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The Magnificent Magnepan 30.7 speakers....wait, I don’t like planars!

Wendell Diller from Magnepan has been a very busy gentleman recently. Touring throughout the US, he has visited, or will visit, numerous locations to demo the new Magnepan 30.7 speakers. It takes a lot of determination and commitment to drive through the country and then to set up in the small towns and large metropolises, a speaker the size of the new 30.7.
Last night I had the very good fortune of hearing the 30.7’s for the first time...at a local high end store demo. Also, I had the pleasure of talking to Wendell and his wife about his voyage...and why he does it.
But first, the Magnepan 30.7’s are...IMHO, at the very top of a long list of planar speakers that have been brought to my attention. Having owned Maggie’s in the past along with Quads and Acoustat’s, my interest level in this type of speaker was not in any way high. Yet, here’s the thing, these new Maggie’s are not your father’s Maggie’s. Instead, we have a speaker that given the right size room ( and unfortunately this is the real determining factor...and crucial to make these work) is very near to the top of the chain in current SOTA speakers. Easily able to compete with competitors at the $100k level or above! Yet these guys are priced at $30k....which makes them by far the best $30k speakers on the planet, imho.
Anyone looking to replace a speaker with a max budget of $50k...and with the room to accommodate this speaker, needs to hear this speaker..
Unlike planars of the past, and most if not all others that are current, this model does one thing that Planars have never done before, at least that I have heard. That thing is Dynamics...and in spades. Bass control and power is on a par with some of the best large dynamic speakers on the market...along with NO discontinuity between the drivers. ( as was prevalent in the past with Maggie’s).
So, how many times have we gone into a demo with preconceived impressions based on past experience and been proven wrong....this time for me was one of those times...and for you, I suspect it will be the same thing.
If and when Wendell brings his van and his speakers to your neck of the woods, don’t miss out on a great opportunity to hear one of the worlds best speakers...at a price that will put most others to shame.

128x128daveyf
pryso
1,905 posts
 
Thanks for posting this Josh.  But with all due respect to Wendell, the third paragraph doesn't make sense.

If Hi Fi Centre has been "the place to hear the full potential of the speakers" then how can at least one of their rooms be "too small for big panel speakers"?  It sounds like he is saying they had the best sonic presentation of any of the first 21 rooms for tour demos.  If so, why would they not be offered there for plenty of potential customers?

I was fortunate to be able to attend one of the demos conducted so far.  It was a pleasure to meet Wendell and his wife and chat briefly.  My reaction to the speakers was fine basic enjoyment while not being overwhelmed by the performance.  But I've been reluctant to post much about that because of personal issues with my hearing that day and not wanting to jump to any false conclusions.  I can say the speakers are beautiful in person and assuming one's room is of adequate size and the cosmetics of the 30.7s carefully chosen they can have visual appeal in spite of their size.
stickman451
553 posts
 
It’s pretty much unanimous, the 21 demos of the 30.7’s at various dealers around the country have been a mixed bag.  It’s a fact that many if not most dealer showrooms are mediocre at best, and some are downright terrible.  And it’s also true that most likely if you enjoy the sound of a speaker at a dealer’s showroom then once you bring that speaker home you’ll like it even better.  

Let’s move past all that contentious commentary.  There’s a better way.   Magnepan should announce when 30.7’s will begin shipping and provide a listing of which dealers, if any, will actually display the new flagship.  

As always, once rabid Maggie lovers get their hands on a pair of 30.7’s and actually use them in their own room they will most certainly fill the forums with discussion on how they perform, what they like, what they dislike, and how they compare to their previous Maggie’s.

I own 20.7’s and before that I owned 3.6’s. There’s No question, Magnepan’s are some of the finest speakers in the world today and they have been since day one!  And, for cost vs performance they ARE the Best buy you can make in all of Speakerdom!!!

But, since Magnepan has raised the anty by presenting a “flagship” design that costs plenty ($30k) it should also consider that buyers’ expectations have been raised.  The demos across the country aren’t addressing those expectations.  

Start rolling 30.7’s off the assembly line and let’s hear what early adopter audiophiles have to say. 
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,835 posts
 
I think the best way for anybody to truly know whether any speaker is a contender for their own home system, is to take a pair home for an audition. This isn’t that easy with a speaker the size of the 30.7’s. However, compared to a lot of other SOTA contenders out there, these guys are fairly easy to move around and transport.
I would certainly consider these speakers in my system, IF I had the room- and the amplifier power to drive them effectively. Having heard many of the SOTA contenders on the market, I certainly believe that the 30.7’s can compete with the very best...at any price. While I do think that there are a few speakers that offer some very minor pluses to these Maggies, I also think that the price difference will be considerable.

@stickman451

I agree with your post, Magnepan needs to start selling these guys and having them available for home audition. This ’raising the ante’ is not a negative for Magenpan, because while I don’t agree with today’s high end speaker pricing, $30K is actually entry level for numerous other brands!!

BTW, pleased that Wendell is watching this thread, it was a pleasure to meet with him and his wife at the demo...
Now we just have to convince the local dealer to carry the 30.7's in their inventory, LOL.
josh358
286 posts
 
Hi Pryso,

Yes, that paragraph is confusing, isn't it? But what Wendell meant is that the *customers'* rooms are too small for big panel speakers, not the dealer's.

Stickman, good point! I'm told they are coming off the assembly line now, so presumably we'll start to get some feedback. Considering that these are improved from the Tympani IVa's in just about every department and knowing what the IVa's sound like in my room, I imagine that they're pretty amazing.

I also know how much time it takes to set up a planar for best results, and Tympanis are even worse since there are so many panels!

Davey, how much room do you have? The reason I mention that is that Wendell is saying they'll work in rooms that are smaller than most people think. The original reviewer demo was in a room only 14-1/2' wide.

Of course, it helps if you have a dedicated room, or a wife who is very nearsighted. :-)


daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,835 posts
 
@josh358

My dedicated room is 10’X11’.Saving grace is it has a vault ceiling that goes up to 13’. Big Maggies definitely are off the table...and most likely the larger models above the 0.7’s. I’m pretty happy with what I have right now.
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