Anyone hear the 30.7? Impressions? Make sense to spend THAT Money on a Magnepan?

Anyone actually hear this speaker?

 

Thank you, Tao. Did you ever add external subwoofers to the 20.7s?

LOL, to some folks here there is no point in doing that!

 

Hehe Davey,
Yes, I may be something of a unsubd-tragic!

In my defence Ron I have tried at various times to mate the 20.7s with subs from REL, Wilson Benesch’s carbon fibre’d subsonic Torus and even had a moment of unrestrained DSP madness with some Genelecs but in many ways that is the potential lure for me of the Maggie 30.7s... their potential as a ribbon based sub panel to possibly even add to my 20.7s. But maybe I run the risk of creating more of a franken-panel needing full on lightening towers to bring it to life. But with my current new speaker trajectory this may not be within my budget.

I have heard three other 20.7 systems at mate’s places, two setups with subs and ever since I added doubled up Stillpoint Ultra 5s I still like the bass presentation (and quality) most on my own setup. With boxes it’s easier and for some horns almost mandatory to go with subs so I am more subagnostic.

I am looking forward to hearing the 30.7s when they get over to this part of the planet to hear their hi end take on the ribbon bottom end.

 

Oh yeah, while I am on the subject let us not overlook the Magnepans' ability to shine when combined with reasonably priced solid state or hybrid amps. My choice would be a a pair of Moscode 402au running in mono. Bryston and and Innersound would also be a good choice. That would keep overall system price. I recall it has something to do wit being a "purely resistive load"

 

Oh yeah, while I am on the subject let us not overlook the Magnepans' ability to shine when combined with reasonably priced solid state or hybrid amps. My choice would be a a pair of Moscode 402au running in mono. Bryston and and Innersound would also be a good choice. That would keep overall system price. I recall it has something to do wit being a "purely resistive load"

Magnepan's sound much better with higher quality amps, like Pass Labs XA.5 series or Audio Research tube power amplifiers, per my experience.

 

Magnepan's sound much better with higher quality amps, like Pass Labs XA.5 series or Audio Research tube power amplifiers, per my experience.

Agreed, but those amps had better have some decent current swinging ability. I very seriously doubt the new 30.7's will sound good with any low powered amp...ss or tube, regardless of the quality!

 

LOL, to some folks here there is no point in doing that!

See Don Saltzman's review of the REL 212/SE just published on-line for The Absolute Sound.

 

See Don Saltzman's review of the REL 212SE just published on line for The Absolute Sound.

LOL, I read that review in AS weeks ago! It is a very well written review...and was one of the reasons that I posted what I stated before.

 

See Don Saltzman's review of the REL 212/SE just published on-line for The Absolute Sound.

I also really enjoyed this review when I read it the other day Ron, Don Saltzman is a good writer and has a great system.

The 212/SE does seem one of the best shots at getting subs to blend with the 20.7s. With 4x12 inch drivers per side it clearly stands a better chance at approaching some level of coherence with panels than going 15 inch so as to help keep the transient response in line with a large planar. Also the class d amp will probably have that bottom end control thing going on and they crossed them over at about 25hz which is where the 20.7s trail off so there’d be minimal overlap. Most importantly he is running large tube amps which I found helps on the blending at the bottom end quite a bit. I tried a pair of 250 watt Manley monoblocks on the 20.7s when I put the Wilson Benesch Torus sub in for a month and the less taut bottom end of using these valve amps helped a lot to cover the merge.

I did consider the REL 212SE as it is recommended for 20.7s by REL but the class d amp inside it rather than mosfet amps used in the other high end RELs made me think twice.

 

I understand at all points. Maybe, then, get a vertically-stacked pair of REL G1 IIs for each channel?

 

Magnepan's sound much better with higher quality amps, like Pass Labs XA.5 series or Audio Research tube power amplifiers, per my experience.

I suppose "higher quality" is a relative term. It was not my intension to provide a laundry list of amps that work well with Maggies. Suffice it to say that there is a laundry list of amps that work well with them. OtOH there are many pricey, finicky speakers that require price,y finicky amps.

 

I understand at all points. Maybe, then, get a vertically-stacked pair of REL G1 IIs for each channel?

Yes, I think that would be the way I would have gone as well but it was also about then that I packed up the 20.7s and started the absorbing process of house renovations... something I’m sure you may relate to.

Since finishing and selling and moving and also the announcement of 30.7s if I chose in the future to chase more bass with the maggies I’d probably try to stay panel pure and go 30.7s.

But my first port of call would be a modest setup of horns and SET as an alternative system instead. As a typical audiophile I have already spent out well into next year’s audio budget.

 

See Don Saltzman's review of the REL 212/SE just published on-line for The Absolute Sound.

Thanks -much more than a review it is great article on the positive aspects of a proper integrated subwoofer. A pity DS choose to omit the details of setup - I would have liked to read about John Hunter techniques of subwofer setup - his famous method for Sonus Faber speakers setup seemed really interesting.

I add the the link of the DS article for convenience http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rel-acoustics-212se-sub-bass-system/

 

I did consider the REL 212SE as it is recommended for 20.7s by REL but the class d amp inside it rather than mosfet amps used in the other high end RELs made me think twice.

I had no problems integrating the JL Fathom subs with their class D amps into my system with tube power amp. But then, the bass of the Octave RE 320 amp is excellent.

 

KT150 based amps are probably the ideal solution if I was to move to also having a valve amp option on the 20.7s Al.

The Octave (especially with the black box power supply) sounds like it is a great example of these. I was also talking to a mate the other day about the Allnic 3000 mk2 monos (KT150 and 200 watts with big Permalloy transformers) as a potential match for the 20.7s or even 30.7 Maggies...

 

KT150 based amps are probably the ideal solution if I was to move to also having a valve amp option on the 20.7s Al.

The Octave (especially with the black box power supply) sounds like it is a great example of these. I was also talking to a mate the other day about the Allnic 3000 mk2 monos (KT150 and 200 watts with big Permalloy transformers) as a potential match for the 20.7s or even 30.7 Maggies...

Graham, yes, powerful KT 150 amps seem to work with big Maggies. I heard of someone who had Octave MRE 220 amps (220 W/ch) with Super Black Boxes (I have that extra capacitor bank also), and switched from box speakers to Maggies 30.7. He kept the amps, and seems to be very happy.

 

I do wonder when I eventually come to to hear the 30.7s whether changing up from 20.7s would buy me more sonic returns rather than purely musical returns.

In a lot of ways I’d imagine having the choice of being able to switch in valve amps when the music and mood (these are probably interchangeable functions both hard and soft wired) calls and if having this choice in amps will lead to more musical returns. The rabbit hole has many paths and we are happy being bunnies, or as Grace Jones once so beautifully said... slaves to the rhythm.

 

Having heard both the 20.7’s and the new 30.7’s, I would say that if one has the room and the amp power to accommodate the 30.7’s that they are a big step up over the 20.7’s. I think in most rooms, with the 30.7’s, you could do away with subs...they have that much power down into the lower regions!

 

Hearing the 30.7s is definitely on my must do list.

 

Hearing the 30.7s is definitely on my must do list.

You will be amazed!

I’m not really a huge Maggie fan, as I do hear where these speakers have design shortcomings, but the 30.7’s are truly the best planars I have ever heard.

 

I actually think that if one is determined to use subwoofers with a big Magnepan panel, then it probably is easier to integrate subwoofers with the 20.7s than it is to integrate subwoofers with the 30.7s. This view is based on my friend who has owned 20.7s with subwoofers for a long time and who also went to the Magnepan factory to hear the 30.7s.

If you are not familiar with this review read Don Saltzman's review of the 20.7 (The Absolute Sound, February 3, 2015).