Magnepan owners : past / present

"I can see how someone could switch from mag to Ohms, similar ambient information, but both are veiled IMO."

4est, please elaborate a bit regarding how the OHMs are veiled in your estimation and which OHMs specifically you have heard that led to that conclusion.

OHMs use dynamic drivers unlike Maggies or panels in general so there is little resemblance between the two in regards to dynamics. OHMs are more like conventional dynamic speakers in that sense.

"veiled" is not a term I would apply to any modern OHMs I have heard. The originals from 30 years ago, perhaps....

The OHMs are mostly omnidirectional and soundstage and imaging is unique from planars and conventional dynamic designs as a result.

Forgive me if I offended. What I meant to say is, the OP asked what people switched to. Magnepans have less detail IMO than Soundlabs, but with a similar presentation due to both being dipole planar speakers. I meant veiled compared to Soundlab, not that they are veiled in general. As for the my comment about Mag>Ohm, it should be clear Mapman. I never mentioned dynamics relative to Ohms. I think Ohm would be more dynamic than either Maggies or Soundlab. And yes it was the older Ohms, but this thread is about Magnepans. My comment was really intended primarily to the OP.

I had a pair of Maggie IIA followed by the III models, trading the latter for ProAc Response 2s, then to Response 3s, Gallo Ultimates, and (currently, since 2004) Gallo Reference 3s. I heard the Models 3.6 and 20.1 at a dealer's about a year ago and had no desire to return to the Maggie fold. Nothing particularly wrong with them, just not my cup of tea and, IMHO, not even close to the Gallos.

I had MMG then MG3a and then 3.6 with Mye stands. I moved on to b&W 801 Matrix III and then upped again to Revel F52.

Most of the comments here are 'variations on a theme' of the 'love it hate it' with Maggies.
I PERSONALLY don't find them hard to drive, hence my agreement with the 'I'm using an old Pioneer receiver' comments which I agreed with, pointing out that it's hardly a high current piece.
The overall perception, to my way of thinking, is that Maggies are 'lacking' for those who do not like their presentation--I don't find them so. I find them incredibly transparent, with that continually remindful 'boxless' presentation that in some ways, HAS NO EQUAL in anything but a dipole such as they are.
The Sound Lab, to me, other than the MBL, (a really expensive, more sophisocated omni) is the best of the lot.
At $20K for the pair when I bought them...they were about the most realistic speaker I'd heard, in many, too many to mention characteristics that all speakers should strive to capture.
It's hard to quantify, but for what they do right, which is 'plenty' for my taste, not many compare to Maggies.
I only mention Sound Labs to note that they are a better, and yes more expensive version of a type of sound...not the same technology--a common misconception.
Good listening.

Larry