i like the white covers in an attempt to hide the Hframes 😂
they do look close to the wall, I like to have my drivers at least 3 feet from the wall
they do look close to the wall, I like to have my drivers at least 3 feet from the wall
The H-frames have a 60x60 cm footprint, and the total height is 220 cm. It's like two large refrigerators really.
We put them approximately 30 cm from the front wall to get a smoother bass response. Dipole woofers actually excite the room modes less when they are closer to the room surfaces, being sound velocity sources instead of pressure sources.
As promised - here's a distortion measurement of my active Magnepan 3.7's and subwoofer system. This is taken at 3 meters distance in the listening position at about 85 dB SPL, which to my ears is rather loud.
The overall distortion is very low and buried in the noise floor of my UMIK-1. The peak around 230 Hz is partly because I have a rather large dip in the room response, and the response of the Magnepan itself drops off below 3-400 Hz. There's a lot of EQ required at 200 Hz.
The overall distortion is very low and buried in the noise floor of my UMIK-1. The peak around 230 Hz is partly because I have a rather large dip in the room response, and the response of the Magnepan itself drops off below 3-400 Hz. There's a lot of EQ required at 200 Hz.
Here's a picture of my room as seen from the left front speaker. From left to right we see my 130' projection screen with a MG 3.6 center channel behind it, the front right MG 3.7, one (of four) MG 1.6 Atmos ceiling speakers, and a MG 3.6 surround speaker. The curtains cover up a lot of DIY diffusors on the walls and ceiling.
Rear end of the room, showing the amount of diffusion. There's also a pair of MG 1.6's behind the sofa on this picture, but they have been removed.
Rear end of the room, showing the amount of diffusion. There's also a pair of MG 1.6's behind the sofa on this picture, but they have been removed.
Considering that Magnepans are 4 ohm speakers with overall sensitivity as low as 82 dB @ 2,83 V, you simply can't have too much power.
I know Magnepan claim 86 dB @ 500 Hz.. which just happens to be where every Magnepan speaker have a small response peak....
I know Magnepan claim 86 dB @ 500 Hz.. which just happens to be where every Magnepan speaker have a small response peak....
I have compared the SPL with conventional speakers in my room. 82-83 dB is a far more realistic number for Magnepans. For sure, the Magnepans will compress at lower frequencies when you give them a lot power, the Mylar cannot move that much air. Removing the lowest bass will let them play louder but add sub woofers.
I've measured 115 dB peak @ 3 meter in my room on my active 3.7's with subwoofers crossed over at 150 Hz. That's pretty loud!
Anyway - a Magnepan with active XO and proper subwoofer system is a completely different speaker. But then again, the same can be said about almost every other speaker.
Interesting project,
I like the way you mounted the amps. Any issues there?
Unfortunately I’m not familiar with Magnepan. I’m currently trying to figure out what active speakers to build.
Looking closely at LX mini’s but am unsure. Suggestions?
Thanks
Hello everyone! I was looking for more information on active Maggies because I have done a pair mmg's to active and wanted to see what others have come up with, nice to see this recent post.
What I did was just take the connection plate out of the back and surgically disconnected the internal crossover and identified the wires to the quasi and the low panel. I then just routed the wires from the woof and tweet circuit to the connector plate. Note : no need to pull any staples and lift sock, unless like me you had no clue at first! I actually disconnected as few wires as needed there are already wires going directly to the panels so I thought just bypass the crossover!
With that done I have the woof on the top connectors and the tweet on the bottom! I did both speakers in less than an hour!
Ok my new friends, I use two Crown xls 1002 drive core amps that have crossovers built into their design.
I set the woofer to bandpass from 40hz to 1.7 khz . The tweet is set to high pass at 1khz.
The crown has a linkwitz-riley 24db filter on the crossover. I set the gain to 5 clicks back on the woof and the tweeter on full tilt! Seems counter intuitive but amps deliver what they are asked to deliver, so the woof was overwhelming the top end! The cool thing it is so cool to use your ear and find what you like. If my wife is gone and i want a testosterone rush I can go and raise the bass cutoff to higher to protect the low panel!
I typically do not listen at high levels that is why I set to 40Hz you can do whatever you want! At low volume it gives a warm fullrange feel. I also have a wife that sleeps upstairs and we work off schedules.
I also have two 15 sealed subs powered by a crown XTI 1000 with full dsp, and it it can be controlled from my computer with audio architect from my seating position with a mouse!
I have had my MMG'S for 8 years and now they rock the Casbahlaba.
I am not at all bragging about my setup it is meager as hell as audiophile world goes. But once I got my maggies I have had a hard time listening to box speakers, going active with them is quantum leap!
I would like to share more, if you have any questions please ask.
I would like to get some input from StigErik on how he makes his measurements, ( I am new to REW but do have the some knowledge and the mic and software for testing.
I am looking forward to working with everyone here on how to get all the Magnapan speakers into active rhelm.
If you need my help on what I have done so far post your request, so happy you are here!
What I did was just take the connection plate out of the back and surgically disconnected the internal crossover and identified the wires to the quasi and the low panel. I then just routed the wires from the woof and tweet circuit to the connector plate. Note : no need to pull any staples and lift sock, unless like me you had no clue at first! I actually disconnected as few wires as needed there are already wires going directly to the panels so I thought just bypass the crossover!
With that done I have the woof on the top connectors and the tweet on the bottom! I did both speakers in less than an hour!
Ok my new friends, I use two Crown xls 1002 drive core amps that have crossovers built into their design.
I set the woofer to bandpass from 40hz to 1.7 khz . The tweet is set to high pass at 1khz.
The crown has a linkwitz-riley 24db filter on the crossover. I set the gain to 5 clicks back on the woof and the tweeter on full tilt! Seems counter intuitive but amps deliver what they are asked to deliver, so the woof was overwhelming the top end! The cool thing it is so cool to use your ear and find what you like. If my wife is gone and i want a testosterone rush I can go and raise the bass cutoff to higher to protect the low panel!
I typically do not listen at high levels that is why I set to 40Hz you can do whatever you want! At low volume it gives a warm fullrange feel. I also have a wife that sleeps upstairs and we work off schedules.
I also have two 15 sealed subs powered by a crown XTI 1000 with full dsp, and it it can be controlled from my computer with audio architect from my seating position with a mouse!
I have had my MMG'S for 8 years and now they rock the Casbahlaba.
I am not at all bragging about my setup it is meager as hell as audiophile world goes. But once I got my maggies I have had a hard time listening to box speakers, going active with them is quantum leap!
I would like to share more, if you have any questions please ask.
I would like to get some input from StigErik on how he makes his measurements, ( I am new to REW but do have the some knowledge and the mic and software for testing.
I am looking forward to working with everyone here on how to get all the Magnapan speakers into active rhelm.
If you need my help on what I have done so far post your request, so happy you are here!
Those are impressive was my exact reaction. Would be great to just listen to for awhile
Hey,
I’m just starting an active system journey, albeit for a passive open baffle pair. There’s a lot to learn. A mic seems a necessity. Could you share details?
I’m looking at a mic 1 or 2 from minidsp.
Any details please
FYI,
If you're going to make acoustic measurements and alter the original response based on those, that's a re-engineering of the system.
Converting a standard/passive crossover to active one is a straightforward process that requires no acoustical measurements at all.
Some simple examples of this I posted on the Magnepan forum over twenty years ago.
Dave.
If you're going to make acoustic measurements and alter the original response based on those, that's a re-engineering of the system.
Converting a standard/passive crossover to active one is a straightforward process that requires no acoustical measurements at all.
Some simple examples of this I posted on the Magnepan forum over twenty years ago.
Dave.
A differential measurement across each section of the stock crossover (with drivers attached) will yield a reference SPL/phase response.
There are numerous ways to accomplish this. I like to use ARTA in the FR2 mode via my USB soundcard scheme.
(If you have a series crossover, this is more challenging, but still doable.)
Once you have a reference measurement for each crossover section, you use your DSP box (or analog line-level scheme) to match those responses in amplitude and phase.
You now have a passive/active conversion. That's not to say you can't improve upon the result.....but that's a different topic. 🙂
This (general) topic has been discussed numerous times here on DIYaudio. Here's an example:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/passive-to-active-conversion-software.210526/
Dave.
There are numerous ways to accomplish this. I like to use ARTA in the FR2 mode via my USB soundcard scheme.
(If you have a series crossover, this is more challenging, but still doable.)
Once you have a reference measurement for each crossover section, you use your DSP box (or analog line-level scheme) to match those responses in amplitude and phase.
You now have a passive/active conversion. That's not to say you can't improve upon the result.....but that's a different topic. 🙂
This (general) topic has been discussed numerous times here on DIYaudio. Here's an example:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/passive-to-active-conversion-software.210526/
Dave.
I use a DSP umik 1 , as to using REW go to you tube Audioholics have some good tutorials.
Just be sure not to put your screws through the ribbon tweeter or anything metal. The frame is MDF, and regular wood screws work fine.