Apparently, this is some DIY project. I'm blown away!
OMG - have you seen those Magnepans !?
- Thread starter Elberoth
- Start date
Yes I've seen them @ another audio site; they simply look splendid.
Do we have more history on those?
Do we have more history on those?
Beautiful fit and finish. Best looking Magnepans I've ever seen.
Is anyone at Magnepan watching?
Is anyone at Magnepan watching?
How they should be done in the first place 
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
How they should be done in the first place
Which would then probably put them out of reach for many folks!!!
Now..... if they had both the "regular" and the "upgraded" versions...
That would be swell
Like the SoundLab E-Stats in different executions for different styles and tastes
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Then it would be 100k
With external passive x-over 150k
SCNR
Lol yeah true.
I think someone built them, custom made for himself...bravo.
That's why I'd love to know more ... priceless.
That's why I'd love to know more ... priceless.
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How they should be done in the first place
I have always wished that the top-of-the-line Magnepans were offered with a cost-no-limit structural solidity and vibration free build quality. But when I mentioned this to my friend who has the most Magnepan experience (as a customer) of anybody I have ever met, he wondered whether the wood frame structure and non-rock-solid construction is integral to achieving the Magnepan sound. It is a valid and non-frivolous concern.
So switching to heroic build quality might necessitate making other changes to end up at the same place sonically.
I don't thik that building this speaker on comercial basis would drive the price up nowhere near what is beeing sugested in this thread.
If you look how it is built, there are just three metal parts: top and bottom chrome plates, which are rather small, a triangle shaped support plate and grilles, made from rubber bands. The rest is just regular Magnepan, with the wood trim pieces beeing in high gloss.
I doubt those parts costs more than $500-$1000 to make. If we use the usual 1:5 BOM to retail price ratio, then the retail price should not increase by more than $2500-$5000, which would be perfectly reasonable.
If you look how it is built, there are just three metal parts: top and bottom chrome plates, which are rather small, a triangle shaped support plate and grilles, made from rubber bands. The rest is just regular Magnepan, with the wood trim pieces beeing in high gloss.
I doubt those parts costs more than $500-$1000 to make. If we use the usual 1:5 BOM to retail price ratio, then the retail price should not increase by more than $2500-$5000, which would be perfectly reasonable.
True. But who would want that? The idea is to make a better speaker.
And beefing it up will make a better speaker. This is obvious just from reading the testaments of Maggie owners who beef up their stands.
It's nothing new. The job just needs doing properly.
The speaker looks very nice. But has anyone any idea if it really has been made a lot more rigid? Is the frame metal internally? Do the stands rise up to support the rear by more than a few inches?
I also love this aesthetic upgrade, someone has put a good deal of thought into what is a really nice bit of detailing... but I think if I was asking Magnepan for upgrades in a SE version of the 20.7 it would be more about applying some extra beauty on the inside as well.
I’d be opting for a bit more rare earth in the form of neodymium magnets to get the sensitivity up higher to open up to a whole new world of amps to drive them. Maggies absolutely reveal the nature of the amps that are up front of them. I’d also be going for completely maxed out crossover internals as the other significant upgrade. Given how responsive the bigger Maggies are to modification these would likely be great additions to what is an already great speaker.
I’d be opting for a bit more rare earth in the form of neodymium magnets to get the sensitivity up higher to open up to a whole new world of amps to drive them. Maggies absolutely reveal the nature of the amps that are up front of them. I’d also be going for completely maxed out crossover internals as the other significant upgrade. Given how responsive the bigger Maggies are to modification these would likely be great additions to what is an already great speaker.
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One thing.
Two people I know of with neodymium Apogees use 600 Watt amps. Alsyvox demo with powerful solid state amps yet use neodymium magnets.
Graz stopped using neodymium magnets.
The account of one of the Apogee neodymium magnet owners was that he and the owner of the other pair both reckoned they were not convinced by low power solutions they tried.
Pretty curious.
Just sayin'.
Two people I know of with neodymium Apogees use 600 Watt amps. Alsyvox demo with powerful solid state amps yet use neodymium magnets.
Graz stopped using neodymium magnets.
The account of one of the Apogee neodymium magnet owners was that he and the owner of the other pair both reckoned they were not convinced by low power solutions they tried.
Pretty curious.
Just sayin'.
Imo, much to its credit, Magnepan built its speakers at a very very affordable price point. Even in the 90s, say the 2.7QR was priced at a modest $2,000. In the 80s, the top of the line Thiel CS 3.5 was already at $3,500. Apparently Magnepan didn't believe in 'cosmetics'. The build is rather fine in principle, with wood and screws and a tons of STAPLES to fasten the cloth. And they did not even provide spikes for their stands. I listened to such configuration and was very satisfied for 20+ years. No tweaks, no mods. If I had that done, then that was NOT the sound Magnepan designers wanted me to hear, that was my thought. I am still hoping a Philippine distributor will re-surface so I can get the 3.7i or even the 20.7. I heard that the 30.7 is on a 6-months wait list situation. In my mind, I am willing to buy any of those without auditioning. The 1990 experience I had with the Typmpani IVa has left me with an everlasting trust or faith in Magnepan products.
Yes, I also get the attraction of running ribbons with just loads of current and power. That sense of effortless headroom when music scales up is a fantastic free in flight sonic vibe that is such a great part of what makes full range ribbons so pleasurable.
I was however thinking that part of the allure of the neodymium’s higher sensitivity leads to the amps sitting in their first watts much more of the time and also the nuance and micro dynamics that powerful rare earth magnets tend to bring.
Alsyvox paired the Tintoretto with 50 watts SS at Munich deluxe (from memory) and at RMAF according to TAS the SS amps were their 100 watt monos.
With Maggie 20.7s 100 watt SS would run out of breath very, very quickly and probably result in busted ribbons at the first sight of something truly big scale.
If I had some 94 dB full range ribbons I’d likely be running them with the best sounding high current SS anywhere from 100 watts up and then also with the option of some more wonderous valves for those arvo jazz moments and more intimate classical musical moments as well. Or then maybe I’d just go horns instead
I've discussed neodynium magnets with Wendell. The problem is that the cost of neodynium is sky high. Their feeling is that it's less expensive to get a bigger amp than it would be to buy a Maggie with neodynium magnets.
I sent this on to Wendell Diller, so if he hasn't seen it, he will. They're interested in feedback on cosmetic options for the new "30.7 for condos" prototype. But of course it will drive up the price significantly, so I guess the question is what the market wants, looks or affordability.
