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The Magnificent Magnepan 30.7 speakers....wait, I don’t like planars!

Wendell Diller from Magnepan has been a very busy gentleman recently. Touring throughout the US, he has visited, or will visit, numerous locations to demo the new Magnepan 30.7 speakers. It takes a lot of determination and commitment to drive through the country and then to set up in the small towns and large metropolises, a speaker the size of the new 30.7.
Last night I had the very good fortune of hearing the 30.7’s for the first time...at a local high end store demo. Also, I had the pleasure of talking to Wendell and his wife about his voyage...and why he does it.
But first, the Magnepan 30.7’s are...IMHO, at the very top of a long list of planar speakers that have been brought to my attention. Having owned Maggie’s in the past along with Quads and Acoustat’s, my interest level in this type of speaker was not in any way high. Yet, here’s the thing, these new Maggie’s are not your father’s Maggie’s. Instead, we have a speaker that given the right size room ( and unfortunately this is the real determining factor...and crucial to make these work) is very near to the top of the chain in current SOTA speakers. Easily able to compete with competitors at the $100k level or above! Yet these guys are priced at $30k....which makes them by far the best $30k speakers on the planet, imho.
Anyone looking to replace a speaker with a max budget of $50k...and with the room to accommodate this speaker, needs to hear this speaker..
Unlike planars of the past, and most if not all others that are current, this model does one thing that Planars have never done before, at least that I have heard. That thing is Dynamics...and in spades. Bass control and power is on a par with some of the best large dynamic speakers on the market...along with NO discontinuity between the drivers. ( as was prevalent in the past with Maggie’s).
So, how many times have we gone into a demo with preconceived impressions based on past experience and been proven wrong....this time for me was one of those times...and for you, I suspect it will be the same thing.
If and when Wendell brings his van and his speakers to your neck of the woods, don’t miss out on a great opportunity to hear one of the worlds best speakers...at a price that will put most others to shame.

128x128daveyf
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,871 posts
 
@hughp3

i agree that the new 30.7’s are an upgrade over the 20.7’s that I have heard...and IMO, they are a significant upgrade over all other Maggie’s.
What you mentioned about the bass is the one thing that struck me more forceably than the other areas of this speaker...it is now quite integrated and strong enough to not really need a separate sub. That to me is quite an achievement with these speakers.
If one has the room, and the upstream gear, then as I said before, they should definitely be on one’s short list.
hughp3's avatar
hughp3
75 posts
 
I agree on the short list. The illusion of a life size stage is what makes Magnepan special. These bring you that much closer to the real thing.
hyperduel
8 posts
 
I heard this today at the House of Stereo in Jacksonville, FL.  I believe the hype of the 30.7's.  I was not expecting much expectation wise, including it cost $30k for the set.  But my god it hit all of my checkboxes:  No Digitalits, amazing mid-range and low-end response.  Great smooth highs (which I think is due to the store was using a BAT Pre-Amp) and the soundstage doesn't go wonky when you move around the store (which what Wendell Diller been recommending during the meet).  He did say during the meeting that he set up the speakers in the big room of the store so it will sound good wherever you are located in the room.  He stated he could adjust the speakers to provide even more position to the sweet spot.  Honestly for what they were the soundstaging was nice as it is.  I will never afford the 30.7s, but my god if I had a huge room and a nice equipment that works well with the 30.7s, then this would be my end game.  
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,871 posts
 
@hyperduel 

At the demo that I attended, Wendell was nice enough to let us play with the set-up. We first listened to his set-up, which was very good, and then we experimented a little, pushed the speakers a little back to the rear wall and then changed the toe-in a little...making sure that everything was aligned correctly. The differences were easy to hear, and we were able to get the imaging so that it was pin point accurate. I agree with your post above ...huge room, great ancillary gear, and these could well be one's end game. Compared to a lot of other far more pricey speakers, they really do hold their own...an amazing accomplishment from a speaker manufacturer who obviously knows a thing or two about great sound.

The more I think about Wendell's comment to me...wherein he stated and I quote: " we don't make speakers for wealthy people, nor are we interested in making speakers just for the wealthy"...the more I respect his position.
stromberg1937
2 posts
 
I heard the 30.7's at Audio Concepts in Dallas on July 27. Met Wendell in person for the first time after many phone conversations.
I traded my 20.7's in for the 30.7's in Phoenix.  Missed Wendell's visit there so flew to Dallas to hear them.
I was not disappointed.  They are glorious.  All this chatter about room size and ya da ya da aside, they are truly transcendental.
The folks at Audio Concepts were top notch, if I lived in Dallas they would have my trade.
Wendell has used the idea of putting the tweeters in the tweeter/mid panel to the outside of the arrangement, to broaden the sound stage so more people can gorge on the sound and it works.
I heard these in an 18' wide room, and they sounded great.  My room is the same width, so I am happy.
I can hardly wait for mine.
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