Magnepan 3.7

Maggies are very good value, the 1.6 and now the 1.7 are really good value and with a few mods they step up to another level, not so much for the 3.6 or the 20.1.

In all my magnapan experiences i have never heard better performance from 20.1's. nor 3.6 over the smaller less costly models. I have heard 3.6 sound better than 20.1 and i have heard 1.6/1,7 sound better than the 3.6/20.1

The 20.1/3.6 has a better tweeter and hence better top end, but poor xover /build quality i have never heard them fully better the smaller speakers and at a 1/10 of the cost, the bigger models don't fly in my books.

Ohhh i have a few friends currently with 20.1's I'm still waiting for them to finish their "mods" and then the "phone call" to prove me wrong , at 5+ times the cost of a 1.7 i find it absurd, but they are having fun and it makes for good entertainment value ..... :)

regards,

Josh358 wrote :
Unsound, a quasi ribbon is a ribbon that is attached to a mylar backing. A true ribbon is just the foil, without a backing.

Hello Josh,

The magnetic assembly is what determines if it is a true ribbon or not , not the type of diaphram, FWIW all foil diaphragms will have some sort of mylar backing, it reduces ringing.

Do Ribbons use 'foil'? I would expect the driver portion to be thicker than foil. Maybe .050" or so. No?
Isn't the driver portion of a ribbon under some tension? (pull)

The difference between QR and 'regular' panels is that the QR uses foil. The weight / area is about the same as the wire, but being flat is sticks to the mylar way better.
I, too, think that 'QR' is slightly misleading.

Wesixas, when you say 'all foil diaphragms will have some sort of mylar backing' are you referring to Magnepan style ribbon drivers? They have mylar and a conductor laminated together? Then stretched or at least put under tension?

Is the ringing you refer to out of band hi or lo? Or perhaps just poor damping? The mylar would than make sense.

Magfan, there are three types of drivers Magnapan employ in their speakers. First is the true ribbon tweeter. This has a thin aluminum foil that is suspended on its ends (top and bottom). The magnets flank the tweeter foil so there is nothing to get in the way of the sound front and back of the tweeter foil. Note there is no mylar in tweeter, just aluminum alloy.

The quasi ribbon driver is not a true ribbon driver as defined above. This driver has flat ribbons of aluminum that has been bonded to mylar by glue, and the driver is attached and tension on all four sides, not just the top and bottom as in the true ribbon tweeter. Also, the magnet array is located either on the front or back (or both) of the driver, not on the sides like the true ribbon tweeter. The sound comes out of slots between the magnet array. So the magnet array does get in the way of the sound to some extent. It is still a planar magnetic driver and can be used for tweeter, midrange, and bass applications. The quasi ribbon should be less prone to delamination and is essentially the same as the driver used in Eminent Technology speakers.

The traditional round wire bonded to mylar planar magnetic driver is their oldest technology driver, and has been known to delaminate. It too has magnet array either in front or back (or both) of the driver. It has been used for tweeter, midrange, and bass application as well. But the wire is heavier than the ribbon foil used in the quasi ribbon drivers. Whether wire driver sound better than the quasi ribbon driver is still up to debate if you search the forums. Some feel the wire driver is better for bass application.

Gmorris,

That's interesting and a bit surprising! I think everyone was expecting the 3.7's to use foil in the woofer.