the older speakers but the tweeter is magic. I play drums and no tweeter on this earth can reproduce the treu complexity of a cymbal played with a variety of techniques except the magneplanar. The 6 foot aluminum ribbon simply breathes into the air and the sound appears around you, No other speaker can even come close. The next best approximation is all horn based systems (think mega bucks and room sized speakers). All music is simply better on these speakers compared to everything else.
They are power hungry, when supplied with enough power they seem to have limitless dynamics. There is a weakness and that is gut wrenching, pound your chest bass. It isn't there. The bass response is good but I use a subwoofer. The sub frees up the Magneplanar from it's power limitations in the bass region and allows it to reach sound levels of epic porportions.
Get a pair of these speakers, feed it with the best quality sound source you can muster, give it plenty of power and it will transport you to another dimension.
the speaker involves mylar ribbon "stretched" between long magnets in vertical columns, and the MLs are 2 curved metal "plates" with holes in them sandwiching a thin plastic sheet, to put the difference in the crudest possible terms.
but in all seriousness, i can't imagine two 6 foot tall speakers looking anything but bulky and tacky in a room. that said, i'd still love to hear/own them.
this is from an Audio website, shows one of the many member systems with Maggies
It was that way when I elected to by my Martin-Logans years ago. It was again that way when I bought my Thiels.
If you do listen mostly to Jazz and Classical they would probably be superb, but I think you'd still be yearning for a bit more warmth from that upright bass and dynamic power from Wagner. They are, at first glance, fairly ugly (in my mind) and seem ideal for movie posters or as an easel.
Ok, maybe a bit harsh, but I was left with the undying impression that the speakers required the expense of MacIntosh, Adcom, Rotel type amplification and the correct environment for the intended experience. We had adaquate amplification but maybe our environment was lacking.
All types of music sounded outstanding on the Genelecs.
For the money, I'll keep my 15 year old NHT 2.3's
I currently own MG2.7Qr along with Martin Logan's plus some conventional box systems and I find they each have there own strengths & weaknesses but I can say this, Given enough amp the Maggies are something to be desired. No they are not the greatest for Rock & Roll but put some acoustic music on them and watch them shine. They seem to portray natural instruments and voices better than anything else made.
I listen to a LOT of rock music at very high SPL levels, so Maggies can rock out, but that requires a ton of power from the amps. Huge power monoblocks are the best (Cary Audio 500MB are my current favs). and bi-amping the speaker is really the best way to enjoy what it can do.
I have never had someone come over to listen to these that was not absolutely floored and quit giving me grief about my audio obcession. In fact, many a pair of Magnepans have been bought in my town from auditions at my house.
Buying a pricey pair of speakers (or roomful, if home theater is the objective) is no less--or more--wise than someone who goes out and splurges on a Ferrari F430. You don't NEED a Ferrari to get from Point A to Point B, but some would rather make do with one than trundle along in a Toyota Yaris. Go figure. Yes it could be seen as conspicuous consumption, but damn, if you can afford it and lust after its auditory nirvana for your ears, why not?
Equipment like these Maggies are not 'need to own' items, but if you value superb audio performance they in and of itself can be a very wise purchase because of the countless hours of pleasure these give you. How can you say that this sort of valued enjoyment for the price is automatically a bad investment just because you take issue with the number of zeros that they have behind the five? Hell, there are a LOT more speakers out on the market that dwarf these in terms of price.
And besides, the price is relative. When you get into the rarefied stratosphere of the poor old "audiophile" even $5k is looked at as being a bargain.
Go Bears!
The question is will your wife let you put those big ugly things out on display in your living room?
I think I know the answer.
Steve I have been reading your work for many years now.
I just think that our breed died a long time ago.
- by bobjim2 November 7, 2009 2:29 PM PST
- Steve,
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(27 Comments)Given your enthusiastic response to the Magneplanars, I wonder if you've ever had the chance to audition Roger Sanders 10b electrostatics? If you have, what is your opinion of them? I haven't heard them, but I have listened to the Magneplanar 3.6's and quite frankly I prefer the sound of my 30 year old Acoustat model 3's (being driven by the superb Sanders Electrostatic amplifier). The Magneplanars sound brittle and edgy to my ear. True, the Acoustats do not have the same bass response, but for an apartment dweller such as myself that is actually of benefit. The bass they produce does not bother the neighbors but is exquisitely well defined and solid. The Sanders ESL amp deserves all the credit for this. I can honestly say that I never realized how good the Acoustats could sound until they were connected to that amp. The speaker cables are also an "electrostatic specific" product from Sanders and the improvement in the upper frequencies with them is both immediate and astonishing. Those model 3's may be old, but paired with the proper equipment (including a Macintosh C-45 pre-amp) they can stand up against a whole host of "new and improved" hardware. There, I've said it and I'm glad!