Anyone hear the 30.7? Impressions? Make sense to spend THAT Money on a Magnepan?
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
That sounds like fun -- it would be great to hear the 30.7's under ideal conditions, the way we were able to hear the LRS.
I own the 30.7s and absolutely love them.I haven’t heard a better speaker for acoustic music and vocal recordings.I’m sure there’s better but at what price.
My 30.7s are in a 5 by 8 metre room and they work very nice. Sometimes to big a room is bad for the sound as the speakers struggle to fill the space with music.
I did return to Audio Consultants back in 2019, was still looking for more dynamics and impact in the bass. I found it in December 2019, in form of the Mini 30.7's or 30.7's for Condos. The triangle shaped bass unit, dynamic drivers in a open baffle, plus some DSP electronic's for the crossover.
In my mind Magnepan had just fixed most of the problems of planer bass. Dynamics, impact, volume and low frequency response all were greatly improved. As one young man said who entered the room after the demo over and heard only one jazz song "best Magnepan's I've ever heard", I agreed wholeheartedly.
Also I did not hear one negative thing about the 30.7's For Condo's, however my time with them was short.
In my mind Magnepan had just fixed most of the problems of planer bass. Dynamics, impact, volume and low frequency response all were greatly improved. As one young man said who entered the room after the demo over and heard only one jazz song "best Magnepan's I've ever heard", I agreed wholeheartedly.
Also I did not hear one negative thing about the 30.7's For Condo's, however my time with them was short.
i own the 30.7s and I cart image a mini 30.7 being as good. Maybe in some ways but not in other ways.there’s no way in my opinion the condos will have as big and effortless sound as the big 30.7s does.I also dont like the idea of dsp electronics and open baffle cone drivers.image all the dust that will build up on them.if you want better dynamics go for horn speakers.I have two different systems horns for pop, rock music and 30.7s for acoustic and vocal music.I haven’t heard one speaker that does it all.
I believe the 30.7s for condos will be released only for those who have small music rooms and cart have a 30.7.
Yep, that's a definite.
Many may perceive the 30.7's as excessive expenditure, especially when Maggie's are known for vfm speakers. Then after a fairly long time, Magnepan puts out this huge 4 panel system and charges over 20grand USD for them, and over here down unda, they go for close to 50grand.
Some would argue that they're not worth, given the costs involved to build them, parts and overall quality may not be justified, especially when competing in this highend arena where speakers that cost over 20grand, are actually delivered and built with high quality standards, materials and parts. Maggie's were never known for that, hence their cost always remained low and more affordable to a wider audience.
On the contrary to this analysis, I've experienced the 30.7's in two very different settings. The one and only multi-panel pair ever to reach Aus, driven with a full array of McIntosh amplifiers, is one sort of sound that mostly suits the owner, which is G-man.
The other 30.7 systems I've had the pleasure of experiencing was in Spore. One setup driven with the Momentum preamp and Relentless monoblocks, and the other the Pass Labs XS-300 top of the line series and CJ's ART300's, which are my all time favourite tube amplifiers to date. Also won amplifiers of the year.
This is where when I heard those two systems, I could easily compare even the loftiest of offerings, such as Gryphon Pendragon, Wilson's XLF, YG Acoustics Anat III, Genesis Dragons, Martin Logan Neoliths and those sort of BIG speakers, this is where the 30.7's add real vfm!
They have two very large double bass panels, and these panels require a lot of high current control to fully grip that bass and handle the LF with speed and agility of what it's capable of delivering. Hence, if those main power amplifiers can't handle the double bass panels, all you get is a mediocre sound, and this is the number one issue at many demos that the 30.7's were driven with mediocre amplifiers...
Therefore, I will say it again for the hundredth time, high powered Class A or AB is what will do justice to those double bass panels and once they are in full control, oh boy is it outstanding!
I would partner the 30.7's with amplifiers such as, Momentums, Relentless, Progression, Pass Labs, CH Precision, Boulder, Gryphon Mephisto, Jeff Rowland, and so on. With tube amplfiers, like CJ's ART300's, VTL Siegfried's, ARC 600's, Manley Labs 500's, VAC top of the line tower monoblocks and the Naim Statements as a special SS design, which is another outstanding example of massive current capacity. I've heard the Naim Statements with Audio Analysis ribbons on the Omega's, it was superb! Something I nearly ordered by placing a deposit, until I realised the Naim Statements were 220grand! $AUD... uh oh.
The 30.7's are Maggie's best ever ribbon panel to date, without a doubt! Sure there are better room integration Maggie's, such as the smaller 1.7i and 3.7i, which I absolutely love. However, these suit more average sized rooms and are much easier to setup. They also don't require huge beasts of amplifiers to drive them.
Partner the 30.7's with average quality amplifiers and that's about exactly what they will deliver, average sound. OTOH partner these marvels with top notch amplifiers, and you will get a whole new dimension of scale and realism that only those lofty systems are capable of. The 30.7's can very easily compete with other speakers costs 4-5 times the price, basically well within the 100grand and over category, no issues there.
If you've got the room, ample space front and back to activate the full dipole effect, and some hefty amplifiers to back them up, this is one of those very rare occasions where you can experience the live event for a fraction of the ultra-high-end cost.
Sure Magnepan could have improved on the materials, quality parts and build quality but then that pushes the cost further up, and that's simply not Magnepan territory... it never was and never will be. So pushing the design limits to just over 20grand and keeping the overall consumer price at less than 30grand, is still very challenging and in my opinion the team in Minnesota White Bear Lake have done just that!
A true ribbon multi-panel dipole well capable of delivering what the big guns can do. Once you experience this level of detail and crispness in the dynamics, it's very hard to go back to smaller panels... my guess with the mini 30.7's is the most obvious reason- suits smaller rooms. The 30.7's will definitely not work in small rooms, no chance. Trying to make these huge panels work in small rooms is not only a waste of money but also an injustice to the whole concept of the absolute sound. You're basically kidding yourself trying to make it fit.
These have to be experienced in large settings, in dedicated spaces with serious levels of amplification, nothing less.
The majority of people who've auditioned the 30.7's have not experienced them with proper amplification. It's a totally different approach and a completely different dimension with the right combination.
It's a marvellous design! If I had the chance of a second dedicated large room, these would be my first choice without any hesitation.
Cheers to Maggie's, you just gotta luv em!
Oh BTW, enjoy those fine tunes.
Best, RJ
Many may perceive the 30.7's as excessive expenditure, especially when Maggie's are known for vfm speakers. Then after a fairly long time, Magnepan puts out this huge 4 panel system and charges over 20grand USD for them, and over here down unda, they go for close to 50grand.
Some would argue that they're not worth, given the costs involved to build them, parts and overall quality may not be justified, especially when competing in this highend arena where speakers that cost over 20grand, are actually delivered and built with high quality standards, materials and parts. Maggie's were never known for that, hence their cost always remained low and more affordable to a wider audience.
On the contrary to this analysis, I've experienced the 30.7's in two very different settings. The one and only multi-panel pair ever to reach Aus, driven with a full array of McIntosh amplifiers, is one sort of sound that mostly suits the owner, which is G-man.
The other 30.7 systems I've had the pleasure of experiencing was in Spore. One setup driven with the Momentum preamp and Relentless monoblocks, and the other the Pass Labs XS-300 top of the line series and CJ's ART300's, which are my all time favourite tube amplifiers to date. Also won amplifiers of the year.
This is where when I heard those two systems, I could easily compare even the loftiest of offerings, such as Gryphon Pendragon, Wilson's XLF, YG Acoustics Anat III, Genesis Dragons, Martin Logan Neoliths and those sort of BIG speakers, this is where the 30.7's add real vfm!
They have two very large double bass panels, and these panels require a lot of high current control to fully grip that bass and handle the LF with speed and agility of what it's capable of delivering. Hence, if those main power amplifiers can't handle the double bass panels, all you get is a mediocre sound, and this is the number one issue at many demos that the 30.7's were driven with mediocre amplifiers...
Therefore, I will say it again for the hundredth time, high powered Class A or AB is what will do justice to those double bass panels and once they are in full control, oh boy is it outstanding!
I would partner the 30.7's with amplifiers such as, Momentums, Relentless, Progression, Pass Labs, CH Precision, Boulder, Gryphon Mephisto, Jeff Rowland, and so on. With tube amplfiers, like CJ's ART300's, VTL Siegfried's, ARC 600's, Manley Labs 500's, VAC top of the line tower monoblocks and the Naim Statements as a special SS design, which is another outstanding example of massive current capacity. I've heard the Naim Statements with Audio Analysis ribbons on the Omega's, it was superb! Something I nearly ordered by placing a deposit, until I realised the Naim Statements were 220grand! $AUD... uh oh.
The 30.7's are Maggie's best ever ribbon panel to date, without a doubt! Sure there are better room integration Maggie's, such as the smaller 1.7i and 3.7i, which I absolutely love. However, these suit more average sized rooms and are much easier to setup. They also don't require huge beasts of amplifiers to drive them.
Partner the 30.7's with average quality amplifiers and that's about exactly what they will deliver, average sound. OTOH partner these marvels with top notch amplifiers, and you will get a whole new dimension of scale and realism that only those lofty systems are capable of. The 30.7's can very easily compete with other speakers costs 4-5 times the price, basically well within the 100grand and over category, no issues there.
If you've got the room, ample space front and back to activate the full dipole effect, and some hefty amplifiers to back them up, this is one of those very rare occasions where you can experience the live event for a fraction of the ultra-high-end cost.
Sure Magnepan could have improved on the materials, quality parts and build quality but then that pushes the cost further up, and that's simply not Magnepan territory... it never was and never will be. So pushing the design limits to just over 20grand and keeping the overall consumer price at less than 30grand, is still very challenging and in my opinion the team in Minnesota White Bear Lake have done just that!
A true ribbon multi-panel dipole well capable of delivering what the big guns can do. Once you experience this level of detail and crispness in the dynamics, it's very hard to go back to smaller panels... my guess with the mini 30.7's is the most obvious reason- suits smaller rooms. The 30.7's will definitely not work in small rooms, no chance. Trying to make these huge panels work in small rooms is not only a waste of money but also an injustice to the whole concept of the absolute sound. You're basically kidding yourself trying to make it fit.
These have to be experienced in large settings, in dedicated spaces with serious levels of amplification, nothing less.
The majority of people who've auditioned the 30.7's have not experienced them with proper amplification. It's a totally different approach and a completely different dimension with the right combination.
It's a marvellous design! If I had the chance of a second dedicated large room, these would be my first choice without any hesitation.
Cheers to Maggie's, you just gotta luv em!
Oh BTW, enjoy those fine tunes.
Best, RJ
In every review of Magico speakers in The Absolute Sound magazine, Valin compares them to lower priced Magnepans, and concludes the Magnepans are closer to his concept of the absolute sound.
So much for the idea that the higher price speaker is always better!
So much for the idea that the higher price speaker is always better!
I agree to this as well. on a very high quality recording the sound on my 30.7s is just stunning.I haven’t heard a better speaker.
I use mcintosh mc462 power amp mc53 preamp and mt10 turntable With audience front row cables.
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