Magnepan MMG vs. Revel M12 Concerta

[thrasher521]

I need a set of speakers for my vinyl setup ( Music Hall 5.1->Outlaw RR2150) and i was looking at both the Revel M12 Concerta bookshelf speakers and the Magnepan MMG. I will be playing all styles in a large room and I was curious about the pros and cons of each (why planars would be better or worse). I will also be using a small subwoofer as well. Thanks.

 

[emelius]

sorry i was late responding to your last thread...

i've never tried either of those, but i'll vote for the mmg simply because i've always been curious as to the nature of their following...

what are the strengths/weaknesses of the outlaw?...

 

[thrasher521]

actually i just got it this morning and haven't had a moment to try it out, but i will let you know once i do

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

awesome, I am looking at possibly getting the MMG's as well. Do let us know how they sound.

 

[gevorg]

I used to have MMGs with Music Hall MMF-5 turntable, powered by Onkyo A-9555.

The sound in this setup was very open, airy and unfatiging. The wide sound stage was amazing, creates a lifelike sound reproduction. It wasn't as detailed as K1000 or D5000 headphones (didn't have bookshelf speakers to compare head to head), but I still enjoyed listening to MMGs more than headphones. One area that MMGs were lacking was bass, so if you listen to a bass heavy music like rock, a decent sub will definitely compliment MMGs well. In general, MMGs are more for a small to midsize rooms, so if you have a large one, bigger Maggie should be a better choice. You can get more feedback at Audio Asylum Planars forum.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Do your homework on whether you'd want dipoles or not. If you want that type of sounstage and openness, the Maggies are a good choice. Also consider the size of your room - some models would be more appropriate depending on size.

Be sure to browse the used ones at Audiogon, too. The MMG goes for $600 new, but I've seen used 1.6QRs go between $900-$1,100. If you could stretch for that, you'd probably be happier. I've also seen Quads go in that area - I couldn't be happier with the ESL-63s.

 

[keesue]

I have magnaplaner 3.6s and I also have Celestion SL700SEs - bookshelf type speakers -so I may be able to give you some input that might be helpful. (The MMGs are in the same family).

The 3.6s are very transparent, detailed and fast. You can hear absolutely everything on a recording both good and bad and they envelope you. They resolve to the nth degree. They can be a bit bass shy as they don't reach down to the bottom of the octave. Some say they lack the 'slam factor' which is in part a result of not having that bottom octave and also the nature of ribbons if they are not powered by a strong amp and They can't move as much air as a cone at high SPLs. I have a sub crossed over by a Marchand XL26 and my amps are modified Cary SLA 70 monoblocks putting out close to 100w in class A mode. For me, the match of tubes and ribbons is very satisfying with the sub crossed over at the final octave, and yes, they can play very loud! Heh...

The Celestions are equally detailed and transparent. They reach down quite well for their size and are extemely accurate when doing so. Their calling card is accuracy. What is recorded is what you hear. They are actually brutal in their accuracy. They can also play quite loud for their size and are extremely clear when doing so. The difference between the two speakers is subtle. The 3.6s are larger and put out a large image. The Celestions are pin-point in their imaging accuracy. Listening to either, they are both outstanding and both resolve like very few speakers can. After listening to either of these speakers and then listening to other speakers is like a veil has been placed in front of the music. Going from other speakers to these is like having the veil removed. Both of them reproduce the human voice the way it was recorded if that means anything to you.

I listened to scads of speakers over the years before I bought these. Some that I heard and liked, but couldn't afford, others simply could not resolve like these and not as accurate to my ears. For me, resolution and accuracy are paramount. I listen to alot of acoustic Jazz and instruments need to sound like they don in real space.

The Celestions came first and the 3.6s followed several years later. Both are in my listening room and I switch back and forth between them as the mood strikes me. I am a bit more partial to the Maggies though.

Hope that helps...