Review: Magnepan LRS+ -- Does It Have ANY Competition? 

I really want thank you for taking the time to do such a careful presentation. I tried listening to other interviews here on RU-vid. Let’s just say I wasn’t getting it. But after your presentation today, I got it! Thank you so much!

Thanks for using my amp in this review! 😀

totally enjoyed this. I have owned Maggies for decades. currently 3.7i's. Well done. I heard the LRS+ at APOXNA and was very impressed. I am anxious for the sub introduction as it was a massive improvement when I heard the LRS+. One of the best I have ever heard.

Fantastic review,. I really appreciate all of your detail.

As a 60 year old, I'm now just starting my journey back to my audiophilia days of my youth. (Life got in the way) Just heard my first Magnepans a couple of days ago and I'm hooked, so this was really interesting to hear. Planning for my "first" system now, built around these and can't wait! But have to wait for my new office/studio to be built first. First world torture! Thanks.

Enjoyable tutorial as a retired sound contractor and enjoying hanging with engineers on the 495 loop around Boston

Thank you for the video. I believe you just about described the sound about as good as it can be done. Thank you now I want a pair.

As an organist and guitarist I'd like to go a little off topic here and encourage you all to check out the wonderful experience of listening to acoustic music through a large surface area/ lower air pressure speaker. Namely the large, flat, thin, Magnepan Magneplanar speakers . Every nuance in the music can be heard, especially, but not limited to- choral,orchestral, piano, acoustic guitar, pipe organ, jazz combos, big band... By the way I am not affiliated with anyone, I just found my first Magnepans in someones yard marked 'Free' one day. I have been an avid fan ever since. As musicians we developed acute listening skills. These speakers make it natural! A traditional Speaker Cone has to push the air with more power/force to fill the room with sound. The result is more ear fatigue and the more excessive air pressure hitting, and vibrating surfaces, thus sending sound into adjacent rooms, even outside. The Magneplanar design closer mimics the air movement of acoustic instruments. Some more than others, but ultimately you hear a very even natural sound reproduction like no other speakers can deliver. What is interesting is that contrary to the large size of these speakers, they work really well in smaller rooms because the big dispersion factor of the sound having to radiate outward from a cone does not exist. With the Magneplanar speakers the sound leaves the large surface fully focused and balanced, more subtlety and definition comes through, and you can listen for hours and hours without fatigue. I use my vintage Magnepan SMg1 speakers for my digital computer platform Hauptwerk Theater Organ as well as for my computer and TV entertainment system . Used market Magnepan speakers can be bought for $300-500. They are extremely reliable, but on some early models the adhesive that holds the 'S'ed copper wire to the surface of the Mylar comes loose. It's an easy, inexpensive repair, and Magnepan will sell you the glue. They will also completely restore a vintage pair for around $500, with new covering. Super easy DIY though and how to vids online. This said, every once in a while you can score a pair listed for sale as 'rattling' or 'vibrating noise' for a fraction of the cost. Always clarify with seller that the Mylar itself is not cracked or broken. Although fixable, generally too much work involved in fixing damaged Mylar. Lastly, there is controversy that Magneplanar speakers 'take more power', but it is an inaccurate comparison because sound tests use 'sound pressure'. Fact is magneplanar speakers deliver the same music information with less pressure.

Lovely review, very interested in these speakers

Proper tribute to a masterpiece, I have had many different types of loudspeaker, I am currently using the LRS (first version not +) and I must say that it is the most amazing audio component I have ever had. To my ears it is the best loudspeaker I have ever heard along with Quad ESL63 and WE555 (and I've heard many more great speakers).

Your narratives have great meaning thank you I wish to offer more detail however I'm going to hook up my radio Craftsman c400! I enjoy and respect the physics of sound and the psychology of sound thank you for

Interesting review, he speaks about many of the reasons why I love the LRS and have the + on order. I tried many amps(only, external DAC) and found from worst to best: Yamaha RX-V671(awful),Yamaha RX-V659, Peachtree Nova 300, Peachtree GaN 400, NAD 2200, Benchmark AHB2, McIntosh MA252, Purifi 1ET400 (reference). Subjectively the Purifi had a transparency and clarity unlike anything else that I have heard. Some great test tracks to hear this would be: Def Leppard-Acoustic Medley 2012-acoustic guitar intro, Aerosmith-Sweet Emotion-vocoder? The Wailin' Jennys-Various-Amazing voices and acoustic intruments, Bjorn Berge-Drifting Blues-Acoustic Guitar, Sarasate:Carmen Fantasy-Anne-Sophie Mutter, Beethoven:Triple Concerto in C: Mutter/Ma/Barenboim, Fever(Live a FIP)-Musica Nuda. Pretty crazy for the price.

Thank you for this;great !

I have 1.7i and I find them amazing. Probably will never go back to box speakers.

I have no doubt that part of the "spatiality" of the presentation is because of the open baffle/dipole nature of the speakers (not box). I have a buddy with 3.7i's and a four audio kinesis sub system...needless to say the sound is really, really good.

Any of you guys who are negative about this review, ar more into reviews than you are into AUDIO. This is an excellent, excellent review. He is speaking very down to earth and speaking about what high end audio should be about: it should be about emotions. It should be as close to realism as possible. I have had Magnepan speakers before and had to sell because of moving. And yes I am on the list for the new LRS plus speakers. Watch the review again, and pay attention to how many times he emphasizes realism and $950. Can't wait!

Had some stop me in my tracks many moons ago at a HiFi dealer , it was only playing low level background music in the shop. I was stunned at the clarity.

Actually, the LRS+ do work in large rooms (62 feet x 27 feet with 14 ceilings) using just a 60 watt Hegel H95 up to performance levels. I am talking about safe live performance levels (peaking at just over 100 dB averaging 75-90 dB). With the right amplification, THEY ARE AMAZING. Also, it doe not take big power, it takes big CURRENT, and low impedance support. the Hegel H95 work great to 100 dB in a large room with Classical to prog rock. I have put large (3,000 watt) amps behind them. High current works better. I own studios and media labs, and I have big Pass Labs, Mark Levinson, Parasound and 120V DC SPL amps and all I can say is that with the right amp, these little speakers stand just about toe to toe with ANYTHING I have ever owned- even speakers and monitors- from KII Three and PMS, to big Martin Logan and Eggleston and KEF Muon’s. I assembled a Hegel, LRS + and a Sub for under $3,500 and NOTHING ELSE TOUCHES THIS THAT I’VE EVER LISTENED TO BEATS THIS.

Get the .7’s, they are far superior for $2000. No sub needed. I auditioned LRS+ vs .7’s and bought the .7’s on 5/15/24 and no sub needed.

Go to 5:37 and you can pass by all of the sports analogies. If you know how Magnepans are constructed, skip to about 8:30.

Magnepan need to add a separate outer ribbon tweeter to the next iteration of the LRS like on their larger models, so the main speaker can just concentrate on mids. I don't have a problem needing a separate sub for bass. You have to expect that with planar speakers.

I'm really tempted to test these with my hypex nc400 dual mono amps. 400 wpc into 4 ohms.

Looking forward to your video on power amp matching with the LRS+. Any chance of comparable sound tracks?

I have the Magnepans. 7's and for the money they are hard to beat Now with the LRS + even more! But it doesn't end there They love watts/current and I drive my Maggie's with a 54lb beast of a amp 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm and 65 amps for 500 milliseconds l also have two SVS subs intergrated with the Maggie's I did the Magnarisers stands and fuse/jumper upgrade

Hello,what is the song the album that you have at the end of your video? Thanks

Went to the only Magnepan dealer in town. Had cash in my pocket ready to be dazzled and ready to buy a pair of LRS+. Maybe it was the set-up and maybe it was the indifferent sales person who handed me a tablet, told me to dial up whatever I wanted. After he left me alone in the room, I played a couple of cuts I was very familiar with. What a disappointment.

Mentioned in other reviews is that these work best with about 3 feet open behind them, possibly more; that’s pretty important, I’m thinking.

Whew… this would have been an informative, edifying and enjoyable review if it were distilled down to 10 min of LRS information.

I liked the video. Yes it wanders a little, but there's a lot of love for this speaker and you can tell. I own the 1.7i and I look forward to hearing about the experiments with amplification. The wisdom on the street is current over watts with Magnepans, which would equate to nimbleness in dynamic swings. If you can match it with the Rotel RA integrated amplifiers ( 1572 mk2 and 1592 mk2) I would appreciate hearing some thoughts about that as I'm shopping them out and cant test them myself anytime soon.

Awesome speakers in every way although b&w are doing some cool things with their decoupled aluminum pod tweeters that open the signs right up. LRS+ definitely a winner.

I currently own the MG12, MG 1.7 and the LRS+ and have powered them with exactly the same gear. So far the 1.7 is the clear winner. The 1.7 seems more power hungry but to my ears is the better speaker.

Go to "settings" and speed it up to 1.75x.

More than watts, an amp for Maggies has to be able to deliver current. And that means big power supplies. I've used Odyssey Stratos monos w/ the 180K uF cap upgrade for over 15 years with good results. I'm going to send the amps back to Klaus who has is going to give them a big upgrade. Odyssey is one of the few manufacturers to publish current delivery rating. I would love to hear LRS with a big Bryston amp which is considerably more expensive than Odyssey, like wise Hegel which some people love.

Brilliantly explained.

Looks like GR Research has an upgrade that takes the LRS+ to a whole new level.

I cannot seem to find the LRS+ model on the magnepan website

Does anyone have a opinion about how these sound playing classical music? I like detail...hearing the different instruments in a full orchestra. Also, what does it do with full orchestra imaging?

How do the LRS+ compared to the linkwitz .

Can anyone speaks to the possible differences or disadvantages of this or an LRS versus bigger models like 1.7 or 3.7. I was going to get a set of 1.7i but will wait on this one and add the woofer after it comes to market. Very excited about this and I can’t see how this speaker will not put a serious dent in the .7 and 1.7i sales as they are now.

And the objective base at audioscience will say it measures poorly. Thus audioscience fan boys should be thrown into the back of the buying line and let us subjective ppl get it first. Here's your chance to properly drive it fosi za3 xlr or rca , it sounds spectacular for a 110$ amp. It also scales with better and better amps.

Decided I couldn’t listen any longer as the hyper-extended sporting metaphor entered its tenth minute.

looking forward to power comments,sounds like tubes are out,

When you say “power” do you mean Class A/B power amps, one per speaker and the preamps or would a newer Class D integrated amp be ok here?

Are they affected by amplifiers that don’t have a good soundstage

LRS+ and MF m6 500i, superb combo. Best bang for buck: wiim Pro, smsl 400ex, LRs+

I had been at AXPONA for a few hours hitting primarily the larger main floor suites with megabuck systems. Naturally very impressive sounding. Then I wandered into the record and accessories area. As I wandered past just plain curtained booths the sound made me stop! It was MagnaRiser with a pair of regular LRS. Even in that crappy booth the Maggie sound just shined! That lack of box. That sound field as you describe! As a Maggie owner and lover one of the reasons I went was to listen to lots of box speakers and see if I still felt the superiority of the Maggie sound was still just more of what you describe. I came away every bit as convinced. Only other non-box, primarily 360 designs like MBL or Bayz, gave me what I was listening for. But at many multiples of the price. One negative I find and you did not cover for the Maggies however is how accurately they resolve. They don't cover up poor recordings or pressings. Some speakers make everything sound impressive. Maggies make well recorded and pressed sources blow you away when they exist!

In my experience while the Magnepans can give you a big soundstage they tend to make everything sound too large. Electrostatic speakers like my Acoustats also give you a big soundstage but the instruments and voices sound like they have a more correct size.

Review doesn't start till 12 minutes in.

Try a pair of Enotiva Hpa 300 watt mono and a pair of Rel TZERO mkiii subs that is what I use on my Revel F36 speakers

No competition. Zero. I have other fine speakers, however I will always have a pair of Magnepan’s in my system inventory.

Go Pack Go !

It's confusing.So many reviewers praise these but they never seem to be speaker you see in their systems.

Skip to 5:35 where he actually starts talking about the speaker.

My biggest question is why on earth wear two apple watches? I can understand one and then the other is a proper watch but two smart watches?

Carvers Platinum, silver edition and Al-3 can put form them hand down..why they can drop down to 16 hz at 78db at 80 DB pink noises..both Platinum and silver edition frez respond is 22,hz and 23hz.. the Platinum models has 4 sub each, silver edition has 3 sub..they are boxess ..all three have the same voice coils..Carver bass is Q71 with the which is considered flat..on paperwork ..even the Bose 901 can played at 24hz at 74db..it manner of taste.. .....

Thanks for mentioning Max Verstappen in the same "league" as Michael Jordan and Tom Brady :) ... Greetings from the Netherlands ...

This guy goes on and on. He could have condensed it around 10 minutes and delivered the same message.

Wow ok maybe next time.

Pay attention to preventing vibration u can get the same and better out of the 100 dollar and below speakers! I have tried them all. I have been experimenting with different speakers amplifiers turntables cd players for over 30 years! Preventing vibration makes the biggest difference in what ever equipment you own!

If you don't understand vibration you will never realize the maximum sonics of any equipment you will own

It's a good speaker but I feel a bit overrated, without a sub they do literally nothing much spectacular on the dynamic end of things. Also the size , the second you stand up kiss that sweet sound goodbye. Now that's a dipole caveat. Not a bad speaker by any means, but stellar ...not really.

Perhaps these analogies would play better in print. You lost me at 4:44......

Vibration acts as a muffler to sound.

yea but what does he really think

I got through about 6 minutes then bailed.

I have big dogs. Lots of big dogs. They are sweet but not robotically trained. I can't have a dedicated listening room does not allow dogs.These poor speakers would knocked over day one.awwwww

"About one foot wide. 12 inches." Aren't we, your audience, worth the time it would take to script your presentation and do a dry run or two? I find that your subject matter matches my interests, and I'm especially appreciative of your consideration of relative newcomers to the audio hobby, but at times your presentations need a bit of polish. You absolutely know it's true. It gets painful and, yes, we ARE worth your best efforts!

Okay, so if you're reviewing these speakers for system budgets that are not tens of thousands of dollars: Why review them with very high end speaker cables connecting them to the amplifier?

You didn’t address the question.

Preventing vibration in any equipment you have makes the biggest difference! Once you understand the effects of vibration you will stop wasting money!

Old audiophiles sure like to ramble

I take difference with your F1 analogy comparing Brady and Rogers (contemporaries) and Verstapen and Schumacher (not contemporaries) while not mentioning Hamilton who would be a much more direct comparison of current drivers with wildly different records. My only conclusion is that you are not an LH fan, otherwise, your conspicuous omission questions your understanding of the sport. Or is there something I missed?......

These aren't even on their site anymore! And their sight sucks It always has! Wendell needs to get out of the '70s man lol

His watches r in stereo 😂

Simply journalism at its worst, this loudspeaker is a good loudspeaker that has some serious flaws, the crossover is a total joke, a simple first order filter with steel parts in the signal path , a glass fuse on the tweeter ,if Magnepan would spend about $150 more in better parts and design a proper external crossover with quality connectors this loudspeaker would indeed be something special I designed a external crossover in 5 minutes for about $150 that would bring the LRS+ to the level that you believe it is…please try and tell the Audio Community if a product has potential and stop the hype when is not designed to its fullest potential

They do look cool. That was the reason I wanted time and money on the mmg. The review sounds like this new model has the exact same problems as the old model. Look for mmg reviews on RU-vid from 5, 10, 20 years ago they all say the exact same thing about the mmg speakers. Absolutely no difference. Sorry!

Wanted to order from them and was NOT IMPRESSED with their service and communication. It’s not run like a professional company… you’re at the mercy of a rather crazy (I don’t mean that in a bad way) owner… he will ship when he wants to, etc. Not the type of company I want to work with for a hobby.

If a pair were 1000.00 but the price is really 2000.00 as you need a pair the single price is always given because when you jump from 5500.00 to a pair for 11,000 everyone I know is out.

See how he ends with all the other stuff u have to do to make the Maggie sound good. The other 100 dollar speakers will go farther with the extra effort to make the Maggie start to sound good

COULD YOU JUST GET TO THE SPEAKER!!!

I’ll save you 40 minutes of your life, he likes them. Yadayadayada. Good lord, worst dinner guest ever.

Fell asleep after 12 minutes. Your not HP mate.

fia stewards f1 masi CHEATED FOR max THIS YEAR AND LAST

Just cannot watch tis guy going on and on…

This has all the zest and appeal of a double header Catholic High Mass in Latin. Where are the managing editors? I'm sure you are a swell man, but this is bad and you need to be more concise and get to the point. I'm certain you'll get bad grades for this.

Just can’t watch this cat. Can you say speaker boys and girls.

What a boring and incoherent reviewer, what a bad blabber intro especially. He has good points on an interesting product but its a torture arriving to them.

The magnepan has poor all over the place frequency response full stop. The poor rising mids and high frequencies are a poor excuse for a loudspeaker product full stop. So i call you out on this bullshit of this loudspeaker. The cloth cover over the loudspeaker is also a crap idea for any speaker. These speakers are just pieces of passive crap full stop . They also cannot hold a candle in sound realism to a pair of 3 way active ATC SCM ASL monitors.

The company is trying to out smart the consumer! They think they can produce junk and make you want their more expensive products. What planet do these people live on when there is so much competition that is cheaper and sounds so much better.

American business rather trick consumer than make something good then go out of business while rest of the world makes good stuff at cheaper price! American business can make good stuff at cheap price but rather outsmart American consumer

Had the mmg reminds me of American car companies. They make their cheap stuff crappy thinking consumer has no choice but to buy the more expensive stuff! WRONG! CONSUMER MOVES TO TOYOTA AND AMERICAN COMPANY GOES OUT OF BUSINESS! GM!

So many more speakers sound way better at 100 dollars! Sony elac Polk pioneer nuemi Dayton audio- with 4" or 6" midbass driver way under 100dollars! Maggies are not worth the money!!!

Maggies are a waste of money

*I've said it since I heard the 1.7s in a proper room, 3d image. But it won't sound like that in all rooms or if not setup properly* ps the magnepan store themselves had them setup with a standard receiver and they sounded like I've never heard