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Opinions on Magnepans sales/marketing approach to

Is anyone else somewhat frustrated at the inability to audition the 20.7s except at a very very few locations in the country? The fly to MN to hear does not really appeal to me either because let's be real, an hour listening to decide on 14K speakers in a strange system is simply not enough and in MN they do not do a side by side with the 3.7s to allow auditioning both through same electronics any way.

I recently purchased Maggie 3.7s with the option to upgrade to 20.7s within 6 months . The 3.7s to my ear are a cut above the 3.6s when it comes to sounding like a single cohesive speaker versus the ribbon tweeter always drawing some attention to itself.

Problem is how do you tell if upgrade from 3.7 to 20.7 is worth it if the dealers do not have them on floor? The best would be to audition in you home on your equipment but at least if the dealers had both you could audition where the only variable is the speaker.

I have spoken wo Wendell about it and there is 1 dealer who Boston who will let you try and return but that is virtually an isolated approach..one which I applaud. Of course they have to really qualify the buyer but again, if you have 3.7s and want to upgrade, Magnepan and most dealers expect you to "buy on faith or reviews" which in my mind, in today's economy, is simply ridiculous. While I am sure some have bought them "blind", the argument that the 20.1s were better than the 3.6s so imagine how much better the 20.7s are the the 3.7s will not make me pull the trigger.

Long winded way of asking about others experience and opinion of how Magnepan and dealers are handling the 20.7s

MikeH
mn2hifi
Post removed 
misterneutron
7 posts
 
Funny.  One of my coworkers suggested that too.  I don't know if that is ok or not.  I guess I could ask, to be sure.
pwhinson
158 posts
 
I share all the frustration aired over the what, 7 years of this thread? I certainly experienced the same thing here in Atlanta with a dealer who doesn’t keep (or frankly even remotely try to sell) the 20.7. The 20.7 is a game changer because its the first Magnepan that has real bass. I’m a little "weird" with regard to most audiophiles because 99% of my listening is classical. I totally love my 20.7’s but I wasn’t directed to them by my local dealer that’s for sure. The brand deserves better distribution and marketing but it is what it is, and it doesn’t seem likely to change. I "heard" that there was a new marketing driven individual hired at Magnepan and he was one of the forces behind the 30.7. Although I’m not sure the 30.7’s are quite ready for prime time yet (yes I’ve heard them), fortunately the 20.7’s are so good that even with poor marketing they succeed. Now its easy for me to assert all these criticisms toward Magnepan and dealers but honestly I really don’t know what challenges the manufacturer (or the dealers for that matter) are facing. I do know that if you don’t invest in demo units you will NOT be selling the speakers. Getting better dealers who really are interested in marketing the product is the first step. However that may not be so easy a thing to do. Magnepan may be facing the choice of withdrawing from a market like Atlanta because the dealer is not willing to really sell the 20.7 or 30.7 except by special order or making do with a dealer who will occasionally sell a 3.7 or lower model pair. If they withdraw they have NO exposure to the market. Then of course you can go back to the idea of the shrinking of the high end market and the contraction of the middle and upper middle class. Bottom line to consumers who can afford it: GO to Minnesota to hear the speakers and bring your own music that you’re intimately familiar with on a thumb drive or vinyl. ITS WORTH THE TRIP. You can’t control the rest of the supply chain but if you’re after really accurate classical music reproduction Magnepan is one of the best ways to achieve it particularly with the 20.7. I’m 62 and I’ve had Thiels, older Magnepans, Martin Logans, Sound Labs, Acoustats, Spicas, and others I’ve probably forgotten about. Love the 20.7. Go for it!
misterneutron
7 posts
 
As an FYI to the community:
This week, I communicated with the Magnepan factory and asked about driving over to listen to a pair of 20.7. 
  
On June 13, 2019 I got this response:
"Magnepan doesn't have a showroom for listening anymore. And, the 20.7's are no longer at Audio Research."

For reference, Audio Research's facility is in the Minneapolis subburb of Plymouth, MN - the other side of the metro area from Magnapan's factory in White Bear Lake, MN.

misterneutron
7 posts
 
I asked the Magnepan representative if 20.1 were upgradable to 20.7 and how much would that cost?
The answer, "There is no formal upgrade from a 20.1 to a 20.7."

I also asked how long the wait might be if I were to order new 20.7.
"Because of the current backlog of orders for the new LRS speakers, an order placed now for a new pair of 20.7's would take at least four or five weeks."

After reading various Magnepan experiences on this forum (3-4 months wait for 20.7 back in 2012), 4-5 weeks is a pretty short wait!!
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