Maggies all the way, provided you have enough amp for them. There is no higher definition I have heard from a pair of speakers. You can hear people talking in the background of Beatle recordings. When I bought some Maggie 3.5r's something like 20 years ago, I listened side by side to some martin logan. Amps were McIntosh. I even remember what I was listening to sample; Dire Straits, Love Over Gold. You can only speak for you own ears though. Whatever amp you have may pair better with the one your own ears pick.
Magnepans VS MartinLogan for detail and sound staging
I'm currently an owner of Magnepan 1.7s paired with a Peachtree PreDAC/GaN400 bundle.
I'm one of those listeners who loves detail and accurate sound staging.
On some levels I'm perfectly happy with the sound as when I play Grateful Dead's Ripple at mid volume where I can position every voice, every guitar strum with amazing clarity. When I step up to something fuller and more complex musically like something off the Doors first album or even something musically symphonic like Saint-Saen's Organ Symphony or the Nutcracker at mid-level volume the fullness and detail begin to wear thin.
I also have a 30 year old Yamaha subwoofer that I occasionally use for any recording that seems to need a boost for my 72 year old ears.
Though I haven't listened to them yet, research makes me think that a pair of Martin-Logan ESL's could improve my experience since they're less demanding power-wise than my Maggie's and have a reputation for delivering the sound nuances I'm looking for. On the other hand maybe I should be investing in a different amp or preamp?
Any suggestions from anyone who's ventured down a similar path?