Magnepan 3.7 attenuator resistors?
 

I was interested in getting ideas on values and types of resistors for the 3.7 mid and tweeter attenuation.

My 3.7's are roughly 7 months old now, I've been running the mid range with a jumper (not the stock Magnepan one :no: ) and a 1 ohm Mills resistor in the tweeter spot. This has been the setup I've used since day one. I was wondering if anyone had experimented a bit and come up with different/better values. I should say I'm very happy with the speakers, but, a tweak now and then is always fun. :D

Pick up a pair of Duelund resistors for a little more transparency.

Ah, very good, I'd seen those Duelund resistors recommended somewhere else and was considering giving them a try.

I see they have a standard and Cast versions, 'guess I'll just go with the Cast. expensive, but I only need 2.

Here is a vote for the duelund cast resistors. I have been using a duelund cast .6 resistor in my 3.7 tweeters (better by a wide margin to stock resistor partly because stock was dampening down too far). For jumper cables I bought the cardas GR jumpers for midrange and tweeter...better than stock - Smoothed things out almost like a resistor. But combination I am running now and like a lot is duelund .6 cast resistor (from partsxpress) in tweeters with custom Maggie jumpers from empirical design in the midrange when running CJ 350 amp (when running VAC tube amp may replace the resistor with jumper after Maggies break in).

Below is the note to me from emp designs owner - his obsessive attention to detail sold me. Super good guy to deal with. Jumpers align with fast open Maggie sound.

"Darrin,

I have indeed fabricated custom Magnepan jumpers for several customers. In order to avoid frequency-dependent phase shift due to skin depth, the jumpers are simply made of mil-spec PTFE Telfon insulated silver-plated copper wire, with the exposed ends doubled-back and tinned with silver solder.

Fortunately the Magnepan set-screws are long enough to compress the tinned ends against the opposite wall of the sockets when tightened snugly.

I recommend 18 gauge wire for the midrange jumper, and 22 gauge wire for the tweeter jumper, which insures that all phase shift is outside of each driver's effective passband.

Cost is $10 for each 4" jumper; i.e. $40 for a set of four jumpers, plus $6 for Priority Mail shipping.

Thanks for your interest in Empirical Design; just let me know if you'd like to order a set of the jumpers.

Sincerely,

Karl"

Thanks Much!

I've got a couple 1R0 Duelund's on order.
May give a shot at different different jumpers for midrange, currently using Cardas.

I could not find the duelunds on PartsXpress..? went with partsconnexion.

Sorry yes parts connexion in canada

Question....what stands are awesome for Magnepan?? Should I go ahead with buying Mye stands for Maggie 3.7 speakers??

Sound Anchors made a substantial leap in tranparency in my 3.7s... most importantly in bass depth, texture and pitch... and they have a cleaner look than the Mye (which do look a bit more obvious with the angled upright) even if the Mye are likely even more rigid because of it... think you can't go wrong with either for SQ... big step up.

Also thanks kindly for the tip on Empirical Designs jumpers... will give them a go :thumbsup:.

On attenuators: Best day for me was the one when I was able to take the attenuators out all together... felt really freeing though it took a complete WW cable upgrade and also making sure the digital source was good enough especially since my room is still a touch on on the live side... but then going just irresistable really makes the mids and tops beautiful, lively and airy and gets rid of that hemmed in feel of the attenuators.

cheers
Graham

Thanks for the jumper suggestion as well!!

So I guess my current plan is to get the Cast resistors and a set of jumpers from Empirical. once everything is here I can do a few tests etc. definitely will try attenuator-less as well.

Next I'll have to look into stands/feet improvements.

Thx for call out on sound anchors. I think I will wait til speakers hit 1000 hours then get Mye or sound anchors. I agree the resistors especially midrange seemed to hem in the sound. My room had some slap echo that absorbers didn't completely solve so with burned in tube amp no resistor in tweeter necessary. Running wide open was fine. With brand new CJ pr 350 in a lively room the nominal .6 duelund cast resistor is perfect right now and emp designs jumper doesn't tamp down sound at all in midrange like Cardas seemed to. Listened to sacd Rickie Lee Jones last night (Pirates, Woody and Dutch track). Best I have ever heard it bar none. Nothing between me and RLJ vocals. Heard details never noticed before. The CJ350 remained sweet but lifted all veils.