Planar speaker characteristics


I’m thinkIng of the possible advantages of going planar.  Here’s my situation:
I currently have Triangle Stratos Volante 260 speakers, and I love their sound. The issue with these are that they have poly switches in the crossovers that limit the volume they can achieve.  Rectification of this issue is a long story, I’ll spare everyone the details. Before I acquired these speakers, I briefly owned a pair of Magnepan MMG’s, and was quite impressed with them. Unfortunately, also at the time I didn’t have the amplifier power to drive them to potential, and after all, they are the smallest end of the Magnepan line.  After acquiring the Triangles, I also got a pair of Parasound JC 1’s.  As of right now, I really do love the sound of my system. But the memory of those Magnepan’s kind of haunts me, now that I have the power to drive a pair of the larger models. I’m thinking in the 3 something range. Can someone with Magnepan experience tell me what characteristics they love about their Maggie’s, and also what they don’t. What I love about the Triangles:  midrange detail and musicality, not clinical, but not too warm. The “jump factor” as a reviewer put it in a review of the Signature Deltas.  What I don’t like are the aforementioned volume issues, and that they are fairly lean in bass extension. High quality bass, but not as deep as I’d like. However, and this is an important however, the addition of a subwoofer has effectively solved that issue. What makes The Magnepan sound appealing, and also not?  Not interested in electrostats. Also, please try to stick to the question.  Not really looking for commentary on the Parasound’s. I love them, even as my greener sensibilities and my electric bill don’t. 
Much thanks in advance,

Dave
dprincipato

Planars are so fast that few subs can keep up. Magnepan also sells small bass panels (DWM) to augment the bass - I use them in my listening room and HT. I'd rather have clean bass and lose the bottom octave than have muddy sound at all frequencies. YMMV

@terry9: Have you heard about the dipole subwoofer Magnepan is readying for release in the near future? It may be used with any of their speakers (well, maybe not the 30.7 ;-), or any planar for that matter.

For DIY'ers, there has been an OB/Dipole sub available for about 10 years, designed and offered by Brian Ding of Rythmik Audio and Danny Richie of GR Research. Not just an OB/Dipole design, but also a servo-feedback one. The only servo-feedback OB/Dipole subwoofer in the world! The only sub I've heard that sounds as fast (not literally, but ya'll know what I mean) as the Magneplanar Tympani bass panels.

Thanks bdp. I had not heard of Magnepan's sub - but truth to tell, I'm not too concerned with that bottom octave. Can make me feel a bit queasy, actually. Getting old is a ... how you say? Female canine?

You sure are right about those Tympani bass panels - so big, so full, so clean. But the DWM gives even my memories a run for the money.