Magnepan 1.7

Energizer:
One big reason you may like older Maggies is that sometime in the '90s they began shipping with the Mylar toward the listener.

A couple years ago I sold my factory rebuilt MG-1s and bought some 1.6s which long term were irritating...until I simply rotated them in place.
I now listen to the Pole Piece side, just like the old ones.

I'm starting down a path of further adjustments, too. I just make new jumpers out of #6 copper wire to replace the Chrome Plated Steel the panels ship with. Eventually more mods are on tap and even the jumpers and fuse will go away when I go into the crossover mods.

I've had my 1.7s for nearly 3 months and have several hundred hours on them. I've hooked them up to various amplifiers, including a Parasound JC-1/JC-2 setup and an Audio Research VSi60 and find them extremely musical, particularly with the VSi60, which drives them perfectly to very loud levels without difficulty. I've experimented with tweeter in/tweeter out, reversing the speakers (so the back of the speaker faces the listening area) and with 1 and 2 ohm resistors and find that in my room they sound best with 1 ohm resistors and tweeters in. I much prefer them to the B&W 802Ds, Usher 718s, KEF 201/2s and Apogee Duetta IIs I've used in the same listening area over the past several years and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking at speakers selling for less than $10k. I was concerned the Audio Research integrated amp would not have enough power, but it matches up beautifully and has more than enough power. I'm listening to the SACD of Bigg's performance of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor at a very loud setting as I write this and cannot imagine how it could sound much better.The bass is stunning and I've tried, and turned off, several high-end sub-woofers because they add very little bass and some dissonance. The speakers and the integrated amp are both highly recommended and make great combination.

Energizer.
The reason, at least a POSSIBLE reason for your preference is that sometime back in the '90s, and for no apparent reason, they began shipping with the mylar side facing the listener. This is a 180' flip from prior practice.

I flipped my panels around and now listen the 'old way' and won't go back.

Just a thought...........

and a possible experiment for all you new 1.7 owners.

CHarles : I have the same reaction after three months. They do thrilling things. I play a lot of organ music (Chapuis Bach set and although they tilted to the upper mid range thge force of the bass is compelling. I have found the german Harmonia Mundi recordings of Bach works overwhelming in the way the clarity and sweetness chorus is revealed. I owned a 150 lb. a piece hybrid electrostatric and thought I could nev er replace them as they failed. These are infinitly better even with a vintage solid state amp.

I currently own MG 12's and like them a lot as they are very musical. However, they lack that bit of detail that helps with the sound decay and placement of the individual instruments in the soundstage.

I have auditioned the 1.7's twice.

The first time was in a oddly shaped open room, roughly 18 by 18 foot, that led to an open hallway. This was with a BAT VK300x 150 wpc amp. Did not like then at all. Sounded thin to me, but it was a bad listening space.

Then I listened to the same pair of speakers in a smaller room, 10 by 16 foot. The front wall was the long wall. They were about eight feet apart and I was sitting about six feet a way. Marantz reference amp at 115wpc. Sounded much better, more musical, and articulate bass was there.

By the way, I should be picking up my new pair of 1.7's after Thanksgiving.