Magnepan LRS Review compared to KEF LS50 and Elac Debut Reference DBR62

Magnepans are impressive looking speakers that don't actually look like speakers... and look more like your acoustic panel. Still, ribbon speakers are generally more responsive than your typical dome tweeter, so we're sure that it will do the highs quite good, but how about the mids and lows? The Audiofool puts the $650 dollar LRS to the test and compares it head to head against the KEF LS50 and Elac Reference DBR62.
01:41 Closer Look
02:57 vs KEF LS50
04:41 vs Tekton Impact Monitor
Links to Sound Demos
Magnepan LRS • Sound Demo v2 029 Magn...
KEF LS50 • Sound Demo v2 015 KEF ...
Elac Debut Reference DBR62 (*monoblock Aegir) • Sound Demo v2 020 Elac...

[@skip1835]

for me - it's all about the sound stage and coherency the maggies provide - it's like music through a giant, wall sized glass window vs a regular size window - great coherency too, I don't get the sense that I'm hearing tweeters or woofers, it's just musical "presentation" - - yep, one does give up some of the "viscera" experience that a dynamic woofer provides, but for me, the trade off is more than worth it. Excellent review, I really like the "comparisons" regardless of the price differences.

[@themastroiannis]

great review! your reviews are really top notch. you are the only reviewer who always compares to other speakers and i find that information absolutely invaluable! you are clear, concise, to the point! great to see you are now including elements such as "soundstage depth", "instrument separation", "silence"... on your charts. that's great!! i hope more folks subscribe to your channel, as you really provide great information no other reviewer provides. you really got me curious about these magnepans...or perhaps their bigger siblings: the .7 or 1.7

[@TheAudiofool]

Thanks! I find reviews without any comparisons to be unhelpful for my purchases, and the reason I came up with this channel is to have more reviewers do the same.

[@peterroy6801]

You are my favorite reviewer on KZbin, and I watch pretty much everybody. Thumbs up!

[@TheAudiofool]

Thanks! Appreciate the kind words!

[@bto7779]

Great helpful video

[@crazyfamily3560]

I used once maggies 1.6 and loved it very much and auditioned 3.6 in my friend's house, the sound was amazing, the openes, the neutralnes, detail and great bass but need power at least 250w/ch

[@Diatonic5th]

Great review! I was considering adding a pair of LRS to my system ,but decided to keep saving and buy a pair of open baffle speakers instead. I think the sound may be similar to the Magnepans, but with better bass response. I'm looking at the Spatial Audio Sapphire M5's now.

[@TheAudiofool]

Bass is the main problem with both maggies and open baffles, but hopefully, Spatial Audio has it sorted out. Let me know how the M5s turn out.

[@Diatonic5th]

@@TheAudiofool That's true. I'll let you know how the M5s work in my room.

[@jon4715]

My Magnepan LRS's sound better than my other speakers that are worth 4 or 5 times what the LRS's cost me. There is no substitute IMO.

[@TheAudiofool]

What are your other speakers? Glad you found the best one for you.

[@cmercerelli]

In my experience need a well treated room, fast sub, and some eq drop -3.5 in the 250 to 420hz range to make them really sing.

[@JG-gg9wk]

Nice break down. Don't know if it's the speaker for me, but would love to hear their offerings. One question, how far off the back wall did you position them??

[@TheAudiofool]

Thank you. I think it was a little a few inches more than 2 feet.

[@carlitomelon4610]

@@TheAudiofool Too close to the rear wall. 3 ft minimum to ameliorate comb filtering etc. Also follow the supplied instructions: tweeter 1inch further away than the bass panel. I have LS50s and LRS in different rooms(2.1 subs for each). Both amazing speakers:-)

[@systemawarrior]

@@TheAudiofool thanks for the review. Carlito is correct they were too close to the front wall.

[@michaelfern945]

Salamat! Very helpful review. I think I'll pass on the LRS because I like strong punchy bass.

[@Jack96993]

I have the one up, the Maggie's. 7's and they are set up 4 ft from the wall 8 ft apart and 11 ft from the listing position They are intergrated with my SVS Ultra 13 Sub But what really makes them come alive is my Spectron musical MK II class D amp. 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms &1,200@1ohms The amp can produce 65 amps for 500 milliseconds I've owned much more exspensive speakers, but feeding the Maggie's this high quality power makes them the best speakers I've ever owned!!

[@TheAudiofool]

Fantastic! I haven't heard that amp, but I'll put it in my have to hear list.

[@Jack96993]

@@TheAudiofool That might be hard to do as Spectron is no longer in business as the owner/ designer John Ulrick has passed away I think they stopped production in the late 2000's I read a few positive reviews on the Spectron amp and took a chance Hey delivered to my door for less tban $1,000US My big worry is what to replace it with if it goes up in a puff of smoke! I'm thinking to replace it with the same performance would cost me a ton.

[@funL1F3]

I have a pair of lrs’s and love them. they do need a somewhat powerful amp. if they r powered properly they have ample fast bass. if u really like bass you will need a small sub or u won’t be happy. i have a small sub and I’m happy with my system. I have a Hegel Rost class a/b integrated amp, 70 watts per channel i believe? Not that big of an amp, but it does the trick. I’m not sure a 25 watt class a amp is really the right amp for the lrs. The more power the better for the lrs. U can also get larger Magnepans for more $, but they have more base and a huge sound stage.

[@TheAudiofool]

Thanks for watching. I believe that wattage is good only for reaching your desired volume, and the more important thing is that you like the sound signature of your amp. In my listening room, I sit about 8 feet away and not only does the aegir gives enough volume, I also like it a lot more than other more powerful amps like the 300w Nova 300 as used in the review, 227w Purifi, 105w Rega Elicit; though I do like the sound better from a Plinius Hautonga 200w. That said, in my living room where I currently use the LRS, I sit about 12 feet away and the Aegir does not produce enough volume so I use the Purifi there instead. So yeah, I dont believe that more power is better but I respect your opinion.

[@matthewhilty4209]

I've heard they sound much different on High Current or Wattage Amps since they are very amp dependent. I'd like to see an amp comparison too.

[@TheAudiofool]

Used a Peachtree Nova 300 for the Elac DBR62 comparison, and currently using a Rega Elicit R with it for my living room, and I personally still like the Aegir but obviously, can't play loud in medium sized rooms and up.

[@michaelmill4806]

@@TheAudiofool Did you try them with 2 x Aegir monos? Will the Aegir's drive them safely when set to mono or will they overheat?

[@TheAudiofool]

@@michaelmill4806 I've tried them with dual aegirs and didn't overheat... that said, it was just at my normal listening levels and didn't drive it too hard. If your room is big, I wouldn't recommend this.

[@kaneda7katsuragi]

Maggies are a good 2nd set of speakers to own. Sound great on some music... when they don't you can swap back to your regular speakers. Swapping between .7's and ls50's it was the impact i found missing on the maggies. Don't know if its because the cone's move more air?

[@firewall8039]

One needs subwoofers with Maggies.

[@user-nv8hh7hm4z]

Hello! My choice is between the two models: KEF Q350 and ELAC Debut B6.2. The difference in price is small - only 120 USD. ELAC Debut B6.2 speakers cost 320 USD and KEF Q350 speakers cost 440 USD. You have compared these models. Which model would you recommend considering their cost for a 9 square meter room?

[@TheAudiofool]

If you like a lot of bass then the Q350 will be a better choice for you; I found it a bit overwhelming for my tastes though, so I would choose the B6.2 for me... better if you can find it cheaper though... maybe wait for Black Friday if you can?

[@user-nv8hh7hm4z]

@@TheAudiofool Thank you so much! It's just that the KEF Q350 speakers used to cost twice as much as ELAC Debut B6.2 (700$ KEF versus 350$ ELAC), and I thought that KEF Q350 was significantly superior to ELAC Debut B6.2 in sound quality. I understand correctly that if you chose ELAC for yourself, then in general these speakers are not much inferior in sound quality (in terms of detail, scene scale, transparency) to the KEF Q350 model, especially for a small room?

[@TheAudiofool]

@@user-nv8hh7hm4z I certainly understand how tempting the Q350 is at that price, and it will certainly sound better than the Elac, as long as you plug the ports with the included bungs. I do have to mention that I got the B6.2 for about $200 so at 200 vs 440, I would go for the Elacs as while the Q350s will be better, it is not 2x the price. at 350 vs 440 though, then I guess I would go for the Q350. What amp will you pair it with btw?

[@user-nv8hh7hm4z]

@@TheAudiofool I also have not yet finally decided on the choice of amplifier. So far, my choice consists of the following models: Marantz PM6006 (470 USD), Denon PMA-800NE (500 USD), Denon PMA-600NE (380 USD), Atoll IN 30 (380 USD), Onkyo A-9130 (370 USD). Maybe you have listened to something from these models and can you recommend in combination with KEF Q350 or ELAC Debut b6.2? Music primarily instrumental rock (Radiohead, Coldplay, Keane), less jazz and electronic music. Thank you very much!

[@TheAudiofool]

​@@user-nv8hh7hm4z Hmmm... I would probably go for the Onkyo and the Q350 if it fits your budget.

[@xavdeman]

If it is possible to cross these over at 80Hz with a subwoofer like a REL, would it address the main shortcoming of these speakers?

[@TheAudiofool]

Yes it could

[@astolatpere11]

I had an audio-related accident with a pair of Magnepan SMGs where I caught the speaker with my belt and knocked one over. Now it rattles. So sad.

[@TheAudiofool]

So sorry to hear that, hope you can have it fixed... maybe the film just came loose.

[@geevee1045]

You say you listened to KEF Q350 and Maggie LRS only 2 feet from the back wall (which I've tried), but you'd be surprised at how deep and spacious, with instruments and voices appearing at different locations in the soundstage, when they're 4 feet from sidewalls and 6 feet from back walls. My KEF Q350 and Maggie SMGa really come alive when wall reflections aren't interfering with their imaging. And the Q350 doesn't need a foam plug at all (like it does at 2 feet). Just a suggestion to try all speakers at least 3 feet from any walls and even more if possible to truly hear what they're capable of. I enjoy your reviews and agree that you have to experiment with different amps to get the best match. Like with the Aegir, it's not always the logical choice that gives the most pleasure.

[@TheAudiofool]

Thank you for watching. My listening room is well treated and so negate a lot of the issues with placements (except for low bass of course), that said I also try the speakers in my much larger (but less treated) living room and they didn't sound better, but pretty much everything sounds better in my listening room (which is why it is my listening room). I actually used the LRS as my living room speakers for a while until I eventually replaced it with the M126BEs. The Q350s I got from a guy with a huge listening room and bloated bass was also complaint; he is rocking REF1s right now and loves the far more neutral bass. The guy I sold the Q350s to also had this complaint despite my warning, but now has special 40s which is more suited to his tastes. Both of them still used the port plugs despite the large rooms, but if you like the bass of the Q350 then fantastic!

[@geevee1045]

@@TheAudiofool I'm not a big believer in wall treatment. You end up with absorbed upper frequencies (based on absorption material thickness) whereas free space or a good distance from walls is equivalent to no early reflections over all frequencies equally. Regarding the Kef Q350s, my experience is that the Q350's over ripe bass muddies the mids when near a wall, but not in free space. But I also recognize that not everyone has a dedicated listening room where they can position their speakers far away from walls, as I suggested.

[@TheAudiofool]

@@geevee1045 There's no need to guess, you can measure RT60 and tune your treatments to that. All rooms need treatement no matter the size (have not seen a movie theater without any treatments), but if it's perfect to your ears then I suppose no treatment is needed.

[@geevee1045]

​@@TheAudiofool Well, you have experience with RT 60 room treatment and I don't, so I'll take your word for it that it works best, and that it doesn't overdamp a room or reduce liveliness and dynamics. But for those that don't have any means of measurement, I would still recommend speakers be placed as far out in the room as possible. But thanks for your response. Like others here, I really appreciate your efforts in describing what you hear, and especially comparisons to other components. Thx.

[@seanb3303]

Bro. You used a 20 watt amp to power the LRS????

[@TheAudiofool]

For the LS50 comparison, yes. I thought the Aegir would run out of steam before reaching my reference volume, but was able to in my listening room. Also, used a couple of amps with it Rag 1, Nova 300, Elicit R, and I find the Aegir to be the best sounding for me in my listening room.

[@snowpuppy77]

@@TheAudiofool To Sean's point. I can say you have not heard what the LRS are capable of. I played the Rag 1 with them and it sounded way off compared to a 20 old very powerful amp.

[@TheAudiofool]

@@snowpuppy77 what's your 20 year old amp? As I mentioned, rag1/nova300, elicit r, and now currently testing them out with a plinius hautonga as well as the purifi; and while the bass does get a bit more detailed, there's still not a lot of volume compared to the other speakers I tested them with, and my charts stay the same.

[@snowpuppy77]

@@TheAudiofool NAD 218 THX. About 225 wpc into 8 ohms and 410 wpc into 4 ohms. Also check out the latest Thomas & Stereo video on the LRS. Other reviews of the LRS including Stereophile said the Aegir was not able to drive the LRS properly. I have a pair of Spatial M3 Sapphires at 92 db efficiency. With the M3 Sapphires the Rag 1 sounds better than the NAD 218THX. However with the LRS the NAD is much better than the Rag 1.

[@TheAudiofool]

@@snowpuppy77 can you show me the quote where stereophile says the aegir can' drive the LRS? That's interesting because HR also said that the aegir with the .7 (in the aegir review) drove him to tears. What do you mean by drive it properly then? Nova 300 has 300w, Elicit has 112w, Purifi has 227w, Hautonga has 200w, all of these cannot drive the LRS?

[@richardblaauwgeers4349]

I am really curious to what you think of the Triangle Borea Br03’s

[@TheAudiofool]

Would love to try it out too, but can't really find any good deals in ebay right now.

[@brotherinarms959]

New subscribe. I have Yamaha AVR htr5730 100 watts 6 ohms per channel. Can you suggest what type of speaker can i pair for under 200 dollars. Using for music or sometimes videoke. Salamat sa sagot.

[@TheAudiofool]

Find a used Elac Debut B6 or Wharfedale 220

[@digidrum2003]

I have used boxed speakers for music and theater since the 80's......i am not a wealthy person so my speakers have been a decent to good brand....i noticed the sound of the box speaker lack an openess-spatial quality for music....i will be purchasing the LRS for music and continue using box speakers for theater. My 3 cents...thanks.

[@net_news]

flip the flippers!

[@ln3346]

Unfortunately they are $1300 here in Croatia

[@roberte.andrews4621]

One minute of music worth 10,000 words. Confuseus has spoken

[@TheAudiofool]

and reading the description will save you 10 words LOL

[@orwhat24]

What’s considered “High current?”

[@MagruderSpoots]

The ability to drive low impedance speakers.

[@TheAudiofool]

Yup. The LRS goes down as low as 2.8ohms so ideally, you want your amp to be able to easily produce 2.8ohms; if your amp cannot handle that, it will still produce the frequency(ies) but may do it at lower volume or with more distortion. Unfortunately, there usually aren't specs provided by the manufacturer for lower impedance but you can take a look at measurements from stereophile and 3rd party sites; the aegir used in this review was measured to do 2 ohms by stereophile and the purifi amp I recently reviewed has a wattage rating for 2ohms.

[@edwardbalboa5528]

Need a sub with these .... Unless you like no bass

[@CraciunAlexandruGh]

What happened to your website ?

[@TheAudiofool]

I don't have a website.

[@CraciunAlexandruGh]

@@TheAudiofool Oh, my bad. audiofool.reviews/ Is, or was a audio review website.

[@williamzame3708]

The Schiit Aegir seems a strange pairing with such a low-efficiency speaker.

[@TheAudiofool]

The Aegir was paired favorably with the LRS and .7s as well by Steve Guttenberg, Herb Reichert but obviously not suitable for a big room.

[@MrStingraybernard]

Not hard to position ? 😂

[@edwardbalboa5528]

Probably cos they're lightweight!

[@Staybrown11]

6 ft away from front wall...

[@TheAudiofool]

If you have that much space, probably better to get the 1.7

[@Staybrown11]

The Audiofool if only I had that extra 6ft...😂 good review.

[@firebladeclements]

Bud, you're front end won't even start those speakers up and until that is rectified you shouldn't be putting out an opinion on on them. They need high current!!

[@TheAudiofool]

Bud, I tried it with Schiit Aegir, Schiit Ragnarok, the Peachtree Nova 300, and the Rega Elicit R. Surely one of them should be capable of driving the LRS. Also, the Schiit Aegir is able to drive the larger .7s, at least according to Herb Reichert in the stereophile review of the LRS, and I assume that it'd be more harder to drive than the LRS. In any case, I already like the LRS regardless of the amp, so what more do you want me say? But okay, I'll bite... What amp do you use with the LRS?

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

@@TheAudiofool hey Bud, I use a Bryston 4BSST and it's got some major power dude, it's like 500 watts into 4 ohms. Those LRS make that amp run hot to the touch I agree the sensitivity is a lie sorry Magnepan it's true. Now the good news is the LS50s I have sound really good with an old 45 watt CJ MV45 and a PV10B just superior to solid state. I should try the LRS with that setup and see if they shlag or sing. Anyway the tubes are about a grand alone so they better do something good I think even Uncle Kevin is out of the Mullard NOS 12AU7 of course he's probably hoarding what's left. The 12AX7 are 200 bucks each I paid 100 bucks. Anyway the LS50 is up to the task given the right feed.

[@francisdelacruz6439]

Amp LRS mismatch. Unfortunate you had no access to high current amps that match LRS the way your amp matches with LS 50.

[@TheAudiofool]

What amp are you using your LRS with? HR used the .7s with the Aegir in the Stereophile review and was quite happy with it. Furthermore, I've tried the LRS with the Nova 300, Rega Elicit R, and Purifi 1AET400, and still like the Aegir better.

[@francisdelacruz6439]

@@TheAudiofool Found it hard to choose which was better between Kef and LRS. Used Hegel integrated and Devialet on both speakers. Treated room so could HV made a difference LRS sounded more natural if you could use that word still but the Kef you can play most things on it and it would be good. Absolute sound though maybe the LRS. Apologies, tend more to use what I hear more than reviews, surprised by LRS, expecting it not to sound like it did and maybe a bias to panels as freeing sound more. As an all around maybe Kef is an easier choice. Meta though could be different.

[@TheAudiofool]

​@@francisdelacruz6439 Your ears are the best judge, and you should always go with that. Hopefully, viewers will see my comparison chart and be able to gain more info there. Given the big price difference between the two, I'm all for recommending the LRS unless they really value vocals and piano notes which are quite richer in the LS50. Between Hegel and Devialet, I'm hands down Hegel, but again that depends on preference. add: your amps are way higher class for the LRS/LS50, you should go for a 3.7 or Ref 1.

[@francisdelacruz6439]

@@TheAudiofool Don't think you can go wrong with either though amps for LRS could be pricier. Cheers.

[@stevefagetaboutit8158]

Why buy these??? What a pain in the ass.

[@edwardbalboa5528]

Ls50 is a small speaker... Never going to sound full range