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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
warrenh's avatar
warrenh
2,299 posts
 
Low level resolution not a problem with Maggies? News to me...I have to agree with Greg.
gregadd
574 posts
 
warren, perhaps I should have stated what a huge maggie fan I am. I think the 20.1s may be the perfect speaker for those with a large enough room and whose musical taste do not require the ultimate in low level resolution.
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
So many of our forum arguments seem to involve assertions about the superiority of one preference over another. I've had ample experience with panels and point sources and I prefer the point source. It's more to the point, so to speak. But the Magneplanar wall of sound is also enjoyable. Does it really matter if somebody likes Bose? Statistics say a lot of people think they are great. When I hear them, I'm usually waiting for someone to hand me a menu. Can't see why anybody would prefer such a product. Clearly they are less discerning than my esteemed self.
All of us seem to agree that audio evaluation is subjective and yet a goodly number of us insist that there exists a hierarchy and that we know what sits at the top of the pile. Isn't that hypocritical?
kkm
124 posts
 
Had the 3.6's for 5 years before selling them for the Gallo Ref3.1's, they perform and do everything you describe that you want. They just don't have the expansive sound of panels if that's what you're use to. But the Gallo's to be properly played need to be fully broken in, and make sure to have the feet's on or other points. Piano music are surprisingly much more realistic on the Gallo's then the Maggies. I do miss the Maggies for movies and their wall of sound.
ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,148 posts
 
No names were called. Absurd describes your post, not you.

First I apologize for my misunderstanding of your meaning of "low level resolution". In my mind it meant resolving information that is normally not heard, such as sounds well into the background. The maggies do this just fine. I guess inner detail would be a better term. But you are correct in that they do need to played louder than most other speakers to achieve this. But I stand by my contention of the diffuse imaging. In a large enough room and properly set up they image as well as any speaker. Not the unnatural pinpoint accuracy of a Thiel, but who wants that anyway. Music does NOT sound like that in real life.

Oz
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