Magnepan 3.7

Macdadtexas is making good sense I think. Before I would move to the 3.7's (for $5,500) I think that I would take a serious listen to a good pair of used 20.1's...

Not sure when Magnepan will update the 20.1's but I am guessing it will be in the next year or so...Once that happens there will be many used pairs to pick and choose from.

A move to 20.1's is conditional of course upon having a room large enough to accommodate them properly. Visually too, the 20.1's are much larger than 3.6's so you must decide if all that extra size will take-away from the sonic disappearance act...

Still, when the used 20.1's go on sale, it will be a good opportunity to move up!

I heard the 20.1 and the 3.7 back to back. Bought the 3.7 on the spot, no question at all.

Socrates7,

tell us more about that listening session and your choice to go with the 3.7's. What convinced you to go that way?

What convinced me? Price. The 3.7 was half the price. I thought it was quite a bit faster and punchier in the mid-bass (and down) than the 20.1.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the 20.1. And it does reach deeper than the 3.7. It's just lighter "down there" than it's newer stablemate.

I agree with Socrates7. Magnepan 3.7 is the only Maggie I have heard in the past year (versus 1.7 and 20.1) that I want to buy. More balanced (not tilted to upper frequencies but coherently delivers across the full spectrum; I found 1.7s to be a little shrill for my ears). Punchier more dynamic (and perceived deeper) bass response. More seamless/coherent "voice." And while soundstage it throws is enormous, the instruments and vocalists no longer seem to be of gigantic proportions. To me the 3.7, if a planar speaker/sound is to one's liking, is a no-brainer stand-out selection. It did a couple things better than 20k to 100k speakers I've heard. That Maggie immediacy and speed is addictive. I found the 3.7s to be musical with great flow (some of that was probably the equipment driving them too).