Magnepan 20.7 Review

Originally Posted by Rayooo

I've never quite understood how the "mechanics" and "politics" of the high-end audio publication business works.

On one hand as a writer, I've got to generate interesting, involving and honest reviews of high-end gear, on the other hand, there simply must be outside pressures pulling at you the writer/reviewer, every minute.

If I use the latest gen of magnepan speakers as an example, I myself was shocked at the pretty much universal praise for the .7 series.

and...If I'm the president of a speaker manufacturer of superb $15kish speaker systems, that have advertised in a given publication for many years, I could easily see myself calling the publication and saying something like: "How in the world would you state that this new Magnepan at $5k, compares favorably to my $15k SuperDuper3 model?"

When I read Mr Valin's mention of the 20.7s, with the lead off list of "what magnepans can't do" It immediately hit me that this was a result of that phone call from from the president of SuperDuperSpeaker Co.to the Editor In Chief.

that makes a lot of sense...especially if the reviewer is trying to hold on to a pair of demo super duper speakers!

[klao]

The local distributor (Thailand) called to inform me that the retail price of the 20.7 would be around U$ 21,000. Oouch!

[4N6]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

I have never, been happier with ANY speaker I've owned prior to the 3.7s.

+2

I love my 3.7's. Amazing speakers that, as large as they are, completely disappear. And for my relatively small room, were a better choice for me than the 20's.

[Rayooo]

Kevin,
My room is way too small for the 3.7s if using any kind of typical logic.
...but having said that, with a bit of experimenting, the 3.7s now absolutely disappear. The sound stage is wide, deep and layered. A good test is with Qsound recordings, where it's uncanny how sound can appear to be located directly to the left or right of my head.

Problem is that now, with the 20.7s on the horizon, I'm figuring that they'll be even better in my too-small room.... your math is unfortunately perfectly accurate.

[russell]

I ordered my Magnepan 20.7's back in February and just received news they should be delivered next month. I'm currently using a pair of 1.7's. I also purchased 2 systems to compare: 1) Peachtree Grand Integrated and 2) Wyred 4 Sound Dac 2 & SX-1000 mono amplifiers (pair).

[mgard]

Originally Posted by russell

I ordered my Magnepan 20.7's back in February and just received news they should be delivered next month. I'm currently using a pair of 1.7's. I also purchased 2 systems to compare: 1) Peachtree Grand Integrated and 2) Wyred 4 Sound Dac 2 & SX-1000 mono amplifiers (pair).

Russell,
Welcome to Audio Aficionado. You really took a large jump up the ladder going from the 1.7's to the 20.7's. As you probably already know, it takes about 600 hours for the panels to get fully broke in. That's what the experts here on AA say. Please post pictures and give us all the details when you get them.

~Mike

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by jprice

You know, it seems to me that every change I've ever made in my system started a series of events, all of which cost me major money. And, at the end of the day, I often wondered if change for change sake was worth the effort, and I often wished that I'd left well enough alone.

If there is a vast difference in two speakers - or other components - go for it, but if the difference is only marginal - forget it.

As for me, I owned Magnepan/Magneplanar speakers for about 30 years. - almost every version that came along - starting with Tympani 1U, on through the Tympni IVa, then the single panel speakers, and ending with 20.1's.

Then, I moved to a house on a lake, and ultimately the speakers blocked the view of the lake to the degree that my live-in war department convinced me that they were no longer acceptable to our living arrangements.

But, always onward and upward, until, hopefully, some day, I/we realize that what we have is "Good Enough", and as I listen this morning to my little Sonus Faber Guarneri Mementos, I think I may have reached that point.

(Besides I have bigger speakers in another system)

A picture of my big Maggies "blocking the view" follows. . .

I would love to have a glass wall with a view like yours behind my speakers, but the dimensions of my room won't allow it.

I might be inclined to tell the live-in war department that I have nuclear weapons and I'm not afraid to use them!

[chessman]

Russell, welcome aboard!

[russell]

Originally Posted by mgard

Russell,
Welcome to Audio Aficionado. You really took a large jump up the ladder going from the 1.7's to the 20.7's. As you probably already know, it takes about 600 hours for the panels to get fully broke in. That's what the experts here on AA say. Please post pictures and give us all the details when you get them.

~Mike

I will. To be honest, the 1.7's are nice but missing the lower end. I'm hoping the 20.7's rectify this.

[jwhite613]

russell... Welcome To AA!!!