As in finally took some pictures.
My priorities for this project were to stiffen the frames, but try to keep the dimensions as close to the same size as the stock MMGs as possible, both to lessen the aesthetic impact in the room, and to minimize driver edge diffraction with too-wide frames. I used a single brace mainly to minimize apparent size-I like that 'monolith' look of the maggies, so I was trying to maintain that as much as possible.
Materials used were rock-hard maple, maple veneer, black walnut, scrap plywood, MDF for the grills, various fasteners and/or etc. Grill cloth and speaker cable posts are from Parts Express. The new frames can be completely disassembled via socket-head bolts and threaded inserts.
The grills can be removed for real listening, and I made some stands to turn them into diffusers-they actually work surprisingly well, and it's fun to move them around to different positions to hear the effect.
Driver panels were through-screwed at about 4 1/2" intervals into rabbets routed into the frames. It's tough to make the bare mylar look even half-ass decent, but I ended up covering the perimeters in wide, black plastic tape-that helped hide the crappy paint and the edge of the mylar hanging past the metal. The walnut 'things' hiding the wire terminals seem a little out of scale-I may try something else.
Rear shot shows base containing xover, and diagonal brace. I painted the pole pieces satin black-worked like a champ, no paint through the tiny holes onto the mylar. Though frankly, from all the black overspray that the maggie factory allows on the front mylar, that may not be much of an issue.
Interior of the base shows xover location. I know, wire nuts, but I'm still screwing around with the xover. Wire is Kimber 5/9s copper, teflon, 19ga. The thought was to weight the bases with lead in the compartments on either side of the xover. I'll experiment with that-the speakers are pretty damn heavy as it is, and since when did lead become a precious metal? Four bucks a pound for lead shot-wow!.
I'll need to disassemble them one more time for a finish-can't decide between a water-base satin poly to keep the true wood color, or my usual Ben Matte/Satin Oil Poly 50/50 combo rubbed on with 0000 steel wool and then wax.
Thanks to everyone on the PA who offered help, but in particular Dawnrazor and RodH who were the first guys to get me started on modding the MMGs. Thanks everyone....and if anyone has a question feel free to ask.
vaya con dios
"Dammit..."
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Topic - Finally-MMG mods - powermatic 22:13:55 05/30/08 (96)
- Superb workmanship. - Jim Treanor 14:02:31 06/2/08 (4)
- Thanks Jim. I've paid a lot of attention to your posts, both here and 'elsewhere', concerning your - powermatic 16:02:49 06/2/08 (3)
- Uh-oh. - Jim Treanor 16:45:57 06/2/08 (2)
- RE: Uh-oh. - powermatic 20:44:45 06/2/08 (1)
- In your inbox. (nt) - Jim Treanor 13:20:46 06/3/08 (0)
- Fantastic! NT - panhead 11:17:27 06/2/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - Marc Bratton 21:15:12 06/1/08 (0)
- A question for Powermatic - Joe Schmo 09:02:37 06/1/08 (3)
- That's a good question - powermatic 11:55:00 06/1/08 (0)
- my guess is that the strut isn't necessary - wazoo 09:43:15 06/1/08 (1)
- I think you're right. /nt/ - powermatic 12:01:21 06/1/08 (0)
- Congratulations - HarlemAirShaft 08:43:38 06/1/08 (0)
- Nice. nt - Davey 08:02:15 06/1/08 (0)
- 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - RickeyM 06:51:20 06/1/08 (10)
- RE: 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - Davey 07:22:38 06/1/08 (9)
- RE: 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - gasio 14:34:45 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - Duilawyer 12:40:06 06/1/08 (7)
- provoked may be the better word - wazoo 04:36:45 06/2/08 (3)
- RE: provoked may be the better word - Davey 05:52:02 06/2/08 (2)
- RE: provoked may be the better word - Travis 07:02:55 06/2/08 (0)
- I'm not defending that behavior. - wazoo 06:34:36 06/2/08 (0)
- RE: 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - Davey 20:59:42 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: 9:45 A.M., 61 posts gee... - gcouture@bellsouth.net 14:39:57 06/1/08 (0)
- I agree nt - RickeyM 14:22:16 06/1/08 (0)
- First Maggie that looks "Modern," GREAT JOB !! - Dr.Jazz 06:14:57 06/1/08 (0)
- Now , thats what I like... - ABliss 20:03:36 05/31/08 (0)
- Sound - powermatic 16:55:27 05/31/08 (9)
- Try to eliminate the Nylon tie wraps. - Al Sekela 14:54:43 06/1/08 (2)
- RE: Try to eliminate the Nylon tie wraps. - powermatic 22:39:47 06/1/08 (1)
- Sent you asylum e-mail (nt). - Al Sekela 09:34:59 06/3/08 (0)
- RE: Sound - Dawnrazor 22:04:01 05/31/08 (5)
- couple of books gone and tthe Pass goes on the shelf - Duilawyer 16:45:49 05/31/08 (2)
- RE: couple of books gone and tthe Pass goes on the shelf - powermatic 17:43:33 05/31/08 (1)
- the floor, urgh. I picture a drink being spilled...Great room. nt - Duilawyer 18:04:45 05/31/08 (0)
- great job; those wires in the XO gotta go.. nt - Duilawyer 16:44:17 05/31/08 (2)
- well, somehow the signal must travel from the connection terminal - powermatic 21:46:10 05/31/08 (1)
- better wire? nt - Duilawyer 07:39:22 06/1/08 (0)
- Nice work...do you - Kiefer74.1 15:24:31 05/31/08 (3)
- I just eat a lot of bran. nt - Duilawyer 11:16:10 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: dissipation devices - powermatic 17:01:54 05/31/08 (1)
- RE: dissipation devices - Kiefer74.1 00:35:19 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - chas m 13:18:24 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - chas m 13:06:47 05/31/08 (1)
- posts - powermatic 17:04:59 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - CSF 12:58:23 05/31/08 (0)
- Very nice work - grantv 12:29:21 05/31/08 (1)
- RE: Very nice work - powermatic 17:42:31 05/31/08 (0)
- Excellent! - Rod H. 11:44:47 05/31/08 (1)
- RE: Excellent! - powermatic 17:37:16 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - A.Wayne 10:02:00 05/31/08 (2)
- wire - powermatic 17:06:52 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - Dawnrazor 10:56:01 05/31/08 (0)
- I love that look, cosmetic A+ (NT) - JGT 09:50:54 05/31/08 (0)
- I Likey - Joe M 09:36:52 05/31/08 (0)
- DAMN!!!!! - Dawnrazor 09:33:56 05/31/08 (2)
- Thanks for the comments-I'm out of the house until later today. I'll - powermatic 08:47:04 05/31/08 (9)
- SAY WHAT! - RickeyM 14:42:39 05/31/08 (8)
- A misunderstanding sir! - powermatic 17:20:24 05/31/08 (7)
- THAT'S better =^) - RickeyM 20:43:49 05/31/08 (6)
- RE: THAT'S better =^) - powermatic 21:18:13 05/31/08 (5)
- RE: THAT'S better =^) - Dawnrazor 22:23:53 05/31/08 (4)
- Thanks DR- - powermatic 23:25:18 05/31/08 (3)
- FWIW - about face - my experience - wazoo 04:57:26 06/1/08 (1)
- RE: FWIW - about face - my experience - RickeyM 06:47:42 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: Thanks DR- - Dawnrazor 23:55:31 05/31/08 (0)
- OMFG - mbnx01 08:34:16 05/31/08 (12)
- RE: OMFG - powermatic 17:21:50 05/31/08 (0)
- okay, I'll pile on - wazoo 09:43:29 05/31/08 (10)
- RE: okay, I'll pile on - Joe Schmo 10:48:21 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: okay, I'll pile on - Green Lantern 09:50:54 05/31/08 (8)
- Okay, but isn't Magnepan healthy as is? - wazoo 10:31:39 05/31/08 (6)
- ever wonder why car companies never sell those cool looking prototypes...? - Green Lantern 15:42:56 05/31/08 (5)
- there is a difference - wazoo 17:22:33 05/31/08 (4)
- no matter how you dress it up; the driver is the heart and soul.. - Green Lantern 18:59:43 05/31/08 (3)
- RE: no matter how you dress it up; the driver is the heart and soul.. - Joe Schmo 08:06:34 06/1/08 (0)
- yes sir - wazoo 05:33:04 06/1/08 (1)
- agree~ - Green Lantern 09:01:45 06/1/08 (0)
- RE: okay, I'll pile on - mbnx01 10:10:26 05/31/08 (0)
- incredible.. - Green Lantern 07:42:21 05/31/08 (1)
- RE: incredible.. - powermatic 17:34:06 05/31/08 (0)
- simply (curvaceously) beautiful - wazoo 06:25:45 05/31/08 (2)
- RE: simply (curvaceously) beautiful - powermatic 17:32:39 05/31/08 (1)
- I agree with everything Wazoo said, a real work of art. (2!) nt - Duilawyer 07:41:03 06/1/08 (0)
- Nice! - Joe Schmo 06:08:46 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: Finally-MMG mods - hifi Buster 06:05:30 05/31/08 (0)
- RE: exceptional - robber 03:48:04 05/31/08 (0)
- Good job! - Webnick 22:35:58 05/30/08 (0)
- Really nice! - Bob G 22:26:00 05/30/08 (1)
- RE:Nice shape, proportion - BillMilosz 06:19:56 06/1/08 (0)