Hello everyone,
here is a review of Jack, one of my friends who for the first time listened to my audio system..
"Hello everybody,
I would like to share with you about Magnepan panels, because I realized , just yesterday , a very, very nice Magnepan 3.7s listening .
A friend of mine, after listening to my system based on classic loudspeakers (PE Leon Nobilis ), wanted me to discover his sytem.
The latest listening that I had with Magnepan panels go back to more than fifteen years ago and had not left me a lasting souvenir. So I went backwards being practically convinced, prejudices are hard to overcome, that these panels lack in bass extension, in dynamic and in timbres. I all got wrong !
Listening room must be sixty square meters with a high ceiling . No acoustic treatment ( what a pity!) but good damping anyway.
44,1KHz CD Files songs are mainly played with a Macbook Pro early 2011 connected to a Yulong full discrete AZP OPA DA8 DAC linked by USB plug (without any power supply) , and some CDs on a Cayin CD player quite revised ( with full discret AZP OPA and Duelund capas) .
Amps are mono blocks Threshold (renovated SA/6e), the preamp is a VB Audio Analogue Bellini which is doing well, although I was afraid that this was the weak link. XLR and LS cables are Odeion Omega.
The speakers are pretty pinches inward to 1.50 m from the rear wall , separated from each other by about 2 m. But most of all, listening position is very closed, only 2 meters from panels and that really stunned me. But I must admit that it was not a sticking point .
On listening : actually a solo piano is in the room. Everything is there: physically " palpable ", explosive dynamic , fair tones , accurate notes, 3-D imaging, a bass extension subjectively very low and that really surprised me. I did not expect at all, I must confess : mea culpa . Prejudices are hard to overcome. It is sometimes good to reconsider your positions.
Whether on doublebass with voice ( Musica Nuda ) , or on jazz quartet (Eddie higgins quartet ) or on vocals with orchestral accompaniment ( Brel, Youn Sun Nah , It F and others) , no complaints , everything is realistic at his place.
I tried to find the flaw in vain......... but, no, I have not found anything wrong. I have over 25 years of "business" listenings, I was enough lucky to listen to a very high standard of many systems. I must admit this one is very, very close to the highest step.
You shall understand in a nutshell , all my prejudices on the panels are gone although I am aware that in order to optimize their functioning must artillery be heavy. Finally their large size limits their use in a living-room.
You can count me among the new converts. I swear not to speak ill of said panels .
And finally a big thank to my friend who introduced me to a beautiful audio system."
Jack's audio system:
- Vitus Audio CD Player (12.000 euros)
- Modwright Preamp 36.5 (13.000 euros)
- Mcintosh 402 Ampli (9.000 euros)
- P.E. Etienne Léon NOBILIS loudspeakers (9.600 euros)
- PS Audio Audio Power Plant Premier Power Generator (??€)
- finite element Pagode Référence Master HD07 (6750 euros) with cerabase x4 (475 euros)...
My audio system:
- source: Macbook Pro with Yulong DA8 DAC (Full AZP discret OPAs) by USB (without USB external power supply) and Cayin CDT-17A (Full AZP discret OPAs)
- preamp: Audio Analogue VB Bellini preamp,
- Ampli: Mono Blocks Threshold SA/6e (renovated),
- Loudspeaker: Magnepan 3.7
- Cables: XLR and LS Odeïon Omega