[Rclark]

That's very generous of you to share those with fellow 20.1 owners, that's incredible. Seems to lend further credence to the line that stands and frames improve the Maggie. And your pictures render with great impact the massive size of the 20.1 itself. I can't wait to someday hear the larger models. It was always reading lines like your "planar dipoles a picky in regard to the placement, but give them what they need and you will forget everything else", from not just you but all planar owners, that led me to choose Maggies as my first real speakers, rather than build a highly regarded set of dynamic boxes.

[rollo]

That's very generous of you to share those with fellow 20.1 owners, that's incredible. Seems to lend further credence to the line that stands and frames improve the Maggie. And your pictures render with great impact the massive size of the 20.1 itself. I can't wait to someday hear the larger models. It was always reading lines like your "planar dipoles a picky in regard to the placement, but give them what they need and you will forget everything else", from not just you but all planar owners, that led me to choose Maggies as my first real speakers, rather than build a highly regarded set of dynamic boxes.

 Kudos man just awesome of you to provide the plans.


charles
SMA

[SteveFord]

Yes, thank you so much.
Lots of metal chips are going to be flying around out there due to your inspiration.

[berni]

If anyone needs original pdf, where you can better see the numbers, just email me.

[berni]

A must is trying the opposite listening position.
The normal listening position is on the sofa which is some 12 feet from the front wall, the speakers are some 7-8feet from this wall(will be more when I change the short cables), this is a great sound.
But the best sound comes  while seating on the "rack" , listening to the speakers which are 7 feet in front of you and have still 17 feet to the back wall. Also a lot of more free space on the left(staircase) and right(kitchen). The raised ceiling  gives a pretty damn good live experience and enough space for free sound behind the speakers. No more stuffed sound , where the artist strugle to get more place.

[fivestring]

Another session at Berni`s.

All my findings from the previous auditioning regarding the stands were once again confirmed through repeated listenings, yesterday afternoon. These stands make all frequencies below say 500 hz sound incredibly purified, dynamic and with proper weight, that the ordinary 20.1 simply lacks.

Once again I didn`t loose much time with the conventional listening setup, because the reversed one makes the music sound magically seductive and at times incredibly lifelike.

A little explanation about his listening conditions. As you can see from the photos, the ordinary, conventional position offers about 12 feet (width), 7.5 feet (height) and 7 feet (depth) of virtual physical space behind the speakers for the performing musicians (their image or focus, if you will). Simple calculation or logic tells us you cannot place even a piano trio within this available space, let alone orchestra.

With the reversed position it is for the first time possible for the virtual musicians to get the space their instruments require in a highly believable and lifelike manner. According to the music we listened, sometimes I would get fooled I was listening to live musical performance, applause and audience talking between songs for instance were so real I could swear I was in some club. But of course even more astounding was how the instruments would form and project their sound with all the intensity, color shading, dynamics, weight and associated mechanical noises that are mostly missed with conventional boxed systems. I have experienced such realism from a system only three times in my life and I have heard a lot of very expensive systems which were constantly reminding me it`s all just a mere hifi - I`m sure you know what I mean. The sound of Berni`s system wasn`t perfect of course, but it was incredibly satisfying - considering it is just a reproduction by means of mechanical/electrical devices.

Even the image focus that is so cherished by some audiophiles was extremely well laid out but of course not in a grotesque "pinpoint" manner, but instead in a much more believable, lifelike manner.

Is a 7 feet wide stage with a tiny pinpoint focus more believable than a 26 feet (or more) wide, with the lifesized musicians and their instruments placed within the virtual stage? What do we experience at concerts? I`m sure you know the answer...

[rw@cn]

What is meant by "reverse" position?

[fivestring]

It means sitting on the audio rack and listening from "behind" the speakers towards the usual listening position.

[rw@cn]

I suspected as much. Could get a bit uncomfortable or very hot, if you have a class A amp. 

[SteveFord]

To say nothing of an SET.

[berni]

Steve, it is a AB amplifier with 4 fans to cool it down. But if  it  gets to hot I will give you a pillow under your ... and a cool drink. How about this?

[SteveFord]

I'll be over shortly.  Please leave the porch light on just in case I get stuck in traffic.

[TONEPUB]

Always been a fan of the 20.1's.  Great speakers~!

[rw@cn]

I have a 13X20X8 room and am holding fire on the 3.7s (until around March) to see if a new 20 will arrive. If so, I need to take a good look at my room and see what it would take to make it work. My handicap is not having anyone local (that I know) to assist me. I've made a few different Logans sing in my room and it took a bit of work (especially with the CLS) but I am leery about trying the 20. I didn't have problems with the 1.7 and don't foresee any with the  3.7 (should I go that route).

If the 3.7 went lower, I wouldn't hesitate.

[Minn Mark]

rw@cn,

I have room about the same size (13 x 22 x 7) and have 3.6R's.   For my taste, and sources (2-ch audio and 2ch DVDs) they are awesome.  Im using a AVA 440H stereo amp.   I think a 3.7 pair would be way plenty. I have about 30 in behind my 3.6's to the rear wall so they're not very far out into the room, and I listen from about 10-11 ft away.   I'v always had all the bass I needed.

20.X's would be cool, but I bet the'yre watt-gobblers.

Good listening.

M

[SteveFord]

If by lower you mean sound-wise, the 3.7s have more bass than you'd think. 
For my tastes they don't require a sub.
I just don't have the room for 20.1s without knocking out a wall to widen the living room and that's not going to happen.

[berni]

rw@cn,

I have room about the same size (13 x 22 x 7) and have 3.6R's.   For my taste, and sources (2-ch audio and 2ch DVDs) they are awesome.  Im using a AVA 440H stereo amp.   I think a 3.7 pair would be way plenty. I have about 30 in behind my 3.6's to the rear wall so they're not very far out into the room, and I listen from about 10-11 ft away.   I'v always had all the bass I needed.

20.X's would be cool, but I bet the'yre watt-gobblers.

Good listening.

M

You have only 30" to the front wall?
Just try once to double or triple that lenght! You can do that when your wife is not at home  .
And then, please let us know if you don't see a more then major improvement!
The majority of dipol users don't even get close to full potential of this speakers. Some love to change all the system and cables around  it more then just move those panels into the room........
For better sound you must move them.

[Rclark]

well guys I just put the deposit down on my Magnestands.. still choosing the wood. Wish me luck.

[berni]

Wish you luck with them. Alltough they say it is a very different approach from Mye or my desig, I think that the main idea is the same. 
 On which Maggies are you using them?

[Rclark]

mmg. What I read about them excited me the most. I bought mmg's just to do this mod.