# Magnepan 3.7i vs 1.7i **URL:** \ **Category:** Loudspeakers\ **Created:** [May 8, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799 "2019-05-08T01:11:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![timm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@timm](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/timm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/41 "2019-06-08T01:41:00Z")
Congrats. Is there anything different in the room behind one speaker vs the other? It’s crazy how small changes can make an imbalance. Let us know how things progress. I’m happy for you. A great move. ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 1:53am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/42 "2019-06-08T01:53:58Z")
If there is an open door or another room in front of the speaker that is at a lower DB you will hear that volume drop. The Maggies have no box, your room is their box sorta speak. I finally have mine in the perfect position. Amazing depth, center image to die for, and 3D sound that I have never had before. I am hooked! My 3.7i are 7 weeks old and I am thinking…20.7 now . LOL ---
**Author:** ![timm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@timm](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/timm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/43 "2019-06-08T01:55:13Z")
Rock on!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/44 "2019-06-08T01:59:43Z")
I know people talk REL subs all the time, I have never heard them. But my JL Audio F113V2 pair blend outstanding with the Maggies. The JL’s a quick subs. I am so happy with the JL’s I’m not looking to upgrade those anytime soon. If I do I’d be hard pressed to pick a new brand! Had Sunfire a while back, the SVS Ultra 13’s, now JL’s. JL’s smoked them both. I have respect for REL, tho I have not heard them. ---
**Author:** ![RsZk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rszk/32/137141_2.png) [@RsZk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RsZk)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/45 "2019-06-08T03:17:23Z")
Run them in for a few hundred hours first. Think of them as lenses that you focus the front and rear sound fields. You can compensate for any channel imbalance by either adjusting on your preamp, or in my case I have my left speaker 1 inch closer to my listening position and just a hair more toe in. Enjoy and congrats. ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/46 "2019-06-09T03:24:35Z")
Well, I don’t think there was really a channel imbalance. Some positioning resulted in a rock solid center image. Though the clarity is outstanding, after listening for a while, the highs are REALLY harsh, and it makes vocals sound harsh as well. I am trying a 1 Ohm resistor in the tweeter path and 0.86 Ohms in the midrange path. They are still really harsh. I have a very live, echo-heavy room though. I’ve looked into it, and some suggest different amps. I might try to order some 1.2 or 1.5 Ohm resistors. It’s frustrating. They are so clear, but incredibly fatiguing to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![bruce-in-philly](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/bruce-in-philly/32/55_2.png) [@bruce-in-philly](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/bruce-in-philly)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/47 "2019-06-09T13:16:13Z")
Both pair of Magnepans I owned were highly sensitive to cables. I don’t know why but they were. I tried a bunch of cables and ended up with what I thought was a neutral bi-wire cable from Transparent. Most of the really expensive stuff I tried were just too bright. Put your emotions aside… those expensive cables just may not be appropriate for them. Peace Bruce in Philly ---
**Author:** ![RsZk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rszk/32/137141_2.png) [@RsZk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RsZk)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/48 "2019-06-09T14:31:51Z")
My room tends on the live side as well. I pad both the midrange and ribbon tweeter with Mills resistors. I just bought a variety to experiment with. Also of note, when I changed out the stock fuses, it made a nice improvement with harshness as well. The Maggies are super sensitive to every change. ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/49 "2019-06-09T16:07:19Z")
Yep, I have Mills resistors as well. I have 0.86 Ohm for the midrange and 1 Ohm for the tweeters. I tried just disconnecting the tweeters altogether. I lost some of that crazy detail and clarity, but you what? I could live with it. What this tells me is that I don’t like bright sound. I’m learning on my hi-fi journey. So now I need to find how to get the detail back, but dialed back a bit. This tells me I should adjust my system as a whole towards warmth, so that I might find a happy medium. Options that I see. Get higher resistance resistors for the tweeters. Maybe some 1.5 and 2 Ohm. Switch out my amps. I have a pair of M700s now, but maybe I need some tube warmth? Of course my room should absolutely be treated, so maybe start with that first? I’m probably going to move soon, so the whole project will be drawn out, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![straightwire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/straightwire/32/123306_2.png) [@straightwire](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/straightwire)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/50 "2019-06-09T22:17:04Z")
I have 1.7’s. Is the bright top end attributable to the true ribbon tweeter on the 3.7’s and higher that are faster than the quasi panels? ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/51 "2019-06-09T22:23:09Z")
I’d say so, the true ribbon makes for a much brighter sound, though the clarity is unbelievable. I even found my 1.7i bright, but with them a 1 Ohm resistor was too much, as it sounded like a had a blanket draped across the speakers. A 0.86 Ohm was just about right, though I think I could’ve gone to a 0.75 Ohm for perfection. For the 3.7i, with just a jumper for the tweeter, in my really live room, it is unbearably tinny. With the speakers settling in, things are calming down, but I’m pretty sure a 1.5 Ohm will be just about right. ---
**Author:** ![straightwire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/straightwire/32/123306_2.png) [@straightwire](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/straightwire)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/52 "2019-06-09T22:29:46Z")
Thanks for the input. Have been thinking of trying 3.7’s. My room is not lively and the 1.7’s are not padded but they are unmerciful with cable and component changes and recordings that are bright p. ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/53 "2019-06-09T22:35:55Z")
Try 0.5 Ohm, 0.75 Ohm, or 0.86 Ohm resistors from Mills. They’re inexpensive and an easy tweak. ---
**Author:** ![RsZk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rszk/32/137141_2.png) [@RsZk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RsZk)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/54 "2019-06-09T23:39:10Z")
I have settled on 1.0 Ohm for the midrange and 1.2 for the tweeter. Gives the warmth I want and also allows the bass to blossom more. ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/55 "2019-06-09T23:40:41Z")
I’ll throw the 1.2s in and try them out. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/56 "2019-06-10T14:25:24Z")
Sounds like you need a few acoustic panels on the walls. Are you getting slap echo? I bet yes. I build some panels 4 @ 24" X 24" and 2 @ 24" X 48" for under 150.00 dollars. I use the 2 large ones in the corners as bass traps, and the 2 smaller panels on rear wall. Nothing else. My room sounds outstanding. No slap echo, but no way dead. Fix the room, it will be the best reward ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/57 "2019-06-10T14:26:41Z")
I have 8 week old 3.7i pair. Black oak and black cloth. I LOVE them. I may pick up a pair of 20.7 dealer demos nearby, if I do, I’ll offer my 3.7i for sale. ---
**Author:** ![straightwire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/straightwire/32/123306_2.png) [@straightwire](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/straightwire)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/58 "2019-06-10T23:15:42Z")
Interested in your comparison (and your3.7’s) keep us posted. ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/59 "2019-06-11T12:20:44Z")
Missed the demo offer, they got scooped up yesterday! ---
**Author:** ![tensor9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/tensor9/32/5573_2.png) [@tensor9](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/tensor9)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799/60 "2019-06-11T13:26:54Z")
For you Maggie users, what is the distance from the listening position to your speakers? [Previous page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799.md?page=2) [Next page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/magnepan-3-7i-vs-1-7i/10799.md?page=4)