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I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love...

65.28.166.198

Posted on December 4, 2013 at 11:20:20
I like I like..
So now I have to save my pennies..
It will take a year.. But having a goal really helps.

I went to my local dealer to listen to a Rega RP8.
But I think I am going to hold off ...
Buying the Rega RP8 turntable would set back buying the Maggies by six months.

 

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    ...
This confirms the expression that..., posted on December 7, 2013 at 06:42:28
wazoo
Audiophile

Posts: 4062
Location: Middle GA
Joined: December 6, 2006
...ignorance is bliss. It's also why I intend to never hear a pair of the 20.7s. I have little doubt that my reaction would be the same as yours: I like; I want!

I think that your setting would benefit from them and that your 4BSST2 will be fine. At volumes which would be acceptable in an apartment, my 'little' 150WPC valve amp has no trouble driving my 3.7s full range, and it sounds lovely. I can only imagine (but I'm trying not to ;-) how the 20.7s would sound like that.

I understand the comments others have made, but I also see the other side of the coin. At the levels permissible in your situation, the 20.7s are simply going to give you more of that sound you love so much. As I've never heard them, I can't say for sure, but I imagine the 20s are better than the 3s at any volume, and more so at each extreme.

Your plan sounds reasonable to me and I must confess a bit of envy.

 

Thanks. it is goingto take some hard work to do, mainly scrimping for awhile. But doable. nt, posted on December 7, 2013 at 16:18:31
.

 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 7, 2013 at 01:51:28
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
If you do eventually pull the trigger, there is no doubt in my mind it would be a happy union.

 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 17:41:14
Cameraman
Audiophile

Posts: 396
Location: 33701
Joined: September 25, 2011
Do your 3.6"s bug the neighbors?
Thanx

 

O called magnepan and the current wait for 20.7 from order to delivery is two weeks, posted on December 6, 2013 at 07:23:05
Someone mentioned the wait was very long.. No more. The current (as of 12/06/2013) is about two weeks, plus a few days extra for shipping, up to another week shipping if far away.. etc..
I wanted to verify how long a wait in case it WAS still six months etc.. Wating to have the cash, then waiting another 6 months would be a real bummer.
So I thought i would find out the wait and order about the right timing to get them.. But that is no longer an issue.

I also asked about special finishing of sides.. They send the bare wood to you, you get it finished, then you send the parts back to Magnepan, and they build your speaker with the parts you sent back. $100 plus your shipping back to them cost.
Not bad.

 

RE: O called magnepan and the current wait for 20.7 from order to delivery is two weeks, posted on December 6, 2013 at 18:32:03
That is cool that they offer the styles service. So what are you going to get? Decided yet?

 

My current 3.6 are wite fabric with honey oak rails.. Like them colorwise.. but, posted on December 6, 2013 at 20:44:14
One wood stain I really like is red oak. I have a DVD sleving thing I made and the wood is red oak, and the stain is red oak. The way the grain areas sucks all the stain in and turn dark, then the surface wood is a nice deep reddish color.
Looks great with just the typical stain/finish in a can.(I did like five coats on the shelving. The final gloss just from the Minwax stain... is great. The surface is smooth and shiny, yet the grain areas are dark looking and dull. COOL. ((I never even sanded the wood.. It turned out wonderful.))
So I maybe would get the unfinished rails and do them in red oak.
If I did I might get the silvery/grey cloth color. (which looks stunning with the Cherry trim.)

If I do not do the rail staining thing.. i will go for same as my 3.6 which is light oak with white cloth.

The black color cloth is dramatic, but my apartment is dark enough without some big BLACK things in the room.

 

RE: My current 3.6 are wite fabric with honey oak rails.. Like them colorwise.. but, posted on December 7, 2013 at 11:09:31
Have you cleared the extra weight load with the building owner (kind of like waterbeds in apartment buildings) ? =)

I have noticed it is a lot easier to lug the 3.6's around versus the 20.1's.

 

They are only 100 pound each.. My 5,000 record albums are TWO TONS in my bedroom, posted on December 7, 2013 at 16:31:52
Somewhere I calculated what my records weigh.. and they plus shelving are about two tons...
No problem. It could be if I lived in an earthquake zone.. But i do not.

Though I DO know a coworker who was evicted from his apartment when the ceiling below his was cracking and bulging downward badly.. But he had 25,000 record albums in his apartment.
I have way less than that.. and it is still two tons..

 

The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 9, 2013 at 11:19:31
.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 08:17:23
Yes indeed and Ouch, 'my back'!

Should you not already know about these:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f12-headphones-and-speakers/magnepan-3-7-i-give-7138/index2.html


<"Floating" Maggies

In terms of mounting Maggies (or any other loudspeakers), my perspective was changed forever when I first tried "floating" mine on sets of well made roller bearings.

I'd always heard loudspeakers must be rigidly mounted to perform their best. After hearing Maggies "afloat", then hearing several other speakers in on-vs.-off demos of some Townshend Seismic Speaker Stands (a commercial way to "float" speakers), I realized it is the drivers that must be rigidly mounted on the baffle from which they launch their waves, not the body of the speaker rigidly mounted to the room in which it resides.

I'd used roller bearings under other gear and found consistent, repeatable benefits in every area of audio (and video) I know how to describe. I was not prepared for just how much impact they'd have on the performance of loudspeakers. As with the Townshend product, which accomplishes essentially the same thing (i.e. isolation), I would not have believed the differences had I not experienced them for myself. I described having the speakers standing on the floor as having them "bound and gagged" by comparison.

After putting the speakers back directly on the floor for comparison, a James Taylor recording sounded like James had a bit of a sore throat and the strings on his Martin needed changing. Replacing the roller bearing platform restored James crystal clear voice and the shimmer of the strings on his Martin.

And yes, bass extension and "punch" are two of the many benefits. But I still use a pair of subs below 30 Hz. And the subs too are "afloat".>

Perhaps Magnepan

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 04:30:30
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
They look light but can be very deceiving. I manage to man handle my 1.7s but have since learned not to even consider trying with the 3.7s yet alone the 20.7s.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 08:21:07
"They look light but can be very deceiving. I manage to man handle my 1.7s but have since learned not to even consider trying with the 3.7s yet alone the 20.7s."

Although I'm 78 years old and somewhat handicapped, I'm able to push and shove my 3.6s around quite easily, then again maybe the 3.7 is a bit heavier?

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 08:27:31
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
I had to carry the pair of 1.7s up 3 flights of stairs by myself but wouldn't dare attempt it with the 3.7s and 20.7s. I remember bruising my hands with the 1.7s. I don't think the 3.7s are significantly heavier then the 3.6s but lugging them is a whole different story lol.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 11:47:01
Thinking over that scenario, I believe it's a non-issue. It's the dealer's responsibility to deliver them into your listening room, unpack and set them up, and wire 'em to your amp(s), confirming that they play properly. That's what happened with my 3.6s and I'd be willing to bet my life that the same would happen with a 20.7.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 16:29:42
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
You are quite right indeed. The dealer would normally do it. In my case however, unboxing and setting up is very much part of the experience I rather take on myself. Maybe it's part of my gollum syndrome..leave my precious alone...

Yeah so any injuries due to handling the Maggies are wholly self inflicted.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 16:52:11
Even if I was physically capable of doing something like that (and at least 50 years younger) my dealer's crew has a ton of experience doing it, so I'd be no match for them.

 

RE: The 20.7s are around 160 pounds each.. OUCH! nt, posted on December 10, 2013 at 08:53:22
"Three flights of stairs" is a whole different ballpark. I can just about get a pair of shoelaces up three flights of stairs.

Anything like 3.6s, I'd call a local moving man to do the jo for me. (I have such people both willing and happy to earn some money moving items around within a household.)

 

RE: They are only 100 pound each.. My 5,000 record albums are TWO TONS in my bedroom, posted on December 7, 2013 at 18:04:09
66mgb
Audiophile

Posts: 252
Location: Neskowin Oregon
Joined: November 8, 2009
MY God how do you organize 25,00 albums ?? I have about a 1000 and it's a challenge !

 

All of his albums were Classical too... Labels, then composers etc.., posted on December 8, 2013 at 06:24:58
.

 

RE: My current 3.6 are wite fabric with honey oak rails.. Like them colorwise.. but, posted on December 6, 2013 at 22:54:18
russ69
Audiophile

Posts: 951
Joined: December 13, 2009
They sound the same no mater the color but get what you want because it will be a long time before you can upgrade to a better speaker.

 

RE: My current 3.6 are wite fabric with honey oak rails.. Like them colorwise.. but, posted on December 7, 2013 at 01:46:32
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
Wholly agree. In spite of my troubles with my pair of 20.7, it's still hard to make any concrete decision to go in another direction.

 

I am within a five hour drive of Magnepan factory, posted on December 7, 2013 at 16:27:30
330 miles.. five hours drive.
So if I need to return stuff it is not too bad. My local dealer is great too.
I can understand having problems and being in another country.. Yikes.

PS. have you solved your 20.7 issues to your satisfaction?
And are they good now?

 

RE: I am within a five hour drive of Magnepan factory, posted on December 7, 2013 at 19:28:01
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
Unfortunately at this current moment the problem is unresolved. In honesty I love the 20.7s. However, at this point it's a love hate relationship due to it not being trouble free. When it works, it's something else all together. Seriously contemplating a change but it would be a hard decision to make. Having gone through the Minis, 1.7, 3.7 and now the 20.7s...everyone of them have been trouble free except the 20.7s.

This however should not be taken as a damper to your quest in owning the 20.7s. Who knows...perhaps my pair were jinxed lol.

 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 04:59:05
Posts: 69
Location: Santa Fe
Joined: February 9, 2006
Elizabeth you might consider 3.7s augmented with a pair of DWMs. to me they sound as good as the 20.7s at my dealer and are a lot cheaper. Joe Fagan

 

No if I am going to buy new speakers at all it will be the 20.7s., posted on December 6, 2013 at 07:24:57
I like my 3.6s.. And I doubt I would swap to 3.7s ever.
So if I am gonna go for BIG.. it is the 20.7s..

 

RE: No if I am going to buy new speakers at all it will be the 20.7s., posted on December 7, 2013 at 08:28:33
klao
Audiophile

Posts: 105
Location: Thailand
Joined: March 15, 2008
Go BIG, Elizabeth! I'm quite sure you won't regret it. :)

I'm running in my 20.7's and/with the modest ICE based Class D, Wyred4Sound's new mAMP monoblocks (to be used later with the 1.7's for rear channels).

The 20.7's is much much better than my previous 3.6's in every area.

 

You just gotta bite the bullet - and *focus*, Lizzie ..., posted on December 5, 2013 at 16:08:27
andyr
Manufacturer

Posts: 12548
Location: Melbourne
Joined: September 2, 2000
Yes - eat sausages instead of steak for the next 6 months and save up your pennies. :-))

No - don't buy the RP8.

And trade in your Bryston for a Magtech, when you swap over to the 20.7s! :-))

Then you will be in 7th heaven.


Regards,

Andy

 

RE: You just gotta bite the bullet - and *focus*, Lizzie ..., posted on December 5, 2013 at 17:29:27
66mgb
Audiophile

Posts: 252
Location: Neskowin Oregon
Joined: November 8, 2009
Elizabeth
or you could just get some really good Stax headphones and enjoy all the detail and volume you want while sipping a blue label.

 

RE: You just gotta bite the bullet - and *focus*, Lizzie ..., posted on December 5, 2013 at 23:29:02
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
or use the extra dough to sound-proof the room so you can accelerate your existing system a little bit more, when you want and how you want and not worry about the neighbors.

Just a thought-









 

RE: You just gotta bite the bullet - and *focus*, Lizzie ..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 09:30:47
"or use the extra dough to sound-proof the room so you can accelerate your existing system a little bit more, when you want and how you want and not worry about the neighbors."

That's a tough one GL, living in the apartment Elizabeth describes, it may not be permitted to perform such a modification, regardless of the will and finances to do it. Unfortunately listening to a 20.7 while at the same time considering one's neighbors (just as one wants them not to disturb you), is somewhat like owning a race car but never driving above 55mph.

Truth be told, I'm not sure what choice I'd make if I were in her position. Most probably I'd go ahead buying the 20.7, to fulfill my fantasy, but not ever playing it too LOUD (or at least until a neighbor pounds on my wall, ceiling or door.

 

Naturally there are a million things I 'could' do. ... ..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 07:29:23
Yeah I could take into consideration the dozens of things OTHER FOLKS 'would' do..
Or I can ignore all that blather and do what I WANT to do. (((LOL)))
Which is buy the 20.7s. And use my current amp, the Bryston 4B-SSTē.
Not check out some other speakers, not 3.7 with a sub, not some other amp, not some other blah blah blah..
My home, my stereo, my ears, my cash. No problem.

 

RE: Naturally there are a million things I 'could' do. ... ..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 12:13:37
tim_meyers
Audiophile

Posts: 778
Location: Ann Arbor Mi
Joined: January 15, 2008
and that is exactly what I would do as well.....

my thought is always get the best speaker you can get... worry about the rest later.... I have heard a 4bsst.... great amp... plenty of power.....one of the benefits of the new series is to be able to play at low level volumes and still get the detail.....

 

Wow, you are positively giddy ..., posted on December 6, 2013 at 07:32:43
Bromo33333
Audiophile

Posts: 3502
Location: Ipswich, MA
Joined: May 4, 2004
... hey, just use your current Brystons and see what they do with the 20.7's. Yeah, sure you can do better, but the baseline might be beyond reproach, too!
====
"You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you." ~ R A Wilson

 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 5, 2013 at 10:52:12
What was the upstream gear?

Also, congrats.

 

Peachtree ($4,500) grand something or other, And a Marantz SACD ($1,200), posted on December 5, 2013 at 13:20:28
The setup was for some prior customer who wanted to hear the Peachtree with them, focusing on interest in the Peachtree.

I just happened along and so that was the electronics.

 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 5, 2013 at 07:47:08
IEaudiodude
Audiophile

Posts: 2814
Location: So Cal
Joined: February 11, 2010
You better save your nickels dimes and quarters also Elizabeth,if you just save up pennies your going to be 110 years old and deaf before you have enough $$$ to bring home a pair. :^)
Photobucket

 

problem I have with hearing Maggies at my dealer's , posted on December 5, 2013 at 05:29:12
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
they'll always have > $100K (heck even $200K) worth of gear pushing em'; (including $30K speaker cables). No way I'd ever be able to approach that level of performance in my listening room with my 20s.

I've always felt Maggies are simply more than sound delivery devices, but rather 'portals' in which they reveal whatever's feeding them.











 

RE: problem I have with hearing Maggies at my dealer's , posted on December 7, 2013 at 01:49:26
PoisonM
Audiophile

Posts: 107
Joined: January 13, 2011
Yeah...in spite of it sounding absurd its quite true that the matching equipment can be quite a lot more expensive then the 20.7s.

 

Not my dealer..They use real world electronics.., posted on December 5, 2013 at 06:58:28
I a nsee where the high end clientel would want big stuff powering them.
I have to say with the modest equipment I heard the 20.7 with I was still impressed.
But I agree the equipment matters.
I am a big upper range freak, so knowing i basically already havee the same tweeter in nearly the same application means I can be rather certain I know what that portion of the spectrum will sound like in my home.

 

I should've mentioned only on the high-end Maggies, posted on December 5, 2013 at 23:36:04
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
ie the 3x and 20x series do they get the pampered treatment. They also carry the 12s and 1.7s but they typically run those on the 'within reach' electronics.

But then again you're talking to a guy who felt his 1.6s sounded magnificent (which they did) with an old vintage Marantz 1040 integrated that he spent less than $300 on.









 

RE: I finally heard some Magnepan 20.7s at my local dealer.. I am in love..., posted on December 4, 2013 at 19:05:58
tim_meyers
Audiophile

Posts: 778
Location: Ann Arbor Mi
Joined: January 15, 2008
Elizabeth. First of all I love it that you are 'retired' and are considering 20.7s. Secondly - where did you hear them?

And as always- if you have heard 20.1s can you express the difference ? Or just possibly ramble on about what you really liked. It only helps stoke my obsession.
Thanks.... Tim.

 

Gonna have to bring in a pair of 7Bs to do them justice..., posted on December 4, 2013 at 13:08:58
Ron D
Audiophile

Posts: 504
Location: Alberta
Joined: June 3, 2000
should be able to pick up a used pair with lots of life & warranty left for a reasonable amount of coin.

 

that is one problem I am not likely to be able to do... at least for awhile after getting the 20.7s, posted on December 4, 2013 at 13:48:02
Saving up for a year for the speakers should clear the notion I can spring for some better amps..
My Bryston 4B-SSTē will have to be 'good enough' ... And since I cannot play any speaker very loud.. My 4B-SSTē will be good enough.
(I live in an 'over 55' (senior citizen) building.. very very quiet, and I never play music loud enough to bother my neighbors.. I am happy, they are happy. and it has to stay that way..) Amazing how silent it is at night.. We are across from a park. the big night noise are train whistles a few miles away..

 

RE: that is one problem I am not likely to be able to do... at least for awhile after getting the 20.7s, posted on December 4, 2013 at 14:01:01
Ron D
Audiophile

Posts: 504
Location: Alberta
Joined: June 3, 2000
its not about playing loud, its about the small details that a more powerful Bryston will convey, especially at lower volumes. Take it from someone who has owned various Bryston amps since the 80's. The largest benefit I have ever realized was moving from a 4B-SST to a 14B-SST with Maggies in play. To my ears and in my system I felt that it was more beneficial that moving between generations ie. Pre-ST to ST to SST.

If you have to wait longer then you'll know that 7Bs will always be out there when you are ready and the leap up to them won't be nearly as costly as moving to 20.7s...

Fortunately I don't have the room for 20.7s so my 3.6s will have to do for a while.

 

3.7s vs 3.7s, posted on December 4, 2013 at 14:35:37
TGR
Audiophile

Posts: 3002
Location: No. California
Joined: March 22, 2004
I have heard neither the 20.7s nor the 7Bs so can't offer a direct opinion - but have heard both the 3.6s and the 3.7s at length, and suffice to say that I would not have purchased the 3.6s but love the 3.7s - there is a major difference in the two speakers. If I were in the market for the larger speakers I probably would gravitate to the 20.7s.

IMO, this was true of every Maggie speakers before the 3.7s and the other current models (based on hearing quite of few samples over the years) - they were generically warm but not completely tonally accurate nor revealing - the generic warmth tended to obfuscate detail.. The 3.7s are tonally accurate and revealing of detail.

YMMV, of course.

 

RE: 3.7s vs 3.7s, posted on December 4, 2013 at 15:54:32
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
If you feel that 3.6's are not revealing you must have heard some pretty crappy setups. I am always amazed that my local dealer sells any Maggies because they are in a heavy damped room good for normal speakers but not Maggies. My 3.6's with Berning amps are the most detailed speakers I have ever heard. Was at Rocky Mountain and heard nothing better than my 3.6's. I have not heard the 3.7's in my own system which would be a necessaty for me
Alan

 

RE: 3.7s vs 3.7s, posted on December 5, 2013 at 18:31:08
Barry
Audiophile

Posts: 1000
Location: PA
Joined: November 24, 1999
Contributor
  Since:
January 18, 2009
Ahhh Berning..with Maggies!!!! They know not. C'est dommage.

 

They really are all that., posted on December 4, 2013 at 11:39:46
Bromo33333
Audiophile

Posts: 3502
Location: Ipswich, MA
Joined: May 4, 2004
If you have the right room, you will have a hard time doing better!
====
"You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you." ~ R A Wilson

 

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