Speaker Technology over the last 10 years

i would be shocked that anyone would expose a pair of ears
to spl exceeding 100 db.

Don't be shocked. Real music from real instruments is full of transients and has a large dynamic range. If you sit 12 feet from a speaker playing at 100 db spl then the sound is already 12 db down and quite close to your 85 db SPL back row orchestra seat.

Lush has a great point - room DSP for bass modes is indeed a substantial advance - if not the most substantial.

Hi mrtennis, could you give your thoughts on planars for me? I haven't heard any since the 80's, back then it was maggies, acoustats, early martin logans, quads, apogees. Of those, the acoustats were my favs. I never have liked the maggies or the apogees. Why do you like the magnepans so much?
thanks
and to the point of the thread, I do think speaker design and materials have improved.

hi chashas1:

i happen to like most panel speakers, but consider the magnepans a good value.

i was not trying to single out the magnepans, although their latest prototype might be something special. i have not heard them, my impression is based upon reading and talking to someone who was at the SHOW this past january.

the virtues of magnepans are well known. i like the boxlessness, depth, frequency response and radiating pattern. i think they are "easier" on the ear using a tube preamp and tube amp.

why not listen to one ?

04-26-09: Mrtennis
i was not trying to single out the magnepans, although their latest prototype might be something special.

It is. I heard 'em in February.

i have not heard them, my impression is based upon reading and talking to someone who was at the SHOW this past january.

I sure hope Magnepan commits to the development and production of these. You're in for a treat. The smaller panels seem to overcome my one problem with larger Maggies--they're a little slow and not as transparent as some kinds of panels. These little panels are very fast, however, producing some of the best transients I've ever heard from any kind of speaker at any price. At the open house I was at (described here), the Wilson Maxx 3's made the 20.1s sound slow and a little thick; the mini-panels did not suffer compared to the Wilsons on that score.