Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!

@arafiq , I have set up somewhere around 10 pairs of Magneplanars and own Tympany 3s way back. The sweet spot in the line is the 3.7i. It has significantly better performance than the lower models making it the best value. The 20.7 is by all means a better loudspeaker but it is not twice as good. 

Your room and intended set up are fine. You only need three feet from the wall. Tweeters should always be to the inside. I do not know where you heard they do not image. That is poppycock. Their image is larger more lifelike than point source speakers. It is crucial that you deaden the wall behind the speakers. I use 4" acoustic tile corner to the inside edge of the speaker, floor to the top of the speaker. Maggies are dipoles and this is much different and in ways easier than box speakers.

Maggies (3.7is) make bass down to about 40 Hz realistically. You do not need subs with them unless you really care about that bottom octave. You clean up the mid bass a little if you use subs. If you do not listen at high volumes I would stay away from subs. Doing subs correctly requires digital signal processing which many do not want to get into. Doing subs incorrectly is much worse than no subs at all. 

I own SoundLabs speakers. They are better than Maggies but harder to drive. It can't just be a powerful amp, it has to be the right powerful amp. Parasound JC 1+ and Atma Sphere MA 2s are known performers. You are usually looking for a huge Class A bruiser. The smallest model is about twice as expensive as the 3.7i and IMHO subwoofers and DSP are now mandatory for the best performance, more than tripling the expense. 

@zgas-music I have a pair of Hegel H30s.  Don't think power will be an issue. 🤣

-- i versions imo add a noticeable degree of warmth and weight to the sound that my ears very much appreciate
 

@jjss49 How big would you say the difference in bass is between the 3.7 and 3.7i?

@swede58

there is a subtle but definitely noticeable difference as i heard them ... non i sounds leaner through lower register of piano and male voice... mostly in the midbass/upper bass is the impression i get -- both are limited in true bottom octave - but the i has more ’bloom’ around bowed or plucked acoustic bass for instance

but not so much that amp choice, sub support and placement cannot bridge the tonal gap between the two i believe

@arafiq

knowing you through this forum, i would definitely start with 1.7i over 3.7i you can always go to 3.7i later if you fall in love with what maggies do -- 1.7i much less expensive, less imposing in the room, and if you get light colored cloth they are quite ’architectural’ and some think even pretty standing there - 1.7i set up right driven right will definitely give you the true maggie excellence and sonic experience from which to assess next steps (if any) - but be sure to have at least one rel sub to support the bottom end

As enticing as the 3.7 model is, I feel it’s prudent to stick with 1.7i for now. I have no doubt that the 3.7 is possibly the sweet spot in the Magnepan lineup. But considering that I’m only trying to explore the Magnepan sound signature at this time without a serious $$ commitment, 1.7 is the more suitable entry point for me. If I like what I hear, and knowing myself, I have no doubt that I will be moving up the chain soon after.