It's Magnepan 20.1's or B&W Nautilus 801's


Ok, I have narrowed my speaker choice down to either Magnepan MG 20.1's or the B&W Nautilus 801's. I have heard them both and like them both. Unfortunately in different locations with different electronics. No chance to A B them

Here's my setup: 18 X 18 foot dedicated room with "A" frame ceiling 10' at center. Source is primarily CD (BAT VK-D5SE - tube output stages); Tube Preamp: BAT VK-50SE; Amps: Pair of Aragon Palladiums (SS, 600W into 4 ohms), Aragon 8008BB (dual SS monoblock 200W into 8 ohms, 400W into 4 ohms).

Prefered Music:

Acoustic Strings: Bella Fleck & Flecktones, Tony Rice and Norman Blake Acoustic Guitar.

Classical: Motzart piano Sonatas and Concertos,

Light Jazz: Diana Krall (who doesn't like her !)

I am new to this and really need an expert's advice. I like the sound of both speakers. Since I am a novice audiophile it all sounds good to me compared to what I have been using ! I am sure as I become accoustomed to a high end system, my tastes will be more specific. Help me choose something I will like when I finally get there !!

Roy3
roy3

Showing 3 responses by roy3

Thank you all for a most illuminating series of posts. I found the first poster, Tafka_steve, gave particularly sage advice. It really is all about how our systems make us feel isn't it? While we get bogged down with specs and tests and others opinions, the best test of all is how they make us feel. Oh, sage advice ! (I have a book for you, Tafka_steve, that just hit the stores: "Strangers to Ourselves" that you would enjoy.)

The other advice was all good as well and I am not surprised by the number of posters favoring Magnepan. As to the other speakers I have listened too and eliminated:

JM Lab Utopias (too expensive, even used, but very, very rich sounding; mellowness without being mushy; highly detailed but not as good a sound stage width and depth as the Magnepans. a very nicely integrated base which was never overpowering but alweays tight and transparent. I could listen to these speakers forever. What warmth and clarity. They really moved me.

JM Labs Mezo Utopias (within my price range and excellent sounding speakers but once having listened to the Utopias, I could not chose them. I would constantly sit there and think, "If I could have just stretched a little further and got the Utopias !" The difference was quite evident in favor of the Utopias - again a richness of sound that I have seldom heard.

Martin Logan Prodigy: Lovely speaker, bright clear mids and highs, plenty of base but the base did not seem as well integrated as on the other speakers I listened to.

Magnepan 3.6 R: Lovely, lovely speaker as well. Fantastic soundstage and depth. Pinpoint imaging. Lacked punch in the base on some passages but very close to what I want. These speakers disappeared and I was simply "there" with the music. Addition of a subwoofer gave more base but sounded out of place and disconnected to the rest of the music.

Unfortunately I was not able to locate a set of Alon Circe,Sonus Faber Amati Homage, or Revel Ultima Salons.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions and advice.

Rooy3
I was not able to demo the 20,1 but am making inferences from the MG 3.6R

Maggie Likes:
Sound Stage
Imaging
clarity of highs from the ribbon tweeter
very smooth midrange with good transistion to highs and base

Maggie Dislike:
apparently less dynamic range, perhaps a problem on sympnonic music which I don't listen to a great deal of.
Lack of bass punch and extension on some passages (hence the 20.1's instead of 3.6's)

B&W 801's

Likes:
Enough bass capacity for anyone and plenty of bass extension.No subwoffer needed here !
Dynamic range out the wahzoo - a sonic cannon
Excellent imaging for cone speakers but not as good as Maggie.
Clear midrange and highs and smooth transition between them.
Good soundstage - not as good as the Maggies, however.
Sounded better than Maggies on the demo pieces that emphasized the extremes in dynamics and bass, brass,

Dislikes:
Speaker gives less realism of "being there". Speakers did not "dissapear".
Much smaller soundstage
Very little else.

Concerning my 18 X 18 room with the "A" frame ceiling, I have an 18 ft flat wall and the ceiling connects at the 7 foot level and then rises to its cnter peak of 10 feet. This is where I would put the speakers. My listening position is near the opposite wall where the ceiling comes down to four feet at a 60 degree angle. Listenning chair is out about three feet from the wall giving 6 foot headroom and 15 feet from the opposite wall.

Roy3
Thank you all for your input and advice. I decided on the Magnepan 20.1's and placed the order today.

Best regards -- Roy3