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Wanting to get back into the hobby and want to start with the speakers.

Hi everyone. Last year I went to a couple of local Hi-Fi shops and demoed two vastly different types of speakers. The first shop I went to I demoed the JBL L 100 Classic, the second place I demoed two different pairs of Magnepan speakers the MMG and the .7. To my ears both Magnepan’s wiped the floor with the JBL’s. Funny thing is the JBL was being driven by about ten grand worth of McIntosh gear and the Magnepan’s were driven by inexpensive Marantz gear. Now since hearing the Magnepan’s every darn box speaker sounds well......boxy. It’s like they all have this hollowed out muffled midrange. If not for a few reservations I’d probably own a pair of either of the Magnepan’s. From what I’ve read on forums and reviews the consensus seems they require space/careful placement. Though, somewhat of a controversial topic is how much power they require to get up and running. Some say you can never have too much power with them, others say they get by just fine with fifty watts per channel. I guess I won’t know unless I try them.

To switch gears I went a demoed another species of loudspeakers today, two different pairs from the Klipsch Heritage line. The Heresy IV and the Forte III. Both sounded pretty darn good, they sounded similar in the mid’s and high’s, but of course the Forte’s cover about another octave in the low end. Regardless they both still sound like boxes with a bunch of drivers jammed in it( which they are).

Now like any self respecting obsessive audiophile I’m always reading reviews and scouring the internet for other popular speakers to seek out and listen to. A few others I am interested in are Tekton speakers, Harbeths( specifically the p3esr), Vandersteen( either the 1ci or 2ci.), and to throw another curve ball in there a pretty obscure brand called Human speakers. The have a stand mount speaker called the model 81( a sealed two way acoustic suspension, maybe sounds less boxy, dunno). The only ones I would be able to demo in person are the Vandersteen’s, but I’d have to drive about 3-6 hours just demo them.
Anyway, sorry for rambling on, and for overuse of commas. Any suggestions, advise, and or personal experience with any of the above speakers mentioned would be appreciated, thanks.

qxb1998
markmuse
288 posts
 
Here are a couple of suggestions to consider that have not been mentioned: I had the Maggies 1.7s driven by a Rowland Model 2 and I liked them very much, but they dominated my living room visually. I ended up replacing them with a pair of Totem Forest Signatures. The Forest Signatures sound very much like the Maggies - open and present, with remarkable imaging. They are not the least bit boxy. Dealer only product.
https://totemacoustic.com/product/forest-signature/

The other is a brand you don't hear much about these days. Gallo Acoustics, and specifically the Strada 2 Reference. This is a boxless design that uses a curved planar tweeter. I had a pair of them with their sub, and they are an absolute steal. Use them with the little table top stands, on a wooden platform a few inches off the floor. Just wonderful! But my room, at 25 x 25 x 8 feet is just too big for them. Buy direct, you can try the Strada's in home for 30 days.
https://galloacoustics.com/usa/strada-2/

I like Gallo's approach of boxless, and crossover less design. I also had a pair of their now discontinued Reference 3.2's, and I am still using their subwoofer with my Forest Signatures, even though they don't really need them. 

Good luck!
tweak1
3,666 posts
 
As a reformed Magnepan 3.5R owner, they lacked bass. I added 2 SVS powered subs, but even with an active XO could not get a seamless blend.

I now have Emerald Physics 3.4s (open baffle 12" concentric woofer with 1" polyester tweeter), which do everything the 3.5Rs did well, PLUS excellent bass, but since my room is quite large, I will be replacing them with EP 2.8s which have 2 @ 15" carbon fiber woofers in a D’Appolito configuration with the same 12" concentric woofer in the middle


MSRP was $~3500, but can be found (if you’re patient) for < $1000


hth
badger_erich's avatar
badger_erich
129 posts
 
A year ago I was looking to do the same as you. I ended up buying for my own taste - Classic Rock, Blues & R&B. The combination for my 60 year old ears (with 53% HF Loss corrected with hearing aids) was McIntosh 8900 Integrated with a pair of JBL L100's.  My listening area is small, I listen to Vinyl and stream HiDef which sounds great...to me. YMMV so get what YOU like and don't get segway'd into some wildly expensive gear.
jovialspirit's avatar
jovialspirit
21 posts
 
Like many of us, I have extensive listening experiences with several, in my opinion, heavy hitters in the 5-10k range, with the likes of:
B&W 700 + 800 series
Bryston Middle T
Paradigm Tributes
Dynaudio
KEF r700
SVS Ultras
Klipsch Heritage line
Several Martin Logans
Maggies
and others...
I’ve also logged quite a few hours with Tekton’s Double Impacts, Pendragons, and Moabs. With the understanding that not 1 speaker is for everyone, for me (dollar for dollar) the Tektons check more boxes than the others. Music has become lively, dynamic, rich, and just plain FUN again. I’ve heard them in different rooms with different components from McIntosh to Parasound and plenty in between, and the Tekton sound signature never fails to impress. So much so, that I revamped 2 of my systems that include the Pendragons and Moabs. I truly believe that the "Moabs" are my endgame speakers for music reproduction. Now it’s just time to add to my favorites list on Qobuz.
I urge you to strongly consider adding the Moab to your short list.
Enjoy the process on your quest for sonic bliss.
richopp
760 posts
 
The reason you like Magneplaner speakers is that, unlike any other form factor, they do not sound  like "speakers."

They reproduce what you send them, period.

SO, your ROOM first--most important variable in any sound system or music concert.  Then, audition all the speakers and electronics you want. 

If you have a good dealer, he or she will work with you and, after one or two auditions in YOUR ROOM, will probably be able to sell you exactly what you want after listening to your comments on what you have on loan.

Enjoy the music, and don't let the drama get in your way.

Cheers!
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