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Magnepan .7 Alternatives

Looking for suggestions…Currently I have Magnepan .7’s and am generally happy but at times they just don’t do it.

I find these speakers to be schizophrenic, sounding great on some tracks and other tracks leaving me wondering what the hey !… I’d say probably 30-40% of the time I’m feeling this way. Either too much treble, not clear or not tonally balanced. I’m no expert but just my opinion, it often comes off as the midrange being pushed to it’s limit trying to be treble. I assume I feel that way being the speaker’s lack of accuracy, although what Maggi’s do they do well, just not an accurate speaker.

I experience this pretty much no matter what source or style of music I play, certainly a non forgiving speaker. Yes, I’ve played around with Toe-In, tried various resistors & jumpers…sounds great on everything I adjust, just not a consistent sounds great.

Lets get it straight, I’m not a “Magnepan Hater”, there’s certain qualities I truly love about my Maggi .7’s, the open sound, the transparency but hoping I may be able to find a speaker that’s not as finicky and can give me the open feel, transparency and clarity that I seek.

My set up consists of:

Odyssey Khartago Extreme Amp

Tubes4hif SP-13 Preamp

Bluesound Node

EAT B Sharp TT w/Sumiko Moonstone Cart

Pro-Ject Tube Box S Phono Pre

(2) REL - T5x Subs

 

Room dimensions: 11.5’ W x 12’ L

10’ Ceilings -

Listening Distance from Speakers

8.5’ - 9’

Carpet, Curtins, (4) 48” x 12”Acoustic panels on wall behind sofa facing my set up.

Not a fan of bookshelf’s and rather would prefer recommendations on

Floorstanders but will listen and research any suggestions you feel would work.

Note: I’m just starting my search, so don’t beat me up if I don’t go right out and purchase your suggestion as others have done in the past.

My Budget is around the $3k mark.

Thanks

🔊

128x128flasd
audioenvycables
6 posts
 

I have wrestled those dragons! The good news is that they can be set up to sound amazing….

To achieve this they will need to be 

-Bi-amped

-EQ corrected

-Crossover‘s modified 

-Signal quality and room treatment considerations

If it can be replicated as our set up, it is a rich immersive sound, intimate and not treble forward.  *Enjoyable with most content.*

If you’re interested in help toward pursuing this, send me a PM.   Otherwise pursue a more plug and play friendly speaker.  The Wharfdale Linton‘s are in that price range, with a frequency response that should complement a good range of sounds.  

kennyc
1,168 posts
 

@flasd 

Your audio components seem to reflect careful audiophile choices.  I'd expect a major sonic uptick with better speakers.  

$3k floorstander speaker suggestions great price/performance:

  • Tekton
  • GoldenEar Triton
  • Monitor Audio Gold

 

flasd's avatar
flasd OP
89 posts
 

Hey, I’m back… Had to fly up to NJ for my mother in law’s funeral and couldn’t get a flight back to Florida due to the Hurricane…Got back on Sunday to minimal damage and once situated took Jonny R’s advice from Audio Connection and ran the Bluesound Node 2i directly to the Odyssey amp and no difference.

I need to elaborate, my system sounds great and I confirmed with Klaus over at Odyssey Audio that the the amp is 22k not 10k as Johnny R had mentioned.

The issue seems to be the output quality of the Bluesound Node 2i from the source I’m streaming, which is Amazon Prime Music, sounds great a majority of the time but other times ugh!  My (2) REL T5x subs couldn’t be dialed in more perfectly and complement the .7 Maggi’s beautifully. 

I called and spoke with Johnny R over at Audio Connection, his suggestion was to use an amp with more input impedance, more like 100k to really make the Maggi’s shine, unfortunately this is the amp I’ve got and to tell you the truth, I really like the amp, so no plans in the immediate future to switch it out. His reasoning was he felt the tube preamp, my tubes4hifi SP-13’s ability was limited by the Odyssey’s lower 22k input impedance. I can’t say enough how much I really like how my Odyssey Khartago Extreme sounds and is a keeper. 

We did agree adding a better DAC than what’s in the Bluesound Node to the chain would significantly improve what I’m feeding the preamp then amp, thus making a better listening experience when streaming.

So here’s my question, Can anyone recommend an inexpensive DAC that’s a step up above the Bluesound Node’s in the $300-$500 dollar range that I’d hear a significant difference with?  That’s all I can swing right now, so I’d like hear your thoughts / suggestions . 

DAC’s like the Ifi units in my price range pretty much are a lateral move, so please keep that in mind.

flasd's avatar
flasd OP
89 posts
 

My mistake … My Bluesound Node is the N130 not the 2i 

jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,601 posts
 

So here’s my question, Can anyone recommend an inexpensive DAC that’s a step up above the Bluesound Node’s in the $300-$500 dollar range that I’d hear a significant difference with? That’s all I can swing right now, so I’d like hear your thoughts / suggestions

significant difference over node n130 at $300-500 price point for an outboard dac? don’t think its gonna happen

closer to a grand, particularly if bought used... yes, definitely...

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