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Can Magnepan survive Wendell Diller?

I bought my first set of Magnepans in 1976, and I currently have a pair of 1.7i's.

It is difficult for me to upgrade to the 3.7i's because their are so many things that the company can do to improve their product that they simply won't offer; upgraded crossover components, a solid wood/rigid frames and better stands are examples.

Other companies are now doing this, but Magnepan always says Wendell doesn't think that is a good idea.

Can a man who suggests using lamp cord for his speaker line really have that much control over an otherwise unique technological approach to speaker design? I must be missing something obvious when a product is hand assembled in MN and any of these upgrades would, in my mind, warrant factory upgrades. Who wouldn't spend an extra $1k for a 1.7i with a hardwood frame and an upgraded x-over? Adding a ribbon tweeter to the 1.7i would warrant an additional $1k, still bringing them in $2k under the 3.7i.

Is it common for one person to hold an entire company back in high end audio? 
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william53b's avatar
william53b OP
211 posts
 
@richopp PS
Yes, now that I've wasted almost as much as I spent on my system, I would never skip the setup part of the process again. But then again I see a new DAC in my system this year, so that ratio will change now that I'm on the right track! 😉
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,192 posts
 
I have nothing but respect for Magnepan.  They offer high sound quality at reasonable prices and they have done so for decades.  Try and name another audiophile company that can make that claim.  There aren't that many.   That implies that despite the whining and complaining by some that Magnepan knows what they are doing.
william53b's avatar
william53b OP
211 posts
 
@phillyb

We will never know for certain until they do the logical thing from a manufacturing/development process; offer a standard and a high grade and let the consumer decide.

Much more cost effective than building new designs as an x-over upgrade would simply involve having two bins at that assembly point in manufacturing.  Better components from wire to caps, perhaps a better design?
Logically, would Magnepan rather maintain their market presence, or would they rather sell every $2,500 dollar speaker sold for those that have the space for them? 

I'm ordering the GR Research kit today to see how Danny's take on this sounds.
william53b's avatar
william53b OP
211 posts
 
Update.

Sock off. There are lateral structural braces on the metal panel to help tame frame deformation in that direction. So maybe the frame is as strong as the old ply ones on my MGII's on the 1.7i laterally and that is the reason they don't sound that much better when modded?
william53b's avatar
william53b OP
211 posts
 
A wannabe speaker designer.

https://www.gr-research.com/store/p70/Magnepan_1.7_Upgrade.html
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