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you. To check for a local dealer click this Magnepan Dealer Locator Link.
The Magneplanar DWM is a dipole, thin-film planar/magnetic woofer which is a derivative of the MG 20.1 DiPlanar
woofer technology. The DWM can be driven simultaneously by 2 separate amplifiers (typically the front left and right
channels). A built-in crossover provides a high-pass output for use with "small" Magneplanars.
The Maggie Woofers are not subwoofers. As the name implies,
subwoofers are designed for frequencies below the range of woofers
(usually below 35-40 Hz). When used above 40Hz, audiophiles find the
integration with the "fast" Magneplanars to be unsatisfactory.
The
DWM was designed for use with any of the "small" Maggies,
such as the motorized MMC 2 on-wall speakers, MC 1 on-wall speakers,
desktop Mini Maggies or for bass augmentation of any of the Magneplanar
center channel speakers. In addition, the Maggie Woofers can be used for
fine-tuning the bass and midbass performance of floor-standing models.
The thin-film, planar/magnetic
drivers of the DWM and the DW 1 are the same. The differences are in the
applications. The DW 1 is a beautifully-crafted, modern Scandinavian
coffee or end-table. Optional, glass top and bottoms can be added, if
desired. In a modern decor, the DW 1 can virtually "disappear". Full-range Maggie
sound can be achieved with a very "stealthy" system.
The DWM has
two applications. It can be used simply as a panel woofer. Or the woofer
panel, without the base, can be built into cabinetry or custom
furniture as was installed in some of the rooms at Mandalay Bay in Las
Vegas.
Home Theater-- If you have a dual-purpose, music/home theater
system, adding a Maggie Woofer for more diaphragm area might be helpful,
especially for movies.
Since Magneplanar center channel
speakers are "small" and require bass augmentation, one logical solution
is to add the Maggie Woofer to the center channel. However, you may
find that augmenting the front left/right speakers with the Maggie
Woofers is more effective for both home theater and 2-channel music. For
movies, this approach would require a flexible bass management system
in the processor.
Do you have a "hostile" sound room?
Some
rooms are especially difficult for full-range dipole speakers to
generate sufficient bass and midbass. "Great Rooms" or large rooms which
have essentially square dimensions (and even worse-- a high ceiling)
may require special solutions.
And "dipole friendly" rooms can
also be a challenge. Due to standing waves, dips and peaks in the bass
and midbass are a fact of life. Each room has its sonic signature
depending upon the size, shape and construction. One solution is
electronic equalization to deal with room aberrations. Many of the newer
receivers and processors incorporate a microphone and automatic EQ that
will correct frequency imbalances. However, this approach has drawbacks
and is not well accepted by most audiophiles. There is another and
better solution.
Multiple subwoofers are commonly used to smooth
room bass response. Although an expensive solution, this technique has
been proven to be superior to EQ of a single subwoofer. Using the same
fundamentals of acoustics, Magnepan has a solution which can fine-tune
the bass and midbass of Magneplanar floor-standing models--- the Maggie
Woofer (DWM and DW 1). When both time domain and frequency response has
been optimized in a given room, smaller, floor-standing Maggies can
begin to replicate the "Gold Standard" of bass reproduction--the Tympani
series Magneplanars. Technical details describing this application of
the Maggie Woofers can be found in the DWM manual.
