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Magneplanar .7 speakers. Have you heard or own them??

I have owned a pair of Golden Ear Technology for about 8 months. I generally like them because of their high level of accuracy and general transparency   However, despite those virtues, I find them to sound cool, and not very involving, or engaging.  Everything being equal, they don't seem to convey the emotional content of the music. I also been finding it difficult to get them to sound right. They can sound a bit bright on some CD's and also provide an overtone on vocals 

I would like to get  feedback from owners of the Magneplanar's .7 speaker, or even if you have only auditioned the speaker a few times in anticipation of buying. Some of the reviews I have read claim that with a fairly powerful amp or integrated, they can cleanly down to 45Hz, but their major strength is a superb midrange and smooth high end. Of course, being familiar with "Maggies" they can give a buyer ulcers trying to get them to sound right especially in medium size room because of their design.  My room is 12.5 X 15 and is separated by a couch to a dining and kitchen area.of almost the same size 

Therefore, I am curious if the .7 can convey that  emotion of music with the same clarity of a  dynamic speaker.  My system is a Rogue Sphinx integrated  amp (100 RMS @ 8ohms, and 200 RMS at 4ohms.  CD player is a Ayre CX-7e mp.

Speaker cables are Harmonic Technology PRO 11+ and  HT Truthlink IC.  I  plug the system into the less expensive Blue Circle's  conditioner which is outstanding,  Thanks to all!!

BTW , I heard the .7 once but not for long, and in a audio shop that carries both Maggies and Golden Ear Technology speakers  However , the owner never seems to have .7 and the GET model 7 on display for audition at the same time.  .   

 

 

sunnyjim
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 
For the same price you can get a used pair of Eminent Technology LFT-8b’s, the best-kept secret in hi-fi. New price $2499, used maybe $1500. Better than not just the .7, but the 1.7 as well. Honest.
oblgny's avatar
oblgny
848 posts
 
Sunnyjim...

I haven't had an opportunity to listen to Scansonics as New York - which does have a few remaining bricks-and-mortar stores - doesn't appear to have a dealer.  

I've decided to add a sub into my Maggie .7 setup, in this case a Rythymik L12 which I've been reading good things about in various circles.  This is not to say that they're lacking in bass but my room is 14X24 and I sit about 10 feet away. The Rythymik is a whopping $539 shipped - a price I find to be a worthy small investment. 

Observations:

At slightly higher levels than I usually listen at the .7's are just wonderful.  Timbre, mids, all there and remarkably clean. Bass is tight, defined, not at all what I define as "tuned" or "voiced", but on some Ray Brown (jazz bassist) I clearly missed the lower registers. Wind and string instrument clarity is almost unsettling - as in "how did Tom Waits get in the house" unsettling. All good. 

I've had them 2 feet from the rear wall, with experiments pointing to 3 feet as being the best to my ears. They're about 8 feet apart with very minor toe-in.  Tweeters on the outside as suggested and as I have had my previous Maggies positioned. Fortunately they are relatively light-weight so jacking them around is very easy and I can move them back alongside my rack when not listening. Either I'm a little more forgiving of positioning or the .7's are; I find the separation and sweet spot not so tight as  to require a satellite GPS to find.  

My amp is a Primare A34.2 class D design. 150 into 8 ohms, "almost" 300 into 4 ohms which, (Primare's response to my inquiry since the manual nor the website didn't offer the info.) for my listening levels and lifelong record of never blowing so much as a fuse, is sufficient. My pre is a B. A. T. VK3i. I like tubing the front end. 

As with Thiel, Magnepan makes you re-listen to the music in your collection, even explore new artists previously overlooked or forgotten.  Within my budget either brand is a worthwhile investment. 

I'll update this a bit when I incorporate the sub. 

Cheers. 
johnto
1,027 posts
 
I know I'm late but you can't go wrong with magnepan 1.7 my room is 12 x 15 and they really sing. I was using emotiva 1L but they did not get along with the speakers multiple failures occurred finally went with the Parasound 2.1 and couldn't be happier a whole new level of sound. Incredible definition and sound stage plus a great preamp section for digital or mm mc vinyl.



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