Pmboyd, this might get a little wordy, I have lived with MMG's and 2000's, I won't comment on the Vandy as I haven't lived with it. I think some of it all depends on what you value in the presentation and what is more important for you. Also, if you read about either of these speakers, you will find a fairly mixed opinion on them, most people either like them, or they don't.
I think that they both are very similar overall and do much of the same things and do it very well. For instance, I value image height, and soundstaging, both speakers do this very well, they both portray a very realistic stage, and the performers on that stage have a fairly realistic size to them, not miniature cutouts. Also, they both have a very good midrange/treble response, vocals, both female and male are extremely good on both speakers. I love percussion on both speakers as well. Visually, I think the Ohm's can vanish a bit more easily, the MMG's just a little bit more visually dominant if this matters.
I do think that the Maggies have a bit more bite on leading edge notes such as on acoustical guitar etc., whereas the Ohm can be a little softer. This can depend on how you set both speakers up, and how you listen to them-toe in/out, tweeters in/out.
With the Ohms, you can maybe get away without subs, with MMG's, the bass-or lack thereof can leave you wanting a bit more perhaps. I ended up going from Ohm 2000's to 3000's and it satisfied my bass desires in my room, while still retaining all that is good about the Ohm to begin with.
I do find the MMG's and Ohms to have very good dynamics, tonality, texture, where I think they begin to seperate a little is in detail somewhat. The Ohm compared directly to the MMG is maybe a bit more diffuse sounding, but to my ears, in a more natural way than even the MMG's, but to me it isn't a negative either way. The Maggie is just a more direct sound field, whereas the Ohm more or less spreads things around, not in un-natural way though. The MMG is more like listening to a small-box monitor without the box, and yet having this nice soundstage and image height. The Ohm, kind of a different animal altogether.
One thing that I love about the Ohm, is being able to have a soundstage that I don't have to find a small sweet-spot in which to have excellent results. The MMG is just a more head-in-vice listening area. You can more or less listen to the Ohm and have a great soundstage, even when listening almost to the very edge of one of the speakers, as long as you keep yourself within the confines of the left/right speaker. It is a very good speaker when you have several folks over for a listen, you can spread the Ohms apart a fairly good distance and have a very good soundstage, and every one will have basically the same results. The MMG, well, not nearly as good in that aspect.
MMG's take more care in setup, and also space required to get them to breathe and sound their best, but I do find them maybe not quite as tough as a lot of people say they are. With that being said, I recently was able to move my listening postion along a long wall, and this did take the MMG to another level, and I had thought the spot I had them in prior was very good. The Ohm is probably quite a bit less sensitive to setup, but you can be rewarded by taking your time and playing with positioning just like any other speaker. I just find them more "real world" in terms of placement/room required to get them to sound good.
I think both require a decent amount of power, and quality power to make them sing to their potential, although there are many people who have commented on this and use lower powered tube gear with good results, I myself do not know, I have always utilized solid state power around 200 wpc and they have always done well. I also feel both do require a bit of power to wake them up, again, your mileage may vary, depends on listening room size, how loud you like to listen etc.
I guess for me, I can live with either one(and do), they both do most things so very well, and don't do many things wrong, if much at all. If I had to kind of sum up my position on them, I would say this. The Ohm for me is just more fun to listen to, more when I just want to relax and listen to some music. The MMG is more of a tool for when I want to listen into the music, more detail etc. They both are detailed and fun, I just listen to each one or use each one a bit differently. They both really just make great music, and that is what I am after.
When you start looking at price, the MMG even new is hard to beat. The Ohm 2000, while a bit more, but if you factor in a sub purchase with the MMG, might be more of a wash. Both on the used market can be a bargain though, and both can be upgraded or repaired by the factory-or yourself if need be.
I don't know if any of this helps at all, I am sure if you look around and read some of the many threads on either one, you will gather a great deal of information. I know the Ohm MWT thread included quite a bit of information and comparisons between several different speakers and the Ohm's. Hope you find what you are looking-or listening for! Most of all, enjoy the music! Tim
I think that they both are very similar overall and do much of the same things and do it very well. For instance, I value image height, and soundstaging, both speakers do this very well, they both portray a very realistic stage, and the performers on that stage have a fairly realistic size to them, not miniature cutouts. Also, they both have a very good midrange/treble response, vocals, both female and male are extremely good on both speakers. I love percussion on both speakers as well. Visually, I think the Ohm's can vanish a bit more easily, the MMG's just a little bit more visually dominant if this matters.
I do think that the Maggies have a bit more bite on leading edge notes such as on acoustical guitar etc., whereas the Ohm can be a little softer. This can depend on how you set both speakers up, and how you listen to them-toe in/out, tweeters in/out.
With the Ohms, you can maybe get away without subs, with MMG's, the bass-or lack thereof can leave you wanting a bit more perhaps. I ended up going from Ohm 2000's to 3000's and it satisfied my bass desires in my room, while still retaining all that is good about the Ohm to begin with.
I do find the MMG's and Ohms to have very good dynamics, tonality, texture, where I think they begin to seperate a little is in detail somewhat. The Ohm compared directly to the MMG is maybe a bit more diffuse sounding, but to my ears, in a more natural way than even the MMG's, but to me it isn't a negative either way. The Maggie is just a more direct sound field, whereas the Ohm more or less spreads things around, not in un-natural way though. The MMG is more like listening to a small-box monitor without the box, and yet having this nice soundstage and image height. The Ohm, kind of a different animal altogether.
One thing that I love about the Ohm, is being able to have a soundstage that I don't have to find a small sweet-spot in which to have excellent results. The MMG is just a more head-in-vice listening area. You can more or less listen to the Ohm and have a great soundstage, even when listening almost to the very edge of one of the speakers, as long as you keep yourself within the confines of the left/right speaker. It is a very good speaker when you have several folks over for a listen, you can spread the Ohms apart a fairly good distance and have a very good soundstage, and every one will have basically the same results. The MMG, well, not nearly as good in that aspect.
MMG's take more care in setup, and also space required to get them to breathe and sound their best, but I do find them maybe not quite as tough as a lot of people say they are. With that being said, I recently was able to move my listening postion along a long wall, and this did take the MMG to another level, and I had thought the spot I had them in prior was very good. The Ohm is probably quite a bit less sensitive to setup, but you can be rewarded by taking your time and playing with positioning just like any other speaker. I just find them more "real world" in terms of placement/room required to get them to sound good.
I think both require a decent amount of power, and quality power to make them sing to their potential, although there are many people who have commented on this and use lower powered tube gear with good results, I myself do not know, I have always utilized solid state power around 200 wpc and they have always done well. I also feel both do require a bit of power to wake them up, again, your mileage may vary, depends on listening room size, how loud you like to listen etc.
I guess for me, I can live with either one(and do), they both do most things so very well, and don't do many things wrong, if much at all. If I had to kind of sum up my position on them, I would say this. The Ohm for me is just more fun to listen to, more when I just want to relax and listen to some music. The MMG is more of a tool for when I want to listen into the music, more detail etc. They both are detailed and fun, I just listen to each one or use each one a bit differently. They both really just make great music, and that is what I am after.
When you start looking at price, the MMG even new is hard to beat. The Ohm 2000, while a bit more, but if you factor in a sub purchase with the MMG, might be more of a wash. Both on the used market can be a bargain though, and both can be upgraded or repaired by the factory-or yourself if need be.
I don't know if any of this helps at all, I am sure if you look around and read some of the many threads on either one, you will gather a great deal of information. I know the Ohm MWT thread included quite a bit of information and comparisons between several different speakers and the Ohm's. Hope you find what you are looking-or listening for! Most of all, enjoy the music! Tim