Magnepan 1.6 HELP!

 Gerardo,

Let me ask a few clarifying question before trying to give you a response.

• 1) Am I correct in assuming that your intent is to set up a full 5-channel (or perhaps 5.1-channel) surround system?
• 2) If so, is your intent to use four 1.6s, plus a Magnepan center channel, or...?
• 3) Basically, what is your thinking in seeking out an A/V receiver to complement the Magnepan MG 1.6's in the first place? In other words, what's your goal?

If that last question seemed a bit thick on my part, let me explain that I know people who enjoy two-channel home theater systems based on good universal players that provide onboard decoding for all the latest A/V soundtrack codecs. If you followed that two-channel approach, I don't see that there is much need for an A/V receiver at all, apart from the fact that you wouldn't have general purpose surround sound decoding to use when playing non-disc-based content.

On the other hand, if you are aiming for a true surround system, then using an A/V receiver (perhaps just as a decoder/preamp) starts to make a lot more sense.

Now let's talk about how the pieces go together. 

Point One: The problem with most A/V receivers with respect to Magnepans isn't that the receivers can't drive the Maggies at all, but rather that they typically can't drive the Maggies to their full potential (because Maggies are both power hungry and very sensitive to the overall sound quality of the amplifiers with which they are used). This isn't to slam AVRs, but rather to state that few of them were designed with extremely demanding loudspeaker loads in mind. 

Point Two: The reason people talk about using A/V receivers with supplementary amps to drive Magnepans is so that they can enjoy the relatively cost-effective surround sound decoding and preamplifier functions the AVR provides, while also enjoying the benefits that having a much, much beefier power amplifier on tap can provide. Another good reason to use an AVR is that some come equipped with truly excellent room/speaker EQ systems that you might want to use.

With that thought in mind, here's one basic set-up scenario you could follow:

Source Components --> AVR --> AVR's multichannel preamp outputs --> Power Amp(s) --> Magnepans

Which AVRs to consider? Let your ears be your guides. Brands that incorporate Audyssey room EQ functions include Denon, Integra, Marantz, NAD and Onkyo. Brands that offer other, non-Audyssey room EQ and/or automated speaker setup functions include Harman-Kardon, Pioneer, and Yamaha. A brand that has a good reputation among audiophiles but that does not provide auto EQ/setup functions is Rotel. But, as with choosing the Magnepan speakers, your AVR selection should be based on your own listening evaluations and perceptions of sound quality (this isn't a choice you can make based on written word feedback alone).

• reply