I always here that "maggies need lots of power". I've owned MGIIa's, a full 5-channel system (MMGs front, MMGC center, MMGw surrounds), and some 3.7rs. They don't need lots of power, but they will absolutely take lots of power and will shine. I had my 5 channel MMG setup and the 3.7s powered by an Emotiva amp. but I also tried a Pioneer Elite A/V receiver. I can tell you, they sound just a good with lower power amps, just not as loud.

I have a pair of MGII's from the 80's that I sent back to the factory for a complete rebuild and they came out sounding amazing. I now also have a pair of 3.7's in a big room with 2 Monolith Sub's with Dirac bass calibration and I absolutely love the way the system sounds. Magnepan is an amazing company that really goes above and beyond for it's customers. Great video, thanks for the work that went in to it.

There is NOTHING in this world like Maggie's. NOTHING. it's an either love them or hate them proposition. My set of MG 2as are from the 80s. I remember hearing a set of Magnapan Tympanys back in the 80s, and I was smitten, but even though the speakers are built at an affordable price point, they were still beyond my humble means. I came across my set of MG2as 2 years ago at an affordable price, and I got to demo them before I purchased them. They have not disappointed at all. They are everything I had hoped for and more. I know your room is small, but if you can pull them away from the wall 3 feet, you would notice a whole different dimension to the sound. Happy to see someone actually post a video about these wonderful speakers. They changed my life, and I'm happy to hear that you also have discoved the magic.

As soon as you mentioned upgrades, I thought of Danny @ GR Research removing the iron core inductors and upgrading the capacitors. Getting rid of any posts that had iron in them, and replacing them with copper connectors..

That was a fun project to work on. Glad you are happy!

Fantastic video; thanks for sharing. I also own a pair of 1.7i's. I did the GR-Research upgrade and am extremely happy with the results, which I amplified with a Bryston 14B3 amp.

I absolutely love this video! there is a lot of passion in it! I have had frequent email contact with Mick from Magnepan and he is absolutely reliable and nice. I hope magnepan can handle the large wave of additional work that this great company will have to do after this video! congratulations again for this fantastic video. Greetings from the Netherlands

Very interesting information regarding the upgrade path for Maggie's, performed at their factory. Really good info to know. Thanks for your work put into this video, and have a great day!

Very cool that they do mods and upgrades! Thanks for the info!

Great video! Very cool that they go the extra mile. I will probably stick with my LRS’s which I absolutely love.

I just picked up a pair of the new Maggie LRS+ speakers and a pair of REL T-Zero MKIII subs... I also added a Rolls SX45 active crossover to the mix, and all I can say is WOW! The crossover made a world of difference in the overall sound. The stress is now relieved off of my amplifier and the frequencies below around 80hz are all going to the RELs. Any congestion in the speakers is now gone, which I did experience with other amps. I'm currently using the Emotiva first generation XPA2, which I find very musical, with incredible instrument separation. I have tried other more expensive Class A'B amps, the last one being the Parasound A23+ and a Crown XLi2500, the Emotiva sounded better. The Class D amps, no soundstage, very 2 dimensional. I also have Danny's crossover kit, need to find time to install that. Very happy with these, and it sounds incredible. I'm listening to Classic music right now, and I have never heard a cello dig so deep! ;-)

Thanks for an excellent video. It opened my eyes to more possible mods to my own maggies.

Outstanding video and thanks for sharing!!!

I remember years and years and a few more ago , seeing and hearing a pair for the first time. It stopped me in my tracks . Amazing resolution

Thanks for an interesting and different video. Always been interested in Magnepans but never had them in a serious listen due to size and space.

Super cool service.

I picked up a pair of MG-IIIA's 6 years ago (Still have them as my mains, a record for me. I've had the SMG and MG-I & MG-II's before, since I discovered them) for $150. Busted on tweeter, another $150. Bass wires were delamed bad. Used the Gunn method of DAP glue. been loving them since. One day I might send them in for a hot rod, but enjoy them as is.

i hope to achieve the sound result you have found.Congrats!

Great story, thanks for sharing.

Smashing video!

Sweet video!

Terrific video, thanks!

Hello, great video! Very surpised with the changes at Magnepan!! This was not what i expected with your video title... thought more of a DIY upgrade. Like I did myself on my 1.7's. But the delam issues, with the rambling, i know that from way back on earlier models. Luckely there was a dealer only few miles from my place that did the repairs in the Netherlands. Last year i had some issues with the 1.7 foil. I informed about repair, but that is way more expensive than the alu wire. So i decided to try out myself with some acetone, silverfoil (kitchen) and the glue.... it worked. Now i had them openend up, and GR Research had just done a vid about a XO upgrade. That was always on my wish list. I used the parts and schematic of Danny from GR Research and local bought wire. That silver/copperwire was not good at all, as i had the same problem with the S-sound on female vocals. So i bought the best copperwire on the market, Neotech from Japan. That made a huge differnence. The tin speakerterminals(never understood that from Magnepan) upgraded with some pure copper from Ali-express. Bypassed the fuses, first upgrade I did on all my previous maggies too. The fuses always gave me trouble while listening to highpitch womans voices like Joni Mitchell. Exept from your version being the 3-way crossover, mine is 2-way, where treble and super tweeter are in series. This is because Danny thinks the super tweeter does not do very much, our upgrades must sound similar. I am very impressed, with every upgrade i make up in the chain, the get keeping better and better. I have added a small 8 inch sub, but like you said, the is not necessary with this setup. Just feed them with clean power. I have never had tubes on them. that make me curious, i was thinking about the latest class D. What is your expercience with the class D amp? Also very suprised as i said, magnepan is now doing upgrades them selfs. The always said about the cheap XO material that this was the best sound the could get price wise. And yet there is so many aftermarket upgrades for Planars... I think they can sound better then 50.000 dollar speakersets. ... Cheers, Ranko

Great video! I think you should name your loudspeakers the Magnepan 1.6MOD with "MOD" standing for My Own Devices. :)

I’m impressed with the service and the new forward thinking of the young(er) tech/s in Magnepan.. I think if ever there was a justification for a boutique fuse (w/ same type and rating oc), here is the place for it.. Magna Risers are up next?

Great info thanks

Great video. I have a set of 1.6’s that have a modification of a small ribbon tweeter added to the top. I bought them that way. They really sound amazing. I can hook and unhook the ribbon tweeter. It makes a dramatic difference, it picks up the very, very high end, which is lacking on this particular speaker. I’m really interested to hear that Magnepan is willing to do some upgrades like better connectors and capacitors. I think my speakers could benefit from that. Though I am very seriously considering instead of 2.7i’s. Keep up the great videos.

Another great video, yup shipping is ridiculous these days. Maybe someday I’ll get a set of Magis.

Great video, I appluad your efforts to contact the manufacturer and pursue potential possibilities ..) Additionally, I am very impressed with your overall video production. You have proven that taking the time to prepare a well thought out presentation, will ensure it's success.

Great Video - I have 1.6's myself for the last 25 yrs. I heard the rattle for the first time with a loud acoustic bass a few days ago. Was waiting for the "1.8" but not sure it will ever come before I drop dead so this is interesting, especially the upgraded crossover. Always a weakness with Maggies. Great to hear they have a new service manager that is into upgrades. thanks!

Magnepan is my favorite all time loudspeaker company. I proudly own their LRS. GO MAGNEPAN!

❤ GREAT Video !!!

I ran my .7 with a Willsenton R8 with 6550 tubes. It’s not as loud as my Luxman but sounds fantastic.

I repaired a pair of 1b Magneplanars from 1984. I'm the original owner. It took a few days, but it wasn't too difficult. They had suffered from delamination. I think the wire on one of the tweeters broke, too. This was 2016. However, I also have a pair of 1.6QRs from 2001. The tweeter foil on one of them broke. It just happens. It's not a matter of abuse. I have the repair kit. But the wiring to the crossover is different from the old 1b, and the procedure looks daunting. A few months ago, I contacted Magnepan and asked them if I could send the 1.6QR speakers to them. They balked. They referred me to the kit. When I told them I was afraid to do it myself, they sent some new instructions.

I watched and enjoyed your video on the Magnepan 1.6X speakers you posted. I noticed a couple of additional things you can do to improve the 1.6X even further. First, replace those large steel signal jumpers in back (they look like large staples) by making a short jumper of high quality speaker cable or other high quality copper or silver. Next please replace the glass fuse in the fuse holder with a quality audiophile fuse. If I may, I found the Synergistic Research Orange fuse to work best on my Magnepan's. However, any audiophile fuse will do a better job than the glass fuse installed. Remember, the better cable and fuses are all directional these days. Install them and listen for a couple days, and then insert them in the opposite direction and listen again. One direction will sound better than the other. I have used Magnepan speakers for 45 years, and they continue to impress me. Yes, Maggie's like clean power. The speaker will tell you if it is stressed. It may take 6 months to a year before deep bass shows up. I trust they sound great now as newly refurbished speakers, but you ain't heard nothing yet. The panels and crossover electronics need time to break-in. Enjoy!

Von Schweikert Audio will goose up older speakers for their customers. Depending how much one wants to spend, it can be mild to wild. But of course, Magnepan and Von Schweikert are completely different, except both are dipole speakers, and the price point aims at a different, more well heeled clientele, as the saying goes. I'm. Interested in the "2" series of Maggies as they reach down lower in frequency. An "X" model would be neat though. As for operation, no sweat, I have some big amps ready to go, whjch I u derstand Maggies love high current amps. In any case, keep up the good work!

Iron-Maiden LIVE concerts sound damn well in my MG-12"X"😋..... now with Cardas rhodiums plugs and NO FUSES....

Super interesting that you ran the with a tube amp.

I have the LRS. I'm done. I have no plans to change. I sold my Harbeths and bought more records. FYI I live in an apartment so 70 DB is my max.

Very cool project. I inherited some MG-IIA's and am considering restoration.

Excellent video. If you are in St. Louis come by for a listen to 3.7i’s on a Ps audio system

The Schiit Freya Plus (tube pre) and a Hypex/Purifi Class D ($700-$1000) is an affordable and perhaps ideal match for Maggies. Worked very well with my .7s. Wish I could hear your 1.6x!

Excelent

I've rebuilt several maggies, Shelia was great, but Mick is my go-to now. I'm still rocking my stock 1.6s. I hope magnepan offers a xover upgrade kit.

Magnepans terminals have not a good finish and they commonly brake and turn sound isolating. We are preparing some gold finished to solve this and may make a video of this soon...

Honestly happy for you. I owned 3.5. Got rid of them. My Focals are so much better it’s ridiculous.

I see Maggie's at flea markets, but are scared to buy them, because of the BUZZING ISSUE. I had a pair repaired 20 years ago and it came back with the repair failure, a waste of money $600.00 never again!!! Now I listen to Acoustat's 6+6 for 30 years NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS for a speaker that is older then Maggie's.

Perfect

You should have seen my 1.6’s. The XO mods included coffee can sized foil air cores.

Gr8 video, thank you I had a pair of maggies in the 80's. I like them but there were things I didn't like, I liked music loud and always blew the speaker fuses. And also they sounded different when sitting or when standing, do you know why this is ? I paid $1000. Canadian back in 82, a lot for back then I think ?

The 1.7i is an amazing speaker and what you have is even better! What is your room size, I'm wondering if my room can accommodate them.

Great video, fellow! On my side, I'm still trying to figure out how to import a pair of LRS or LRS+ to Brazil ...

Wondering how you got a picture of my Magnepan MG 3A & JbL L 100's. I posted them for sale. Was the 2nd photo in the video.

We see that they start to gold the terminals...obvious...

Rsrsrs...wife horror is top, the same here, as we own a pair of 3.6R

Did any of these upgrades improve dynamics and soundstage HEIGHT, that floor to ceiling presentation?

I don’t think the Maggie’s will hurt your tubes at all because they are decoupled by the output transformers.

I have had a couple of Maggie's over the years and what they did well did not fit my personal taste.... However I love the company and have suggested them to other's over the years. I'm kind of a Bass head lol

Curious, for apartments, do planar speakers somewhat play better with neighbours given similar volume levels given their nature, or are they equal enemies vs like a 2 way with 6.5 woofer?

Good to see a company like Magneplanar being so open minded like this👍 Air cored inductors are a definite upgrade in midrange and tweeter circuits, I have done it in my Focal 807v speakers and the gains were very worthwhile😊

I guess the reason I don't have Maggies is that when someone asks the audiophiliac if he recommends them for rock music, he says NO! NO! Not for rock. A lot of people picture them as chamber music speakers, like a lot of electrostats.

They don't need the fuses. I know a guy that does a mod for it where the fuse is taken out and replaced by something different. If you want to know reach out.

do tou think the LRS PLUS would be better than my present Spendor S100❓

👍

I have to ask: For $2000 to repair your old ones and the hassle of shipping them and waiting, would you not been better off just buying a new pair for less money and selling your old ones for some money to offset the cost of the new pair ??

They are going to last for many years to go. Great job to do that to them

Remove passive xover and go for dsp active xover on bass. I did it on my 3.6 and it made night and day difference.

I have had a terrible experience with my LRS+. They never worked properly, I sent them back as per their instructions, and now they are trying to weasel out of refunding me. Good luck getting any speakers from this company to work properly. I had the MMG's back in the day and they were always temperamental, but the LRS+ are garbage as far as I am concerned.

$8k for 20.7 upgrade Not including shipping

Love my Maggie’s but you have cats good luck

foil does not have lower mass... i really dont know how people come up with this. if the resistance is the same..... and both use aluminium. so the weight is as well. it has benefits (and downsides) but weight is not one of them. wire should have more bass then foil. just because foil is using the magnetic gapp less efficient then the foil... maybe the glue is less... but wire vs foil is not the weight difference

Why U continue to dink around? Buck up to the Big Dogs 🐕 20.7s

'Promosm'

Forgot to mention I've read that the Magna Riser stands make a big improvement for not a lot of money. Takes forever to get them though but looks like you'll have these a while.

Rsrsrs...wife horror is top, the same here, as we own a pair of 3.6R