Replacement for Maggie's?

I hear you bro! The problem is that those of us who really like the Maggie sound find it extremely difficult to find something else we can live with. I suggest you listen to the 3.7's (with a sub)and then listen to other speakers in the same price range. Let me know if you find something else you can live with. I couldn't for less than $17K.
You can get useful output with the 3.7's in the right room down to about 35-37. In the wrong room, or too close to the back wall, forget it.

Things would be much easier if I had a dedicated room. It's definitely on the list for our next home. I guess I should add, has anyone found a speaker that gives you the great aspects of Maggie's without the negatives. I have listened to the 3.7's before and really enjoyed them, but until I get a dedicated room I think the width and height of the 1.6's is about maxed out with the wife.

I'm no Maggie lover I've had the 1.6 and 3.6 I found both to be very frustrating, they had good qualities but what they did wrong I just could not get over. Lack of bass is a major issue for me too just a weak sound in terms of dynamics in general to my ear. The only way I could get a somewhat decent sound was with the 3.6s about halfway into the smaller room I tried them in and while it was a very open and spacious sound it was still quite weak in terms of dynamics and bass especially given the size of the speaker. I think of them as a speaker that is more suited to delicate music and low level playback. If you value you mostly highly the things they do great then maybe you are a maggie guy for life and you just learn to live with the weaknesses. Personally I'd take a good dynamic box speaker any day I'd even take a set of stand mount monitors over the 3.6s. You have a great system it would be easy to find a good match that will fix what you don't like about the 1.6s and make your wife much happier. Im prob gonna get the wrath from the maggie lovers, sorry its what i think. Oh and I'd upgrade the speaker cable to while you are at it, you can do much better with your system.

Harri, When I was auditioning speakers I found 2 other speakers I thought I could live with. Those were Wilson Sophia III's (16K) and Magico V2s. My wife hated the look of the Wilsons, but was ok with the maggies. Maybe you should give the Magicos a listen.

Agree with Elizabeth and others that the 3.7 is the obvious choice. It does everything the 1.6 does but better. Or even the 20.7, if you can swing it.

Ejlif, what were you powering your 3.6's with? I've heard them play quite loud, certainly in the range of dynamics.

Usually, people who want more slam or extension in the bass add subs, or, increasingly, Magnepan's DWM woofer, which can be used to increase bass output in larger or "planar unfriendly" rooms without smearing the bass as a dynamic sub can.