By adding DWM planar magnetic dipolar woofer,
user can optimize bass for home theater featuring big-sized or medium-sized speakers.
Magnepan
DWM Woofer - RRP is $700
Magneplan is a manufacturer specialized in
making planar magnetic dipolar speaker delivering vibrant and accurate sound. Basically,
DWM is a bass panel of Magnepan MG 20.7’s biggest product range. RRP is $700. If
you own small-sized models such as MG1.7, MG12, MMG, Mini Maggie… and feeling a
lack of bass, you may add one or two DWM bass panels according to your room’s
space.
DWM speaker will extend range of sound,
adding more bass to 2 main speakers. This speaker can also be joined with common
small-sized bookshelf speakers which often lack bass though work well with
panel speakers from the same manufacturer for synchronization in setting.
This
is a case in which a bass panel is wired with main panel speakers.
DWM speaker was tested by us in a lot of
setups.
First, we connected DWM with MG12 main
speaker in a series circuit plus Technics SU-V100D amp (150watt, 6ohm) then put
it in a parallel circuit with MG12 speaker plus Technics SU-V100D amp. The parallel
circuit was used to compare with series circuit, yet it was not long enjoyable as
Technics SU-V100D couldn’t get down to 2ohm.
Next, DWM was joined with MG12 speaker in
series circuit sharing monoblock (minimum impedance was 4ohm) then in parallel circuit
sharing Bryson 7B monoblock (minium impedance was 1ohm).
Finally, we let DWM bass panel play with Technics
SU-V100D semiconductor while main speaker ran with Seprano SE00I tube amp (signal
transferred from 2 outputs of Denon DCD 3300 CD player).
The
bass panel was tested in many configurations.
Either series or parallel setup didn’t have
much difference in sound quality. Though, series setup sounded rounder and more
condense than parallel setup. But in parallel circuit, music felt free and more
appealing. The two cases were good and applicable in accordance with accompanied
amp.
In setting of Technics SU-V100D or Bryston
7B monoblock with one or two bass panels with two main panels, sound space
appeared widened, dynamic, brilliant and clear; bass was thick while mid-range
and treble were detailed. The solution in which DWM bass panel is joined with MG12
speaker can replace pricier solution (costing around $5,000).
Using Technics and Seprano tube amp
appeared superior as it benefited from tube amp (fast and neat) and semiconductor
(warm and elegant).
Using a powerful amp for bass and
limited-power amp for treble and mid-range followed the principle of sound
organization (low-power amp is good at dealing with detail while bass-range
requires more power).
Two
bass panels were joined with main speakers in parallel setup.
With a limited number of instruments and
artists, a system including 2x MG12 and 2x DWM was able to deliver sound
completely, CD “Duos For Violin & Guitar” with violin and guitar solos
(performed by Paganini and Giuliani) showed it best. Each instrument (either
violin or classic guitar) showed off its forte and foible in comparison with
other instruments.
DWM made mid-range and treble more striking
because audio background was strengthened. Thus, instrumental sound was
maximally supported by the system. There’s no small mistake between sounds of instruments
from different families (string or woodwind). Shostakovich – Piano Concertos
No1 & 2 and others are CDs that provide clearest definition of piano as
quality (in performance, recording) is very high. This CD brings audience away
from the real life to a romantic world whose sound is not only modern but also
impressive… naturally from the first note until the end of the song. Thanks to lengthened
bass range, piano’s low bass notes are performed completely than ever and
listener seems concentrating more on rolling chords.
Not only supporting piano, but also does
DWM bass panel go with cello and contrabass, apparently shown in CD
“Shostakovic – Cello Concertos Nos 1 & 2 vàLondon Symphony Orchestra”.
Right from staccato notes of cello, cello’s bass was not only deep but also rounded.
Meanwhile, contrabass band’s bass spread all over thickly and deeply… Unless the
listener gets used to full-range music, when listening to this CD or any other
sound through MG12 and DWM, it’d be better to focus on subtle development in
mid-range and treble instead of bass. Well, the system did handling sound very well.
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Specifications
·
Planar magnetic dipolar woofer
·
Frequency response: 40-200Hz
·
Sensitivity: 86dB at 2.83V/1m/50Hz
·
Impedance: 4Ohm
·
Size 49cm (high) x 57cm (wide) x 3.2cm (thick)
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