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Magnepan .7 Alternatives

Looking for suggestions…Currently I have Magnepan .7’s and am generally happy but at times they just don’t do it.

I find these speakers to be schizophrenic, sounding great on some tracks and other tracks leaving me wondering what the hey !… I’d say probably 30-40% of the time I’m feeling this way. Either too much treble, not clear or not tonally balanced. I’m no expert but just my opinion, it often comes off as the midrange being pushed to it’s limit trying to be treble. I assume I feel that way being the speaker’s lack of accuracy, although what Maggi’s do they do well, just not an accurate speaker.

I experience this pretty much no matter what source or style of music I play, certainly a non forgiving speaker. Yes, I’ve played around with Toe-In, tried various resistors & jumpers…sounds great on everything I adjust, just not a consistent sounds great.

Lets get it straight, I’m not a “Magnepan Hater”, there’s certain qualities I truly love about my Maggi .7’s, the open sound, the transparency but hoping I may be able to find a speaker that’s not as finicky and can give me the open feel, transparency and clarity that I seek.

My set up consists of:

Odyssey Khartago Extreme Amp

Tubes4hif SP-13 Preamp

Bluesound Node

EAT B Sharp TT w/Sumiko Moonstone Cart

Pro-Ject Tube Box S Phono Pre

(2) REL - T5x Subs

 

Room dimensions: 11.5’ W x 12’ L

10’ Ceilings -

Listening Distance from Speakers

8.5’ - 9’

Carpet, Curtins, (4) 48” x 12”Acoustic panels on wall behind sofa facing my set up.

Not a fan of bookshelf’s and rather would prefer recommendations on

Floorstanders but will listen and research any suggestions you feel would work.

Note: I’m just starting my search, so don’t beat me up if I don’t go right out and purchase your suggestion as others have done in the past.

My Budget is around the $3k mark.

Thanks

🔊

128x128flasd
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
372 posts
 

First off condolences on your loss.

I’ve been watching this thread with great interest as I recently purchased the .7 and couldn’t be happier with them.

I would definitely take Johnny R.’s advice and go straight out of the Node into your amp. Impedance mismatching and system synergies are real things and it’s easy to try.

2nd, I don’t know how flexible you are with placement, but i think you’re sitting way too far away in a room that small. My room is 11’ x 13’. I’m setup on the short wall. From the front wall to the top screw on the Maggie frame on the inside edge is 3’. Tweeters are out and I have them toed in significantly. The speakers are about 6’ apart and I’m sitting about 6’ away.

The soundstage and imaging is superb. Probably the best I’ve heard in my room.

The fact that your room is nearly square is not doing you any favors, but don’t believe the naysayers that say Maggies don’t work in a small room. I’m proof that they do and can excel.

Also, the Node is a great little entry into streaming, but as funds allow; I recommend stepping up to one of the better streamers from the likes of Lumin, Auralic, or Aurender.

Best of luck to you and happy listening,
Joe

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,205 posts
 

Check out Spatial Audio open baffle speakers several sizes ,even builtin

powered subs.

gerrie
107 posts
 

The biggest mistake is that 99% wants a low, i call it in  Netherlands a pump low but  thats not a instrumental low. They want a lot of pression and thats not a musical low. A magnepan give the most natural  instrumental low. But evrything depends how is the recording. A room full with low pumping air is not a bass guitar or a contra bass.

 

bheyamoto
17 posts
 

I'm not getting it?

Unless your room expands and contracts, then the size of your room or where you sit can't explain inconsistency  I kind of doubt that..

If it is inconsistent, then either A) You're equipment is malfunctioning (and needs to be isolated and replaced) or B) you are running into "lesser" recordings, so they do not sound good.  It is that simple.  I'm guessing it is the latter.Or some believe other factors like time of the day (electricity) or listening in the dark make a difference...I am not thinking this is the case.

Regardless, a few thousand dollars isn't going to do it.  My only advice would be to save your money and by "pre-owned".  Like a car, you get a whole lot of more for your dollar.

 

 

retiredfarmer's avatar
retiredfarmer
354 posts
 

Try and listen  to these

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