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In Reply to: RE: Thank you for the effort.... posted by Mark Man on April 04, 2014 at 10:33:39
Mark,I think you're right -- the upgrade itself is a good thing and whether people find it worthwhile or not is going to depend on the sonics, and that means your opinion and that of other early adopters will be important.
I still believe that Magnepan has created trouble for themselves unnecessarily. I think many of us who have had dealings with the company over the years know that they're decent folk who have an old-fashioned sense of business ethics. But that's just my personal impression and obviously it carries no weight, as real information about the upgrade would.
I'm sure that Wendell is right when he says that this will blow over as people read reviews like Chris Martens's and get to hear from fellow customers like you, and Wendell just wrote to describe some of the practical problems they have when they release technical information -- the kind of problem that we who aren't in the business would never think of. So they have some real concerns. But still, I think some basic information of the kind most audio manufacturers have traditionally supplied (including Magnepan) would avoid a lot of unnecessary grief.
BTW, I think the new socks are a plot -- no one is going to want to pull up their beautiful new socks to see what's underneath. :-)
Edits: 04/04/14Follow Ups:
Josh...
As I have never hidden, my lack of "electronics knowledge", their plot of new socks will keep me out of ripping them open...that is why I posted the question to Waz, (who has no fear factor), see his response within this post...
Yes, they are very decent people...yes, they exhibit old fashioned business ethics...yes, they could have handled this much better IMHO...
And not being part of that industry, I do not understand all their concerns and at this point...I am done guessing...
In the Planar/magnetic design, similar to Magnepan, who is their competition??? Do we include the Electrostatic manufacturers as part of their competition??? IMHO planars and stats are two different animals, that only share; they are both true di-pole speakers designs...
Which brings us back to; "But still, I think some basic information of the kind most audio manufacturers have traditionally supplied (including Magnepan) would avoid a lot of unnecessary grief."
Whether the amount of "grief" is acceptable or not, it is of THEIR own making...one little paragraph on the website, included with their announcement of this upgrade...would have eliminated the majority of grief and potential bad blood; that this code of silence has caused...IMHO...I believe the majority of us owners, would have been satisfied with that...verses just "better"...
Wendell's stance that this will blow over, once they have more professional and customer reviews may well be true...I am not doubting that he does know his customer base; passionate, loyal, neurotic...(at least I am)...but yet somewhat insulting to the current 3.7 owners...IMHO...
Thanks again for jumping in on this..
take care
Mark
Mark, Josh rightly named the Eminent Technology magnetic-planar speakers as the main competition for Magnepan. Are you familiar with them? The LFT-8b uses a sealed 8" dynamic woofer for 180Hz down, with a pair of m-p LFT drivers for 180Hz to 10kHz (that's right: 180Hz-10kHz, with no crossover!), and a ribbon tweeter above that. Not nearly as well known as Magneplanars for some reason (other than few dealers and even fewer reviews ;-), but with a devoted cult following (and rave reviews in the UK press, as well as The Absolute Sound, for what that's worth ;-). $2499/pr.There were earlier, pure magnetic-planar ET models: the LFT-3, LFT-4, and LFT-6, all now collectors items. I own pairs of LFT-4, LFT-8b, and Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa. Love 'em all! If I had a spare 15 grand, I'd buy a pair of Sanders ESL's.
Edits: 06/07/20
I don't think they have much planar competition. There's Eminent Technology, which makes a very good hybrid, and a few smaller companies at both the low and high end of the market. In high end home theater/architectural audio, there's BG and Wisdom Audio, but for the most part their ranges don't overlap.
I suppose their main planar competitor is Martin-Logan, which of course makes ESL's, and some of the mid-priced stats, although in my experience people tend to favor one technology or the other -- they each have tradeoffs. Some technology is common to planars and ESL's, some isn't. For example, diaphragms, tensioning, tuning, damping, baffles, pole pieces and stators -- all similar, and that's where a lot of the black art is. Some of Magnepan's technology would definitely transfer, and vice-versa. But the electronics -- transformers, crossovers, HV power supply, etc. -- are quite different. And then there are the other ESL makers, mostly in the moderately high/high end of the market.
There are other manufacturers of true ribbons as well, often used in hybrid dynamic systems, and the occasional interesting wider range ribbon. But their main planar/ribbon competitor folded years ago. Electronics manufacturers aren't in direct competition so their relationship is essentially synergistic.
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