In this review, we will be comparing LRS+ and 1.7i, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Magnepan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Magnepan LRS+ and Magnepan 1.7i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan LRS+ | Magnepan 1.7i |
|---|
| Brand | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 40-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | — | 43.09kg / 94.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 48" x 13" x 1"
1219.2 x 330.2 x 25.4mm | 65" x 19" x 2"
1651.0 x 482.6 x 50.8mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan LRS+ and Magnepan 1.7i speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Magnepan LRS+ |
Magnepan 1.7i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both LRS+ and 1.7i are -way speakers.
| Driver |
Magnepan LRS+ |
Magnepan 1.7i |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
x -inch
|
LRS+ features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the 1.7i features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer.
Frequency Response
LRS+ has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas 1.7i has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 1.7i can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LRS+'s min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
LRS+ and 1.7i have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the LRS+ and the LRS+ can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Magnepan LRS+'s and Magnepan 1.7i's external dimensions. Magnepan LRS+ has external dimensions of 1219.2 x 330.2 x 25.4mm (48 x 13 x 1inch) whereas Magnepan 1.7i has external dimensions of 1651.0 x 482.6 x 50.8mm (65 x 19 x 2inch).
Magnepan 1.7i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 152.4mm wider, 431.8mm taller and 25.4mm deeper than Magnepan LRS+.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Magnepan 1.7i needs about 192% more floor or shelf area. Magnepan 1.7i is 25mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Magnepan 1.7i is 432mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Magnepan LRS+ is approximately 83.9cm2 / 13.0inch2 and base area of the Magnepan 1.7i is approximately 245.2cm2 / 38.0inch2. The LRS+ requires 66% less surface area than the 1.7i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.