What are some of the downsides of owning a Magneplanar .7 or 1.7i ?


Thinking of moving up speaker wise, and so am considering  the fabled Magneplanar speakers, that is, either the  the .7, or supposedly new 1.7i.   (BTW, I am not sure the Maggie .7 is necessarily an upgrade, and has less bass than my current box speakers...see below)

Besides "Maggies" having outdated speaker terminals that might be a struggle with banana plugs,, and they are generally power hungry, I am curious if anyone can honestly tell me of any other downsides of this design.  For the last 30 years, I have owned several traditional box design speakers. 

I currently have a pair of Golden Ear Technology model 7's....which I like and generally sound good However, I  would like to confirm what a planar design brings to the table in sound quality. I have read many times about the box-less sound  provided by this design, and its wide sound staging and low distortion. 

I think I have enough power with BAT VK-200 amp (100RMS) to drive the .7, but not sure that is enough to drive the MG1.7i. to higher volumes The pre-amp is a Conrad Johnson PV-14SE. 

The listening room area 12 X15ft, but opens into kitchen/dining area divided by a medium size couch. The rest of the space is approximately 12X18ft behind the sofa with a stupid counter island ( so I cannot move the sofa back any further.. The ceiling is 8 to 9 ft feet high ( not a cathedral ceiling, praise the Lord) . It is a bit of haul to the dealer I bought the Golden Ear T's from who also carries Magneplanar line.  All advice welcomed.    Thanks, SJ   

sunnyjim

Showing 1 response by sqlsavior

If you want your music to kick you in the chest (while it damages your hearing) get some Klipschorns. IME, the requirement to be out from the front wall is very true. It is less of a requirement, but still true, for most box speakers. The reason is that you need reflected sound to arrive after a certain number of milliseconds difference from the direct sound in order to be perceived as a reflection by the brain, and not muddy the direct sound. The reflections are louder with dipoles; that is all. The farther dipoles are from the walls, front and rear, the better the depth perception, assuming your source has any, and your electronics preserve it.

There are numerous myths and personal preferences presented as shortcomings here. The only way to decide for yourself is to hear a pair, for a good while, in your own home. This should be possible.