What speakers can make a convert of Maggie lovers?

i heard the maggie 1.6, Cabasse, Spendor 8, with a ARC amp + pre and a super crummy Cal Labs cdp, last week.
I suggest you try a Tyler.

Pet what did you pay for the Wilson's?

The timing of this threads renewel is interesting, as I've finally gotten off the fence and jumped into the dynamic speaker side of the audio pasture. As the only thing I heard in dealer auditions that really moved me more than my Maggies cost $13k (Nola Reference Vipers,) I was despairing of finding affordable satisfaction. I tried to audition higher level Maggies, but the local Maggie "dealer" is a joke. They don't stock the Maggie 3.6 and are only interested in selling Wilsons and B&W's in a home theatre context, so I couldn't audition those. I took a look at consumer direct marketed speakers like Tyler, Salk, ACI, etc. I was looking at the same models Bartokfan has been ruminating over in his threads. The only thing that chilled me out on his product was the 10% restock charge if they didn't suit me. That, plus truck shipping both ways would add up to a $1000 audition. In spite of that, I almost ordered from Ty. In the meantime, I started looking at the just discontinued ACI Talisman Se's ($5k.) They are 4 way towers, look a bit like coincidents but have integrated self powered subs ( two low pass 2nd order crossvers, phase & level controls.)
After speaking with Mike Dzurko about what I was looking for, I decided to take a chance even though practically no info is available about them. All I had to risk was one way shipping if they proved unsuitable. In many, if not all respects, ACI's product design goals sound very similat to Tylers. They've been installed in my listening room a week now and have about 40 hours play time. There's no point in prematurely yapping about their sound until they're broken in, but my initial impressions are VERY positive. They maintain the big and expansive Maggie soundstage but add the positves of more realistic dynamics, better frequency extension at both ends of the spectrum, more delicate dynamic shadings, higher resolution of ambient clues, and better "slam" when called for. After I've lived with them a month or so, I'll put the Maggies back into my system because I want to compare them again. Eventually I'll post a more indepth review here or over at Audioasylum.

Hi Photon46,

I am also using box speakers now, Spendor S8e, and have no regrets moving from MG12/QR.

The S8e is better in every catergory than the Maggie.

I believe panels had their advantages back in the 80's ad 90's but top cone speakers have surpassed them today. But still they are musical speakers. To get the most out of them they sould be in a room with symetrical left and right sides.

The most fatal flaw I found with the Maggies is they can't resolve the sound of the hall and when playing small inimate solos they always sound big and spacious.

"I believe panels had their advantages back in the 80's ad 90's but top cone speakers have surpassed them today."

That's one heck of a bold statement with the Magnepan MG12's as a reference to judge all other panel speakers. And what exactly is a top cone speaker model? .... Avalon, Vandersteen, Wilson, or ...... gasp, the Spendor?

A more realistic comparison to have been made before such a blanket statement would be the Spendor to the 3.6.

I too have found the Spendor products over the years to be excellent. But to compare a $3k+ Spendor to a $1k Magnepan is kinda silly. After owning the 3.3 and 3.5 Magnepans (the series 1 and 2 did nothing for me) for 6 years, I know that these speakers excel in areas that the Spendors do not and vice versa.

And if you're listening to the Maggies with a solid state amp like the Brystons, you are not hearing the Maggie magic. A speaker can not ultimately be judged on its own...its interface to the amplifier is critcial.

The problem with Maggies is that they need to be pushed a little to be awakened and play their magic. They are not a good choice for low-level listening as their dynamics and resolution just don't getting going at such levels. It is this ultimate lack of dynamics that always had me wanting to change....but then so much is lost when going to a box speaker at anywhere near the cost.

Since owning Maggies, I have moved onto SoundLab A1s ..... another panel speaker. These are in a whole different sonic class than the Spendors .... but then again, they are 5x the cost. And they do not have the Maggie limitations described above.