Hello Snook2,
I like your taste in speakers!
First off, just so everyone knows, I peddle the Sound Labs, though I've owned many a Maggie and respect the line a great deal. My experiences are with the Maggie 20 instead of the 20.1, and I'm sure the new push-pull midrange of the 20.1 is a worthwhile improvement.
Note that the Maggie 20.1 retails for 12 grand ballpark, while the A-1 retails for 18 grand ballpark (with options). The sonically indentical M-1 is about 1.5 grand less than the A-1.
The good news is, I don't think there's a wrong choice between the two speakers.
Okay, let's do the Maggies first. The 20.1 may well have better bass than the Sound Labs, though I can't be sure of this (not having heard 'em side-by-side). But planar magnetic technology allows for longer excursion capability than electrostatic technology does, so despite their smaller size the Maggies can probably move more air. I'm also under the impression that the Maggies have a higher maximum SPL capability. Maggies are a much easier load to drive, as their impedance curve is a nice flat 4 ohm load.
Sound Labs are a bit more coherent and give you a wider sweet spot - in particular, the tonal balance is correct throughout the room. The tonal balance also remains the same whether you listen at low or high volume levels. Sound Labs are especially good at reproducing natural timbres and textures - something the Maggies also do a very good job with. Sound Labs are noted for their world-class inner harmonic detail and articulation.
I'm talking about differences here, but these two speakers probably have more in common than not, and represent the best of full-range planar technology.
When I had Maggie 3.6's in my system side-by-side with the Sound Labs, I did notice that I kept wanting to turn the Maggies up louder to hear the details that were so readily apparent on the Sound Labs. I think the push-pull midrange driver on the 20.1 will go a long way towards giving the big Maggies articulation closer to the Sound Labs, but ultimately I think electrostatic technology has greater resolving capability because the moving mass of the diaphragm is much lower (thinner diaphragm and no attached metal conductor).
Just for the record, a couple of years ago when there were no Maggie dealers with 20.1's on display, I called Magnepan and offered to display the 20.1's in my showroom. I would offer big Maggie customers the same free B&B stay (plus airfare reimbursement with purchase) that I offer Sound Lab customers. Well, unfortunately Magnepan was not the least bit interested. But I'd love to have the big Maggies and Sound Labs essentially side-by-side in the same showroom! That would be the ultimate in planar madness. Oh well, not in my lifetime it looks like...
I think the big Maggies and Sound Labs far surpass their box-speaker competition at the things that matter most - namely, making the magic happen without interjecting little colorations and artifacts that ruin the illusion.
Hopefully many non-dealers will offer their comments as well.
Best of luck in your quest,
Duke
I like your taste in speakers!
First off, just so everyone knows, I peddle the Sound Labs, though I've owned many a Maggie and respect the line a great deal. My experiences are with the Maggie 20 instead of the 20.1, and I'm sure the new push-pull midrange of the 20.1 is a worthwhile improvement.
Note that the Maggie 20.1 retails for 12 grand ballpark, while the A-1 retails for 18 grand ballpark (with options). The sonically indentical M-1 is about 1.5 grand less than the A-1.
The good news is, I don't think there's a wrong choice between the two speakers.
Okay, let's do the Maggies first. The 20.1 may well have better bass than the Sound Labs, though I can't be sure of this (not having heard 'em side-by-side). But planar magnetic technology allows for longer excursion capability than electrostatic technology does, so despite their smaller size the Maggies can probably move more air. I'm also under the impression that the Maggies have a higher maximum SPL capability. Maggies are a much easier load to drive, as their impedance curve is a nice flat 4 ohm load.
Sound Labs are a bit more coherent and give you a wider sweet spot - in particular, the tonal balance is correct throughout the room. The tonal balance also remains the same whether you listen at low or high volume levels. Sound Labs are especially good at reproducing natural timbres and textures - something the Maggies also do a very good job with. Sound Labs are noted for their world-class inner harmonic detail and articulation.
I'm talking about differences here, but these two speakers probably have more in common than not, and represent the best of full-range planar technology.
When I had Maggie 3.6's in my system side-by-side with the Sound Labs, I did notice that I kept wanting to turn the Maggies up louder to hear the details that were so readily apparent on the Sound Labs. I think the push-pull midrange driver on the 20.1 will go a long way towards giving the big Maggies articulation closer to the Sound Labs, but ultimately I think electrostatic technology has greater resolving capability because the moving mass of the diaphragm is much lower (thinner diaphragm and no attached metal conductor).
Just for the record, a couple of years ago when there were no Maggie dealers with 20.1's on display, I called Magnepan and offered to display the 20.1's in my showroom. I would offer big Maggie customers the same free B&B stay (plus airfare reimbursement with purchase) that I offer Sound Lab customers. Well, unfortunately Magnepan was not the least bit interested. But I'd love to have the big Maggies and Sound Labs essentially side-by-side in the same showroom! That would be the ultimate in planar madness. Oh well, not in my lifetime it looks like...
I think the big Maggies and Sound Labs far surpass their box-speaker competition at the things that matter most - namely, making the magic happen without interjecting little colorations and artifacts that ruin the illusion.
Hopefully many non-dealers will offer their comments as well.
Best of luck in your quest,
Duke