The Maggie’s are in a league of their own. Spacious, airy, realistic. No comparison to wood-box speakers where the music sounds like it’s coming out of an umm, box.
I have had my LRS+ with dual rel T5/X for about 2 months and I'm still gobsmaked when I listen to them, which is everyday. You can get even a bigger soundstage and more transparency by adding a pair of magna riser stands replacing the janky stands they come with. My front wall melts away and is replaced with a personal concert. 😊
Thanks for sharing. I’m actually having a special set of stands made. The reason I have the height this way still is because the chair I use is a bit lower than normal but Ai will be experimenting with the new stands once they’re done.
@@jissanhuq3792Huq No, did not know about rythmiks at the time. I had one rel for a while and they certainly played loud enough. When I integrated them, the level is not turned up very high to keep that natural sounding bass of the LRS + just with more weight to the sound. Also a subwoofer opens up the soundstage even further.
@@mpachis im trying the singlr t5 for now n wondering how big a chance you would say is with 1 vs 2. I only have the lrs+ speakers on one vidar 2 speaker amp
@@jissanhuq3792how do you feel about the Vidar driving the LRS+? Does it do a good job? And what do you use as a pre-amp? I so badly want to get a pair ofLRS+’s and a Vidar so looking for any kind of information!
I got my LRS+ a couple of weeks ago. All I have to say is wow! I had the original LRS on order around 3 years ago but the waiting list was so long that I cancelled the order and purchased a pair of Emotiva T2+ instead which were the about the same price. The Emotiva's sound great but I knew I was missing something. In the mid 80's I owned some ESS AMT-1b that I adored but lost in a divorce. Since then I've been trying to get that sound back within a reasonable budget. I tend to prefer the sound of ribbon or Heil driver type speakers for their clarity and sense of space. I listen mostly to jazz and classical and occasionally some light rock. I'm running them with an Outlaw Audio 2160-MkII and Cambridge Azur 851N, I mostly play FLAC files ripped from CDs I own. I also have a Rotel CD11 Tribute. The Outlaw 2160 seems able to drive these well but there are some recordings that have a very low output. For those low output recordings I feel like I'm probably stressing the Outlaw a bit, and I'm not talking about high volume. I don't play my music very loudly. So I'm probably going to get a more powerful amp to run these. I have a Carver receiver stored in my closet for a couple years that I may try just for kicks. The bass sounds great for most of the music I listen to but I may get a sub down the road to provide a little more bottom and sound stage. If any of you listen to a lot of ECM recordings for Jazz and classical you'll love these. For looks, I wish they kept the wooden side panels that the original LRS had but I can't complain, these are keepers
I started with this exact setup; LRS+ with one VIDAR2. I wanted more "fill" in the midbass and listened to the LRS+ with the Magnepan bass module (DWM) at a dealer and I put one on order. The funny thing is that I also added another VIDAR2 and are using them as monoblocks... and whoa!? The bass just came "alive"! And for my room I now wonder if I need the DWM. I will test the DWM and will see if the dynamic range will be sufficient for orchestra and pipe organ. I agree with everything you said about the LRS+. These are great speakers for enjoying music. I'm glad i found your channel!
@@maheeinfy13 I can move the speakers by holding on to the sides and they don't twist in my hands. If they are flat, I can lift one corner and the other corner will lift at the same height/rate. They would be as stiff as a cabinet door of the same dimensions. I guess I am unsure what you mean by flimsy. Can you provide more context?
@@franknelissen8041 I have been happy with this setup. I am now much happier since I added a pair of subs. The extension in the low end feels "right" and the depth of the stage is deeper (it's wierd, it makes no sense). The best thing I did sonically was get the speakers vertical and raised up off the ground- my ears are now at the middle of the speaker. So at the moment I do not feel the need to upgrade. Oh, the preamp is the Schiit Freya+ and i am using Sylvania tubes.
@@pfunk34 that sounds awesome! Enjoy the music and thanks for taking the time to reply. I feel that a set up like yours could be financially attainable for me. :-)
Congrats! It's been a while since I visited your channel. I did not realize you got the maggies! I recently reconfigured my maggies 3.5R and really enjoy them with the Rel 5s that I got from you. Enjoy!
Before finding Dr D I narrowed down my speaker preference for my next speakers. I came down to Maggie’s and Forte’s. (Despite them being very opposite.) So this review is really helpful. Thank you.
@@drde4010 If you ever try the ST 70 on the LRS I’ll be most interested, as well as trying the various tube pre amps in front of the Vidar/Maggie’s. Again, thanks.
Totally nuts! OMG do these speakers sound INCREDIBLE! I'm using an active crossover prior to the amp, sending the high frequencies, mids and highs to the amp. The low end is going to the subs. WOW! I'm listening to Two Men with the Blues... Willie and Winton Marsalis on my MoFi Studiodeck, Schiit Mani out to the the Schiit Lokius, to the PS Audio Gaincell preamp, to the Rolls SX45 crossover, to a first gen Emotiva Class A/B XPA2 amp... OMG... This sounds so sweet, the way these Maggies handle the entire soundscape/stage. I have a pair of Zu DW6 Supremes sitting here, and these Maggies are cleaning the floor with them. I could have bought three pairs of these Maggies for what I have in these Zu's... On a side note, my audio buddy just had a friend of his call him from Axpona, raving about these LRS+ speakers. I can see why. My REL T-Zero's will be here shortly, like today. ;-)
These sound really greatt witth the Rogue Sphinx V3 Integrated Hybrid Amplifier with a tube preamp, phono stage and a great headphone stage and will take MM or MC cartridge. You can't beat this combination. The Sphinx has 100 watts of power.
Well, the LRS+ pair I found locally fell through... So, I went over to Magnepan and ordered their last pair, should ship out Monday. I am also looking at a pair of the REL TZero MKIII subs, I saw your video, I think I will have those shipped out on Monday, and thanks for that video Doc. We have around the same sized room, similar layout with wood floors over a basement. I have a pair of SVS SB3000, and do not feel they will play well with these Maggies. I also went over to Danny Ritchie's site and spent the $300 for his crossover upgrade kit. The reviews from the folks that have installed these better parts and eliminated all of the steel on that backplate, rave about the sound improvement. Then the stands for the LRS, I picked up some inexpensive TV monitor legs, sturdy and $20 a pair. I really shopped around, and will have right around $2000 in all of this. I will use my old Emotiva XPA-2 that I purchased new years ago, until I can find one or two of the black Vidar's on the used market. That Emotiva is a beast... Thanks for doing what you do Doc! I will report back with my findings.
The LRS Plus speakers made the Forte's sound just a little horn-like to me when it came to voice reproduction. Both are great speakers. Thanks for the review.
I think the LRS reputation with "Rock" music is undeserved. The wall of sound that they create for rock music is unreal. I am running a pair of Vidar's in Mono with Rythmik subs and they blow me away every time I listen to them.
They both sound great! I think the little LRS Plus would be a better fit in my small living room than my trusty old MG-1.5/QR speakers are, although they still sound pretty good for not being ideally positioned.
Those are Forte IIIs, yes? Holy crap. Even through my crappy earbuds, that really is a significant difference. I own Cornwall IVs (which I LOVE) but have constant thoughts of picking up a pair of Magnepans for all the magical things they do that the Cornwalls can’t. Damnit. I just contacted Magnepan about ordering a pair. Maybe they’ll arrive before Xmas. Thanks for nothin’ 😅
These are Forte 1 which have the most bass of the forte line up. I should mention that the video was using strictly the Vidar with both speakers. The better match for the Forte though is the ST35. Yea sorry the wait is so long on the LRS. Bummer I know.
Great video and review! I’ve been eyeing REL to pair with my 1.7i but am unsure if they can keep up with the Maggies or if the way they load the room compared to an open baffle option would be a mismatch. I’m new to your channel and like the content!
They absolutely keep up and blend perrrrfectly. You will not be able to tell they are locate anywhere. Utterly seemless presentation. I have 1.7is and a pair of T-7x's. Run don't walk to your dealer!
Great summary and review drD. I think I'm going to order a pair and wait. Even if I end-up not liking them there will probably be 10 people waiting in line to buy mine used. I think they also have a 60 day return policy. I have a set of Hypex nc400 monoblocks (400wpc into 4 ohm) which should be able to drive these in their sleep. I have an Academy Audio preamp I built from their kit which uses the same switching and volume control chips as Pass Labs. Upstream from that is an older Topping E30 DAC and Moode Audio streaming running on a Raspberry Pi 4b. The wait is going to seem very long. Maybe eventually pair these with Linkwitz lxsub2 dipole subs and a miniDSP Flex.
@@rulerofrecords1 Hey Uli! I don't know, since I've decided to get a pair of Eminent Tech LFT8bs instead. It's going to be 8 weeks, so I'll let you know about those.
I found a used Spectron musical MK lll class D amp designed by John Ulrich 54lbs 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm to drive my Magnepan .7's as you know Maggie's love watts and current! My pre amp is the ARC LS15 tube pre amp If the Spectron goes up in a puff of smoke, i might get this D class amp Very good reviews VTV AMPLIFIER Stereo Purifi Audio 1ET7040SA High Power Dual Mono (Two Power Supplies) Amplifier I also occasionally use my VAC PA 100 100 tube amp and its magical, but the Spectron brings my Maggie's to their knees 😅😅 Nice review and can't wait for you next one
Interesting to hear about some of these other components you shared here. I had a look at them online after you mentioned them. The Maggies sure love high power gear.
@@drde4010 Yes Maggie's love high watts/current What ever you think double it The VTV amp is very interesting as D class has come a long way I like that you can add or change the VTV buffer to suit your musical taste I think they even have a tube buffer you can order
I am getting ready to purchase either a pair of Vidar 2 or a set of Tyrs. Kind of leaning to the Vidar simply because of price. I haven't heard one bad thing about them. I have a Schiit Freya + preamp so I figure their amp should match up well. I have several speakers and like to swap them around, so for the sonic reasons you explained, I plan on adding a set of the LRS+. I am fascinated by them, generally I prefer big box 3-ways, or beefy towers.
@@drde4010 Right, that's what I was thinking. I don't mind spending the money, if it's worth it. You know what they say about diminishing returns. Great video, I learned stuff!
@@drde4010 thanks for the reply. I just found your channel. Steve Guttenberg speaks highly of the EMINENT TECH LFT8b over Maggies. Just need to convince my wife that I need one or the other. thanks again!
Dr. D, thank you for the review. But now you've done it. Now I need a diagnosis for this ear worm in my head caused by the first recording you demonstrated at the end of your review. I need to get my hands on that recording to get relief. Would you mind sharing the particulars with the rest of us?
I ended up with a vidar 2 first just cuz n then when i was looking for new speakers i stumbled onto the LRS+… just got them in but the bass is way too low for me n i don’t want to tax the Maggies so ordered a single Rel t5 to test but i may do what you mentioned with 2 rel t zeros… i don’t play loud but need some lows.
@@drde4010 i am trying the single t5 just to get the feel but curious what your volume/ crossover settings were. I also thought the sub would offload the low frequencies but via vidar i find it does not do that but just adds more bass through the sub. All this time i thought the sub would go to the preamp (freya). Did you ever end up getting the t/zeros? I am sold on needing the bass overall just need to figure out the setup.
I’m wondering if you tried the dual rel t-zeros.. i have the vidar 2 as well. I am auditioning 1 rel t5 but curious if i should return for 2 tzeros. I don’t like overwhelming boom. Unfortunately in an uneven room and can’t sit too far back .. But I’m the primary listener
Great vid but can you please verify/elaborate on the comment of the right spkr having more bass than the left as I've watched and read tons about the Magnepan series and have never heard that? Actually never heard of any spkr having that design characteristic. Thanks
The 1.7i is also better than all three. The plus is that 'i' in the LRS. REL subs are also utterly transformative. More Maggie throughout every single song.
How do compare sound wise with other open baffle speakers like the ones with the Lil Audio drivers? I realize you'll probably have to rely on memory but I would think they would be more similar than different.
Hi, they are very similar to open Baffle. The larger open baffles like the Lii F15's and 18's go louder and image a bit more but I'm enjoy both equally and like them all. I'm also falling in love with the Maggie's splayed sound signature. I've been listening to the LRS non-stop. I've played about ten LP's front to back for the past few days with a big grin on my face. The Maggies have a taller soundstage because they are actually taller in scale,. Hi hats and drum cymbals sparkle with more clarity in the LRS more than any speakers I've compared to date. I've been using open baffles for years now in all sizes and I have many videos on this channel with them.
@@drde4010 Thanks for the response. That makes perfect sense. It would be hard for a whizzer cone to produce the same treble sound signature as the ribbons of the LRS.
The bass is split up into frequency ranges -- the two lowest in the right speaker, and the three above that in the left -- but that's only at low frequencies, where you can't localize bass in a listening room -- so in effect, the two halves behave like one woofer. The mids and highs come from both the left and right -- conventional stereo. The reason the diaphragms are divided like this is that the segments between the tie downs provide acoustic equalization to make up for the dipole cancellation that's characteristic of open baffle speakers. The asymetrical arrangement allows them to make more segments for smoother frequency response.
I just tried replacing the magnetic, chrome plated, steel rod that Magnepan supplies as a Tweeter Attenuator jumper on the LRS+. I've put in a thickish, solid piece of copper instead. Just common house wiring for the test. There's clearly a difference in detail and openess. Still evaluating the metamorphisis on my yet to be broken-in LRS+ to make sure there's no negatives, but how could a solid steel rod ever be considered as a tweeter link, instead of copper? Anyway, it's definitely worth a try, if anyone's interested, and only costs pennies to try. And simple to reverse if you guys don't like it.
@@drde4010 On the electrical conductivity scale, copper is number 2 and steel comes in at number 26! It sounds like a blanket was removed. IMO, that is. If you can't afford OCD Mikey's fix, try a piece of copper as an intermediate fix. You might be surprised. In a good way.
One of the bizarre things about owning Magnepans (for decades) is that every so often you'll hear a sound that you just didn't know they were capable of making. That never happens with box speakers. So apart from the almost infinite air-damping of the membrane bringing the fastest stop/start there is, and the holographic 3D sound stage, there's that knowledge that you WILL be surprised again, by something 'coming through' your system.
I love my MMG's. I put them on stands so they're straight up. Made a huge difference. Also use a SVS SB12-NSD sub crossed over at around 55hz. Excellent combo and my listening room is 24ft x 24ft. Plenty loud when I want but usually normal volume. The front end makes a huge difference as well, as you probably already know.
They sound quite different. For exmple, open baffles tend to image slightly more so instruments tend to sound more like point sources but the overall presentation is the LRS is very much larger in scale for realism and fullness and do not sound as rough as open baffle. The LRS have a smoother, velvety sound signature to them by comparison. Also the LRS's price, size,, weight and ease of movement is nicer IMO. Open baffles are usually easier to drive using tube amps while solid state is generally needed and more economical for the LRS Plus. I prefer the LRS Plus myself much more compared to all my own open baffles.
@@drde4010 this is great. I spent a lot of time researching both options and never found such a good and precise comparison between these two. You could make a video about this. Really appreciated, thank you for your time. Now i will have to buy the lrs’s… Cheers
Really informative, especially the odd number of hold down buttons on each LRS+. I've never heard anyone mention this discrepancy before. What isn't obvious to me, is whether your LRS+ recording includes a subwoofer, or is the LRS+ only. I'm trying to determine whether they are acceptable without a sub (like the KEF LS50 META is for me) or whether the LRS+ is an incomplete speaker without a sub. Thx for clarifying.
Hi, There are no subs used in this review. For a demo with and without subs, you can see my latest review on the REL T Zero sub on this channel. Yes, they are acceptable without a sub, however, it depends on the music genre and recording quality. The amount of bass will also depend on the size of your room and the foundation of your floors.
@@drde4010 Thx for your input. I have an old pair of Maggie SMGa but understand they're practically unrelated to the LRS+ sound-wise. I'd like to compare the LRS+ to the LS50 METAs since they're within $200 of each other here in Canada. LRS+ @$1400 and LS50 META @$1600. And I don't intend to add a subwoofer to the mix. I have a pair of KEF LS50 META with 40 hours on them, for evaluation. And I'm surprisingly not convinced that the META's rich and refined, but slightly blunted presentation is any better than my KEF Q350s. By comparison, my slightly cooler, tilted up Q350s are more airy and alive, with better instrumental separation. They're more dimensional, with a more believable in-room presence. So it has me wondering if I should throw the LRS+ into the mix. When I heard them briefly at the Toronto Audio show, the subwoofer was spectacular!! However, I noted when the Vidar drove the LRS+ on their own , the bass was hardly noticeable, the sound was cool and the acoustic guitar lacked body. However, your LRS+ video has me second guessing myself. Do you have any experience with the LS50 METAs against the LRS+? Thx for your help.
@@geevee1045 @geevee1045 I was recently at The Show hifi expo last week in SoCal and was disappointed in nearly all the room acoustic efforts with the single exception of AGD/Ocean Way Audio's room . With that said, there is some bass coloration in my videos without a sub because my floors are hardwood and 2ft off the ground. The coloration is a nice kind of coloration. I have not heard the Meta's yet but my guess is that as a box speaker they may have a slightly meatier sound but with a smaller soundstage and less transparent signature. Since you already have a pair of SMG's, they should give you a rough idea of the LRS Plus's presentation. The main thing is the midrange and top-end are more transparent and open sounding compared to the SMG's. Whenever I hear speakers at shows or demos, it's hard for me because whenever one steps into a different room, it's a whole other sound experience. For example the Vidar produces more bass in my room compared to others but may not have as much of an effect if ones room uses paved floors. It appears your Meta's are rated at 28 hz. That's quite low.
@@drde4010 The LS50 META's woofer + surround only measures 4.75" across. That 28 hz rating has to be a serious misprint. Not sure if you've heard the Maggie triangular shaped subwoofer that is full range up to about 10khz?, but the monstrous impact and iron grip control can only be described as spectacular. However, they don't seem to be able to mate it with their LRS+, so they were each demonstrated individually. At first listen, I thought I was listening to both. then was floored when I was told I was only hearing the subwoofer.
Nice dipoles like this, vs every other loudspeaker, ... is akin to LP playback vs digital ie., the key to enjoying one is not dabbling into the magic machine of the other.
I have the MAGNEPAN .7s driven by a PARASOUND JC5 with dual SVS SB-16 Ultra subwoofers. Subwoofers should be used in pairs for smooth even bass throughout the listening area.
11:00 Ah yes.... you get it, you understand........... & be welcomed............ Hey drD E, do you realize you may already have the perfect subwoofers? Aren't those Klipsch's bi-amp-able? Just run a 2nd pre=out to an amp with gain control into the Klipsh woofers & Bobs-your-Uncle. Their a perfect fit with the Magnepans. Re-arrange with an active crossover later for even better results. That'll take the low pressure of the Mags completely. This is what OCD Mikey does. For the uninitiated, we may hear down to 20Hz but there aren't any instruments that play down to 20Hz. Aside from one specialty Tuba, the lowest instrument note is an open B on a 5-string electric bass which is at 32Hz. Next up is a 4-string open E at 42Hz. When recording, all engineers compress UP to 40Hz at the minimum. We only hear 32 at live reggae shows. Only home theatre synthetic earthquakes are inserted down there. In order to do that, drivers need huge excursions but the drawback is no "tone". Ever see a bass guitarist's stack with rubber surround high excursion drivers? Nope. 'Cause aint no tone, Man. They use large paper cones. 🔈🔉🔊
In my opinion, that will be up to the listener. I don't think they need subs for everything. I think it will be more dependent on the room size. This room is about 14x25 but I normally listen with speakers on the short side to improve bass.
I have the .7's and listen to them with two SVS Ultra 13 subs with their upgraded plate amp and would not listen to my Maggie's without the subs Mind you I have them crossed pretty low
Get a pair of REL subs if you want complete blending and much greater depth perception. There is no going back once you have. That being said the JL Audios are actually a better sub for roughly the same money of the T-7x.
The top end in the LRS in my room sounds more open and transparent but my nephew in law who has my .7’s sound great in his room because it’s a larger room with more open space for them to breath.
How large is your room? I have the .7’s now and may move to LRS+. I like the ease of moving them as well as them sounding more open and transparent. Where do you have your subwoofers crossed over at and what volume do you have them set on. Thanks for your time!
The midrange on the LRS Plus is more spacious while the bass on the Forte IV is slightly more dynamic and impactful. Once the T Zero is applied to the LRS Plus though it’s amazing!
Wow amazing. It's worth the wait. The LRS are also easier to position in a room because the panels are smaller and by that I mean you have more distance to work with from the walls because the panels size.
I did buy from a dealer. Called the company and they told me no difference in wait time- so I decided to help out one of the few remaining brick and mortar stores.
Agreed, there will always be limitations. The main purpose is only to hear "relative" differences specifically. Anyone using earbuds or earphones can easily discern audible contrasts between the two speakers. I would hope anyone with some common sense would not expect these videos to be the best recordings.
@@drde4010 thanks for the effort in the recording , however my common sense tells me that you didn’t allocate much thought process to the end users listening experience. I am on a decent pair of speakers and they are not kind to bad recordings. I guess I am too spoilt by other peoples recording who have really deep pockets to spend on recording equipment. I am just a novice audiophile, feel free to take my feedback with a pinch of salt.
