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? "Upgrade" MG 20R to 20.7

I have Magnepan 20 r speakers with Bryston 4BST AMPS (X 2) and Pass labs xover. Not unhappy with sound. More than loud enough. As best I can tell I have never run out of power.

No easy way to listen to new speakers (in Dallas) and certainly no way in my room.

Bryston says its amps can be mono blocked but not happy at 4ohm load.

Pass xover cannot be used with new speaker

Realizing all of the issues trying to answer this type of question, could folks opine as to

Whether or not single amp 250 watts per side likely to suffice

Whether this would be substantial improvement from old to new speakers as Pass xover will be out of the system

Thanks in advance
imdoc

Showing 1 response by mn2hifi

mn2hifi
31 posts
 
I can only relate my experience, but I upgraded from Maggie MGIIIas to 3.7s then to 20.7s after a few months.

I was bi-amping the MGIIIs with 2 Audio Research DH400MK2s. The AR amps can be bridged and will drive the 20.7s but to my ears the sound was not as good as the using the single amp in stereo mode. Perhaps it is a slight increase in noise when using bridged and the now what looks like a 2 ohm load presented to amp. It is a SLIGHT difference, but you can hear a tad bit of additional "noise"

The AR is 200 watts a side at 8ohms and 400 at 4 and plays loud enough in my 20x19 room with vaulted ceilings.

If you are a planer guy, the 20.7s are magnificent, again IMO. The blending of the drivers, the stage, deeper bass all make the upgrade a "non-brainer" assuming space, money etc.

My only issue with Maggies over the years was the fact the tweeter seemed to always call attention to itself. This got better and better but I think as far as a single cohesive speaker, even the 3.7 sounded better in this respect to 20.1Rs.

Get the 20.7s and I doubt you will ever look back or regret.
MikeH
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