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
I owned a pair of hot rodded 1.6s a few years ago and loved them. After straying from the maggie sound for a while I picked up a pair of 3.5rs last weekend and just took delivery of a Classe CA-200. Boy does this combo just plain make music. Before letting go of the 1.6s, I would suggest snapping up that CA-300 that just popped up on the Gon. I shuddered at the thought of going back to any SS amp, but knew I would have to with the maggies. So far, no regrets, the Classe is by far the best sounding sand amp I have had in my system to date. Bottom line, you might not have wrung all the performance you can get out of your 1.6s. A good high powered amp and possibly a xover upgrade might just change your mind about changing your mind.......

Oz
A pair of 20.1s biamped with two very high quality high watt amps with an active crossover. I get the chills thinking about it. Of course you will require some serious space to have them 4 to five feet from the wall. Is that still in your budget? lol...
I too am a Maggie lover--have left but keep returning, but. . . I did recently audition a pair or Verity Audio Parsifals and I think they may just be capable of most of what magneplanars do so well. That said, they're pricey but can be had on the used market.
as a former maggie and electrostatic owner hieff horns did it for me and after hearing hieff I havnt been able to go back though I tried with a 3.6 ,cool loudspeaker but hieff horns sound so real if set up right something the maggies just cant do YMMV
maggies have three short commings-
lack of low level resolution
diffuse imaging
need for power
So you need a high efficency, low level resolving, point source.
a good example-proac 3.5