Audition wanted in the Boston MA area also speaker thoughts in the $3000.00

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johnto

hoping someone in the area owns and is willing to audition Tekton Pendragon, Von Schweikert v22 or 33 or Ascend Towers. I have read many good thing but would love to hear these speakers before making a purchase. Thus far the best I have heard are the Phil 3´s.  Comments from owners also welcome. Also any thoughts on Magnapan 1.7 speakers

Thank you,

Johni
« Last Edit: 11 May 2014, 05:56 pm by johnto »

Blu99Zoomer

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Hi John,

I don't own the Pendragons and haven't heard either of the other two.  But I do have Tekton Designs Enzo's.  I love them.  I have had them for a year.  When I was shopping, I spoke with Eric at Tekton Designs.  He suggested with the size of my room(14.5X22ft with 7.5ft ceilings), the Enzos would be better. Classical instruments sound like the instrument.  I can't turn my equipment higher than just beyond half way.  These are both high db speakers.  So the equipment you pair with them will be important.   I recently called and talked to Eric again thanking him for the wonderful speakers.  I also asked about upgrading to the Enzo XLs or the Pendragons.  He suggested that I might think about an Enzo Subwoofer to fill in the lower registers and I'd be happy.  Hope this helps.

Blu99Zoomer

Doublej

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The Boston area has a bunch of great audio stores, many of them accessible by public transportation. There's Q Audio, Audiolab, and Goodwin's High End.

If you have a car then I would take a trip to Natural Sound, Fidelis and Audio Video Therapy.

...to name a few.


jimdgoulding

Sir, I wonder if you wouldn't mind describing your room dimensions and where you propose to position your speakers.

sts9fan

Natural Sound has the Maggie's. Not much for $3k at Goodwin's.

stereocilia

Not on your list, but I have psb synchrony ones that I'm still working up the courage to list for sale if you want to check them out. They are definitely within your range. I had maggies before the psbs, so I have some (mostly positive) opinions on those, too.

stereocilia

My issues with the 1.7s were partly due to the physical size dominating the room. My wife was happy to get the downstairs listening space looking less like Stonehenge. For stringed instruments and cymbals the maggies sounded unsmeared and natural. In my room, in my system, in my opinion, the midrange sounded a bit uneven.  I also didn't like how dramatically the frequency balance changed when I stood up or changed position. For whatever reason they didn't hold me in the listening chair as long I'd hoped. My setup also required me to be either too close to them or they had to be too close to the back wall.

johnto

Hi,
Thank you. I did end up purchasing a used pair of Maggie 1.7 speakers with a sub and love the clarity and detail they deliver.

Blu99Zoomer

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I am glad you settled on the Maggies and they work in your room.  Jealous a bit too.  They are good place to start or end your listening journey.  I would also second the comments above concerning New England stereo shops.  I have been to Audio Video Therapy in Nashua, NH.  John and the folks there are great to work with.  FYI, if you are in to vinyl, he has hosted another New England company that has an ultrasonic record cleaning business(At last count four machines.) at least once a month on a Sunday.  If you are near by, shopping while your records are cleaned is a win win that I have used also.  I am sure the other shops are great too.  I know Fidelis hosted a headphone meet recently.  Again, congrats and good listening.

Blu99Zoomer

johnto

Hi have been to Audio Video Therapy too and agree that they are great. When I was on my speaker audition search they spent hours with me. I almost purchased KEF 900 before hearing Maggie's.
My room is 12 X 15 and the Maggie's workout fine. I found them at a good price on Audiogon.
Definitely love vinyl and remastered cds, anything recorded well.

jimdgoulding

Hi have been to Audio Video Therapy too and agree that they are great. When I was on my speaker audition search they spent hours with me. I almost purchased KEF 900 before hearing Maggie's.
My room is 12 X 15 and the Maggie's workout fine. I found them at a good price on Audiogon.
Definitely love vinyl and remastered cds, anything recorded well.
Those are my room dimensions, too.  How far from the wall behind them are they?  How far is your chair from the wall behind it?  Thanks.  I have a pair of old Kenwood 150w LO7 monoblocks that I would press into service to drive them with an ARC tube pre.  You wouldn't happen to listen to lots of classical music would you?  What I have set up now transports me to the recording site very convincingly.  Sitting a bit forward and the stage gains depth and the orchestra curvature.   Sitting back a ways and I'm more conscious of the hall itself and the orchestra is more collected rather like moving from row F to row Q if you know what I mean.  Dunno if that would translate to planars.  Have you tried doing any of this?  Thanks.

johnto

i have the Maggies about 20 inches from the side wall with them toed in so the inside is about 28 from the back wall and outside about 35. I sit anywhere from 4 feet out to about 9 feet out the sound seem more intimate closer in. I have been listening to mostly Beatles mono lately (having picked up the cd box and a few new lps)and find the sound spacious and deep with full detail. Sometimes I do play classical or jazz and find the same with full instrument location in the sound field. 

Blu99Zoomer

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Hey,

You guys are making me regret not getting those Maggie 1.7's now! I thought they had to sit away from the back wall by 6 feet.  Guess I was wrong about that too.  I am going to look into the Beatles mono set johnto.  I listen to a lot of jazz and classical these days.  Have you heard the Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden "Last Dance" jazz piece?  That's been my go to lately.  Here's to great listening.

Blu99Zoomer

johnto

just read a review of the Tekton Enzo XL in Stereophile and they rate them as giving 90 % of the large Wilson speakers so they must sound amazing too.

johnto

Just an update two years on still loving Magnepan 1.7 just upgraded to the 1.7i seems to have faster bass and be more cohesive also lucky enough to find a local pair in the color I originally wanted. Emotiva equipment gone never worked with the Maggie now using a Parasound 2.1 integrated which seems to be a wonderful match.

Big Red Machine

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