I REALLY liked the sound of Alta Audio’s “Adam” speaker at Axpona 2022.
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Yes, probably too far as they are in Central Wisconsin. One thought, there is a FB owners group that one could reach out on and possibly link up with a local owner. That’s what I did prior to a purchase. Regardless, good luck on your search.
I’ve had my Sanders Sound System model 10e hybrid ‘stats for about 10 years and couldn’t be happier. They are probably best driven by SSS Magtech stereo amps (x2) and use a pro audio dBx Venu360 LMS for active DSP crossover, EQ, driver time delay and room correction. I’d never go back to a setup with passive crossovers.
They are unique among ‘stats in that they play quite loud and exhibit all the features of electrostatic speakers; fast, accurate, gorgeous midrange and highs. I’m supplementing with an SVS sub which is technically not required but does add that last bit of foundational bass. Voices, acoustic guitar and anything with dynamics are phenomenal.
Good luck with your search. Speakers are so critical to get right and Roger Sanders is an engineer who doesn’t espouse any audio BS.
Best customer support I’ve experienced too.
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If you like the Magnepan sound, I would seriously revisit the 1.7i and try to demo them in your room for a few days/weeks.
One of the reasons I say the 1.7i’s in particular is that your room and mine are similar size. My room is 13.5 x 22 x 8 with a 2 x 6 alcove in the back left corner which opens up to the short hallway. I feel the .7’s would be too small and the 3.7i’s too large for our rooms.
Second reason I recommend the 1.7i’s is because we both have similar power, 500w @ 4 ohms for me, 600w @ 4 ohms for you. More than enough power to make the 1.7i’s sing effortlessly.
And that brings up the third thing… Dynamics. Sure, Maggies aren’t dynamic like horns, but with plenty of clean power/current in the right size room, they have loads of dynamics and can get well past 105dB without trouble. I run mine fullrange along with a pair of SVS subs coming in at 47Hz.
I have never heard these speakers get “stressed”, have never had any “panel slap” as they call it from reproducing bass at high volumes, never had the amp come anywhere near clipping nor shut down due to thermal overload. In fact, to be honest, this is one of if not the most effortless sounding systems I have ever had over the years.
I owned Maggie MGLR-1’s over 20 years ago, sold them a few years later, and searched and hunted for nearly 20 years looking for that Maggie sound again. I’ve tried countless options from stand mounts to floor standers, open baffles to electrostatics. None of them satisfied me until I came across these 1.7i’s a year ago. Before the 1.7i’s showed up, I was swapping speakers every few weeks to every few months, nonstop.
I’ve had these 1.7i’s since last March, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I’m not making the same stupid mistake again that I made 20 years ago. Nope, these Maggies are keepers and are staying around for a very long time.
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I just ordered ProAc D48R’s in Rosewood. I’ve tried a lot of speakers over the years and ProAc has always given me dynamics, a wonderful natural, easy to listen to sound, full bodied but transparent. They also just totally disappear as a sound source when set up properly the imaging and soundstage width and depth are as good as anything I’ve heard with the exception of the big MBL’s… I’d also add that ProAc’s Ribbon tweeter is marvelous. It’s gives the top end a really airy and grainless sound.
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Nice choice! I hope you enjoy them for a very long time.
Thanks @Chops
I did have the 1.7i’s and the .7’s in my room for almost a full week, so spent plenty of time with them. The .7’s just felt more coherent than the 1.7i’s. I also used my REL 812’s, so both of them had plenty of low end (and blended extremely well with really minimal effort!).
In the end, I’ve decided against Maggie’s. There’s certain things I love about them, but dynamic contrast isn’t their strong suit.
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Thanks Erik. In the end, I decided to go a completely different route to simply have something different.
My last few speakers has been Magnepan 1.6’s, Thiel 2.4’s, Audio Physics Avanti III, Wilson Watt Puppy 8’s. This time around I wanted something different
In the end, I went a completely different route than previous speakers I’ve had.
Zu Audio Def Supreme are now in the room and singing. They are not without flaws (and find a speaker that is!), but what they do, they do well. Extremely dynamic, detailed without being harsh, throws a huge soundstage (especially width!) and plain FUN to listen to!
It feels like the performance is happening right in front of me, with real people; flesh and blood
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And most Zu speakers are very easy to position, with excellent dispersion.
See you went with Zu. Very nice!
And I totally respect your opinion on Maggies, though I still don’t understand how people always comment that Maggies don’t do dynamic swings.
If anyone is interested and has Maggies with a healthy amount of power and grunt behind them, I urge you to listen to Steve Winwood’s album “Roll With It”. Specifically the song “The Morning Side”. Play it at whatever loud volume you want. About a minute or so into the song, you’ll see just how dynamic Maggies can be… Again, with the right setup and amp.
Anyway, I’m glad you found a pair of speakers that you’re happy with and meet your requirements. That’s exactly what happened to me last March when I got my Maggies.
Hopefully you’ll post a few pictures at some point of your setup!
-Cheers
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Interesting you say that Ron… I spent the entire weekend moving them around to find the right position for them and they ended up VERY different than any other speaker I’ve had (or demo’d). Much wider, and with zero toe-in. But the rewards of the work is pretty spectacular!
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I recently threw all the work the Wilson guys did setting up my speakers right out the window.
I kept pushing them further apart until I lost the center definition, then back to lock the center image in place. Then about half the recommended toe-in and voila! Soundstage way beyond the speakers, increased imaging definition, the speakers no longer seem to be doing anything. Way happy. My back is killing me.
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I’ve noticed that a lot with the way Wilson’s get “professionally” installed by the trained installers. They typically use quite a bit of toe-in. I wonder what their thought process is on that.
One of my friends years ago had Watt/Puppies and was complaining about a lack of stage width. I toed them out (like you, about half), and moved them about a foot closer to each other, and everything just snapped into place. About an hour’s worth of effort is all it took. 10 years later when he upgraded them to newer Wilsons, the old Watt/Puppies were in the same exact location where I had placed them.
Having gone with Dyn and most recently Wilson I am now going retro with a pair of ML CLSIIz panel speakers (new panels) tied to a couple T9i subs. I know if and when I sell these I’ll miss them and they are not easy to find in new condition. These were owned by a ML guy and modified by Joe Vojtko at ML.
In my opinion to your question above the answer is “no”. There is not a speaker out there (especially if you are a detail guy like me) that will give you the detail of a panel and the dynamics of a Klipsch and/or “traditional” driver type speaker.
So my next step (this week) is to add a 2nd set of smaller speakers (dang near everything is smaller than a panel) next to my MLs. I know this is not the best idea for many given space, having to switch between speakers etc.
I’m going to grab a pair of Heresey’s, L100 or similar rock and roll “vintage” vibe speakers and check them out. I typically start a session in the guitar/piano/jazz types areas and my last 30 minutes or so is more rock music like Lou Reed, Allmans, etc etc.
If this pans out, we have a really cool dealer in Denver that restores all types of vintage gear like Klipsch etc and also sells Devore. Maybe, just maybe I can get by with just one set of cool speakers but I’m not sure. But this will be a fun experiment and initially at least, not expensive at all.
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