Replacement for current speakers suggestions

It’s tough to beat the Maggie 1.7i for the money, however, to do them justice, they have to be AT LEAST 3 feet out from the front wall. 4 to 5 feet is much better, unless you have some diffusion behind them. Also, they don’t have much bass impact, so for me, a sub is a must. I tried keeping them 2 feet from the front wall and experimented with all sorts of positioning (toe in/no toe in, spacing between them, tweeters in/tweeters out) and nothing worked well untill I pulled them 4 feet out into the room. I don’t have diffusion behind them, so that may have helped with them closer to the wall, as I was told by the dealer.  Due to the sound coming out of the rear of the planers, you run into phase cancellation problems when that sound bounces back off of the wall. 

I’m not familiar with your amp, but I wouldn’t go with anything less that 150 watts at 4 Ohms. They require lots of high current power to really sing. I’m using a PS Audio BHK amp which runs at 500 watts into 4 Ohms. Even with that power, I find the bass lacking without my two REL subs.

With that being said, when positioned properly and feeding them with the required amount of power, they can sound spectacular.  I've not heard a speaker under $5000 that comes close.   

I have the Monitor Audio 500 speakers. The sound is very accurate and lush. You won't need a sub. with these. I got an open box deal from Safe and Sound for $2100 a pair. I am also using a KT88 tube amp that I paid $2000 for and drives the MA 500's at 30 watts.

The Maggies may be picky about the listening position.

Good luck and take it a day at a time.

Thanks everyone for the responses, very helpful and your warm welcome is awesome! Sheridanmartin hello neighbor, I am in Carrollwood, Tampa. I will be visiting Brian probably Friday. You are right, after 18 years of doing business with him he's never steered me wrong. I am proud to call him a friend. I will be auditioning the 1.7's and Linton's, closely priced.

I did listen to Monitor Audio's today and the tweeter was excellent! The low end powerful but, after five minutes the sound hurt my ears, loose and almost rattling. The mid was confusing, not very clear, I was a bit surprised. After listening to my Schweikert's for 18 years and my vintage system's Polk Audio SDA 2B monitors I am spoiled by great sound. The Schweikert's sounded absolutely stunning today Listened to Dizzy Gillespie, Eddy Gomes, Dexter Gordon and Gentle Giant, great sound. I think they feel me looking so they will behave.

PJB, I understand your statement but as retired Operations Manager for 38 years, career cut short due to health issues, I learned early to be understanding of what folks wanted or needed. The venom is because in my first impression he comes across as a pseudo intellectual. There are nicer ways to communicate and I for one do not tolerate condescending statements, we all are here because we love music. Good equipment is the vehicle delivering good sounds so we can hear the music, not the system! Enough talk about MC, I am sure a he is a very nice person, approach me in a different tone and we are good!

Enough for tonight. Thanks you for all the great input and well wishes, I feel very welcomed here. I will post after my next audition until then, Cheers! Time to listen to my vintage beautiful vintage system!

Recently heard founder Paradigm floorstanders-$5k. Maybe their standmounts are cheaper. Also heard small Dali ?? at $800 each and was amazed. Good luck.

My speakers are on wheels!

Hello Bogiedr2  Great hearing back from you like to know how the 1.7i audition went I am not a box speaker man don`t 

want to listed to one it could be Magico, Wilson`s Dali, Kef LS50`s Wharfendale Linton`s etc.etc.  I don`t care would`nt waste my time.  Listen Bogie I don`t know if you`ve every been to a concert hall with great acoustics sat 7th row back center seating and really listen if you have`nt go to a good concert hall clean natural music know rock concerts nice listening none destorted music then go home and listen to your BOX speaker I would ask you after you have listen do you think the sound of the concert hall sound as if was coming from a box speaker?   I am positive your aswser would be hell to the NO.   The concert hall sound its omnidirectional like the design of the Maggies not even the copies like Martin Logan`s come as close as the Maggies.  So before you make the drastic mistake of buying a box speaker I would immediately go see Brian for a pair of the 3 series Maggies if you don`t have the room for 3 series then I would go for the 1,7i`s I sincerely hope you do.  Bogie when I arive home from the concert hall and began to listen to the best speaker I`ve ever heard under $15,000 USD sit in my sweet spot close my eye`s sounds like I`m in a minnie concert hall; In fact when I get the $$$ I`ll be looking for the Maggie 20.7`s in which I don`t think I have the room for them to radiate if I don`t when I get the $$$ I will build a audio room, a add on to my home 35x35x12ft.ceiling to accomadate them that`s how much I love maggies I would go to that extreme. I`ll give Brian a call and tell him to give you my tellephone number I rather not do it over the internet those smart scientific hackers are a pain in butt I beleive and also others beleive that use this furum think they`ve hack this website.  Maybe at some time we can get together after you hear the big Maggies you may want to add on to your property😄 Best regards, Martin