Quad or Magnepan?


Dear friends,

Thinking about taking the plunge and follow the other route to audio nirvana. So instead of cones and domes, electrostatics and planars maybe.

I am using a Ref3a Grand Veena but am considering a Maggie 3.6 or a Quad 2905.

Need your sincere advice, am I downgrading or making the wiser move. If it is the right way, which would you prefer? Maggies or Quad?

Thanks as always.
ahmet1969
These are such different speakers that I wonder how you narrowed it down to them?
At least as important as the speaker choice is your choice of amp to accompany the speakers. Maggies really do like a lot more watts, which gets expensive if you like tubed amps. Quads will flourish on moderate power tube amps. As said above, Maggies will sound realistic when cranked a bit, but below that threshold, they sound closed-in and dynamically constrained. I've had my Maggies for 10 years now, and love them to death. Occasionally, I've spent some serious time with Quads as well. They really are exceptional at retreiving low-level detail, and are great for late-night listening sessions where you don't wake up the neighbors.

Horses for courses.

If it were me, I'd also take a really hard look at Roger Sanders's electrostats (his new 10B's). They can really kick butt dynamically, and with the line-drive woofer will give you the gut-punch of solid bass that neither Maggies, nor Quads can deliver. At the same time, they are spectacular at detail and have the "breath of life." Roger wrote the book (literally!) on electrostats. Highly recommended!
What don't you like about the Grand Veena. My understanding is that is a reference level, very special speaker?
Thanks to all who contributed.

Jaybo: You sound like your personal choice would be GV's right? If so what do you think its competitive edge is to Maggie and Quads?

Unsound: I wanted to try something different, something with a more you are there feeling and huge soundstage. That does not mean that GV is not competent at these, however I had a brief encounter with 3.6 one week ago and was thrilled with what it is capable of.

Mr.Bill: I love GV, it is one of the best I have heard so far, maybe sparing Hansen aside. So no real complaints.

Philojolet: My room is like 45 square meters.

Unfortunately Sanders and Kingsound is not available here.

I would also hear from people who could have listened all and compare GV to the other two? Any first hand experiences?

Thanks