Magnepan LRS ....>>>Challenge ???

Audio_Karma

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2012
1,245
179
983
Has anyone took Magnepan up on their challenge yet?

:eek: Magnepan LRS $$$$$$650 vs The Very Best Box Speakers...[At Any Price]!... o_O

www.magnepan.com/model_LRS

Steve Guttenburg is doing a review on the Magnepan LRS right now!
 

Audio_Karma

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2012
1,245
179
983
Steve Guttenburg owns some Magnepan .7 and listens to them more than his "TAD Speakers"! The newer Magnepan LRS is said to be even better than the older Magnepan .7's.

 

josh358

Member
Jan 25, 2012
91
27
8
They were mind blowingly good for $650. A video review:


Typical of the reactions I've been seeing (and my own). I don't know of anything that touches them for that kind of money.

Steve Guttenberg did say that the .7's are better, though, in another video review -- which is to be expected since they're the same technology but bigger, so deeper bass and higher output.
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
When are they available to order?
 

josh358

Member
Jan 25, 2012
91
27
8
They're being shipped now, but I've heard that it can take several days to place an order because they've been flooded and then it takes several weeks before they're shipped out. Their site says to send them an email to get in the order queue:

https://www.magnepan.com/model_LRS
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
They're being shipped now, but I've heard that it can take several days to place an order because they've been flooded and then it takes several weeks before they're shipped out. Their site says to send them an email to get in the order queue:

https://www.magnepan.com/model_LRS

Are they direct sales then?
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675

josh358

Member
Jan 25, 2012
91
27
8
Some dealers are also selling them in the US and Canada, it's up to the dealer (many only carry the larger models). I think the blurb at the bottom is pointing out that the direct sales program is only available in the US and Canada -- in Europe, sales would be through their European distributor and his dealer network, and ditto elsewhere around the world.
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Some dealers are also selling them in the US and Canada, it's up to the dealer (many only carry the larger models). I think the blurb at the bottom is pointing out that the direct sales program is only available in the US and Canada -- in Europe, sales would be through their European distributor and his dealer network, and ditto elsewhere around the world.

Thanks
 

thomask

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2018
1,604
1,508
275
64
Washington State, US

Above video appears to give good background about the sound of LRS.


I had used Apogee Duetta Signature driven by Krell KSA 150 from 1989 to 1999.

But I had never used Magnepan in my listening room although I heard them in the stores.

My impression was Magnepan had softer bass than Apogee.

Currently I am driving Lansche 4.1 speaker with plasma tweeter (99db/w spec, real efficiency around 95db/w) by either Line Magnetic 508 48Watt SET or Silbatone 8W SET.

I do not expect LRS to bump out Lansche 4.1.

But I can have fun in using dipole speaker again.

Since I have Lyngdorf 2170 which has an active crossover, I have lot of flexibility.

I will play LRS from 55 hz using Lyngdorf 2170(170watt at 4 ohm) and use PSB subsonic 10 subwoofer down from 55hz.


If LRS give some fun, then I will be happy to keep it as second speaker.

I believe LRS will give lot of people a chance to try out dipole planar speaker for the first time in their life.

I will give my opinion after listening to it for at least one week.

It will be around the end of June.

Thomas
 

josh358

Member
Jan 25, 2012
91
27
8
Plasma tweeters? Very cool! No, I don't think the LRS will displace them. :)

Interestingly though, you're in the target range of the LRS program -- according to Wendell Diller, they want people with $30,000 speaker systems to try the LRS, even if they just do it out of curiosity and expect to send it back, because they have enough of the big Maggie sound so that some of them will like what they hear enough to get the larger Maggies.

Of course, you're already familiar with planars, so for you I imagine it will be more of an interesting what can they do for $650 experiment. I was fairly amazed myself, it was some of the best sound at AXPONA (many of the systems were crippled by show conditions, of course). As I recall, Steve G. says they play in the $2000 range, and having heard them at the show, I think he's right.

The Apogees did go deeper than Maggies of similar size, but according to Wendell, the early Apogees had a midbass suckout because they tuned the diaphragms for deep bass rather than midbass smoothness --- there's only so much bass energy available for acoustical equalization. So Magnepan went for smooth bass rather than extension.

The Apogees also typically had better midrange because of the ribbon mids, but the quasi-ribbon Maggies are closer and the new high quality midrange in the 30.7 is as good as any mid I've ever heard. But the true ribbon Maggies had better highs because the Maggie ribbon tweeter was narrower and lower mass.

I think the LRS is an ideal second system speaker for the serious audiophile, or first speaker for a non-audiophile or someone on a budget. It's surprising that a speaker that's limited to 50 Hz sounds like it's putting out so much bass, but of course it doesn't have the solidity of a planar or dynamic that goes down to 20 or 25 Hz. Some guys are wondering if they wouldn't make good surrounds, too.

Another limitation of the LRS is that it won't work in big rooms without a sub, there isn't enough diaphragm area to couple to a big room.

A week sounds like a good minimum -- they will need burn in, though I understand less than the old wire voice coil Maggies. Looking forward to your impressions!
 
  • Like
Reactions: thomask

Audio_Karma

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2012
1,245
179
983
One Dealer in Canada says these LRS's sound amazing with the new Hegel H90 Integrated amp ! :eek: They did not like these LRS's that much until they heard them with Hegel amp!

If you can afford the new Maggie .7's they say are better speakers and gets you very very close to state-of-the-art! Some say they are the sweet-spot in their line now! They say the Hegel H120 is the best amp to get with the .7's.


Here's more feedback on the all new Hegel amps!:p

 
Last edited:

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing