Opinions on Magnepans sales/marketing approach to

At this point in time (June 2019) I wonder if anyone knows if there is still a big backlog of 20.7 orders, and thus still a 20.7 waiting list?

I live in the Minneapolis metro area, where we have a single dealer for the whole state.  I was told the dealers are allocated 1 pair of 20.7 speakers per 20.7 manufacturing cycle, which I gathered was maybe 3-4 times per year?  The dealer said they order 1 pair of 20.7 per manufacturing cycle and by the time that pair is manufactured, they have been sold to a customer.  Thus, they never have a pair of 20.7 on the demo floor.
I would guess that if the dealer is only able to order/sell 3-4 pairs of 20.7 per year, a customer would end up in a waiting list that could be 12 months long or more?

Would there be any time advantage in ordering direct from Magnepan, and sidestepping the wait list that the dealer likely has? 

Thanks for any insight.

Oh yes, I've been thinking I should call the factory and see when I could drive over and listen to 20.7s.  It's only 33 miles from my house.  To date, I've only heard 1.7i and 3.7i.

Is there any benefit in buying from the a dealer when Magnepan is right here "in town"?  I believe the Magnepan warranty coverage would be the same, either way.

It is very frustrating but few dealers will keep very expensive speakers on the floor because the market is so limited. It is not Magnepan's fault. If they insist on dealers displaying the top of their range they just lose dealers. The dealers that do display them have a clientele that is more likely to purchase them. 
I have not set up 20.7s yet but I have 2 pair of 20.1s which are very similar. The 20.7s have what is arguably the best tweeter ever made. The ultra high end is even better than an ESL. Because they are taller than the 3.7s they project power in the mid bass better becoming linear arrays down to about 150 Hz. Like the 3.7s the bass is going to be very sensitive to position and they will not do below 40 Hz with absolute authority. I always set them up with sub woofers then done correctly you have very close to the ultimate sound at less than 1/2 the money. There is no point source speaker that can compare. The only speaker I would prefer is the Soundlabs Majestic 845 or 945 and they are about 40 K and much larger.
In short I have absolutely no problem recommending the 20.7. If I am wrong you can publicly roast me on this forum

In 2010, I was thrilled with the soundstage of 1.7i and 3.7i. From what I’m told, I’d love 20.7s. So, it became a long-term plan of mine - to get a house with bigger rooms so I could support 3.7i or 20.7. Over the last year we moved from a 1950 cape cod house with small rooms to a 1965 rambler with a big rooms that will support 20.7s! Now, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to get some 20.7s into the house! Ideally, I’ll find a used pair of 20.7s in the Minneapolis metro area. But, they don’t seem to come onto the used market very often in the Minneapolis metro area... Maybe I should consider new? There’s currently a demo pair of 20.7 (2012 manufacture date, selling on Audiogon) from an audio store in Evanston, IL, but the $1200 shipping costs or 10% sales tax of $895 (with me driving to Evanston to pick them up) KILLS the good deal of those 20.7s...VERY sad that is the case. I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass and wait for something local to come to light.

I'm checking on other shipping methods.  The store's $1200 quote seems way too high.  It looks Spee-Dee Delivery will ship each 100 pound speaker box for $133.75 per box with insurance of $5000 on each box.
http://speedeedelivery.com/services/shipping-calculator/

Funny.  One of my coworkers suggested that too.  I don't know if that is ok or not.  I guess I could ask, to be sure.

I share all the frustration aired over the what, 7 years of this thread? I certainly experienced the same thing here in Atlanta with a dealer who doesn’t keep (or frankly even remotely try to sell) the 20.7. The 20.7 is a game changer because its the first Magnepan that has real bass. I’m a little "weird" with regard to most audiophiles because 99% of my listening is classical. I totally love my 20.7’s but I wasn’t directed to them by my local dealer that’s for sure. The brand deserves better distribution and marketing but it is what it is, and it doesn’t seem likely to change. I "heard" that there was a new marketing driven individual hired at Magnepan and he was one of the forces behind the 30.7. Although I’m not sure the 30.7’s are quite ready for prime time yet (yes I’ve heard them), fortunately the 20.7’s are so good that even with poor marketing they succeed. Now its easy for me to assert all these criticisms toward Magnepan and dealers but honestly I really don’t know what challenges the manufacturer (or the dealers for that matter) are facing. I do know that if you don’t invest in demo units you will NOT be selling the speakers. Getting better dealers who really are interested in marketing the product is the first step. However that may not be so easy a thing to do. Magnepan may be facing the choice of withdrawing from a market like Atlanta because the dealer is not willing to really sell the 20.7 or 30.7 except by special order or making do with a dealer who will occasionally sell a 3.7 or lower model pair. If they withdraw they have NO exposure to the market. Then of course you can go back to the idea of the shrinking of the high end market and the contraction of the middle and upper middle class. Bottom line to consumers who can afford it: GO to Minnesota to hear the speakers and bring your own music that you’re intimately familiar with on a thumb drive or vinyl. ITS WORTH THE TRIP. You can’t control the rest of the supply chain but if you’re after really accurate classical music reproduction Magnepan is one of the best ways to achieve it particularly with the 20.7. I’m 62 and I’ve had Thiels, older Magnepans, Martin Logans, Sound Labs, Acoustats, Spicas, and others I’ve probably forgotten about. Love the 20.7. Go for it!

As an FYI to the community:
This week, I communicated with the Magnepan factory and asked about driving over to listen to a pair of 20.7. 
  
On June 13, 2019 I got this response:
"Magnepan doesn't have a showroom for listening anymore. And, the 20.7's are no longer at Audio Research."

For reference, Audio Research's facility is in the Minneapolis subburb of Plymouth, MN - the other side of the metro area from Magnapan's factory in White Bear Lake, MN.

I asked the Magnepan representative if 20.1 were upgradable to 20.7 and how much would that cost?
The answer, "There is no formal upgrade from a 20.1 to a 20.7."

I also asked how long the wait might be if I were to order new 20.7.
"Because of the current backlog of orders for the new LRS speakers, an order placed now for a new pair of 20.7's would take at least four or five weeks."

After reading various Magnepan experiences on this forum (3-4 months wait for 20.7 back in 2012), 4-5 weeks is a pretty short wait!!