The NEW Magnepan LRS+ vs. Original LRS and KEF LS50 META!

[@steenhansen8]

How did the amps you presented, work with the + ?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

The Atoll was decent, Mytek was best with dynamic oomph, but the Pass was by far the best best overall. Point is, the speakers are extremely revealing of sources, The better they are, the better the + will sound. That doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money on electronics, but if you do you will hear it!

[@s.t.e.r.e.o.]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Would you still recommend the outlaw integrated like you did for the original LRS's?

[@bikall1]

i used a 300 W edge d class, but it didn't measured very well in the low frequencies. At 80Hz it rolled off. With my hegel H95 it made a good output as low as 50Hz. I ripped out the filters and replaced it with quality parts from GR-research. A world of difference. It is now much better balanced and has a better clarity.

[@billschwanitz669]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac out of curiosity did or could you try the Agir? please pretty please? ;) Asking for ... myself / a friend!

[@issadad]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac And if you don't (or can't), you won't hear it? Why celebrate the marvel of a great speaker at $995 if it can't sound great with a $995 amp?

[@computerfreakch8912]

This one is really very special, not just because I own a pair of vintage Magnepans, but because you managed to do comparison listening with the original LRS along with another pair of transparent mainstream speakers. Great job, Steve!

[@vorteco7692]

Steve, you’re such a genuine person. I enjoy your videos and podcasts. I try to watch them all. I value your opinions and appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience. You seem like such a great person and I feel I can trust you. Hearing your stories of you experimenting as a child with speakers has brought back memories of myself doing similar things. Just wanted to drop some words of encouragement. Hope this comment finds you well. Have a good week!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks for the kind words Trey!

[@videoproboston2450]

I took a chance in buying .7s knowing my space wasn’t perfect for what diehard Magnepan fans would recommend. I’m glad I did because I don’t think I’ll go back to box speakers. I have Magna Risers too and they’re great!

[@scottyo64]

I moved and my room is to small by everyones standards but they sound amazing in the small room. I like them in there better than other speakers. Trick is to have the 3' behind them

[@videoproboston2450]

@@scottyo64 Agreed the more you pull them further away from the wall the better but I’ve found for casual listening it’s fine. When I decide to do some critical listening I pull them out from the wall.

[@erics.4113]

@@scottyo64 how small is your room?

[@audiotalk6155]

@@scottyo64 Y. You jY

[@scottyo64]

@@erics.4113 10 x 12

[@gilbertrios5283]

Love magnepan speakers, I've only ever owned the 3.6r and really really like them. The sheer size of the area that produces sound puts them at an advantage over conventional speakers! The wall of sound they produce is heavenly! If I didn't have the space for the 3.6r, I'd look into the "Little ribbon speaker"!

[@joeolejar]

I had Magnapan MG2As ages ago. Even back then, 1980, no box speaker could compare. It may take me the duration of the waiting list to convince someone dear to my heart.

[@astolatpere11]

Totally agree that aftermarket stands are a must. I use magna risers on my .7 speakers and would never go back to the stock speakers. Glad Magnepan chose to a address this. My speakers came with the dreaded oval stands that truly are abysmal.

[@jeffn1384]

What's wrong with the oval stands. Aren't they essentially doing what the risers do..... Panel vertical and raised?

[@astolatpere11]

@@jeffn1384 the oval stands made my speakers unsteady. Now they're not.

[@scotteaton4868]

Along with after market crossovers, equalizer, etc.

[@WilliamPollard]

Thank you Steve. That was fun. Plus I have more new to me music to enjoy. Blessings.

[@Firebottleman]

Hi Steve. You've done a great job describing this panel's sound character. Isn't it a different beast compared to box loudspeakers? Had the MG-12s a few years ago. Loved their soundstaging abilities. So wide open sounding in a larger room. The higher the ceiling, the better. Great video! Keep em' coming bud.

[@rickmathis8590]

If I had a room that had the space needed to set these up right, I would jump on these in a heart beat! I've loved Magnepan for years, but just never had a room that would accommodate them. Maybe at some point... Thanks again, Steve!

[@erics.4113]

Same here. I've thought about these countless times but in my 10x14 room I think I'd be beat. I'm not opposed to trying them for the LRS price but it would be sad if they didn't work

[@Old_Sailor85]

@@erics.4113 I have the 1.7i in a 10' 8" x 14' three-sided room with one end completely open. They work just fine. Two REL subs in there, too.

[@johnlebeau5471]

I once spent an evening in the home of Jeff Rowland of Rowland research, listening to his system. He had SoundLab A-1 electrostatics, huge planar speakers, shoved into the corners of a small room on a wall that opened into another room. You can push planars up against a wall if you treat the wall with absorbing or diffusing panels. Since planars have pretty much no output to the side, the side wall is not a problem. While not ideal, it will work, and keep in mind that box speakers also shouldn't be placed against the back wall, and certainly not close to a side wall.

[@erics.4113]

@@Old_Sailor85 no kidding. Your room is close to my size almost exact 10*14 but mine is not open on any side. Do you have 40Hz issues with the subs or does the open part of the room take care of that? I also have a pair of rel t7x in that room and I'm still messing with placement to get them right. They sound freaking fantastic but I want "perfect" lol . Maybe I'll pull the trigger on some lrs then. For a grand (if I can get them with wait times) and see what I can do in there. I've heard the .7 at the local gettin spot and they sounded amazing of course

[@erics.4113]

@@johnlebeau5471 I'm all for experimentation as the rooms do quite a bit. But I agree with your generalizations as that's been my experience so far. Btw that must have been a treat to hear that man's setup!! Very jealous

[@michaelmartin3026]

audiophiliac brilliantly breaking it down as always!!!

[@davidharmer6539]

Many thanks Steve for these great videos,, always informative and thought provoking. I listened to the tracks you mention in this vid and they are all great choices each in the way you describe. I guess my system must be getting some things right!! (stacked ESL57s with a carefully matched sub base, carefully 'stitched' to the quads response to avoid messing the quads excellent low end)

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

This is exciting. And I will get my magnariser stands for my LRS soon. Can't wait!

[@marcgabor9690]

I had the LRS and sold them because ultimately the lack of dynamics (slam) left me wanting. Subs helped some, but took away from the speakers natural sound and just made me want to turn it up in search of some punch. Also I had to be in the exact right position to hear them do their thing. They strained my amplification and easily put the Vidar into protection. I found a 80w Adcom actually worked best from what I had available. They need the right amp for sure. Ultimately it felt like a one trick pony. like a super high resolution large format print, stunning detail but still 2d. That said I wish I still had them to hear them do their imaging trick and natural tone especially since I've rearranged my room. good stuff.

[@travismcgee100]

My "solution" (if you can call it that) to the problem of "they strained my amplification and easily put the Vidar into protection" was to get two Vidars and run them as monoblocks. I also bought two REL T7/x subwoofers. I could have spent just a little more and gotten the Magnepan 1.7s instead of the LRSs plus the RELs, but I figured I would always have a use for the RELs somewhere--even if I do upgrade to the 1.7s someday.

[@SpinningSandwich]

Full size magnepans definitely get louder than the little LRS, even with the same amp. They're great for anything acoustic, if you wanna feel like the piano/chello/harp/etc are in the room with you. The smaller magnepans are fine, but they definitely sound smaller, which kind of defeats the purpose. You want maggies for volume and presence---the latter beyond even concert cone speakers---and the small ones just don't have it.

[@marcgabor9690]

@@SpinningSandwich one day when I have my dedicated listening room I'll have pair of bigger Maggies and a big amp to compliment my big K-horns and SET tube amps 🙏

[@MichelLinschoten]

I have the Tympani I, mmgi, mmgw,mgI,mgII,mgIIIa with true ribbons. And two magnepan curved center speakers. . Once I went planar.....I got hooked, couple good subs with them, never had a cone as main system since.

[@ergloo6660]

I'm exactly the same, I also still have my Tympani some where, forgot them in my comment

[@masterxyr]

No apologies for Brooklin atmos!! It's where you are and I enjoy the extra layer from your world :)

[@Terry12345]

I love what Emil did with his Technics! The Maggie's are cool but I don't have the right room for them.

[@petetalbert]

Steve, thank you so much for actually talking about music and records! That's what this audiophile stuff is all about anyways, right?!

[@36karpatoruski]

Yes. Cream was the peak for Clapton.

[@rhdrico816]

I've had my LRS for 2 years, they have excellent bass in my room...with a low sloping ceiling. They compare (base wise) very well to my Magnepan 0.7 speakers (which have powered sub woofers) in a larger room. I'm really impressed with the vibrant bass produced by the Magnepan speakers (LRS and 0.7) My very first impression of the LRS...well I need to re-listen to all my music. I'm always amazed at how well they do with dynamic music. Pat Traverse "Green Eyed Lady", Tangerine Dream "Stranger Things theme", Game of Thrones (Ramin Djawadi and City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra". Oh, I've currently got a double LRS speaker set up, driven by 2 classDaudio SMA power amps.

[@davidstein9129]

Good 2 hear that you like the bass response of the .7's. I just ordered a new first-ever pair of them or any panel speaker. I have used primarily British dynamic box speakers for many decades. The Maggie's promise to be a whole new experience. I am pairing them with 2 Bowers & Wilkins little 608 subwoofers. That's more than enough bass for my tastes in music.

[@andrewgillis8572]

For room treatment I would build a bandshell to place above and behind them - but of course not of plaster or hard material as per a real full size concert stage ceiling - I would keep 90 degree corners at the bbttom of rear wall & floor since bass might be lost otherwise Or how about: build two folded horns out the back of your room - or just against it - cinder block & plywood for your prototype - then put the Maggies in the doorways of these two sheds...facing into your room!

[@Josh442]

Bandshell would focus the reflected sound. What you usually want back there with a dipole speaker is diffusion!

[@andrewgillis8572]

@@Josh442 Point, taken! Still interested re the low end; how could Maggies get & have the most bass-friendly positioning

[@Josh442]

@@andrewgillis8572 That depends on the room, since they all have modal behavior so for any speaker bass is going to depend strongly on both the speaker and listening position. Also, if the speaker is close to the sidewalls it will have more bass. I usually find, though, that setting them up for a good stereo image is the most important thing. Usually at least 3' out from the wall behind them and 60 degrees part, the standard stereo triangle. Some rooms will then have killer bass, some will be anemic.

[@cheapaudioman]

Man, I really wanted to meet you at Axpona. Very interested in hearing some Maggies

[@shakesphereone]

Steve, saw & heard these @ Axpona yesterday and the answer that I received regarding differences from the original to the plus was greater detail - transparency as you’ve noted in your review.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

I have always wanted to hear these .Thank you for the update. You have me curious. I will have to do an investigation. These speakers would not work in my space..but I would like to audition them.What would we do without Steve Guttenberg's expertise .Keep up the good work Steve Guttenberg.

[@histubeness]

Steve, -- You ought to consider reviewing the LRS+ paired with the RJS MD2 Bass Augmentation Speakers, which, as reported in the May/June Absolute Sound, was the hit of the 2022 Florida Audio Expo. And I think they just used the standard LRS.

[@josephchamberlain3681]

Listening to this over my 1.7i's. Gotta love Maggie's.

[@richardsmith2721]

Loved you in Cocoon!

[@peterdesmidt8742]

I've had my LRSs for about a year. I really enjoy them! Being able to easily move them is a big plus. I'm going to look at getting some aftermarket stands.

[@CustomPcTech]

I auditioned the LRS at a shop. They were ok. Seemed thin. Lacked bass but sounded clear and had a great soundstage. Then I tried the 1.7i. Then I pulled out my wallet.

[@CuttoothsRoom]

I just got my LRS a couple months ago and love them. Now I'm wishing I had ordered them a little later and couldve gotten the opportunity to upgrade to the plus model instead. I think it was close to 8 mos for them. I also have magna-risers on order but that's going to take awhile too.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Yes, but this is always the problem for consumers. There’s always another one. But I’m pretty sure that the stands will reinvigorate your appreciation for what you have.

[@carlitomelon4610]

How are the 'rizers?

[@CuttoothsRoom]

@@carlitomelon4610 I think they're really good. I did notice an improvement in sound but not sure if it was because the risers made the panel parallel to me instead of angled back? My listening room is pretty small so the speakers are at the most, 10 feet away. The risers are also really well built, solid and sturdy, I don't worry anymore about accidentally knocking the speaker over.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

What a great review!!

[@pkats9093]

Nice work Steve! I heard the LRS a few years ago at Axpona and was wowed. About six months later I bought a pair. Still loving them. I was fortunate enough to hear the LRS plus yesterday at Axpona. I agree with your assessment. They did have a little more shimmer then the LRS. Not bright in anyway, just smooth with lots of air and soundstage. I think I will get some stands for my LRS soon

[@Audfile]

Everyone needs a pair of Magnepans in their collection

[@carlitomelon4610]

I built my LRS into vertical oak frames using MG1side rails. Raised them by 8in. See thumbnail. I love the sound & vision ;

[@edwinfabre1]

With the LRS plus due to start production this month, how would you compare the .7 and the LRS+? I’m in a spot of deciding between the two for my 11x18x7 foot basement room. I have record shelves along the walls so I can get them three feet out but that’s one 2 feet beyond the shelves. Any insight would be amazing…I love you channel thanks!

[@amosperrine1909]

Having owned the 1 series since 1975, there is no other speaker that compares, provided you have the right tube amplification

[@carmenandthedevil2804]

I used to run 2.5 R's with Marantz MA6's (30 watt's class A) that Ken showed me how to modify to bypass the current limiting circuit. Ran ELS63's with those too. Now I'm running Electrostatics with 'Grunt". Gale 401A's.

[@MarkJones-cx4fd]

Right on there! I’ve had Gale 401Cs from brand new purchased in 1975, great speakers lots of grunt and thrilling presence. I was slightly confused at the time, I could have purchased the chrome A’s but went the wooden route for partner acceptance I guess. I now have a pretty good pair of A’s that I listen to every night and coupled to my recapped 1975 Naim 250 and NC12 they sound absolutely fantastic! All power to vintage Gale and Naim!

[@markwagner1997]

I've had Maggies since the SMG came out in the early 80's. The SMG's did not have ribbon or qr tweeters. Instead they devoted a small area in the top portion for high frequencies. Those god-awful L shaped stands pointed the tweeter area well over your head. I never understood the logic behind crippling a good speaker with cheap, useless stands. I was in heaven when I got my first pair of SMMG's with aftermarket stands. Between the ribbon tweeter extending from top to bottom and the stands holding the speaker vertically, all the shortcomings had been addressed.

[@ibleebinU]

I totally agree. I bought the sound anchor stands for my MMG's and they became my favorite speaker, augmented with a sub crossover at 55-60hz. Articulate, soundstage and depth that makes me want to listen for hours. And these are now considered 'old'.

[@Nakagawa451]

That is MS System 442 Speakers (for the viewer’s system). ❤️

[@michaeltaylors2456]

Didn’t know these were still in production. Wonderful openness and super smooth transients, very natural, not a rock speaker but still very nice alternative

[@vinylcabasse]

i even love how rock sounds on these. i'm not quite sure how to put it in words, but you hear the precise amount of distortion as it was set by the level knob on the guitar amp, it sounds lifelike to me like i'm listening to the guitar player's amp in my room

[@rabit818]

All parts are interesting Steve. I am still considering a Magnepan if I have the space. In the mean time, KEF it is.

[@scotteaton4868]

KEFs csn play more than midrange. Entry level Maggie's can't.

[@rd264]

add up the big$$$$ amp and stands required and how they have to way out in the room = bad value.

[@van94weightlossjourney]

Having owned 3 pairs of Magnepan’s… there’s always a Magnepan in my inventory of speakers. Magnepan’s are like a beautiful pin striped suit, you don’t wear it everywhere. But when you do, it stands out without shouting me me me.

[@Labor_Jones]

btw, this is for the YEAR (2022) is leading the WAY to the BEST Review by 'The Audiophiliac' in the Category of Product Review. Congratulation so Far!

[@robsandler1818]

After listening to this review and your speaker of the year review, I am thinking of buying a pair of the LRS+ speakers, but really concerned about the Amp and Pre-Amp Impacts. I am looking to run them with a Schitt Freya + and the Emotive XPA 2 Gen 3. In your opinion, would that be the enough the right kind of power for the LRS+s?

[@johnbrooks1058]

Do you think the Cambridge axr 100 can drive these?

[@fredkinneary7829]

Steve, man you were all in on this one, great review, I enjoyed every minute. Incidentally (and nothing to do with yourself) Patreon is very difficult to deal with, won't accept comments, blocks things until you become a subscriber which I am - annoying at its best.

[@latle111]

Those stands on the plus really do it for me Significantly idk why lool. Love it

[@bobhawkey3783]

I've had 3 different vintage models. All of them had to be re-wired because the adhesive holding the wire to the diaphragm would break down after many years. They were always the best sounding speakers I had, besting even the ESL 57s. Sadly space limitations have left me with 'only' B&W 705s. Miss my maggies!

[@MichelLinschoten]

Easily fixed, the diaphragms (mylar itself) doesn't decay. It's the wires delamination, I fixed plenty of them . Well worth it ...

[@bobhawkey3783]

@@MichelLinschoten for sure. I forgot to say I just ordered the kit and did it myself. A little scary first time around but routine after that.

[@Josh442]

@@bobhawkey3783 Also worth mentioning, they changed the adhesive and the new ones almost never delaminate.

[@TeensierPython]

I’ve had to rebuild my 1.6maggies a couple times already. I have them on almost all day for background music and turn them up for listening. They have a lot of hours.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

I bet the LRS+ would be great with a hipass filter at 100Hz. Use a pair of bigger Rel subs for 20-100. Pricy, but could be amazing. Just put a good cap in front of the Maggies.

[@cabasse_music]

i'd go notably lower than 100. sound is still somewhat directional at that frequency. maybe closer to 60. i'm a celibate basshead and the LRS have plenty of bass for me and the vast majority of music i like (even a decent amount of electronic) - and there's something to be said for how "fast" the bass is - which matches the sound of the LRS at higher frequencies.

[@RJ_Chicago]

Steve, I met Wendell and Galina again at AXPONA this weekend and demod the LRS+. Although I could not do a comparison with the LRS, they did sound very good and very good for the money. Of course, there is no bass slam like from a cone driver subwoofer. So per my past experiences with 1.7i Maggies I used to own, I would definitely use subs with the LRS. Subs transformed my former 1.7i Maggies. I am sure they are needed even more with the LRS+. I agree with your assessment of needing to commit. In that mode, I would also recommend replacing the stock cheapo fuse and steel plate jumpers with the Mike Powell silver Maggie upgrade. It made a nice difference on my former 1.7is. I agree also regarding the aftermarket stands. If you properly amplify the LRS+, put in the Mike Powell silver upgrade, use aftermarket stands and subwoofers, and pull them away from the wall, they can be great and a real bargain. But only if you already have the subs and a proper amplifier. Btw, I understand that Magnepan is also working on a dipole subwoofer. But I don’t know details as if it will have cone drivers or not. I also don’t know anything about pricing. But I don’t think it will be at the low price point the LRS+ is. It will likely be higher. That is my guess. But I had no issues blending my REL T/9i subs with my former 1.7i pair. So I don’t think doing so with LRS+ should be an issue. Greetings from Chicagoland and AXPONA!

[@StefanUrkel]

What do you use for speakers now, and why no more Maggies?

[@RJ_Chicago]

@@StefanUrkel I had two rigs and to make room for other non audio things I needed I needed to eliminate one of the rigs. That rig had Magnepan 1.7i. My remaining rig has Magico A3s, a pair of REL subs and a pair of Aperion AMT super tweeters.

[@StefanUrkel]

@@RJ_Chicago Thanks. How do you find the Magico's compared to the previous 1.7i?

[@RJ_Chicago]

@@StefanUrkel There is a very involved answer to that question. First you are comparing approximately $13-15K USD Magico A3s to approximately $2-3K Magnepan 1.7i. Plus IMO with the Maggies you need a high current amp with lots of watts, a pair of subs, aftermarket stands and the Mike Powell silver upgrade fuse and jumper kit. After that, with all the above improvements the Maggies project a big soundstage. But I think the Magicos are good at that too plus better at imaging and depth. Magicos also don’t need as powerful an amp as the Maggies. They are very different. But both are great if you put the necessary gear around them.

[@drewtownsend5187]

Hi Steve, I ran into you at a crosswalk in Chelsea on Friday. Thanks for saying hello. I was in town for Phish and I wish I had mentioned to you that you should give Billy Breathes a listen. I think it is a really terrific studio album. Cheers!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks Drew, I will check it out. Hope you enjoyed NYC!

[@drewtownsend5187]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac My first NYC trip (at 32) and I had a blast!

[@tylerdavies9260]

Wondering if the Outlaw RR2160 amp run the Magnepan speakers

[@samarkand_nights]

They run the LRS well so I’m sure they will run the LRS+

[@The-Spotlight-Kid]

I've owned many e/stats over the years & my fave's were, by miles, Quad ELS 57's (stashed & in need of refurbishment) & Accoustat Model X with their direct anode driven panels from their combined valve amps / energisers. (Also stashed with non working amp/energiser) but ive never heard Magnepans. ive heard only gr8 things said about them & heard that Magnepan ribbon's low end is always better than e/stat's low end, which was always my beef with e/stats, but their boxless sound was an ear-opening blast when i first heard boxless sound of e/stats Tho i agree that E/stats fell short on bass & slam & i could never get 2 subwoofers i bought to fill in what they lacked, esp' the Audiostatic 'Wing' speakers (fully working but stashed because of serious lack under circa 350 Hz, where sub's don't reach to; so a very thin sounding speaker tho i enjoyed certain music on them & all e/stats ive owned tho some fave L.P.'s were awful sounding, any reggae fell short) Some i owned lacked much below 300'ish Hz, the richness zone. The only thing that put me off the LRS is that reviewers say they need really good expensive amps to do them justice & i think my Jungson 99C power amps will not be good enough & various valve amps i have do not have high damping factors to do LRS justice, i reckon. Plus, they're not so affordable hear in u.k. at more than £1 per Dollar. One online dealer asks £1300 for the basic LRS delivered to us Brits with no return policy unless faulty. Still, i'd love to hear them even at that price. Yes, no speaker & especially no e/stat is perfect, & I did think of trying my stashed Audiostatic 'wing' speakers as mid / treble drivers in a hybrid set-up , as they did that zone very well. (A 6'ft tall mid treble driver!) I also wonder what 2 pairs of LRS would sound like with one speaker filtered to only work up to 350 Hz on each channel driven by an extra Jungson power amp... (i have 2 of them) ...standing next to a full range LRS ribbon, like sub-350 hz woofer companions. Magnepans most expensive ribbons do something similar with multi panels & one working below 300'ish hz or maybe even lower. Speakers, for me, have long been the most trouble to get right. I'm happy with all else but without good speakers, all else is futile

[@stimpy1226]

What did you expect for $995 Steve? I’d like to know if you can find a speaker that can compare with it for this price. I doubt you’ll ever be able to get another update that will fulfill all of your wishes for this speaker. Magnapan is Magnapan… They do their thing in ways that no other speaker can.

[@ptg01]

I wish Apogee Acoustics is still around. Their speakers (Diva, Duetta etc) are amazing and notoriously difficult to drive.

[@rd264]

add up the big$$$$ amp and stands required and how they have to way out in the room = bad value.

[@stimpy1226]

@@rd264 why don’t you take a look at issue 330 at the absolute sound that just came out. Jonathan Valen just gave the LRS A golden ear award. I have no idea what type of system you have but Magnapan is Magnapan. There are plenty of other great speakers but I am a Magnapan lover.

[@bizyz]

all the magnepans from entry level on up should be made to be bi wired and bi amped,given the fact they they love lots of power.

[@robertparker6141]

Great review. I want a pair !! I wonder if my old Musical Fidelity A300 Dual Mono amp would work with them? It outputs 260 watts to 4 ohms, and recommends an efficiency minimum of 88db?

[@davidheath3130]

I have a pair of the LRS in my small listening room. My amp is a Musical Fidelity A1000 (50 Watts of class A magic) and a Rel sub, with a suitable front end the result it sublime.

[@fbczar]

Very nice review! You mentioned the LRS+ became brighter the more they were toed-in. Did you position the LRS+ with the tweeters to the outside or inside?

[@vinylcabasse]

curious about this as well. the LRS sounded better/brighter to me when i have them closer to parallel with the wall, tweeters out. i tried tweeters in but it sounded duller even when i had a lot of toe-in. the soundstage is a bit wide, but i'd rather have it too wide than too narrow as well.

[@davidfairchild1640]

Anyone have experience with Maggie's and Class D amps? I have relatively high wattage NuPrime monoblocks that sound great with my Elac box speakers that dip to 4 ohms. But I'm not sure if such Class D amps have sufficient current for the LRS+.

[@ibleebinU]

I'm using a Class D Audio SDS-470C with my MMG's and it's fantastic! It also sounds great with my older Nuforce ref. 9v2's as well. Plenty of current flow at 4 ohms.

[@hungrybrainemporium856]

Now the real question is - which is better, the LRS+ or the .7 since they're close in price now?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

LRS plus is 995, current price of the .7 is 1795. I think the .7 is better in that it sounds like a much larger, more full range speaker. The LR S is more transparent and clear.

[@ML-rm3vk]

Great video wonderful shirt

[@GregGustinDragon]

if you want to think you are in front of LIVE - listen to sonny rollins way out west (Sax, Base and drums) - I did in 1982 - this is why I bought my Magenpans - never looked back (added a pair of Altec Lansig concerts (25") as pseudo Subs - wow -

[@Leicaphile27]

Which amp was the best match with the LRS+ ?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

As I said in the video the pass XA 25. The speakers are extremely revealing of the rest of the system.

[@seejayfrujay]

I will never forget a double MG 2167 installation with double GAS Son of Ampzillas. I had my back to the speakers, and the owner was futzing with his new Sansui TU9100 tuner. I heard someone say something behind me, and I turned around to speak to them--it was the radio announcer. At the time, they bested boxes because one could easily hear boxes re-radiating stored energy at inappropriate times, smearing the sound. Maggies were addicting.

[@ibleebinU]

Why was the radio announcer in your house? 😂

[@TuiCatNZ]

Love that Van Morrison album too. Very underrated.

[@TheBababa420]

New to me, but listened to Ricky Lee Jones' "Pop Pop", very nice.

[@woofie8647]

I listen to mostly classical, full orchestral music. Detail and definition are important to me. Will I get those from either the LRS or the LSR+?

[@marcusmiles269]

Steve. Have the new LRS, plus...which amp you tested is best match pls?

[@Physikus74]

Steve, great review - thank you for this insights! On 4:08 you have the sweet Rega IO on top of the Atoll amplifier. I wonder if you also tested this one with the Maggies? For sure there is not enough power for driving the LRS/LRS+ in big rooms if at all. But what if one just have a very small room? Thanks for any comments on this! Kind regards Simon

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

No, I did not use the I O with the speakers. I just used an old picture

[@richardsmith2721]

Clever! Since they had a bunch of pre-orders, they learned from Rivian's mistake. They had a ton of pre-orders on their EV pickup and because of "inflation" they jacked the price. They ended up pissing off their customers and losing a lot of their orders. What to do differently? We could make a "tweak, call it a plus, tell everyone it's better and charge 25% more. Of course you can stick to the non-plus, but this is so much better. You'd be stupid not to upgrade your order. Poor Steve didn't spend too much time telling everyone how much better the plus was. Instead, he focused on whether the Maggie was right for you. I had a pair of SMG's and would pull them out for female vocals. I couldn't live with them as my only speaker though.

[@PanAmStyle]

From the sound of this review and other comments I’ve heard. The LRS+ is not just a price increase - I would bet the crossover has been changed/improved and maybe some other tweaks. I also got the impression that the stands are included, which accounts for some of the price rise.

[@richardsmith2721]

@@PanAmStyle I hope it's not just an excuse to raise the price 25%.

[@Josh442]

No offense. but you don't know what you're talking about. They raised the price because they didn't make any money on the LRS -- it was a promotional program designed to introduce people to the Maggie sound so they could buy their larger speakers -- but with a 5 month backorder, there was no reason to keep the price artificially low. As it happens, I know what the "tweak" is, and it's a basic change, not just a tweak, that would have been introduced with or without a price change. What Steve heard is exactly what it does.

[@Josh442]

@@PanAmStyle AFAIK, the XO hasn't been improved. There is a basic change but they don't want to disclose it so I can't either. :-( Someone will figure it out sooner or later!

[@OldTooly]

Steve, are there any specs or even educated guesses as to the lifespan of these membranes? At so low a price I would be concerned that materials are being compromised compared to the older models, which actually needed repair in as little as 10 years if pushed hard and often themselves. Thanks for a great review.

[@carlitomelon4610]

I had MMGs. One eventually failed. The membrane lost tension and went saggy. It started buzzing on bass notes:-/ I attempted to repair it myself but then gave up and stuck them in a closet for a few years. When the lrs came out, I contacted magnepan and they agreed to "repair"/ replace the mmg's with LRS for about $400. Great company to work with! Love my LRS. If they do fail, I'll be happy to upgrade to the Plus 🎶💜😊💜🎶

[@lupegonzales5120]

Steve, did I hear you say that the LRS+ stands are NOT included and are extra cost?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

They are not included. The stands that you see on the LRS+ are the prototype of the extra cost stands.

[@RenRenification]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac well, that’s a bit disappointing.

[@jamestorres4705]

I wonder if there is any place in Texas where I could listen to any of the magnepan speakers

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Yes they do, the Magnepan website lists dealers in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Check the website for more details.

[@tiojimmy3425]

I have Tympany 1C pair as well as MMG for the TV.

[@a3marketing991]

Steve - LRS+ or Klipsch Heritage Heresy IV?

[@JingoLoBa57]

Can you retest with the new Maggie subwoofer? Apparently it’s a full range sub that integrates perfectly…

[@richardsmith2721]

I'm sure the plus stands for more money.

[@peterdesmidt8742]

The LRS and LRS+ are not listed on the Magnepan website.

[@HD-su9sq]

Great review, and I hope I can hear the “+” soon. How does it sound at lower volumes? Is it still good with classical orchestras, or is it really for “intimate” recordings? Thanks, Steve!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thank you, no it’s not great at low listing levels. That requires high sensitivity, which this definitely is not. As for classical really nice

[@HD-su9sq]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Thanks! I have a soft spot for maggies and this looks like a winner.

[@Jack96993]

So l have the .7's and found a used Spectron musical MK lll class D amp designed by John Ulrich Output is 500 watts@8ohms and 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm 65 amps for 500 milliseconds It gives the Maggie's excellent dynamics, inner detail and soundstage l have the Magna Riser stands and Stereo11 fuse and jumper upgrade I use two SVS Ultra 13 subs with upgraded amp You can hear my stereo rig if you look up Magnepan. 7's doing their thing on KZbin

[@Prefabfan-q2q]

They sounded terrible! I don’t know what you like in em! But I was listening to em on my iPhone 6.

[@Jack96993]

@@Prefabfan-q2q Hum if you're taking about my KZbin Maggie vid your special as you're the first one that didn't like the sound

[@slowinfastout3304]

Thanks for the review Steve. How do you think the LRS + will sound with an Arcam SA30? I’m running it with LS50 Metas. I also have a REL T5 and mostly listen to vocals. I’m looking for a fuller and warmer sound.

[@orwhat24]

Very useful review. Good job!

[@ronlevine8873]

I'm thoroughly confused. Are those two speakers in the room the LRS+ or are they the subwoofers? Or are the LRS+ silent and the subwoofers are elsewhere in the room?

[@mr.george7687]

Have a pair of MG3A's sitting in the closet for 20 years. When I bought them I had a much larger room. moved into a small place 3 years after buying them.Not enough room for them now.

[@robsandler1818]

Would really like to see you do a review of the LRS+ with Danville Crossover and the VPE Model 1 Dipole Subwoofer that was demo at AXPONA 2024?

[@robertyoung1777]

See Jana Dagdagan’s fantastic video of the Magnepan factory on John Darko’s site.

[@Leicaphile27]

Yes. Yes. Yes....Just Awesome! Thanks Steve...

[@mochipepper]

Hi Steve, another great video. You mentioned Magna Riser making a huge difference to the sound of LRS+, and I tried to google some information on it but nothing much is out there. I own a pair of Maggie 1.7 and was thinking of getting Magna Riser or Mye stands. Can you describe how risers could improve the sound quality and what sonic characteristics can it potentially change? If it's simply elevating the speakers by several inches, can I achieve the same with some butcher blocks (😏)? Thanks.

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

Risers probably "work" because after spending 300 bucks you better like them. Anyway the LRS stands from factory offer tip vs less tip and in less tip could get tipped forward. I think butcher blocks with strapping the stands down would help stability and probably the sound.

[@ergloo6660]

I have 30.7's, 3.7i, 0.7, 1.7 and III's and owned maggies since the very early 80's every so often I audition very high end speakers, Wilsons etc and all I can hear is the box. Once heard it is very difficult to go back to boxes. Driven with the right power amp, maggies can rattle windows and the big ones shake foundations, the "maggies have no bass" is a real fallacy, wrong room or wrong amp. The speakers are relatively cheap BUT to get the best sound and bass they need expensive amplification and the right room. Remember Maggies can drop to near 0 ohms and destroy amps ( I have trashed many over the years) must be class A or A/B with about 400 watts at 8 ohms

[@ptg01]

400 Watts Class A ??? Must generate an intense amount of heat then ?

[@homerwinslow9047]

I have owned Magis for years. I started with the Tympani as well as MG 2b IIIA and now 1.7i. I have never needed that kind of amplification. I have used an old Hafler DH 500 with upgraded caps and it has been perfect.

[@Oxibase]

I guess I’m out then with my Marantz Sr5011 then.

[@Finn-McCool]

Mono block balanced connected Schiit Vidar pair.

[@roberthart9886]

Prior to the Maggies I had Accoustat 2 + 2s with 4 servo amps. I also had the interfaces with medallion transformers, but the seros were the bomb. Now that was a kick ass speaker system, but the servo amps were old and prone to breakdown. A few years later, a guy in Florida figured out how to upgrade them so as to be stable

[@karellen00]

I was surprised to know that the Magnepan burn in losing part of their clarity, as it happened the same to my tinhifi P1. Brand new they had an incredible amount of detail, but they kinda lacked low end and also they were terribly slow, with time they developed a more balanced sound, I may say objectively better, but still I miss that clarity. Up until now I thought I had a distorted memory of how they felt for the first couple of hours!

[@vinylcabasse]

i had the opposite happen with my LRS. got mine back in Nov last year and the first month, especially the first few weeks i strongly disliked them. they were shrill, they gave me listening fatigue quickly and even a headache. i was about to sell them/return them, had swapped my old B&Ws back in, but after a few weeks wanted to give them one more try before i let them go, and damn am i glad i did. they smoothed out, and i'd even say the top most highs started to come out that seemed missing previously - the missing 'airiness' - and then i really started noticing how detailed they were, how low the distortion was. they remind me of listening to a good pair of headphones in that sense

[@Revelator2025]

@@vinylcabasse my experience as well. Thank you

[@cobar5342]

Great review - thank you

[@briandeeley1599]

Hi Steve, I know this is a bit off topic but are you familiar with the sound of the B&W 805 Matrix 2? I have lived with a pair for the last 28 years, based on that can you suggest some speakers that would be an upgrade?

[@jdavis417]

24:20 Was there a body rolled-up in that rug at one time?!?! :(

[@DiegoSevillaRuiz]

I'm curious how the different amplifiers work with the lrs. In particular the atoll, but in the end in the video you didn't comment on the differences wrt the amplifiers, and I'm curious...

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

The Atoll was decent, but the Mytek was better, and the Pass was best. Better in this case means showing off what the speaker is capable of in terms of transparency, mid range beauty, and sound staging accuracy. It is an extremely revealing speaker, and that’s what revealing speakers do, highlight differences in electronics

[@erics9754]

REL subs work great with magnepan and Soundlab and any other panel box less speakers. I use a single REL B1 with my Soundlab A1PX they also take some of the strain of my amps driving the Soundlabs.

[@JerryFerreri]

Pop Pop is a great album and recording with a great RLJ.

[@adamrenz4433]

My first dipolar speaker was the SMGb. They gave way to Martin Logan Aerius which I owned for a dozen years. But ultimately I needed the slam and output capability of dynamic drivers, along with the expansive staging of a dipole. $$$ meant going DIY. Check out Steve's headphone recap from March to see my speakers in the VSOTD.

[@paulcox2447]

Nice thing about these is the lack of box makes diy a breeze. Plus you can get some really powerful drivers that way.

[@stevenkoivula6281]

Steve would a ARC monoblock 160 be a good fit?

[@aceofspades6667]

@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac I just bought a pair of 1.7i and am looking at integrated amps. I'm between a Hegel H190 and Anthem Str Integrated. Which would you suggest ?

[@alexh743]

How do I upload pics for wiewing

[@ptg01]

I wish Magnepan is more transparent with difference between LRS and LRS+ especially since LRS is selling so well with huge backlogs... Also, it will be a few hundred $$$ more than LRS. Revenue opportunity ?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I get it, but they found a way to make it sound better! Buyers whoa want to stick with LRS, the ones who already ordered one can get an LRS for $750 a pair. Or they have the choice of getting the plus for $250 more. I think that’s fair.

[@ptg01]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Very fair indeed.. but why the lack of transparency ? Just makes no sense to not tout what is new and improved or their objectives of creating the LRS+. Just weird.

[@larrywe3320]

@@ptg01 New, Yes... Improved, Maybe NOT... The difference Steve is hearing is probably just the newness of the + (Plus) vs broken-in LRS

[@ptg01]

@@larrywe3320 As long as they are successful with their updated model, I guess that’s all that really matters and people find value in ‘em.

[@larrywe3320]

@@ptg01 That is all (sells) that matters to them... Not necessary to us the consumer