Maggie speakers and bi-amping


Hello,

I've heard that the 3.7 speakers are far superior to previous models.
However I've also found that bi-amping Maggies also brings out great improvement and the 3.7's do not allow bi-amping.
I realize that reviewers would not compare these options but it seems more relevant to me if you already have two amplifiers (paid for.)
It would be nice to go to a dealer to compare but I've found that dealer's rooms are generally too small to listen to the larger Maggie speakers.
Does anyone have an opinion on the sound qualtiy of the 3.7 with a single amplifier versus older 3 series Maggies bi-amped (preferable in a large room)?
nottop
I am wondering why Magnepan went the non-biwire and non-biamp route with the new 3.7's and 20.1's? I have 3.6's and will consider moving to either the 3.7's or maybe even the 20.7's. I haven't heard the 20.7's yet of course, nor have I ever heard a pair of 20.'1s. I have heard the 3.7's at shows and was reasonably impressed, but before I would buy I would want to hear them in my dedicated listening room at home.

Many Magnepan users that I have spoken with say that the biggest challenge in using the 20.1's is having enough amp to drive them properly. (I am currently using the Cary 500 mb with great results on my 3.6's - 1,000 watts into 4ohms and 72 amps peak power). If this cannot properly drive a pair of 20's then what do you get; an arc welder? Still would like to know why Magnepan switched-up and took away the biwire and biamp provisions on the new series?
My personal feeling is that the 3.6's sound better biamped is that more power is available...although I could be wrong.
Many users have that same feeling, so it seems odd to me that Magnepan choose to disable that option in the "7" series.
I think Magnepan looked at the problem in a different way that many owners of the x.6 generation are looking at it. I think they said, "How do we build the best speaker at $xxxx price point?" Their answer to that question utilizes a series crossover, which as I understand it is inherently not biampable (is that a real word?).
As a long time owner of 1.6QR's and someone who was open to buying a demo pair of 3.6's, I think Magnepan made the right decision. It may not be the right decision for someone who is willing to invest in an active crossover, but for those who just want to use the stock speaker without by-passing or modifying the crossover, I think the stock 3.7R is a much better speaker than the 3.6R unless you use an active crossover with the 3.6's. I have not heard the 3.6's or 20.1's with active crossovers, but there are a lot of golden-eared Maggie owners that swear by the active crossovers. In my opinion, based on my long time ownership of the 1.6's and audition of the 3.6's, the stock crossovers left a lot to be desired.
My Cary 500 mb monoblocks drive the 3.7's just fine. I see no particular need for biamping when using the Cary's. No thanks on the arc welder. And only having to buy one set of cables enabled me to spend more (a lot more) than I would have if I bought two sets.
I would encourage people to judge the 3.7's and 3.6's based on careful auditioning. The question should be more one of how well is the design executed, not so much one of which design is inherently superior.
I purchased a pair of Sanders stereo magtechs to bi amplify my old Maggies and I assumed that the new Maggie 20.7's would also be bi ampable.
When I found out the new Maggies would not take bi amping, Sanders simply swapped them out for the Magtech monoblocks.
If more manufacturers were this accomodating I don't think we would feel frustration.