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Magnapan vs. Von Schweikert

I am considering upgrading my speakers and there is virtually nothing I can audtion in the city where I live so I have to depend on the ears of others.

A couple of well repescted AudiogoNers suggested I look into the Magnepan 3.6R when I told them I was interested in the Von Schweikert VR4. They didn't say anything bad about the VR4 they just recommended the Maggies.

If anyone has experience with either of these that might be helpful, or offer insight, I would appreciate it.

I've looked at some of the threads about both but I did not find anything that I thought applied to this particular question.

Thanks for your help.
128x128nrchy
tireguy
1,964 posts
 
When I was in the biz I needed to eat 6 apples a day, and now I still like apples but I love my maggies :) The only upgrade I am considering in speakers is to 20.1's
dlwask
270 posts
 
For what it's worth I just concluded a search for speakers and was torn between the 1.6 QRs and the B&W Nautilus 805s...that was until I heard the Von Schweikert VR2s. In the under $3000 range, a few $35000 speakers too, the VR2s are the best I have heard in my area.

This whole thing started when I heard the 3.6QRs by the way. That sound stuck with me for a while. However in the same demo with the VR2s I heard the VR4 Gen III SEs. It is an absolutely amazing speaker.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
I have heard hundreds of speakers, from travels over the country while working for a speaker company. I have heard the Maggies many times, and they are good speakers. They present some issues for women typically, because of their large physical presence. They sound excellent, and require very good(as do all really good speakers) amplification to sound their best. They are almost resistive, as opposed to reactive load, making the amp see a more consistant load, albiet one which is, depending on your room, requiring a lot of power. The bass, is more rear wall/distance dependant than most speakers, as they require loading the rear wave. Overall, excellent speakers.
I own the Von Schweikerts and find them to be one of the most musical speakers I have heard. They are fast and diminsional, with bass which plummets into the 20hz (almost exactly an octave below an upright double bass' lowest note, open "E" string)region. The rear firing tweeter allows the speaker to sound very transparent, and not at all gimmickey. Overall, I prefer the Von Schweikert, of course, since I bought them, but you are definitely considering two very good speakers. Your ears are the final judge. I think, as a final comment, that Von Schweikert has trumped almost everyone in dynamic speakers at this point.The VSA's are better than almost anything up to about 20K (this is only my humble opinion). Good luck, and if you need any advice you can privately email me, you have a million choices.
Larry
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