I am in the process of setting up a Magnepan based speaker system for music and movies. I also will be upgrading from my 1050 receiver to a 950/770 combo. My question is on bass management for this set-up. I know the 950 has a good built in bass management system but will it work properly with the magnepan speakers or should I invest also in the ICBM? I do have a SACD/DVD Audio player so proper bass is important to me.
Also, has anybody on this board used the 950/770 combo for maggies (1.6 for front, MMG in rear and maggie center), if so, with what results? Thanks in advance for your help.

The standard ICBM's highest crossover point is 120Hz; the Maggie version offers a max crossover of around 150Hz, I think. The 950's highest crossover point is 150Hz, which makes me suspect that the 950 alone would work with Magnepans for digital sources.

The SACD/DVD-A will be a somewhat different issue -- the 950's triple crossover only works in the digital domain, and the multichannel analog input go through an 80Hz analog crossover. If that fixed 80Hz crossover is a problem with maggies (something that you'd know better than I), an ICBM for your SACD/DVD-A source might be in order.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

The original Magneplanar center channel, the MGCC1, and the CC2 both had a lower cut-off of 160Hz. If you use either of these models the "Magnepan Edition" of the ICBM is a virtual necessity. Otherwise you will lose a whole octave of information between 80 and 160Hz. The good news is if you go with the newer CC3 model it goes down to 80Hz on it's own. That no longer makes the ICBM mandatory. Not to say that you couldn't make some improvement tweaks by employing one. I'd try it without an ICBM first and you can always add one later if you feel the need.

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Tekdredger