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RE: Maggies and MagWire

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JBen

In Reply to: RE: Maggies and MagWire posted by MG-bert on November 24, 2012 at 16:33:52

Let me add the initial results of bringing a borrowed set of my original MM842T to compare against the ribbon, MM842R this past weekend.

At the time I developed the 2nd version -- the ribbon -- my only qualm with the original was that it did not deliver as much bass as solid core 12ga cable (which was otherwise bad). I also figured that the ribbon would have even better imaging.

Now, consider that I hardly ever use the subwoofer. That extra bass reach would be welcome...at the time.

The results when I compared the cables at that time were that imaging attributes did not change greatly. I did like the new ribbon's imaging and clarity slightly more. Most other attibutes remained similar though dynamics also seemed slightly better. OTOH, bass was clearly better with 842R, the new version.

Zoom to the present. I need less bass (reduced bass). Along with other system improvements in 2 years, a recent set of tweaks sound great...but I have a little more bass than I want.

So, when the question ablout cables came up, you guys reminded me that perhaps the original version could be more indicated now.

Well, I'll be darned! The original cable does seem to be the ticket this time around. Everything else but the bass is the same SO FAR. The bass is now reigned in enough that, with a little nudge, things will be back in my target range soon. I feel so positive that today I even started burning in some caps that I expect to produce the "nudge" (in the low pass of the PLLXO biamp).

This was only the initial result. I need to leave the cables in place for a few more days and repeat the measurements. Listening over the week, so far, is encouraging. In the chart below (left channel only), green is the MM842R. Look below 40hz. Several repeated sweeps confirmed that my ears were not fooling me. However, the more interesting result came from pink noise recordings. Their spectrum analysis showed that the peak at 50-65hz is less "dense" with 842T, which further confims the perception.

So, if you worry about too much bass but too little imaging...give me a few days to make sure that this could work for you.

Follow Ups:

RE: Maggies and MagWire - Lynxo 13:42:10 12/07/12 (2)
Hi,

Is there a post of different variations and results?
Would be great to see some close up shots of how they are built.

I would like to give it a try, not sure which to do. I saw one
photo where the magwires are laid next to each other, guess this is ribbon configuration. The original one is twisted pair? How many twists
per feet?

I bought very short length of anticable to see how it goes. It
is very difficult to work with, especially to make twisted pairs
and bends around equipment,shelf etc.

Thought I give this a try going broke on the kimber 8tc.

Thanks.
- RE: Maggies and MagWire - JBen 14:59:27 12/07/12 (0)
  While I must have posted some stuff about them, I don't think I did pictures, or much of a "how to". Perhaps there was a diagram of the ribbon. I'll have to look this weekend.
  
  The non-ribbon, or original 842T is not twisted. All the magwire lines for each terminal are parallel in a bundle wrapped spirally in Teflon tape. I hated making them. It is a tribute to the capabilities of magwire that I even finished the very first original pair.
  
  In any event, I am hoping to get a better picture of the difference between various concoctions of magwire over the next few months. I think that some people will be better off with variations depending on what they are after. I did some of these comparisons for my own purposes in the "distant" past but did not take notes. Also, now my system is more revealing than ever before.
  
  If I am lucky, tomorrow I will have a chance to verify some things about the 842T vs the 842R. However, this will be only on the bass driver side of my bi-amp. I am locating the old xover parts to set up normal xovers at speaker level and comapre later. This will be more useful for most.
  
  In addition, OldGuy42 just sent me copies of the twisted pair version that he and Dawnrazor liked. Plus I have some of my old thin [non-twisted] duals and singles. It takes time, but little by little I'll get to find more about their virtues and best application.
  
  For example, if someone does not need the best bass from the Maggies themselves [they have a great woofer/subwoofer approach], a simpler build might do. The same may go for people who don't perceive "imaging in space" (hopeless room, known physical impairement, etc.). One thing on which magwire has never let me down is in allowing instrumental textures to pass through. Another is in allowing QR tweeters to get the closest to ribbons. Both of these come across regardless of the many builds that I've tried.
  
  Had I taken notes in the past, it may have been easier to share what I perceive. Yet, with cables, that's just one perspective, not "real" knowledge.
  
  OTOH, if I can confirm the measurements that I took of 842T/842R last week, or the ones with thin strands (long ago), it may all add up to something useful as far as different mixes of magwire.
- RE: Maggies and MagWire - 66mgb 14:30:56 12/07/12 (0)
  I use Nordst Blue Heaven bi-wire on my 3.6's driven by a Pass labs X150.5 and a Conrad Johnson PV 12 Preamp
  Russ

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