Taperssection.com

Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: Nick's Picks on September 23, 2008, 09:36:29 AM

Title: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 23, 2008, 09:36:29 AM
Imagine the look on your SO's face when you come home with these.
what, they are only blocking the two windows (only two in the room). 
what, ??, 6' is too big ?  come on now hun, be reasonable.

sheer fucking bliss on my part though.  Chances are high that I'll either have to ditch them eventually (WAF) or make a lean-to and move in.
either way...shit is looking good!

digital : SB3 / Oppo 971 > Perpetual Tech P1 digital correction engine > Perpetual tech P3 DAC  >
analog : Music Hall MMF 5.1 > Grahm S Lee special edition phono pre >

Pre: Dared SL2000a with Telefunkin 12au7's and (currently employing) RCA 5au4 rectifier tube.
power: Odyssey Audio Stratos monoblocks ..., not stock.  just got them back.  brand new red-board upgrade, new input/output stage...just shy of the "extreme" edition

Magnepan MG3.3R ribbon tweeter full range planar speakers.

all millspec cable throughout.

Boo-freakin' YA !
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: nickgregory on September 23, 2008, 09:40:13 AM
oh yeah, I would be divorced before I even got those hooked up
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: run_run_run on September 23, 2008, 10:45:19 AM
RC: is ready for the party
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: George on September 23, 2008, 11:29:35 AM
I'm in the market for a used pair of speakers and just started looking into maggies/planars in general and seeing these pics is making me get excited   :D

<----can't wait to own a pair!  Would a solid state receiver drive them okay as well?  Just curious as to the differences between tube amps and SS for driving planars.

edit: +T on the new toys!
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 23, 2008, 12:27:34 PM
MUST be able to drive 4ohm load.  Maggies like power, and lots of it.  Im pumping 180wpc into these and they could take more.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: tgakidis on September 24, 2008, 08:18:04 AM
Holy Shit Nick!  And i am all excited about my new headphones :-[
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: macdaddy on September 24, 2008, 08:57:05 AM
oh yeah, I would be divorced before I even got those hooked up

+1 (me, too)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: noahbickart on September 24, 2008, 03:18:25 PM
what happened to the ml's?

-noah
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 24, 2008, 03:34:52 PM
a friend bought them.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 25, 2008, 06:30:28 AM
thats right bitch!
you never know who or what in my circle is next on the block, so watch it!
;-)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 25, 2008, 06:31:00 AM
actually, my problem is that I need to stop cruising audiogon.  local deal of the century or not.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: bdasilva on September 25, 2008, 09:28:03 AM
My wife was very upfront... no matter how good they sound... no more homemade speakers, no more Maggies or Quads. Or we end up with Bose (yuck)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: L Ron Hoover on September 25, 2008, 12:03:21 PM
Time to draw up the papers. :P ;D
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 25, 2008, 04:55:14 PM
the ML's are beautiful, dynamic, detailed ...and just plain' f'n cool.  the transparent diaphragm is the shit, and let the light shine through them (as the maggies do not).

you should hear these suckers.  they are the most transparent, detailed speaker i've ever heard.  the bass ..., is so fast that at times I think it lean, other times its right there.  no bloat. 
I heard detail in Jerry's voice listening to an 80' show last night the likes of which i've never heard before.  gave me goosebumps.

I sat Sarah in the "zone" and asked for 30 seconds of her time to listen to them.  I played music she doesnt' like (Mule, DOSE) ...and she sat memorized for 15 minutes.  I think I hooked her.
tonight it will be Brubeck, Bellafonte', Steely Dan...things she likes.  then she'll forget all about the big ugly speakers.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 25, 2008, 04:55:52 PM
oh, and are you sure its not me in the picture that is so intriguing ?
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: macdaddy on September 26, 2008, 01:44:14 AM
Quote from: nickspicks
I sat Sarah in the "zone" and asked for 30 seconds of her time to listen to them.
:realhappy:

the idea of my wife sitting down after seeing those in our living room makes me smile... more power to you, though...

+t
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 26, 2008, 07:56:11 AM
Shes hot for you Nick. She'd probably hit you.
She rolled my finger up in the power window,.. so I'll leave it up to your imagination fom there (what I mean by hit.).

Yeah, its the ML's and the light shining thru that she likes.  That is a pretty cool thing.

oh sure Mike...I can hear her "I'd hit that...., where's my spiked ring?"
:)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: carlbeck on September 26, 2008, 08:49:22 AM
Nicks secret is simple. If you were hung like a rabid field mouse your wife would have pitty on you & "allow" you to have HUGE speakers to compensate. Geez, you guys overlook the obvious sometimes  ;D
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Gutbucket on September 26, 2008, 11:48:26 AM
Sarge is intrigued with these big guns for some reason, especially the ML's.  Big speakers don't seem to bother her, unless she can't get around them, or if they're turned up too much.

I'm lucky my woman seems to have the same attitude, but I've presently got a center speaker sitting on a stool which makes navigating the family room a bit of an obstacle course.  I believe I'm pushing the limits.  Bring on the panels.  ;)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on September 28, 2008, 08:31:53 AM
she laid it into me last night...., I fear that these will be short lived.
I already sold the MLs...., so back to the drawing board.

on a good note, she is asking for something that will become "furniture"..., so that means a nice finish to match the varios shades of Cherry in the room.

Odyssey Lorielli's perhaps ?
or, save a little for the ML Vantage.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Gutbucket on September 29, 2008, 03:00:06 PM
Are you a DIY speaker type guy, Nick?
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on October 03, 2008, 06:38:02 AM
I could be...
what have you got for a suggestion?
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Gutbucket on October 03, 2008, 12:24:30 PM
Work? what work?.. Its' Friday, you asked and now I've typed way to much, but this might be right up your alley panel guy-  ;)

I've really enjoyed following Stan Linkwitz's development of his Orion dipole speakers on his website (http://www.linkwitzlab.com/index.html) over the past 6 or 7 years (guy who developed the Linkwitz-Riley x-over (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rane.com%2Fnote160.html&ei=HB7mSPXxNZ6EugWppfCZCw&usg=AFQjCNF-gufIJ0DwQBXLx-AzmmGT4rEIGA&sig2=JitsQnx6eDY2JM0GpiwDcQ)).  That's partly because I admire his thoroughly scientific and empirical, self-critical approach completely devoid of snake oil, partly because I've learned a lot from his detailed explanations and reasoning of what is important in speaker reproduction at home and partly because I really want to build a pair.  I very nearly ordered the plans and circuit boards to start building them 4 years ago, but then I bought a house.  :-\  I should have gone with the speakers.

It's an unusual design that aims for the very best attributes of both panel speakers and dynamics, with emphasis on room interaction in a regular living room vs a treated space, judged against live music reproduction.

He ends up with an active dipole speaker with all dynamic drivers, even the bass.  It requires a dedicated active 3-way crossover and and a separate channel of amplification for each driver.  With the optional subs the crossover becomes a 4-way, but that's mostly for heavy home theater type sub headroom and unnecessary for music besides perhaps pipe organ.  A recently added rear tweeter makes the fig-8 dipole radiation with side null unvarying across the full frequency range.

Pros-
Full range dipole source -3 dB at 30 Hz, -6 dB at 20 Hz. (with out optional mono-polar enclosed subs)
Improved low frequency interaction with the room from the unusually low dipole range.
Improved mid and high radiation pattern vs traditional monopole box speakers.
Improved radiation pattern vs panels in the high frequencies.
The full dynamics & impact of dynamic drivers.
Designed as a complete system past the preamp: EQ/timing/X-over/amplification/drivers/baffles is all optimized as a cohesive unit.
Relatively small towers compared to planar speakers.
My woman gives here aesthetic approval.
Great cost /performance ratio.


Cons-
You gotta build it (although the electronics are also available partially assembled & now you can buy the cabinet parts cut or fully built from an associated shop)
You need at least 6, preferably 8 channels of dedicated amplification, 10-12 with subs.
Designed as a complete system past the preamp so if you love to swap amps or want to use a favored amp for color it's not for you.
Placement restrictions like any dipole- preferably 4' from the back wall.
With a separate amp channel per driver, there are lots of speaker and interconnects cables. I'd go with muliti-conductor cable and Speakon connectors.

Cost is from $2300 DIY up to around $8k+ fully built, finished and ready to go including the amps depending on how much building & soldering you want to do.

I haven't heard them but I'll search out some previous builders here in FL before I commit.  There is contact info on his site linked above for a guy who built a pair in Portland, ME willing to give a listen if interested. I'll do this some day.

sepearate builder/owner board here (http://orion.quicksytes.com/index.php)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Gutbucket on October 03, 2008, 12:26:49 PM
Jeesh, I should get a fan-boy commisson..

Some Orion photos-

(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/Cherry_Full2c.jpg)(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/graphics/ORION_polarity.jpg)
(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/Orion_Raw_Kit.jpg)
Thor sub x2 or x4 (http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/thor4c.jpg)
(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/orion-xo2.jpg)(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/ampl3.jpg)
(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/karlsson-1.jpg)(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/Hillman_ORION.jpg)
(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/henricksson1.jpg) (http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/maldonado-45.jpg)
(http://www.linkwitzlab.com/images/photos/orion-revilla.jpg)

More photos (http://www.linkwitzlab.com/orion-photos.htm)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: sygdwm on October 03, 2008, 03:19:51 PM
:drool:
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: hoyt on October 12, 2008, 04:57:14 PM
...
on a good note, she is asking for something that will become "furniture"..., so that means a nice finish to match the varios shades of Cherry in the room.
...

Did you check into sending the Maggie's back to MN so they can recover them for you with cherry pieces?  Just had my MG12's at the factory for a buzzing issue.  They ripped them down, re-ran the voice coil, and of course had to recover/ side them.  So they asked what colors I wanted.  I wanted the same, so they ended up black/ cherry again, but was much cheaper than I thought.  The 3.3's would certainly be more expensive, but worth a call to find out.  Those are gorgeous sounding speakers, they wouldn't leave my house because of asthetic reasons :)

wtf, this room looks familiar! http://maine.craigslist.org/ele/858782883.html

EDIT:  Oh, and someone asked about running Maggies solid state.  I have a solid state Audio Research D120, and think they sound fantastic.  I've heard them on my dad's tube amp, and think the solid state is just as nice on these.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: run_run_run on October 12, 2008, 05:44:40 PM
LOL he has to sell it already
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: BC on October 13, 2008, 04:53:12 PM
Work? what work?.. Its' Friday, you asked and now I've typed way to much, but this might be right up your alley panel guy-  ;)

I've really enjoyed following Stan Linkwitz's development of his Orion dipole speakers on his website (http://www.linkwitzlab.com/index.html) over the past 6 or 7 years (guy who developed the Linkwitz-Riley x-over (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rane.com%2Fnote160.html&ei=HB7mSPXxNZ6EugWppfCZCw&usg=AFQjCNF-gufIJ0DwQBXLx-AzmmGT4rEIGA&sig2=JitsQnx6eDY2JM0GpiwDcQ)).  That's partly because I admire his thoroughly scientific and empirical, self-critical approach completely devoid of snake oil, partly because I've learned a lot from his detailed explanations and reasoning of what is important in speaker reproduction at home and partly because I really want to build a pair.  I very nearly ordered the plans and circuit boards to start building them 4 years ago, but then I bought a house.  :-\  I should have gone with the speakers.




very high praise of the Orions here

http://www.theaudiocritic.com/cwo/Web_Zine/

Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 14, 2008, 05:19:00 PM
Mmmmmm...Maggie 3.x.   :drool:  Unfortunately, my listening / LR is barely big enough for my VR-2s, let alone those Maggie Monsters.  Bet they sound sweet!  :coolguy:
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on October 15, 2008, 09:31:34 AM
they do..., but they are hideous on the WAF front.
they block all the light coming in the room as they are parked in front of the only two windows there.

Seth..., its not fun to laugh at another mans angst.
:(
+T anyway for making me laugh too
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: BC on October 15, 2008, 02:21:24 PM
they do..., but they are hideous on the WAF front.
they block all the light coming in the room as they are parked in front of the only two windows there.

sounds like you might have to go back to the transparent ML's huh?

Hmm, just FYI I've read some good things about the Newform Research speakers in the past (should be less obtrusive than the maggies):
http://www.newformresearch.com/
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: Nick's Picks on October 15, 2008, 06:16:45 PM
yea, she actually wants me to get another pair of Logans.
I'm game..., but she might change her mind when i'm begging to spend $3k on a used pair of Vantages.
If I can find some Ascents locally, I'll be jumping on it.
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: som on October 16, 2008, 01:33:03 PM
Whaddaya think the WAF is on these???

(http://www.thehornshoppe.com/model3.jpg)
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: run_run_run on October 16, 2008, 07:35:24 PM
Crank the Zappa
Title: Re: Panels ? what Panels ??
Post by: it-goes-to-eleven on October 17, 2008, 02:10:39 PM
Buy my 'vintage' Martin Logan CLSs so she can see the windows ;)

They need a good home...