[Don_S]

+ Leonardo  (Ribbon-planar from Italy)  Recently at RMAF.

Magnepan
Quad
ER Audio
GT Audio Works
Sanders
Analysis Audio
Martin Logan
Eminent Technology
King Sound
Innersound
Soundlab
Janszen
Audiostatic
...?

[Rclark]

RClark-What speakers are those?

Rocket_Ronny

 Don't get me wrong though, not saying planars for life, not yet anyway, I'm definitely going to roll speakers and try new stuff, but I'll never sell what I have. Magnestand MMG's with best parts crossover. Absolutely love them.

[SteveFord]

Akron Audiotec  www.akronaudiotec.com.br/
Alternate Audio  www.alternate-audio.com
Analysis Audio  www.analysisaudio.com
Apogee (Perigree)  www.apogeeacoustics.com
Audio Exklusiv  www.audio-exklusiv.de/
Audiostatic  www.audiostatic.com
Bohlender Graebener  www.bgcorp.com
Eminent Technology  www.eminent-tech.com
ER Audio  www.eraudio.com.au
Gilmore Audio www.gilmoreaudio.com
GT Audio Works  www.gtaudioworks.com
Heil AMT www.precide.ch/eng/eheil/eheil.htm
Janszen www.janszenloudspeaker.com
King Sound  www.kingsaudio.com.hk
Leonardo www.leonardospeakers.com
Liquid Base  www.liquidbase.com.au/
Magnepan  www.magnepan.com
Martin Logan  www.martinlogan.com
Newform Research  www.newformresearch.com
PIO Sound  www.piosound.com/en/
Quad  www.quad-hifi.co.uk
Rowen  www.rowen.ch/en/lmt.php
Sanders  www.sanderssoundsystems.com
Solosound www.solostatic.com/
Soul Sonic  www.soulsonicspeakers.com/products.html
Soundlab  http://www.soundlab-speakers.com/#!
Transmission Audio  www.transmissionaudio.com

P.S.
To give credit where credit is due, many of these were listed on a great thread on audio review.

[GT Audio Works]

To me is seems that there are more than ever before builders of Planars' and Electrostat's.  Many are hybrid's, but this still makes me think that the rest of the audiophile world is coming to the same conclusion that we who love our Planars' and Electrostat's have already figured out, they're simply the best types of speaker for the reproduction of music of all genre's.  As I'm writing this, I believe there are 4 different makers of said speakers being discussed in active threads.   

Jim

Hi Jim, I agree there seems to be more talk about planars lately, but as far as more manufacturers?...I believe they come and go just like box speakers builders. We will never be anything more than a fringe branch of what is already a fringe hobby. That's ok, I never was one to go the more traveled route in any hobby I took up. When my friends were buying their first generation 750 -1000 cc superbike style motorcycles in the early 80's, I fell in love with and got a 350 cc 2 stroke motorcycle. A Yamaha RZ 350. When we went riding, it got the most attention. Especially when the road got twisty and those big heavy 4 stroke bikes found their greater weight worked against them, and my little 330 lb  50 hp 2 stroker with its skinny tires hit its stride and came screaming out of a tight corner, front tire hovering a few inches off the pavement ! That's an experience I will never forget. Like hearing a dipole planar speaker for the first time...my jaw hit the floor...The music sounded so real..the way it materialized in front of me was amazing ! Like the motorcycle..it didn't fit the established norms, the bass and loudness were not up to what I had heard from box speakers with big woofers..but the sound to me just said music. It's all about the way we are wired , our buttons are pushed by different things. 10 people may walk into an audio dealer for the first time and see the same big door sized panel speaker.  9 of them may say.."no way, not in my house!"  But 1 might look at them and think... "you don't see that every day...Look at how big those things are...I wonder why ?"
  Time and technology have narrowed the performance gap. But for a small percentage of us the difference is what intrigues us.  Greg

[GT Audio Works]

High-Q drivers in a box with a crossover in the voice band just can't compare to the speed and coherency of a low-Q planar singing in free air.

YES !! Its the way the signal travels thru the medium. In the case of a cone covering the critical mid band and up,,boxed or not,,its the drive force factors that cause more unpleasant sonic issues that must be"fixed" with filtering, which in turn causes more issues!
 The voice coil/magnet (motor) for all its innovation over the years still has to pass its vibration to the cone at a small fixed point and radiate out from there. Its small size ,relative to a planar driver requires these force factors and excursions to be greater to achieve the same SPL's causing all kind of distortion issues.
This smaller and need to work harder scenario carries thru as the vibrating cone couples inefficiently with the air reaching your ear in a way that is not ideal....
Or maybe it's just that planars look cool as hell !!!  Greg

[medium jim]

Greg:

I agree that it is and will always be a personal choice and mostly based on what keys the brain to says, yes!  Many are dismissive from the onset, not just to the size, but that I had headphones like that and so on.   I guess the best way to have approached this would have been different, so be it.   Nevertheless, I have no doubt that Planar and Electrostat owners are uber loyal to their speakers, maybe more so than others are to theirs. 

For me it was like, yes this is what it is all about, eventhough, I still looked for something better...in the end I came back to the Planars.  It is great that the likes of you and others have taken the task to make them as it will no doubt breed competition that can only lead to new and better things, if not just different (in a good way)!

Jim

[BobM]

I think, to the common man, basic cone speaker physics is easier to understand than planer physics. But then again, we all know that dollar for dollar you can achieve better sound with a planer than a cone speaker (at todays prices, anyway).

[SteveFord]

BobM made me think of the various handymen that have been to the house.
They ignore the large planars but just flip out over the MMGs. 
Those things are speakers?
How do they work, sound comes out of both sides, a million questions as they walk around them and they just can't believe it.
The big ones don't seem to register!

[medium jim]

BobM made me think of the various handymen that have been to the house.
They ignore the large planars but just flip out over the MMGs. 
Those things are speakers?
How do they work, sound comes out of both sides, a million questions as they walk around them and they just can't believe it.
The big ones don't seem to register!

That reminds me of the first time I heard them. I was hanging out with a friend and he took me over to one if his other friends house and music was playing and it sounded unlike anything I've heard before.  Not the music, which was Jethro Tull (Stand Up), but the soundstage and clarity.  Only problem, I couldn't see any speakers.  Couldn't believe that the wall dividers were the speakers!

I was still into louder with more slam was better stage.  It literally took me 30 years to figure out that Maggie's were what I really liked, it maybe I grew up enough to appreciate them.

Jim

[SteveFord]

I was too young and full of myself to know what I was listening to when I first heard them at a neighbor's house back in 1976 or thereabouts.  I brought over Blue Oyster Cult's Agents of Fortune album and remember how fast he moved to turn down the volume during the guitar solo in Don't Fear The Reaper.  He glared at me like I suckered him into turning the volume way up...
I think he had a rack full of SAE electronics, he was into it.

Even so, JBLs were the best and that was that and as soon as I have the money I'm getting some.
I finally did get the JBLs but they've been sitting unused for about 20 years now.
Youth really is wasted on the young.

[josh358]

Josh:

I've heard the MBL's and they're outstanding, but so is their cost.  Cost is a major factor...the MBL 120's cost nearly 100k and are a bit pushed in the mid's, but do sound good.  I would buy Planars' over the MBL's even if they cost the same.

I understand that Plasma speakers are amazing, but the cost puts them out of the reach of most.  Not familiar enough with the Q7's to comment on.

Jim

Yep, they have a big price/performance advantage for those interested in realistic reproduction.

[josh358]

If planars were factually the best, they are all that would be sold in the marketplace. The fact is, there are far more manufacturers of box speakers and far more of them sold. A lot of people obviously think differently. Clearly it is a matter of taste (or lack thereof) and opinion, not something that can be objectively defined for all. Just like amps, dacs, etc.

That assumes a lot of things. For one thing, I said that planars were best for those who want realistic reproduction of live acoustical music. If you're listening primarily to studio pop -- and I believe the great majority of audiophiles do -- they may not be the best choice. Also, if you don't want or your wife won't accept, huge slabs in your living room, or you don't have room to pull them out 5' from a reasonably flat wall, they aren't the best choice. That, I think, is a big disadvantage for many. Finally, most planars won't rock out, though the very biggest ones (Tympanis, big Apogees, stacked Sound Labs, huge line source hybrids like the IRS or big Genesis) will. And most of the ones that will are no longer made or are too big or expensive for many (Genesis, stacked Sound Labs). As always, people have to choose the speakers that best fit their needs.

[josh358]

Kevin, I have to agree with your "affordable" description of Magneplaners, in my opinion they offer possibly one of the very best "bangs for the buck" of any loudspeaker currently available. They do many things very well and if they push your buttons it will take the more expensive next model up to beat the one you currently have, or a much more expensive execution of a different technology to exceed the maggies particular collection of strengths.
Jim, I think if I were looking for better "planer design" it would have to keep the overall coherence of the current .7 model lineup and exceed their peak SPL capability with better dynamic life. However, I wouldn't accept a loss of the magic that the transformerless Magneplaner ribbon brings to the table in order to achieve the improvements in performance in the two areas I listed.
Scotty

Scotty, have you listened to them with big amps? As in 1 kW or more per side. I've noticed that some people underestimate the SPL capability of Maggies because they listen to them with small or medium amps -- which are fine for most people, most people don't play at natural levels. But they will eat power if you give it to them, and give you more. Maximum SPL's and extension can also be increased by offloading some of the deep bass to subs.

I do wish they'd make new Tympanis, though. Those had bass slam in the range of dynamics, the woofers start to compress about where a dynamic sub does, somewhere above 100 dB (IIRC 106 dB but don't quote me on that, it's been a while since I saw the figure). But even if they come out with a new Tympani model it's going to be for relative few, they're so big that they demand a dedicated listening room. For those who can accommodate them, used Tympanis are one of the most amazing bargains in audio.

[josh358]

Like hearing a dipole planar speaker for the first time...my jaw hit the floor...The music sounded so real..the way it materialized in front of me was amazing !

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Or the thumb on the nail. That's the magic of line source dipoles, whether planar magnetic, true ribbon, electrostatic, or dynamic, and it never fails to amaze me, or anyone I demonstrate it to.

Of course, you have to be pretty nuts to want speakers that big.

[medium jim]

Josh:

I agree with most of your last post except for your contention that they don't rock out, they do with the right subs.  While there are box speakers that have more slam, planars do so many things better and do have some slam of their own.

Then there is the 3D as large as life soundstage that puts you 8th row center stage. 

I apologize for gushing about them as I recently switched back to my tube amps as the weather in my parts is cool enough for that and I've fallen in love with them all over again.  Maybe a used pair of Arion hybrid Amps will show up before next summer!

Jim

[josh358]

Josh:

I agree with most of your last post except for your contention that they don't rock out, they do with the right subs.  While there are box speakers that have more slam, planars do so many things better and do have some slam of their own.

Then there is the 3D as large as life soundstage that puts you 8th row center stage. 

I apologize for gushing about them as I recently switched back to my tube amps as the weather in my parts is cool enough for that and I've fallen in love with them all over again.  Maybe a used pair of Arion hybrid Amps will show up before next summer!

Jim

Heh, yes, should have mentioned that but you'll note that I did in my *next* post -- if you're cool offloading to subs, SPL capability increases dramatically, since after all the mids and tweeters aren't that different from smallest to largest. Not that I'd give up the Tympanis, though, their magic is that they combine the naturalism of planar bass with near-dynamic slam. After all these years, they're still widely considered to have the best midbass of any speaker every made.

[Rclark]

So far my experience is planar + sub with strong/articulate midbass capability.. would be extremely hard to beat. All the magic of the panel and all the slam and dynamics you could ask for.

Although with my next purchase (DsPeaker Dual Core), I plan on measuring and posting my Magnestand's freq response compared to that of the stock MMG, I believe that will be easy enough to find. The MMG at least, doesn't have really any bass or slam, modded is a whole different story. However, now that I have chosen a good sub to add multiples of, that has taken things even further. I think completed system, treatments, Dual Core, multi subs, planar, once totally dialed in, very very very hard to beat, for any type of music.

[Rocket_Ronny]

 

What Subs?

Rocket_Ronny

[medium jim]

I have a pair of B&W's that are extremely fast and musical to reinforce the bottom 2 octaves.

Jim

[Rclark]

What Subs?

Rocket_Ronny

I have one Epik Legend right now. Dual opposed sealed 12's, totally inert, vibration free cabinet, musical, punchy up high, excellent midbass, but drops to 20. About the best MMG sub you could ask for, imo.

forgot to mention, American made, $500 for one, $900 per pair.