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Magnepan 3.7's versus 20.1's?

Anybody here had the chance to compare the new Magnepan 3.7s with their longtime flagship 20.1 speakers?
salmonsc
lightminer
164 posts
 
New Tympani's would be absolutely incredible!!!!
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
New Tympani, that would be awesome, I might actually open up the strong box for those.
s_c123
6 posts
 
Interesting in knowing that the new Tympani would be available. I am using Tympani IV bass panel with MGIII driven by Threshold S500 for LP and T200 for HP with Bryston 10B STD and CAT SL1 Sig. MK2 in my 6x8 m (2.8m height) room; the sound stage is so big. Image is fantastic.
After having my first MGIII for more than 15 years, I am still enjoying to listen the Magie everyday. Now I have two pairs of MGIII, one pair of 1.6 that need to be fixed for the buzzes due to losing glue. However, the combined Tympani/MGIII system is best matching so far.
s_c123
6 posts
 
I don't like the concept of non bi-amp capability as designed in 3.7. The Magie is believed to sound best with bi-amplification especially the true ribbon is perfectly matched with class A amp. The separated bass panel from mid/tweeter is a good concept. I am still wonder, even the 20.1 would be comparable with the combined Tympani IV/MGIII which I currently use.
josh358
286 posts
 
S_c123, there's someone on the Planar Asylum who's putting together a system similar to yours, Tympani 1-D bass panels + MG IIIA's. I'm sure he'll be pleased to hear that you've gotten such good results. I'm curious though -- why did you combine the III's with the IV's, which already have a dedicated mid and a ribbon? Are you crossing over lower down for a 4-way, e.g., at 80 or 100 Hz?

I have a pair of IVA's myself, and plan to run them with the mid/tweeter panel separate because of space limitations. But the crossover is higher, about 300 Hz. I'm also planning to replace the midrange of the IVA's with BG Neo-8's, which are push-pull quasi-ribbon planars. Satie on the Planar Asylum has done this with his IV's and says the quality is comparable to the 20.1's.

The 3.7 lost its bi-amp capability because of the new crossover design, which is apparently first order. If it's like the 1.7's, it's also a series crossover. You could of course go inside the speaker . . .
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