Puzzled about reasons why there seems to be no shortage of used planner speakers


All the over the top reviews of the Magnepan LRS has awakened the old puzzlement of how good are my DIY speakers and is it worth it to make a change?

I am very satisfied with my current system as far as my analog sources go.  I have a Denon direct drive turntable in a custom plinth, a Jelco tone arm  and a Transfiguration Temper Supreme cartridge. The phono pre is the octal version of the Hagerman Coronet with Lundahl step up transformers. I'm using a Toshiba HD DVD player for playing CD's. I'm using a Rotel RSP-1098 in analogue bypass for all sources. My amp is a VTL 50/50 tube amp.

My speakers are transmission line and utilizing parts from North Creek including hand wound coils and Harmony capacitors. Any one who has heard them has been impressed with them and with one being brought to tears of joy having never heard his favorite song played through a system such as mine.

That leaves me with a dilemma. If I go with the LRS, I will have to sell the VTL amp to get a used amp that can power the LRS. 

What is troubling me is seeing so many used planar speakers for sale on Ebay and Audiogon. Is that because they grow tired of them, or feel a need to try something new? Or are they upgrading to another planar speaker, or all of these reasons?
 
I'd like to hear from those that sold or are selling their planar speakers. 

I've only ever heard one planar speaker in my life and that was for about 5 minutes when I was taking my daughter through one of Seattle's high end stores to let her hear the differences between between differing levels of quality speakers as she was planning to get a her own system in the near future.  I've never heard a Maggie.

I don't want to get in the position of having sold my VTL to make this change and winding up with probably an amplifier that really doesn't come up to the same level quality and would most likely be a SS amp.

My goal here is to try get the best information I can from those that felt the need make similar decisions. I am retired now and living on a fixed income in a town in New Mexico (Las Cruses) that has no real Hi-end stores.

Any offers from anyone locally to let me hear their system would be most appreciated.  
rogue_angel

Showing 1 response by sumwhat

You may see many planars for sale- some for good reasons...some for not-so-good reasons. Not sure this topic just gets overthought, though.    

You're about to ride a spiral.  

The LRS ribbon can offer more amazing details- including illuminating compromises you have gotten used to with your existing system.  The contrast of the different sound stage will be aesthetic change.  (Tho, from my experiences,  spouse can tolerate Paganini Violin Concerto w/out running from the room w/Planars. )

What you may have not visited for some time is how many amplifiers do you know of that have >1dB design/peak margin?  What was once inaudible clipping might now become audible.  50 W might've been OK.  To fill your listening space, 3dB takes you to 100 W.  6dB will take you to 200 W.    

As to your venue, (an enclosed, reflective wall/ceiling?) might've given you a +6dB. Hardwalls will emphasize the high end spectrum.  And a ribbon w/ <4' from a wall may cause you to consider anechoic treatments.  Planars are a bit more- forgiving?  

I tried the Apogee Scintilla (1 Ω) but, even hernia-weight amplifiers (Krell 250) still wasn't enough. Many Krells were sacrificed to Tūtū Pele trying to feed Scintillas.  Yes- this LRS is 4 Ω...but let's see what happens above 4kHz. Unless LRS rolls off the high end....