Vandersteen 3a vs Magnepan 3.7i

@johnto ,
Funny you should mention this.
I, too, never though break in to be so significant, but had to admit to myself that it does, indeed, exist when I tried a pair of Zu Omen Bookshelves.
They sounded okay initially, but after a month, they unexpectedly 'opened' up.
B

Just a final follow up system is now sounding great I think the speakers were not sufficiently broken I when I bought them.

Hi Johnto,
I have 3.7i with Oppo 105 and Bryston 4B ST.  Your set up is better than mine and I agree with others the problem is not with your equipment.  my room is not ideal - about 20 x 20 with about half of the back wall being open.  My plus might be 12' ceilings with odd angles.  i agree with the guy who is suggesting you consider your room dynamics.  Dipoles can bounce a lot of sound waves around - certain frequencies can be attenuated and timing can turn bad and make things sound muddy.  my room is too hard and bright, but with the window treatments closed it becomes very good.  Using the 1 Ohm resistors for the high and a single Bass Panel i get non-fatiguing highs and mids, a crazy wide sound stage and very good center imaging from a fairly wide sweet spot. I have had some other very good speakers.  There are a lot of things I really like about the 3.7i, but i actually consider the LOW Frequencies to be the best - fast, controlled and never boomy.  nothing like it when listening to standing bass.

A dealer displayed 3.7s powered by large tube amps facing each other with a tweeter attached on the top of both frames facing the listening position but not toed in. Other than a full Sanders Sound system it was the only other time I've enjoyed panels.

But thats me. 

 

Hi johnto,

I would second exploring amps or room set up.

My limited experience is that there should not be glare from Maggies. I have had 1.2's, 1.7's, 3.6's, and have listened to the 3.7's.

My experience is that a good amp is critical and not just a lot of watts.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper 

But in general most detail freak audiophile setups I see suffer from excessive toe in.....

Thanks Johnny R

adding some high visibility fly line backing ( free ) to my speaker setup bag !!!

(((Thanks tomic601 have changed to 38" for tweeter outside and 32" on inside keeping the 13" from side wall seems to be a much better focus.))

Try a small string or thread wrapping around fronts corners both speakers outsides.
 pull string snug forming a straight line.
Next measure the string line at the same speaker's inner front side.
then confirm same on other speaker.
 Allows exact toe in matching with easily repeatable measurements.
 Best JohnnyR

Unfortunately the way my room is set up 40" is about the max I can get in front of the 12' wall.

While a bigger room is better, 12' X 15' is sufficient for Maggies. Put them 5' in front of the 12' wall, and your listening chair 3' from the wall behind it. Because the speakers are to the left and right of the center line, that will put the chair 8'-9' (depending on degree of toe-in) from the speakers, plenty. Being a dipole, the speakers can be placed right up against the side walls, which will provide low frequency reinforcement, a fortuitous compensation for the inherent planar dipole front-to-back cancellation in the bottom octave or two..

Your room is way too small for the 3.7i in my opinion.  The Vandies should serve you better, especially since you listen to rock.

Thanks tomic601 have changed to 38" for tweeter outside and 32" on inside keeping the 13" from side wall seems to be much better focussed. I will get back to some of the problem recordings later. 

@johnto I agree with @tomic601,sounds like good system matching and setup could be the culprit. Do you have any absorptive panels at the first side reflection points? the second reflection points? Do you have an absorptive rug at the first reflection off the floor? Borrow and try some if possible. 

If it's not setup and room treatment, I'd try borrowing another source and seeing how much impact that has. The Pass/Maggie combo should be great(perhaps the best available in their price range) and you shouldn't have the trouble you are describing. Cheers,
Spencer

You have mentioned in OP two speakers that imo inhabit opposite ends of the design and performance spectrum (Not so much in absolute quality, but in idiosyncrasies of performance). Very different characteristics displayed. 

You may find three of my reviews for Dagogo.com of interest:
Eminent Technology LFT- 8A/B
Magnepan .7
PureAudioProject Trio15 Horn 1

Blessed Christmas to all! 

John...……………………………..

I owned Vandersteen 3A speakers years back and never found them bright or analytical.  As a matter of fact, it was quite the opposite although the newer 3A may have newer and or upgraded drivers .

sounds like a LOT of toe in.....try relaxing that in 2” increments...

Woop should be inches.

Do you mean feet(') or inches(")?
If the former, you have one honking big room...
Bob

Speakers on 12' wall had tweeters in but just changed to out last week, 13' from sidewall tweeter 40' from backwall inside edge 29' from backwall.
Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year filled with good listening to all.

speakers on long or short wall? tweeters in or out, IF out how close to side walls. Severe toe in ? Is the ribbon pointed right at you ?
sorry to pepper you w ? rather have ya tweak setup vs spend ¥£€$$$

thanks for the info, do you have some LP and digital same recording, does the glare happen on both ? use caution and spl meter to level match voume between sources...

thats some pretty fine front end gear...should be sounding prtty good, amp should not run out of steam.....

Using a Pass 250.8 with their XP10 preamp a VPI Aries Scout tt Soundsmith Carmen mk 2 cartridge Sim Audio lp3 phono pre and Oppo 103 for digital.
Merry Christmas to all and a happy and healthy New Year.

somewhat extensive experience w both, agree that IF it is not the speaker and your problem does not seem to me Maggie related, then switching to the revealing midrange driver in the 3a will NOT help. Having said that, perhaps you are clipping amp, or another issue. what else do you have in system ? 

Happy Holidays !

If the vocals are hazy with the Maggies, then it's either amps or setup... you should get pristine vocals, although with all Maggies, not pinpoint, more back of the room than first row.