Can Magnepan survive Wendell Diller?

@william53b… I get what you’re saying. I’ve had some great experiences with some audio manufacturers, and there have been some where I came away feeling annoyed. I’ve had to call Magnepan a handful of times over the years, and I’ve always been treated very well. I felt each time as if they valued me as a customer. But everyone has their own individual experiences. Honestly, I haven’t spoken to Wendell for many years, but when I had, I found him direct, somewhat short, but never demeaning in any way. Just sort of confident in his product, and in his experience, and not one to sugar coat. This can be a bit off-putting in the wrong situation, I’ll give you that. Quick story… I bought a pair of 1.7s in 2011. In 2016, I noticed a ripple in the quasi-ribbon driver. It sounded fine, but I wanted to have it corrected. The speakers were out of warranty, so I was prepared to pay for the repair. Magnepan evaluated the issue, determined it was a defect, and shipped me a pair of the new at the time 1.7i’s off the assembly line. They asked if I’d agree to pay for the labor and return shipping. I said sure… so they gave me a labor bill for $45.00. Forty Five Dollars!! (Plus shipping) I was super happy, and I felt very appreciated as a customer. This is why I defend their customer service practices.

Anyone jonesing for a pair of 30.7's, but doesn't have the $30k it takes to buy a pair, there is a cheaper alternative:

- Find a pair of the last Tympani model---the T-IVa, of which the 30.7 is an updated modern incarnation. I have a pair, and love 'em. A pair of the T-IVa will set you back less than a tenth the price of the 30.7.

For you wanting the "30.7 For Condos":

- Just add an OB sub to your existing Maggies. GR Research/Rythmik offer an excellent one, though it is available only as a DIY kit. GRR has a woodworker in Canada who makes a great H-frame in flat-pack form, and it's not that much harder to assemble than an Ikea dresser.

If you want to hear the real potential of the Maggies you need look no further than to the Magnestand mods - hardwood frame and improved cross-over, better lamination, etc.:

http://www.indiespinzone.com/magnestand.html
https://www.magnestand.com/

They do provide much better dynamics, clarity and bass - eliminating the deficiencies of the stock Maggies.

And... yes... with all the available tweaks out there from frames to cross-overs, etc. - you do wonder why Magnepan does not offer these upgrades, that so improve their sound. It would not add that much to their cost.

I would love to own Magnepans, the reviews are so enticing. But they dont appear to be available anywhere else other than the USA, certainly not online buying anyhow.

I own a pair of MG-1.5/QRs that I bought from the original owner 6 years ago that were in immaculate condition. I regularly am amazed at sounds I hear coming from albums I’ve heard numerous times before but suddenly there’s a previously unheard before guitar here, or a keyboard there - in other words they expose information other speakers don’t.

That said, imagine you run a speaker company and for whatever reason, the demand for your product(s) exceeds your ability to manufacture them as quickly as your customers would like. Unless you’re unprofitable, it’s doubtful you would consider any changes other than ones that might speed up the building process without effecting your quality standards.

While I understand and certainly support those offering advice and tweaks to make a good speaker even better, from a business standpoint, you have to consider how would incorporating additional steps, parts etc make more $$ without creating more stress on the existing manufacturing process?

As consumers, we can reach for higher levels of quality, remaining within our own levels of cost vs results. A successful business often runs by the "if it isn’t broken, don’t try to fix it" policy unless something cataclysmic occurs that forces change. I suspect that’s what’s at play here with the occasional let's try a new product and see how it sells campaign.