Is there really a need for panel speakers in 2012

I have Apogee Duetta signatures and Vienna Acoustics Beethoven. The Apogees did some things better, on the right recording they can launch a bass wave into the room that no box speaker can quite match. They are also slightly more transparent in the midrange but the VA's have a more detailed and airy treble. Overall the Vienna are more cosistently satisfying. I also have friend who was an acknowledged eletrostatic fan who had owned various models from Acoustat and Martin Login. Anyway he tried a pair of Vienna Acoustic Mahlers and was so happy he sold his ML Monoliths, a year later he got a pair of ML Prodigy's the VA's prevailed and the Prodigy's soon. About a year later he decided to try the ultimate stat the big ass Soundlabs and sold his Mahler's. Sometime later he calls me and asks me if I thought he was crazy because after living with the Soundlabs he had buyers remorse and whas thinking about buying another pair of VA Mahler's. I told him he wasn't crazy the Soundlabs were slightly more transparent but we both agreed that the VA's were just as coherent and seamless as the Soundlabs but had better bass, with superior imaging and soundstaging.

Anyway my Apogee's are in storage but sometimes I miss that wave launch. My friend has been cured of his panel addiction and still has the Mahlers with no plans of going back.

I believe your question is a good one. Why not ask it? I have heard arguments for both (pro's and con's). Maggies sound thin and bright to me with little or no bass. I considered getting a pair of 1.7s but heard them and was deeply disappointed. We added two high quality Martin Logan sub-woofers which helped but the combination was no match for my Von Schweikert vr-35s.

The new Von Schweikert vr 100s will change the concept that box cannot match or better panels. Speaker technology is changing.

Heh heh, Mapman said panels do do.

Maggies miss a bet by not using artwork on their panels. Are they weirdly art-phobic at Magnapan? It's sort of obvious...really...with the option of a large bland hunk of fabric or something visually interesting you might want around...has this been done?

I had a discussion with my dealer about designs on the cloth. he said at one point Magneman investigated the idea, but never did anything further.
The problem with a design is "which design" I personally think some Japanese type screen thing might look interesting. But that is cool only for a certain type of decore.
So if Magnepan offered different fabrics, then people would want to SEE it in person, and want to change it, and I think any sane dealer would shoot the idea down fast.
If anyone wants a cover, itwould be easy to make a slip cover.. Not one memebr on any site i go to has ever mentioned the spouse making a slipcover for the Magnepan panels.

For myself, I do not think of the 3.6s i own as being any sort of problem.
But my taste in decore runs to "Audiophile geek/nut" so it does not matter anyway.