Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Mye Sound MG1.6 Speaker Stands by s.hum

Model:	MG1.6
Category:	Speaker Stands
Suggested Retail Price:	$295
Description:	Magnepan MG1.6QR Stand
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available
Model Picture:	View

Review by s.hum ( A ) on May 09, 2002 at 20:28:32
IP Address: 206.47.0.172

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for the MG1.6

- Preamble (mainly ambling) -
This spring, I have been far too busy with tweaks (mainly to my front end) to the point where I don't have a baseline anymore as things are constantly in some point of burn in (need to exercise more discipline and patience :-) - not a good situation for evaluating anything (to set the stage) however...
A couple of weeks ago I tried out double inductors with the MG1.6 passive XO with interesting results. Then followed that too quickly with yet another DAC mod which totally threw everything off (BG caps no less for the cursed impatient). So the ongoing evaluation of the inductor mod came to a grinding halt.
Then yesterday, my stands for the MG1.6's from Grant VanderMye showed up. I ordered these a little over a month ago based on a post by Eagle about similar stands for his MG3.6R's. Stands being on my list of things to do... I quickly contacted Grant and committed to a set after that post (thankfully, he was open to producing stands for the 1.6).
Grant had not yet tooled up for 1.6's, so measurements were confirmed and options discussed. I initially was interested in a stand that could bolt to the backside of the speakers but the frame of the MG1.6 wouldn't permit. So I went with the C clamping mechanism his web page illustrated with his older maggies (and hoped that the svelte design of the 1.6's wouldn't be broken with this compromise).
- The Stands -
The stands arrived in two packages: a large box containing the base and another longer one with the 4 arms, all copiously bundled in bubble wrap. The base is constructed of 1"x2" rectangular tubing of 1/8" thick steel stock. The bracing arms are of 1"x1" 1/8" thick steel stock. Altogether, a fairly hefty weight and construction. The finish is a very fine satin powder coat black - just lovely.
Assembly is straight forward: bolt arm to base, tighten C clamp (bolt and pressure place arrangement) of the arm to the side of the speaker frame whose position is approximately two thirds up the length of the speaker. 4 bolts per speaker, nothing could be simpler. I put a small piece of masking tape on the inside of the C clamps but they're unnecessary given the satin finish of the powder coat (just yet another one of those anal things from yours truly).
I did not order the base with spikes and, instead, affixed Mutine ceramic resin cones to the bottom of the base (which rests on a 19" square black polished granite tile - fitting the dimensions of the stand and speaker perfectly).
Total time to remove the stock stands and replace? Almost in the blink of an eye (well, maybe a few minutes longer - especially in my case to contact cement the ceramic cones to the base). The arms are sealed at the bottom and can be filled from the top with dampening material - which I have yet to try - but the whole assembly is very solid once everything is tightened up snuggly.
- Impressions -
Once you've tightened up everything the panel is totally rigid. No more wobbling at all. While I've never feared for my maggies toppling over, even from accidental contact (god forbid that someone should run into them!), they now feel much more solid. The rigidity and added mass (even visually) make them less likely to incur accidental contact. The magical form of the vertical standing maggie is somewhat lost because of the triangular rearward brace of the stands - giving them a somewhat more industrial (robust) look - but the small C clamps do not spoil the clean front panel lines.
The sound? Definitely in the upgrade category versus tweak. Even though my baseline has been rather fluid of late, I could definitely hear significant improvements to the bottom end (this despite an anemic bass that resulted from the last DAC mod only a week ago - can't wait till the caps burn in!). Quite audible improvements to bass slam and definition. The word I would use is that it sounds very *clean*. That tight maggie bass achieved even better definition and presence. Definite improvements to the mid bass and midrange as well. Imaging is more etched and 3D and solid. The whole spectrum seems to benefit - though I hope other purchasers can comment on this as it's difficult with my DAC burning in as it is.
Bass slam is the most noticeable improvement which shows you how much energy is lost with the stock stands. That improvement in efficiency (the maggies' ability to move air) translates up the spectrum. More dynamics, and detail, as well as, simply sounding louder now!
As to that double inductor mod I tried before? It was disabled for this rather early appraisal of the stands (being more familiar w/o as opposed to with). And somehow, I get the feeling that as the rest of the system burns in, it may be abandonned, the improvements to the midbass and midrange being so (more significant with these stands).
And the great thing about these stands: no burn in time required! The results are immediate and obvious. I'll let others with more stable systems comment on it's overall contribution to their systems. But from this perspective: a very VERY highly recommended upgrade to the MG1.6's.
S

Product Weakness: None
Product Strengths: Bass, dynamics, imaging. Simplicity. No burn in. Beautiful finish.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Audiomat Arpege (integrated)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Vecteur L-4 w/Audio Note DAC1.2
Speakers:	Magnepan MG1.6 w/Jensen XO
Cables/Interconnects:	JPS Superconductor IC's and JPS Ultra speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical; Jazz
Room Size (LxWxH):	21 x 13 x 8.5
Room Comments/Treatments:	DIY Room lenses; carpeted and furnished living room
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 days!
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	ESP Power Distributor and Cords; Blue Circle Noise Hound
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None
Product Strengths:	Bass, dynamics, imaging. Simplicity. No burn in. Beautiful finish.