Tower Speaker Reviews

Magnepan LRS Loudspeaker Review Specs

Specs
LRS: 37 x 8 in quasi-ribbon woofer, 37 x 1.5 in quasi-ribbon tweeter;
14.5 x 48 x 1 in (WxHxD); 20 lb
Price: $650/pair

Company Info
Magnepan
(800) 474-1646
magnepan.com
COMPANY INFO
Magnepan
(800) 474-1646
magnepan.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
hk2000's picture
Submitted by hk2000 on September 3, 2020 - 12:09am

I don't care what they say, this is the MMG- I own the MMG, and I've been examining this new LRS in every possible way, I just can't find any discernible difference whatsoever! And no, it is not easy to drive, I had them powered by a 100 Watt stereo receiver and by an 80 Watt Integrated amp and was never able to drive them to satisfying loudness. I now have them hooked up to a Parasound 2125v2 amp and they sound amazing.

Michael Trei's picture
Submitted by Michael Trei on September 20, 2020 - 1:42pm

There is a clear difference between the MMG and the LRS. The MMG uses what Magnepan calls a planar magnetic woofer, with thin wires bonded to a Mylar sheet, while the LRS changes that to their quasi-ribbon technology, with a flat aluminum foil bonded to the Mylar. Both use quasi-ribbons for the tweeters.

hk2000's picture
Submitted by hk2000 on September 21, 2020 - 11:27am

What you're describing is similar to saying a dynamic speaker was upgraded from a 6.5" paper pulp cone to a 6.5" Polypropylene Cone- there is really no scientific proof that either one is superior. The MMG is just as low sensitivity and as hard to drive- that was my point.

Michael Trei's picture
Submitted by Michael Trei on September 21, 2020 - 3:39pm

The foil of the quasi-ribbon woofer has lower mass than the old insulated wires used on the MMG's planar magnetic driver. This gives the driver less inertia, allowing it to respond to the signal more quickly.

More pertinently, the two models do sound quite different.

hk2000's picture
Submitted by hk2000 on February 27, 2022 - 7:49am

My metaphor still holds, or maybe another metaphor: This years improvements include an aluminum cone "...woofer [which] has lower mass than the old [polypropylene cone woofer] used on the[old model] driver. This gives the driver less inertia, allowing it to respond to the signal more quickly."
However, Mr Gibbs point below is a good one and very well taken.

Tom Gibbs's picture
Submitted by Tom Gibbs on September 23, 2020 - 7:17am

In addition to Michael's comments, as a longtime MMG owner, one of the key benefits to the flat aluminum quasi-ribbon is projected longevity of the loudspeaker construction. I have a mid-nineties vintage pair of MMGs; the mid-woofer panel wire has required reattachment several times over a 25-year period. The quasi-ribbon foil -- never. It's light weight and lack of potential for the wire to curl makes it much more impervious to self-inflicted damage. And the quasi-ribbon mid-woofer has a much greater degree of delicacy and transparency when compared to the wired panel.

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