Trading Magnepan 1.7 to Martin Logan Impression 11A worth it?


The subject title is my question. I primarily listen to vinyl on the system. The preamp is a McIntosh C2300 tube, and the amp is a Bryston B4 cubed. My Magnepan 1.7's have Mye stands. I also use two SVS subwoofers. This is in my living room, an asymmetrical room approximately 17x17, with the right and rear walls opened to other rooms. I like the sound of this system usually - depending on the quality of the recording - the soundstage can be large, with good air around instruments and quite revealing. I like the Magnepan sound.
I would like MORE of that sound! Magnepan's 3.7i would be the natural upgrade that I think of. The thing is, my wife might flip if she came home and saw panels that are even larger than the 1.7's, which she already considers too large. So... I thought I'd throw the question out here and ask for some thoughts on this. The Martin Logan 11A's would appear to be smaller than the 1.7s, and they are definitely sexier looking than a large flat panel. I could also lose the subwoofers. However, I certainly wouldn't want to compromise on the sound quality. In fact, for the price difference I would expect an improvement in that regard! I guess I'm looking for something with a good WAF and an upgrade for me! Maybe at this point it would be just a matter of preference. Thoughts?
thewetdog59

Showing 1 response by shosugi

I own 1.7i.  There are still some WAF things you can try.

1) Different amp.  Your Brystons are pretty darn good.  I switched from Pass Labs to Magtech, and that improved my sound.
2) Speaker cables.  Keep the existing amp, the speaker cables could change things.
3) Amp power cable.  If you are using a stock cable, then something tuned for high current may make an audible difference.
4) Room treatments.  I have a dedicated room, so I use acoustic treatments on the walls and ceiling.  Not sure if you can use this, given your description...