What speakers can make a convert of Maggie lovers?


After living with Magneplanars for many years (1.6qr's at present,) I'm wondering what other speakers Magneplanar owners have fallen for. I'm sure this topic must have covered before, but this site's search engine leaves a lot to be desired. There are many things that I like about Maggies, the expansive soundstage, well integrated drivers, and value for the money among their many virtues. Ideally, I'd like speakers that would have better low level detail and palpability, be less picky about amplification, and have better percusive/ dynamic qualities. The need for augmentation with a subwoofer would ok. My listening room is about 15x20' with a 12' ceiling height. I don't favor any one type of music, my tastes are musically omnivorous. Price of contenders would have to be no more than $5-6,000 new. Of course, something less expensive like the Gallos would be fine too, it's good to have money left over to buy more music. I know everyone says "go listen at your dealers." I've done that, but I find dealer's rooms sound so cruddy compared to my acoustically treated room that I can't make really meaningful comparisons.
photon46
Vandersteen 3A or 2CE Signatures have many of the virtues of the Magnepan in an esy to use package. The Linkwitz Orion is also an excellent alternative if dipole operation is desired. If only a true planar magnetic will do, the Eminent Technology LFT-8a couples panels to a sealed box dynamic woffer with excellent results. Do some research and try to listen to these if the opportunity arises. Good luck.
Hey Y'all,

Von Schweikert Audio. I have a freind, also an Audiogoner, that was a big Maggies fan. He now owns Von Schweikert DB-99s and he loves them. They are very easy to drive and, with the powered sub unit, you get all the bass you could want........John
After long love affairs with Maggies, Acoustats, and the InnerSound Eros electrostatic hybrid, I ended up going to the VMPS RM30. To me it represents terrific bang for the buck.

The three planar midrange drivers span the range from about 250Hz to 10kHz, and the FST ribbon super tweeter is excellent. The latest version has impressive high frequency dispersion and you can sit well off axis and still hear a full balanced soundstage.

The dynamics are excellent and the efficiency is higher than the ML or Eminent Tech speakers. Meaning they will play louder and more dynamically in your size room.

I have mine in a 14 x 30 ft room with a very high vaulted ceiling, and the soundstage is immense while the instruments remain precisely focused and detailed. I'm getting excellent results using the NuForce Reference 9 amplifiers which are exceedingly clean, detailed, and dynamic. Plus they have great bass control which definitely benefits the VMPS woofer complement.
I owned the Magnaplanar Tympani 1Ds way back in 1979 and would probably still own them today if I had the room and power. That was a long time ago, but I never had as much fun enjoying a speaker until my Zu Definition 1.5s. Like the Maggies back then with a sound un to their own, the Zucable Definitions are so live, dynamic, powerful, detailed,holographic and "planar" fast: it is like nothing I ever heard before. Different sound, but the same feeling and fun I had with the Maggies. peace, warren