So I Have An Awesome White Oak PL700-Now What??? Maggies?

[Richard D]

Jerry and Lee kicked in and built a super nice amp for me. I've had a pretty rough go lately and these guys really came through. I've been blasting the 700 through a pair of series I 901s (with the EQ)with no complaints(no snide remarks from the "Bose blows" camp please), and I plan to add a powered subwoofer(boo!). But now I am thinking I need to take it to another level. Magnepans??? Tight budget is holding me back, but maybe I can swing some old ones? Opinions???
P.S. My house is 60s-70s style, so wood finish and cloth is a plus, not a neg.

 

[premiumplus]

Jerry and Lee kicked in and built a super nice amp for me. I've had a pretty rough go lately and these guys really came through. I've been blasting the 700 through a pair of series I 901s (with the EQ)with no complaints(no snide remarks from the "Bose blows" camp please), and I plan to add a powered subwoofer(boo!). But now I am thinking I need to take it to another level. Magnepans??? Tight budget is holding me back, but maybe I can swing some old ones? Opinions???
P.S. My house is 60s-70s style, so wood finish and cloth is a plus, not a neg.

I have to say that I am really loving my Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers, driven by a WOPL 700B. But what makes it really special is the second WOPL 700B that drives the subwoofers. I have never heard a system that beats mine, but I would imagine there are lots of vintage speakers that would sound stunning. Lee's got some custom Khorns that he made that I'd like to hear! Every speaker that I've tried with my current electronics sounds better than it ever did before, so you've got an amplifier that will sound great whatever you choose to load it with. And that's where this hobby gets really interesting, huh? I love buying older gear and restoring it. I found my DQ-10's for $250 and refoamed the woofers myself, for another $25 or so in parts. I think I replaced one capacitor in each crossover...and they sound great. Have fun with it!

 

[laatsch55]

Any Cerwin/Vega 3way with a 15" woof is a good candidate also. There were so many made that new surround kits are readily available. Just a good everyday/all day rock speaker.

 

[jbeckva]

Any Cerwin/Vega 3way with a 15" woof is a good candidate also. There were so many made that new surround kits are readily available. Just a good everyday/all day rock speaker.

Hah.. thought for sure you'd say HORNS!!!

 

[laatsch55]

Key words were "tight budget". Low dollar horns should be outlawed. Takes money to do horns right otherwise you run screaming from the room. For 400-600 he can have some kickass CV's that'll keep the neighbors dialing fingers plumb busy...

 

[laatsch55]

I love them D-9's Jer, but you know that..

 

[jbeckva]

Key words were "tight budget". Low dollar horns should be outlawed. Takes money to do horns right otherwise you run screaming from the room. For 400-600 he can have some kickass CV's that'll keep the neighbors dialing fingers plumb busy...

That is true, yeah the D9's have quite a kick to them, and their sensitivity is upwards of what. 106/109 (can't remember which)? Find 'em if they're local... doesn't matter if the woofs need refoaming... I'm sure there are a lot of people who can do that. Richard you think it's loud now..... put some D9's on that WOPL and get ready .. watch out for the "brown sound", or wear some depends either way...

 

[laatsch55]

It's over a 100 for sure Jer. C'mon Richard, chime in here we need some info Bud..

 

[Northwinds]

D9's are on my mandatory list to acquire. Hope I find a pair soon. The E-712's do an admirable job though and look beautiful to boot

 

[BubbaH]

I never really liked Cerwins before. Went to a house party that had a set rocking in the basement about a year and a half ago. I was actually pretty impressed with them. Not long after that I saw a set that needed refoaming so I grabbed em. For 30 bucks theyll sound nice whenever I get em back together.

 

[laatsch55]

Which ones Ben?

 

[BubbaH]

These

U351's or sumpin. Not sure. The cabs are out in the back shed.

 

[laatsch55]

12" woof?

 

[BubbaH]

I think they are 15's. The Elite beside it is a 15. Looks to be close... never measured em. For 30 bucks I couldnt leave them behind.

 

[laatsch55]

I think they are 15's. The Elite beside it is a 15. Looks to be close... never measured em. For 30 bucks I couldnt leave them behind.

I would'nt have either..

 

[Elite-ist]

I have listened to a pair of KEF Reference 105.2 speakers which sold at Innovative Audio in the $500 range a year ago. A great value for the money if you can find a nice pair. Not super sensitive but they can handle the power.

I still like the JBL L300s, but they are at least 3X the price of the KEF 105.2.

Nando.

 

[orange]

Maggies are nice, Maggie May would suit me.

 

[orange]

Key words were "tight budget". Low dollar horns should be outlawed. Takes money to do horns right otherwise you run screaming from the room. For 400-600 he can have some kickass CV's that'll keep the neighbors dialing fingers plumb busy...

I really liked the small horns in BIC Venturi Formula 2s and so I have a pair once again and my Pioneer CS-A31's horns are acceptable to me as well. I'm okay with eh square platic Foster/Realistic horns that sit in place of the EMITs I never had in my Infinity RS-4000 cabs but maybe liked the beat-up CTS MIDS better than the stock mids I got refoamed and put back in.

I'm not likely to ever have an amp like THAT though...so what I have isn't going to be as critical.

 

[8991XJ]

Interesting thinking about going from Bose 901 I to Magneplanars. This is going for the arena rock concert to the piano jazz bar. One has the sound all around you pounding you and the other, well close your eyes and you can see the stand up bass player off to the right has on a Blue Tie.

The comment about adding a sub to the 901s...at a tweeter bank too and use those 901 drivers as midrange units. OK I'm done.

When I was selling we had the 901s, TimeWindows, DQ-10s, Magenplanars and Epicure 3.0s. So making the 901 to Magneplanar move to me is the most extreme of the speakers I'm very familiar with, even to this day as I have MG-IIIa, TimeWindows and just picked up some DQ-10s a month or two ago.

I've had the 901s, later series, III, I think and the first time I heard PF, Wish You Were Here, a friend brought it over, said it was intense and it was cranked on the 901s. I will never forget that. Maybe a 12 x 12 room Crown DC-300a and a turntable that would take all of that sonic impact and not miss a beat. Awesome.

Bought right Magneplanars are a very nice speaker but they won't slam the way many other speakers can. But the clarity is amazing.

 

[Jimmy]

I like the recommendation that other folks have provided, particularly the larger Cerwin Vega speakers. I would like to throw DCM speakers into the mix. You can get a nice pair of DCM TimeFrame 600s for less than $200.

I recently bought two pairs of Magnepans (MG-I and MG-II) with problems. I spent something like 20 hours re-wiring them; it was a serious pain in the rear. They are a good speaker, but to get a pair cheap, you would have to get older ones, and they are prone to broken tweeter wires - if they are working, it is only a matter of time before they need serious repairs.