Magnepans or...Martin Logan

I guess I'd probably agree that the Emerald Physics open baffle speakers might be a better option than the Maggies for the reasons noted.  However, they're pretty heavy and will be more difficult to ship safely.  

The Pure Audio Project open baffle speakers might also be a good option - though, I think the Emerald Physics may have a better sound.  But, the PAP's with the Voxativ driver do sound great.  And, you can try different drivers fairly easily - since they're "plug and play."  

But... again... I'd likely take the Proac Response D2 stand-mount monitor over either of them, when matched with the right amp, for acoustic music.  And, they're much easier to ship and manage.

Years ago I want from ML to ProAc Response 2.5's and it was a very good move. proac's make music and their stand mounters disappear in the music. I've also owned tablet 50sig's. 

cant go wrong with ProAc's imo 

If you’re paying to ship something like a Magnepan or Martin Logan halfway around the world, invest in a wood crate. There’s a reason that works of art, like large paintings which are very similar size and shape to a Magnepan!, are shipped by museums in crates and not boxes. Better to invest in a sound shipping method up front than have to scramble after the fact with a hole punched straight through.

Martin Logan without any doubt! 

NO SPEAKER is better than Magnepan speakers BECAUSE boxes, by definition, change the sound that was recorded. Otherwise, there would be no investment in engineering them Every box would be whatever the designer decided "looked good." (Funny fact: After about 1973, most "high-end" speaker manufacturers began making taller speakers. Wonder where they got THAT idea from?)

Period, end of discussion.

Now, having typed that, your ROOM is the most important element in your listening experience. Think of it as YOUR "box" if you will.

Magneplanar speakers require sufficient clean power as they are somewhat inefficient. Also, they reproduce what you send them, so if your source material is poor or your hardware is not of a fairly good quality, you will only hear what you send them. Doesn’t mean you have to spend a million dollars on cables or amps or whatever. Most audio products today are pretty durn good, especially when compared to many years ago before many famous designers got into the hardware game.

Finally, setting-up (placing them in the room) Magneplanar speakers is somewhat difficult in some instances. You may need to work on this one inch at a time. Pretty much all speakers are like this, but Maggies are particularly sensitive to placement. Your listening position has to put your ears in the middle of the panel for best results.

If possible, have a professional--Santiago certainly has them--help you with all this. If not, keep moving them and listening and you will find the "sweet spot."

The experience is one that is hard to describe, but when you find it, the music "opens up" to you and your actually hear the recording as made. Whether that is "good" or "bad" to you is personal.

Cheers,

Richard