Broken hearted...magnepan and vandersteen

Besides comparing a $2200 pair of speakers to a pair of $15,000 speakers, it would be best albeit difficult to compare the Vandys to a higher priced pair of Maggies but with the following tweaks to optimize the Maggies. These would include mounting them on MyeStands, installing the Mike Powell silver upgrades to the stock jumpers and fuses. Plus Maggies require more power, proper placement away from the rear wall and angulation to optimize the sweet spot with regard to the listening position. All of these tweaks bring out the best in Maggies. They have in my 1.7i pair. 

@gormdane Thanks for the reply to my comment. I do have the Mike Powell silver upgrade and I have noted a significant improvement. I think the MyeStands are important. They were recommended to me by my Maggie dealer, and after researching them I took the plunge. They are well made with a reasonable turnaround time. Yes, they offer stability. But more important is that they offer rigidity to a panel that is moving albeit in small amounts back and forth which motion likely takes away from where the energy likely would other go, which is to Sonics. Those have made a big difference to my system. As for amps and clipping, yes, with the Powell upgrade one needs to be careful to always turn off or mute your preamp before doing anything with your amps, because you have no fuses. I suppose that concern is mitigated by the Synergistics. The silver Powell upgrade replaces the cheap stock fuse with a silver tube. It’s not a fuse. As for amps, I run the Bryston 28B3 (cubed) monoblocks. So I have tons of power and headroom. Also good power management cabling and interconnects. I recommend the MyeStands and a fuse and jumper upgrade highly. Actually Magnepan really out to sell these or recommend them to their buyers. But that is another story.