Maggie 20.1 contender for best speaker?


Does any audiophile who lives on this planet earth own a pair of Magnepan 20.1 Flagship speakers besides Magnepan themselves? I love the 3.6 and can only imagine what their flagship sounds like. I cannot find more than one review on them. I just think that it would be a fair comparison to include them amoung other flagship Thiels, Revels, ML, Talons, Dunlavys, Kharmas, etc. I NEVER hear them mentioned amoung the greats. What's up with that?
ebonyvette
I think TAS just published a review on the Maggie 20.1 (if not TAS, then Stereopiles).
Although, I do not sell the, I love them. I think they are one of the finest speakers available, with certain limitations. I would never put Thiel's even in the same category as the 20.1's. The Maggie's produce music, the Thiel's are hifi. Put them in the league with Kharma, Piega, SoundLab, Talon, Wilson, Revel and a few others. All of the speakers I listed do some very special things and some do more than others, but they are all very impressive.

I ordered a pair in June of 2001 and am still waiting. It will be worth the wait!
There is an uptight fella who lives up here(upstate NY) and he has a pair of them but won't talk about it or let others listen. I am skeptical if they can run with the big boys, though I must admit I have never heard or even seen them in real life either. Most people prefer the soundlab's in that price ranger-of course I realize one is a planer and the other is an electrostat but you get the idea.
~Tim
Johnathan Valin (now w/TAS) reviewed the 20.1 in FI vol 3 #12 (December 98). As I recall that issue featured a variety of similarly priced speakers.
I've owned Pans since 1978....MG-IIA....3.6R and now 20.1's.
Each vastly improves upon it's lesser brother and the new 20.1 is spectacular. All the hi-fi words: open, relaxed, natural. I prefer big SPL symphonic/complex material and these things bring you into Carnegie Hall. Thing is it sounds like music vs great hi-fi. I can't imagine a more exciting and emotional presentation. Remember who pays the bills -- who is the lifeblood-- of the buff books and then appreciate why their reviews are so useless.
Listen for yourself!