Cancelled my Magnepan 30.7 order - sad experience - over 1 year wait and promises broken

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,515
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
Last edited:

MRJAZZ

Industry Expert
Jan 20, 2014
403
206
350
This also is very good. Full range Ribbon with useable bass down to mid 20’s......
ANALYSIS AMPHITRYON.... C08E2968-53E9-4731-B06D-6F73D3294DF1.jpeg
 

Doktorfuture

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2019
17
19
68
52
Thanks. I'll check it out.

Re: my current tastes, In Munich last year at the HiFi Deluxe show, I really liked SoulSonic - a really really long ribbon tweeter. Also liked the Alsyvox planar magnetic very much.

Dr Vinyl is the North American dealer for Alsyvox and we are speaking tomorrow AM.

I sort of hoped the 30.7 would approximate the Alsyvox for a fraction of the price originally. I know the 30.7 and Alsyvox are different types of loudspeakers and the Alsyvox is more like Apogee's. But the Alsyvox reminded me of magnepans I've heard before and it was wonderful. I'll check your suggestion.

I've owned lots of different speakers over the years, like Avantgarde Trios, Acapellas and the like. I like speed and sensitivity. I also like to move a lot of air and rock out so I have some systems which are better tuned for that.

My main listening space is an open concept 80 feet long and where I listen about 40 feet deep. My speakers are usually 6 to 8 feet from rear wall. 10 foot ceilings.

I usually digitally and/or electrically cross over bass and use the servo open baffle subs to couple well for fast room bass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joeinid

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
I like SoulSonic. And Miro is delightful!
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
The Alsyvox looks like the real deal too!

And what about reconditioned Apogees by Rich of True Sound Works?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bonzo75 and thomask

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Personally, if I lived in Europe I would buy Analysis Audio over Magnepan, and if I lived in the United States I would buy Magnepan over Analysis Audio. Why make things complicated by buying products from different continents if you don’t really have to?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jeff1225 and Golum

Bodhi

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2014
1,051
361
155
@Doktorfuture, the GTA3r panels are crossover less (with just one high grade cap in the tweeter), a lot more efficient than the Amphitryons & costs about the same with Sound Insight SI-200 open baffle servo subs, making them a better value than the AA panels imho - and they’re made right here is the USA.
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
Personally, if I lived in Europe I would buy Analysis Audio over Magnepan, and if I lived in the United States I would buy Magnepan over Analysis Audio. Why make things complicated by buying products from different continents if you don’t really have to?

Never heard the 30s but the other Maggie's have such a plastic tone compared to AA and apogees. And no bass compared to the latter. Only at the level of 1.7i and possibly 3.7i used they are very good value for money, that's about it. Maybe if someone can mod the crossovers of Maggie's the way they do for the other two, it might work
 
Last edited:

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Never heard the 30s but the other Maggie's have such a plastic tone compared to AA and apogees. And no bass compared to the latter. Only at the level of 1.7i and possibly 3.7i used they are very good value for money, that's about it. Maybe if someone can mod the crossovers of Maggie's the way they do for the other two, it might work

You hear a plastic tone on 20.7s?
 

the sound of Tao

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2014
3,620
4,838
940
I would ask the same question Ron but it might look a tad sensitive lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big Dog RJ

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
You hear a plastic tone on 20.7s?

Yes in all their models there is an artificiality to tone. I have heard the 1. 7i and 3. 7i and older models with different amps and properly set up and the 20.7 only at hifi shows, but that trait was common to all. The only time I did not hear it was a a show and I asked the distributor displaying it, he said had Modded the cross overs

Anyway value aside I prefer AA to all their models and all apogees properly amped have better bass, the mids depend on the restore...
 
  • Like
Reactions: joeinid and Lagonda

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Interesting, Kedar. Fair enough. I am not hearing what you are hearing.

I don’t hear any plastic tone on 20.7s, and neither does Tao and neither does Don Saltzman.

I agree Apogees have stronger bass.
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
The other reason I gave up on panels is I found vintage tannoy drivers to provide same quality of mids magic, that full bodied ribbon feel with great integration to bass like apogees do. They rock better than apogees do (FR and grands excluded) They also stage big, and you feel that continuity of the instrument through a large driver. They are much cheaper, easier to set up, room friendlier, and work with lower powered cheaper amps.
 

the sound of Tao

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2014
3,620
4,838
940
I love Apogee bass as well. I do have modded crossovers in my 20.7s but they never once have sounded at all plastic... but they do fairly much sound just like whatever amp is driving them.

Properly setup 20.7s are a fairly sensational thing. I’ve heard quite a few setups now and they reveal the rest of the system completely. If a SET would drive them they’d be even more wonderful. Hence I have horns (and harbys as well for some of the reasons Ked mentions above).

The fact the SET doesn’t drive the Maggies makes them a bit more vulnerable come the time to choose what stays.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bonzo75

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
I love Apogee bass as well. I do have modded crossovers in my 20.7s but they never once have sounded at all plastic... but they do fairly much sound just like whatever amp is driving them.

Properly setup 20.7s are a fairly sensational thing. I’ve heard quite a few setups now and they reveal the rest of the system completely. If a SET would drive them they’d be even more wonderful. Hence I have horns and harbys as well. The fact the SET doesn’t drive the Maggies make them more vulnerable come the time to choose what stays.

Sets can't drive ribbons except in Brad land
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
With AA in the US and UK, and with apogees, mods are the default. With Maggie's, stock is the default, you need to know an expert with the speaker who can mod it for you
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
13,467
2,710
London
Interesting, Kedar. Fair enough. I am not hearing what you are hearing.

I don’t hear any plastic tone on 20.7s, and neither does Tao and neither does Don Saltzman.

I agree Apogees have stronger bass.

Tao has, and I think Don originally has modded the speakers as well
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
The other reason I gave up on panels is I found vintage tannoy drivers to provide same quality of mids magic, that full bodied ribbon feel with great integration to bass like apogees do. They rock better than apogees do (FR and grands excluded) They also stage big, and you feel that continuity of the instrument through a large driver. They are much cheaper, easier to set up, room friendlier, and work with lower powered cheaper amps.

You don’t hear the slightest, tiniest transparency/resolution/texture issue with vocals on Tannoy horn drivers?

Do you hear vintage Tannoy drivers as having 1) the same openness as panels, and 2) the same scale/height as panels?
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Tao has, and I think Don originally has modded the speakers as well

I am all in favor of component upgrades and modifications! Magnepan, in my view unfortunately, builds to a price point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big Dog RJ

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing