Magnepan 20.7


I took the plunge and bought a pair of Magnepan 20.7's.
After having owned the AudioLab Electrostatics I wasn't sure that they could be as good.
Actually, they are a truly amazing pair of Loudspeakers. I can't say that they're better, but it is very close.
Moreover, the Magnepans are terrifically neutral and open sounding. My room is large, 24' high and very deep. I listen in near field--which is not to say that everyone should, it's just my preference. Doing that, I"m happy as a clam with these. Every reviewer who looks at these rather large speakers says, 'They don't have the bass slam that conventional speakers have'. While that may be true, it's not something I miss. I love the bass of these speakers, as it's tonally, very accurate, easily playing, lower notes of a bowed double bass. Voices, clear and solidly placed in three dimensional space.
Over all this is a Grade A loudspeaker. I'm using a 150 hybrid amplifier (integrated), and it handles the volumes I want just fine.
Highly reccommended to anyone in this price range.
Good listening, 
Larry
lrsky
One other option that is not expensive is to use Mye stands with your 20.7s, have you heard of them?  www.myesound.com  These really do work by making the frame more rigid, I did them for my 3.7s and now the 20.7s.

I agree with you about how revealing the Maggies are, tube rolling can be a lot of fun and allow for nice tuning, I have a MC C1100 that I have added NOS tubs for the preamp side (not the MM/MC tubes) and a tube based DAC (modwright elyse) and both efforts payed off.  I prefer tubes in the front end and solid state on the amp side, its hard to get enough power for the Maggies out of a tube amp while the tubes on the front side really sweeten the sound.
Brett
+1 on the Sanders Magtech driving Maggies well.  Supposedly, the Merrill Veritas monoblocks are even better.
You listen to your 20.7's at 5' distance? that's not nearfield listening, that's being Intimate!. lol
Glad you like and enjoy your speakers.