Sold my MG20's several years ago and had been wanting to purchase the MG1.7QR to keep Magnepan in rotation. Found previously owned 1.7, not 1.7i, at my local dealer. From moment one, the 1.7 was more coherent from top to bottom than I could ever get the 20's to sound. The Quasi Ribbon design renders all previous designs obsolete. Durability should be greatly improved since there are no longer heavy stiff wires glued to the diaphragm. I also believe there have been design improvements that greatly minimize diaphragm "slap" against the magnet structure. Easy to hear on the 20's. Never heard it on the 1.7's. These Quasi Ribbon Magnepans speak with one voice from lowest note to inaudible. The Magnepan "compression" on high volumes is gone. The 1.7's seemed to have no restrictions on dynamics. I am sure someone will question that statement. We all know that pre-QR Magnepans seemed to have a narrow range of volume setting for every type or music. And we all knew when we had "passed OK on the volume control". They started to sound harsh. Not so the 1.7 with one warning. The 1.7 is not designed for rock concert row one SPLs. Don't try to feel every bass note! Remember how we had the loss of fine detail as the volume was reduced below that magic range. Not so the 1.7. Detail is present at background levels. Enough praise. The rule with Magnepans, with all speakers, if you want lower bass go larger with more displacement. If you want more detail and sparkle at the top move up to the True Ribbon Tweeter. One of the greatest tweeters in the audio kingdom. In short, if you have a pre-QR design do not hesitate to make a move. If you are contemplating a Magnepan in your audio life, save a couple more dollars and bypass the LRS or .7 which should only be stepping stones anyway unless you are limited in physical space. The 1.7 needs a couple of feet to the sides and behind so open up that soundstage. One last point, amplifier ratings. I have no tube amps. I have used a First Watt SIT-3 @ 30 watts into 4 ohms up to a Pass Labs x250.8 @ 500 watts into 4 ohms. More is better!

• RE: REVIEW: Magnepan MG-1.7 QR Speakers - Green Lantern 16:12:55 04/03/21 (6)
  In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Magnepan MG-1.7 QR Speakers posted by riverdinaudio on April 02, 2021 at 04:34:08

  great review, I wonder what the differences are between the 1.7 and 1.7i?
  
  
  
  

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  • RE: REVIEW: Magnepan MG-1.7 QR Speakers - Norman M 09:29:11 04/04/21 (5)
    In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Magnepan MG-1.7 QR Speakers posted by Green Lantern on April 03, 2021 at 16:12:55

    Maybe $150.00?
    

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    • RE: Good one, Norman! :-(( ... - andyr 04:46:59 04/05/21 (4)
      In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Magnepan MG-1.7 QR Speakers posted by Norman M on April 04, 2021 at 09:29:11

      Will we ever find out what the actual (physical) difference is?
      
      It can only be one of two things, shirley?
      * an XO component value change
      * or something done to one of the drivers - something like, say, the paper strip which is glued onto the metal pole-piece on T-IVa mid drivers.
      
      Andy
      
      

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      • more possibilities - DrChaos 09:06:14 04/05/21 (3)
        In Reply to: RE: Good one, Norman! :-(( ... posted by andyr on April 05, 2021 at 04:46:59

        
        looser & different tensioning. That's what I think it is. My hypothesis: there was a loss in bass performance from the wire bass panels (which can be doubled and are heavier, aka lower resonance freq) to the first QR woofer generation, which was alleviated with the 'i'. The 0.7 and 20.7 already have the change from the get go.
        

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        • RE: that's possible - but I thought Magnepan offers an upgrade service for 1.7s to 1.7is? nt - andyr 14:33:30 04/05/21 (1)
          In Reply to: RE: more possibilities posted by DrChaos on April 05, 2021 at 09:06:14

          .
          

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          • RE: that's possible - but I thought Magnepan offers an upgrade service for 1.7s to 1.7is? nt - Green Lantern 19:55:11 04/05/21 (0)
            In Reply to: RE: that's possible - but I thought Magnepan offers an upgrade service for 1.7s to 1.7is? nt posted by andyr on April 05, 2021 at 14:33:30

            yeah I kinda remember that offer (is it still on the books?) I think the upgrade was what- $150 plus shipping? That led many to speculate a simple 'razoring' type doodad. Anything above that would certainly push it over the $150 threshold (IMHO).

            You would think after all this time folks would have undressed both models (or sent pics of separate models undressed)to compare.
            
            
            
            

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            Edits: 04/05/21
        • RE: more possibilities - Norman M 11:48:00 04/05/21 (0)
          In Reply to: RE: more possibilities posted by DrChaos on April 05, 2021 at 09:06:14

          Perhaps Magnepan removed any wrinkles. ;-)
          

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