Mye Sound Magneplanar Stand (TAS 199)

An Essential Upgrade for Magneplanar Owners

Magnepan loudspeakers are some of the highest values in audio. The 1.6 loudspeaker, which retails for $1895, is probably the single greatest steal. No other transducer that I’ve heard at that price does so much for so little.

But if you’re in the mood to upgrade the performance of it or any other Magnepan, Grant VanderMye, who lives and works in British Columbia, has a very simple, ingenious, and elegant tweak: Replace the little stands that accompany Maggies. Mye has a small business devoted to manufacturing stands that dramatically improve performance. To refer to them merely as “stands” may even be to scant their significance. What they really offer is a comprehensive structural support system that I’ve found to be indispensable in using both the 1.6 and 20.1 models. Their cost starts at about $500, but varies considerably depending on where the stands are shipped.

One of the appealing features of the stand is that it doesn’t require any physical alteration to the Magnepan. Instead, you use the existing screw holes to install the replacement stand. The stock Magnepan arrives with a small pair of feet that don’t do much to brace the entire panel and prevent it from flexing. The real culprit here is the bass panel, which will shake the entire frame, thereby affecting the reproduction of the midrange and treble frequencies. The Mye stand goes some way toward solving this problem.

The entire stand is made of machined metal. The base platform attaches to the bottom of the loudspeaker and can sit on brass spikes. Two upright braces extend from the back of the platform about two-thirds of the way up the loudspeaker. They can be filled with sand or lead shot, or a combination of both. (The advantage of using both is that the sand will fill the interstices left by the lead shot.) It’s essential to have two people perform the installation: one person has to hold the speaker up about an inch off the floor so that the bottom bolts will slide directly into the sockets without subjecting the existing holes to excessive torque.

What’s the result of what amounts to about a half hour of labor? Simply stunning. The first and most notable improvement is in the bass, which develops far more punch and tautness. Another one is more silent backgrounds. They seem, for lack of a better term, “blacker,” or, if you prefer, quieter. Finally, the mids and highs are greatly cleaned up. The sound absent the stands seems to be more smeared and fuzzy. Transients, particularly in the treble, possess increased snap and speed.

To my ear, the Mye stand had no drawbacks whatsoever. It didn’t brighten the sound or render it harsher. Instead, the Magnepan benefitted immensely from more rigid bracing. Is the Mye stand essential? No. You can listen to Magnepans happily with their stock stands. But after hearing Mye’s creation, I couldn’t live without it. Having owned them for several years, count me a happy and satisfied customer. And if you’re discerning enough to buy Magnepans in the first place, I bet you will be, too.

PRICING

Price: Varies with model and shipping location

MYE SOUND
315 Eugene, B.C.
V1X 2M3
Canada
www.myesound.com