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
The idea of a company-owned demo facility is a good one. Back in the late 1950s AR had several such facilities, one in Harvard Square which I visited from time to time. Another was in Grand Central train station in NYC. You could listen while you waited for your train. Could be done at airports today. Nothing was sold out of these facilities. Just demos.
Great news on the 20.7's rolling out. Read about others on another forum. Going on my third week of waiting. Hopefully I can have them playing during Thanksgiving dinner.
My new 20.7's are sounding better every day. First week they sounded a tad bit 'closed-in' and distant. However, after about 50hrs of play time they are definitely opening-up and sound much better.

The 20.7's are sounding more powerful and 'richer' than my old 3.6's. They definitely reach down lower; I hear more power and 'grunt', more bass and mid-bass 'punch'. The space between the speakers and the front wall is fuller, more dense, and sounds even more real (the 3.6's sound real too). The 20's speak with one voice, the separate drivers blend into one voice, unlike the 3.6's where on occasion the tweeter ribbon could 'stick-out' just a bit.

Very favorable so far! And expecting the 20.7's to get even better!