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Magnepan .7 Alternatives

Looking for suggestions…Currently I have Magnepan .7’s and am generally happy but at times they just don’t do it.

I find these speakers to be schizophrenic, sounding great on some tracks and other tracks leaving me wondering what the hey !… I’d say probably 30-40% of the time I’m feeling this way. Either too much treble, not clear or not tonally balanced. I’m no expert but just my opinion, it often comes off as the midrange being pushed to it’s limit trying to be treble. I assume I feel that way being the speaker’s lack of accuracy, although what Maggi’s do they do well, just not an accurate speaker.

I experience this pretty much no matter what source or style of music I play, certainly a non forgiving speaker. Yes, I’ve played around with Toe-In, tried various resistors & jumpers…sounds great on everything I adjust, just not a consistent sounds great.

Lets get it straight, I’m not a “Magnepan Hater”, there’s certain qualities I truly love about my Maggi .7’s, the open sound, the transparency but hoping I may be able to find a speaker that’s not as finicky and can give me the open feel, transparency and clarity that I seek.

My set up consists of:

Odyssey Khartago Extreme Amp

Tubes4hif SP-13 Preamp

Bluesound Node

EAT B Sharp TT w/Sumiko Moonstone Cart

Pro-Ject Tube Box S Phono Pre

(2) REL - T5x Subs

 

Room dimensions: 11.5’ W x 12’ L

10’ Ceilings -

Listening Distance from Speakers

8.5’ - 9’

Carpet, Curtins, (4) 48” x 12”Acoustic panels on wall behind sofa facing my set up.

Not a fan of bookshelf’s and rather would prefer recommendations on

Floorstanders but will listen and research any suggestions you feel would work.

Note: I’m just starting my search, so don’t beat me up if I don’t go right out and purchase your suggestion as others have done in the past.

My Budget is around the $3k mark.

Thanks

🔊

flasd

Showing 1 response by mwinkc

mwinkc
378 posts
 

I used Maggie SMGs, MMGs and the 1.7s over a 40 year period. I was one of those Magneplaner devotees.

BTW, as several have said, they integrate beautifully with REL subs.

I down-sized to a smaller home 2 years ago. My previous listening room was 16x15 feet. The Maggies were great in that room, although the 1.7s were straining trange a bit. After down-sizing to a room only 12' deep, I started having issues with the 1.7s. I just couldn't get the "Maggie sound" that I was used to from them...they were dull and lower level listening made them sound like damp cardboard. After enjoying Maggies for so long, I hated to do it, but I sold them. I picked up a pair of Kef r300s to go with the RELs, and was amazed at how much better they sounded in my room. No, they aren't 5½ feet tall, with a 4 foot tall tweeter, but they gave me much better sound in my room at all volume levels and excellent soundstage and imaging. No regrets!

The Kefs are very nice, but I got a ridiculous deal on them, so I can't say how they'd compete against other speakers in their respective retail price ranges.

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