I had the 3.7i. I have the Contour 20 ( bought for an office set up to be returned to office later ). I find the Contour 20 center image amazing. The 3.7i had a much later large sound tho. Maybe due to size difference of speakers. I like Magnepan, but I’m not sure enough to deal with the room and equipment domination. So time will tell where I end up.
Thanks for the feedback!
I plan to explore other brands and speaker styles. If after that I still find a draw to Maggies then the 20.7 will be on order.
I look toward your journey. I love the mids and uniformity of Maggies but my room
will not accommodate 2O.7’s. That elusive planar with punch is my goal. PSA might
be on the track with the FR3 as it should check the “high definition” box as well as provide
decent, adjustable low end that is less room sensitive.
Check out Sanders Sound Systems model 10e speaker/amp/LMS system for that perfect planar sound coupled with fast well integrated TL woofer. I’ll never get rid of mine.
Yes, that system has always been on my radar. Electrostats and sealed woofers can
play nice together. My challenge is a smallish basement room with bass nodes.
I have bass traps but DSP on the low end might do the trick. Maybe just tired of
“playing with planar’s rules” but don’t like sealed boxes either. A conundrum.
Kcleveland. I heard the sanders last year at axpona - but in a small room. Have you heard Martin Logan’s and big Maggie’s ? Curious to your impression of mid bass between the 3.
How big is your ‘smallish’ room? I’ve never had a planar in a small room as I’ve been lucky to have the extra room pretty much dedicated. In my current room my 20.7s just don’t sound bad anywhere.
@timm I have not heard Maggie’s or ML products. My engineering mind really gets behind Roger Sanders and his decades of design and development. The LMS (loud speaker management system) gives you such amazing control I would not dream of losing that flexibility. I think SSS speakers are one of the very few with TL (transmission line) woofers paired with stats as well. This allows for very well integrated bass with the panels. It all makes sense to me and sounds great. Check out Roger’s white papers and you might be convinced too.
Oh yah. I think it’s a great product no doubt.
And no lack of mid bass in my setup.
The room is about 11 x 13 with 7+ ceiling. I can deal with moving Maggies into the
room and away from side walls, and they still have a upper bass bump due to the concrete
walls. Given that, they still have less of this problem than box speakers.
What do u have? I have no issue moving my 20.7 1ft from side walls. A lot of guys on planar asylum suggest the same as an FYI.
No free lunch here that I’ve found.
The Sanders are exquisite sounding speakers and a high-end bargain. The only downside is a razor-narrow “sweet spot,” but if you’re a solo listener that’s not a problem.
My Martin-Logans (sealed box, internally powered bass) have plenty of bass and very good transparency, BUT if they are fed anything but pure high frequencies - i.e.: no digital artifacts, noise, hash - any nasty audible thing in the upper registers will punish you severely. Sweet spot slightly bigger than the Sanders, but still narrow.
Maggies have the biggest sweet spot, the smoothest response and (IMHO) the best midbass due to their magnificent line source ribbon tweeter and quasi-ribbon midrange but require some serious grunt to drive them to their best. Although all are dipoles, the Maggies have a different soundstage presentation. Not worse, just different. And your room effectively becomes the enclosure for the speakers - a whole ‘nuther can o’ worms.
I also have a problematic basement room for bass nodes. After hearing the latest PS Audio prototype speakers at the most recent RMAF, I have guarded hopes that between the coaxial ribbon mid and tweeter driver, the mid bass couplers, and the bass with room correction that these can provide the best of both worlds.
My feelings exactly. Have had decades of experience with planars of all
types…Quads, Maggies, Acustats, and still come back to them despite the
issues. I have lowly 1.7’s driven by BHK and they can sing except for the last
half octave. Have not heard a $10k speaker worth the jump. Like the FR30
concept but it ain’t there yet.
Magnepan are the more organic speakers I have ever heard. The most real, none bloated. Once you hear them, it’s hard to forget it
Maggies are best in rooms with bass nulls since maggies are not bass heavy. None of them are, Not even the 30.7. I’ve heard the 30.7. Nice bass but not not at all heavy like a self powered speaker.
I agree with everything everyone has said. Therefore we must all be right!! 
a rarity in audio !!
Rats. I am sad I went to the Sanders website. I was blissfully unaware of this company. Not anymore.
To paraphrase Lt. Col .Kilgore (Apocalypse Now): I love the sound of a well-executed transmission line in the morning. 
Sanders TL bass mates with the stat panels remarkably well.
The Acoustic Zen Crescendo II also employs this approach to bass with good effect in a more conventional design.