Magnepan 3.7 - 3.7i owners need help please


Hello, I have owned a pair of Magnepan 3.6r's for quite some time. I was assured that the 3.7i's were a big step in sonic improvement over the 3.6r's. So, I went and bought a brand new pair of 3.7i's. Got them home, set them up, and have approximately 20 hours of play on them.

I am using the exact same equipment as I had with the 3.6r's which is a Sanders Magtech amp, a Benchmark 3 hgc dac, and the exact same decent quality cabling. The 3.6r's had a partial external crossover and I was bi-wiring. The 3.7i's do not have anything but a single pair of binding posts, so I am using the exact same speaker cable but not a bi-wire version.

What I have noticed it that they definitely do not have the depth, spatial characteristics, or openess of the 3.6r's. They do however have maybe a more predominant midrange but, at the sacrifice of the midrange being bloated or muddled at moderate volume levels. I have noticed that the 3.7i's have sort of a filter membrane behind the midrange section which my 3.6r's did not. Maybe a smaller rear dipole radiation pattern? The bass is also lacking compared to the bass response of the 3.6r's

The Dealer said they may need more break in to loosen the mylar. However if that were the case, the midrange would get worse, but thembass may get better. The passive crossovers may need some more break in time, but to be honest, i'm skeptical about all of it!

So, anyone out there that can offer some insight would be greatly appreciated. I am just a working class hero with limited financial resources. I cant afford to spend a large sum of money for something no returnable, and go backwards with disappointment. Needless to say I did not get much sleep last night. Might need a prescription for xanax at this point!
 Thanks, Steve.. 
sfrounds
Hello everyone... Wow, thank you for all of this information, where do I begin. I have about 50 hrs on them now and there is more bottom end. However, they still sound compressed too me, and not very open sounding. Sort of like I wish I could take the grills off...ha ha

I am convinced you guys are absolutely correct about break-in time, and believe they may actually need the hundreds of hours. I wish Magnepan was doing that before they shipped them.

Okay, I'll explain what I see regarding the tape thing. On the 3.7i's when looking at the midrange section from the rear, I see a white type filter media and appears as though it would reduce the sound levels coming out of the rear of the midrange section. My 3.6's do not have this, its the same as looking at the bass section. 

I was told by the dealer, Overture, in Wilmington, Delaware that Wendell was out and would not be back until the 20th or so.

Yes, I still have the 3.6's standing by for a near future reference to the 3.7.  I know exactly how the 3.6's sound, and at this point, I don't want to lose a nights sleep by putting them back in service just yet. One of them will be going, just not sure which one yet.

I tried experimenting with the resistors and within a half hour I took them the heck out. Oh my...terrible

I have been experimenting with positioning, but I must admit that "no" I have not tried hanging them from the ceiling yet. They are in a different position than the 3.6's were but not all that much. I kind of know this room and its usually within 18 to 24 inches from the side walls and 4 to 6 feet off the back wall.

The mention about the 3.6R's having the capability of bi-wiring, or bi-amping is a wonderful advantage, and I miss that with these new ones. I was bi-wirng with the 3.6's and it really did make an nice improvement. I was also bi-amping for a while with a Minidsp, and the clarity was so improved its nutty. But, at the cost of the sound stage and depth somewhat collapsing. I believe that the multiples (3) of analog to digital conversions that was happening using the Minidsp was the cause. I went back to a single amp bi-wired and found my comfort zone there.

I really miss VMPS, and wish there were some out there in decent shape to be had. Why is it when the few times that we finally get it all just right that we just can't leave it alone? My wife says i'm nuts and "What Now" funny!!!

Well, thank you all for your time and help. Please don't stop! I will post here as things progress with break in.




Perhaps a stupid question but are your 3.7s placed with the same side in and same side out as the 3.6s were? I've read that it has happened in a situation similar to yours and it was a simple as swapping sides...

sfrounds---Bi-amping of the 3.6 is not, as you experienced, best done digitally. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be. First Watt makes an excellent, moderately-priced non-digital active electronic crossover (the B4, designed and built by Nelson Pass) that is unbelievably versatile, providing every filter slope (1st-2nd-3rd-4th order, meaning 6-12-18-24 dB/octave) in 25Hz increments from 25Hz up to 3200Hz. I use it with my Magneplanar Tympani T-IV’s and Quad ESLs.

Regarding the VMPS speakers, you may or may not know that the ribbons in those are a version of the Eminent Technology LFT drivers. ET themselves make a Magnetic-Planar/dynamic woofer hybrid speaker that some owners have purchased in preference to Maggies, even those more expensive than the $2499/pr LFT-8b, such as the 3.7i. If you have an ET dealer near you, you might want to try and hear them for yourself. I think they are the worlds best value in a currently available loudspeaker!

Maybe try a different amp.  I have that same magtech and have used it with 1.7s in a smallish room.  I pulled out my 1.7s recently with new speakers (not Maggie) on order.  Needed something to listen to while waiting..  I can tell you that the difference between the magtech and the Boulder 2060 on the 1.7s is enourmous.  I'm sure the same would be true for the 3.7s.  The Maggie's really show off good power and it could be that the magtech matched better with your 3.6 than 3.7.  Not sure but give it a try if you can get a demo of something that might trip your breakers.  :)
Not to say the magtech isn't "good power" but maybe an older Krell (fpb series?) or something like it would be a better match.  Good luck.