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

[bonzo75]

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

Tannoys are more like ribbons than stats. If by transparency you mean see through ability, stats have more. I am talking about that full body sound that ribbons have more, plus the melt down capability, and the coherence and integration of good panels, tannoys have that. They are large sounding as well and flow better (on piano etc)...i didn't notice issues with transparency if it is slightly less it would not be noticeable with the other factors. Vocals could be better because same type of sound with better electronics

They are less transparent than horns (or devores) to changes in recordings. And horns are more detailed and have other magical traits but different sound altogether, tannoys I am addressing the similarity to ribbons - they scratch my ribbon itch as opposed to horn itch though the lower power amp might make someone think otherwise

 

[the sound of Tao]

Sets can't drive ribbons except in Brad land

Is it hard to get a visa to get into Brad land... I would move there in a instant if a SET would do the business on the 20.7s

I was going to ask the guys from GTA3R land if their crossover less ribbon can play with SET. That would be pretty!

 

[Ron Resnick]

Is it hard to get a visa to get into Brad land... I would move there in a instant if a SET would do the business on the 20.7s

I was going to ask the guys from GTA3R land if their crossover less ribbon can play with SET. That would be pretty!

Have you heard the Alsyvox?

 

[the sound of Tao]

Unfortunately I haven’t Ron, my mate with the Animas is heading over to Munich so I’m sure he’ll listen to the multi panel Alsyvox.

Am interested to get his thoughts on how good they are.

 

[Doktorfuture]

The Alsyvox looks like the real deal too!

And what about reconditioned Apogees by Rich of True Sound Works?

I'm worried about driving the low impedance of Apogee's and want to benefit from any new technology in newer designs.

 

[Doktorfuture]

Have you heard the Alsyvox?

I heard the Alsyvox in Munich last year at the Hi Fi deluxe show.

Same for SoulSonic.

 

[MRJAZZ]

@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.

The latest Analysis Amphitryon Signature, ( in the last 4 years or so, and with the out board crossovers) efficiency is approximately 87/ 88 dB and a fairly even impedance at 6 ohms, so not terribly difficult to drive....and they are very dynamic......much more so than the next model down ( OMEGA)......
Cheers......

 

[Doktorfuture]

@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.

And they are well priced. I like the lack of crossover a lot. I will check them out.

I like the Alsyvox Botticelli as I can buy two panels and add a third later if I find I need more bass, and think integration would be better as every driver would be made from the same materials.

I spoke to Dr. Vinyl today -- he is at Axpona and says he is not showing the Alsyvox but will be showing in Munich. He ran down the price options with me.

I would need to get a custom Alsyvox with some style / finish changes which the manufacturer says could be a few months.

So I'll explore this and the GTA3r but this panel experiment, for me, was to try and get large bass output from panels and not go hybrid.

My listening space is around to 3000 square feet so it needs sources which can fill it up well.

Right now I use GR research open baffle subs which I had custom built for me.

 

[Doktorfuture]

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

Re: bass

That's why I put that deposit down on the 30.7's

Re: plastic sound

I haven't heard Apogee's or AA but have heard Alsyvox. Alsyvox sounded wonderful. Great bass tone. Maggie's to me sound pretty great hence my order was placed in early 2018 for the 30.7's.

 

[Bodhi]

I was going to ask the guys from GTA3R land if their crossover less ribbon can play with SET. That would be pretty!

Steve from Sound Insight regularly drives the GTA3r panels with 60w Pass Labs mono's from memory. At Axpona, they partnered with Zanden Audio and used the Modern line amps, incl: the 100w 8120 stereo amp. The GTA3r panels are described by Greg as "very efficient" at 92db @4 ohms. So It would really depend on how strong the SET amps are?

 

[Bodhi]

The latest Analysis Amphitryon Signature, ( in the last 4 years or so, and with the out board crossovers) efficiency is approximately 87/ 88 dB and a fairly even impedance at 6 ohms, so not terribly difficult to drive....and they are very dynamic......much more so than the next model down ( OMEGA)......
Cheers......

My S5 Mk2's are 88db efficient with 4 ohms nominal impedance & described by MC as "fairly tough loading". I'd rate them as a moderate load. But with the AA's higher impedance and no difficult phase angles, in theory atleast they should be reasonably easy to drive. That said, my previous Marten Coltrane Alto's were 87db @6 ohms and were power hungry. They ate my Classe CAP-2100 for breakfast & didn't sing until I threw a Boulder 1060 at them!

 

[Bodhi]

And they are well priced. I like the lack of crossover a lot. I will check them out.

I like the Alsyvox Botticelli as I can buy two panels and add a third later if I find I need more bass, and think integration would be better as every driver would be made from the same materials.

I spoke to Dr. Vinyl today -- he is at Axpona and says he is not showing the Alsyvox but will be showing in Munich. He ran down the price options with me.

I would need to get a custom Alsyvox with some style / finish changes which the manufacturer says could be a few months.

So I'll explore this and the GTA3r but this panel experiment, for me, was to try and get large bass output from panels and not go hybrid.

My listening space is around to 3000 square feet so it needs sources which can fill it up well.

Right now I use GR research open baffle subs which I had custom built for me.

Fyi Greg is currently working on a Reference 3-way full range planar/ribbon speaker measuring approx 7.5ft tall (same height as the Infinity IRS-V's). Steve has heard the early prototype which he said are "extrememly promising" right out of the gate. I'm looking at those speakers as a future upgade path from my Magico S5 Mk2's.

 

[josh358]

And they are well priced. I like the lack of crossover a lot. I will check them out.

I like the Alsyvox Botticelli as I can buy two panels and add a third later if I find I need more bass, and think integration would be better as every driver would be made from the same materials.

I spoke to Dr. Vinyl today -- he is at Axpona and says he is not showing the Alsyvox but will be showing in Munich. He ran down the price options with me.

I would need to get a custom Alsyvox with some style / finish changes which the manufacturer says could be a few months.

So I'll explore this and the GTA3r but this panel experiment, for me, was to try and get large bass output from panels and not go hybrid.

My listening space is around to 3000 square feet so it needs sources which can fill it up well.

Right now I use GR research open baffle subs which I had custom built for me.

I've heard from guys on the Asylum who own both that the GR research OB subs are very close in sonic quality to panel bass, so you might not be gaining much by going to panels. I heard the GTA's at AXPONA and they were pretty good, though I had no way to make a valid sonic comparison to the 30.7 or my IVA's because of show conditions. They didn't sound anywhere near as good but that's to be expected at a show. Ditto the Analysis and others that I've only heard at shows, they weren't at their best so I can't really judge them. The 30.7's are the best speakers I've heard for under $100,000, but you might be able to get comparable sound with rebuilt Apogees or some of the European planars/ribbons (which, again, I've either never heard or only heard at shows where they weren't doing what they can do at home).

 

[josh358]

Sad first post but here it goes:

By the way, did you see Wendell's offer on the Planar Asylum?

I don't want to take the risk of enflaming passions with an online debate, but I'll be in Toronto this summer while completing the North American 30.7 tour and I would like to meet Doktorfuture. I see a different reality than Doktorfuture, and discussing it in person might shed some light.

Can I buy lunch?

I spoke to him about this at the show and got a better sense of what happened behind the scenes, and I think Wendell wants to explain that personally and, as he put it, extend an olive branch.

 

[Doktorfuture]

By the way, did you see Wendell's offer on the Planar Asylum?

I don't want to take the risk of enflaming passions with an online debate, but I'll be in Toronto this summer while completing the North American 30.7 tour and I would like to meet Doktorfuture. I see a different reality than Doktorfuture, and discussing it in person might shed some light.

Can I buy lunch?

I spoke to him about this at the show and got a better sense of what happened behind the scenes, and I think Wendell wants to explain that personally and, as he put it, extend an olive branch.

Well I guess they still have my phone number. I had the guy I spoke with write it down in February. And I left it on a few voicemails.

Or if they discarded my nber they could reach me through the dealer.

I got my deposit (22k CAD) back from the dealer yesterday.

He didn't seem to have time to talk about it at the time.

I'm sure he isn't happy about me posting all of this.

But maybe some good can come out of it.

 

[josh358]

Glad you got your deposit back! I passed this on to Wendell, don't think he's seen this thread . . .

 

[Gregadd]

Of course you know the Apogee is a Maggie.

 

[josh358]

The main difference I think with the Apogee is the true ribbon midrange in the larger models, as opposed to the quasi-ribbon midrange in Maggies. The 30.7 has matched or outdone the Apogee midrange with the new high performance quasi ribbon midrange.

However, with Apogees out of production, it's become very expensive to repair and maintain them, so I can see that not everyone would want to go to the trouble and expense of diagnosing and repairing a used one. (The low impedance is also an issue, but that affected only one model.)

 

[christoph]

Of course you know the Apogee is a Maggie.

Come again?

 

[christoph]

The main difference I think with the Apogee is the true ribbon midrange in the larger models, as opposed to the quasi-ribbon midrange in Maggies. The 30.7 has matched or outdone the Apogee midrange with the new high performance quasi ribbon midrange.

However, with Apogees out of production, it's become very expensive to repair and maintain them, so I can see that not everyone would want to go to the trouble and expense of diagnosing and repairing a used one. (The low impedance is also an issue, but that affected only one model.)

Only two Apogee models have low impedance (the FullRange) and extremely low impedance (1 ohm Scintilla). The other models range from 3.6 ohm minimum (not really a challenge for a decent amp) for the Diva to very amp friendly ruler flat 6 ohm in my Studio Grand/Studio Ribon Array.

All the Apogees have flat impedance curves and are almost pure resistive loads. The easiest load for an amp.

The low impedance horror stories stem from the two first models, the FullRange and the 1 ohm Scintilla.
Especially the Scintilla is a nightmare to drive properly (and good sounding).

Funny enough, especially the FR and the Scintilla are regarded as the best sounding Apogees. Probably due to their pure foil ribbons.