[Waker]

I would like to move up from my 3.6Rs to at least the 3.7s, but have heard so much about how even the 20.1s are in a different league, so why not go to the 20.7s?  Question is--would the large jump in resolution be offset by not having enough room size?  There would be 2 feet from side walls to center of panels, 4 feet out from back wall, listening 10-11 feet  away, no obstructions, with 2-3 feet behind me.  The larger panels, only 5 inches wider, would sit in the same place as the 3.6Rs now sit. Ceiling is 8 feet and flat.  Power is ARC REF 250s, pair of REL Stratas behind.  There's plenty of sound in the room now, but I am tempted by what I am reading about the 20s being much more than a little better.       

[SteveFord]

You're going to have WAY too much bass and you'd better like sitting on a bar stool as the majority of the sound will be shooting over your head otherwise.  The panels begin quite a bit further up off of the floor than your 3.6s do.
If you can't knock out a wall to get more room save your money and don't do it.

[thunderbrick]

Agreed, unfortunately.   

[Waker]

I would take the subs out for the 20.7s, but even so, there just isn't enough distance/room area to listen in---this appears obvious---just wondering if there was some experience that would be surprising.  What is the minimal room size that would support the 20.7s? 

[Waker]

Steve, just read your post on the other thread about room size--so you did try the 20.7s in a smaller room and prefer the 3.7s.  Besides the cost stretch, what else were you not comfortable with in those big panels? 

[SteveFord]

There was way too much bass and they're too tall for where you're going to be forced to sit.
Nothing mentions just how high up the mylar starts; I only found that out when they were delivered.
 
The top end is the same as the 3.7s, the midrange is magic and you'd only need a sub if you like to feel the floor vibrate.
They're kind of like God's Own Speakers - they're quite impressive!

If they would take the 20.7 technology and package into a smaller speaker it would be ideal for your average sized living room.
Unless you have a monster room put your money somewhere else.

Minimal room size?  Based on my experiences, 27 x 18' would be about right, anything larger would be a plus.

[Hasse]

There was way too much bass and they're too tall for where you're going to be forced to sit.
 

What would be the minimum listening distance for the 20.7´s?

[MGbert]

I would like to move up from my 3.6Rs to at least the 3.7s, but have heard so much about how even the 20.1s are in a different league, so why not go to the 20.7s?  Question is--would the large jump in resolution be offset by not having enough room size?     

There IS another upgrade option for 3.6R owners, and since you are happy with the presentation of the 3.6Rs in your room (which is 6 feet longer than mine, btw) I would at least consider the Magnestand mod for yours:

http://www.indiespinzone.com/magnestand.html

An earlier thread detailing the results of a "showdown" between my Magnestand (aka "Gunned") MMGs and Steve's stock 1.7 had the MMGs performing at an almost equal footing with the 1.7s. 

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=114626.0

So it stands to reason that there are some potential benefits to Gunning 3.6's.  Drop the proprietor Peter Gunn an e-mail to see if any Gunned owners are within driving distance of you.  If nothing else, yours will be cosmetically one-of-a-kind, as his photo gallery will attest.

And no, I have no affiliation, just a happy customer still thrilled at how far above their class my Gunned MMGs can punch.  His, ahem, internet etiquette skills are suspect, but as a businessman he was nothing but first rate.  Definitely listen to an example of his work before committing, but it is an upgrade route separate from a 20.x route, which as others have posted may well be too much of a good thing in your room.  I know they would be in mine.

MGbert

[Elizabeth]

How about 11' 8" wide by 32' long?
I really have a desire to buy a pair of 20.7s for my apartment.
My 3.6 are great, but the thought of 20.7s makes my head spin...
So do you think the extra length will be enough?

I read the thread where you mention trading the 20.7 for the 3.7 (the blue sex toy thread)

I did not really understand the issues with the bass?
One point is I play very low levels. from 55dB up to say 65dB most of the time. Right now I am at 60dB average C weighted.. from seated position.
So i am looking for more bass..  I thought the 20.7 playing this loud would still have enough to make me happy.
One point is too much bass and it would be very bad. Over 55 apartments.. little old laidies everywhere... (me too) except i like to play music all the time. (not one of all of the neighbors do) And if someone moves in who blasts music they get the eviction notice. So i am quiet. I play music.. but quietly.
So I would actually NOT trade in my 3.6 just because in case the experiment did not work i could put aside the 20.7s and put back the 3.6.

[SteveFord]

Elizabeth,
Your room is certainly long enough but the width might make it a little too cramped.
I just did a quick pace off and I wanted to be about 20 to 22 foot back but that put me into the fireplace which wasn't going to work out too well.  For one thing, I'd have to share the listening seat with Eddie Munster and he's going through puberty...
They're not bass heavy like a 1000W subwoofer in a car driving everyone crazy but they do put out a LOT of bass and in a small room they're going to really accentuate it and overpower the rest of it.  I remember this one note in a Fripp/Eno tape loop which felt like it was trying to drill it's way through my forehead instead of just being part of the mix like on the 3.7s.
One good thing is that they sound fantastic at lower volumes.  There's just so much surface area and the sound is so "dense" that you don't have to blast it.  It sounds like you're at the actual event, not here's speaker A and there's speaker B playing.
In your case, you might end up with the equivalent of one giant speaker due to the width of your room but at least they won't seem like they're right on top of you.  You'll also have enough room for the sound to disperse so you won't have to sit on a bar stool to make them sound normal. 
That's why I keep harping on take the 20.7 mid and bass panels and down size them for normal sized rooms.
I don't comment too much on the various modifications that people do or propose as Magnepan has the technology already developed.  It's just too big for most of us.
Hope this helps and perhaps Berni, Thunderbrick or some of the other 20.x owners will chime in with their thoughts.

[berni]

If I could have more bass on my 20.1 in my room I would be very happy ( 21f x 28 x 9,3 high and being open to  two other spaces)
The 20.1 are no bass monster and only the longest side of the room is the limiting factor in how low they will go.
Normally you have bass issues because the room is to small and it "talks  back" not the speaker  being to large.
In a good treated room  (bass traps) I would go with the 20.1 or 7 , especially in your  long one..
Normaly people say there is too much bass, because they never experienced a real full range speaker in all their glory and power. But
with 20.1 not being a bass monster even this seems weird to me.
But it is always a try process.

[SteveFord]

Normally you have bass issues because the room is to small and it "talks  back" not the speaker  being to large.

Well put.

[berni]

Well put.

Thats were bass trapping comes into place.

[SteveFord]

And a bigger room so they're not right on top of you.
Or speaker which fit what you've got to work with.

[berni]

And a bigger room so they're not right on top of you.
Or speaker which fit what you've got to work with.

But I still think that his not the topic starter room is pretty long and will do fine..
There are also different  preferences...

[thunderbrick]

Well put.

Agreed.  I had a chance to borrow Sound Lab 'stats many years ago and the bass was horrible.  Struck notes would hang in the air for what seemed like an eternity.  Aside from that they sounded nearly identical to my stacked DQ-10s with Sequerra ribbons. 

[mr_bill]

How about 11' 8" wide by 32' long?
I really have a desire to buy a pair of 20.7s for my apartment.
My 3.6 are great, but the thought of 20.7s makes my head spin...
So do you think the extra length will be enough?

I read the thread where you mention trading the 20.7 for the 3.7 (the blue sex toy thread)

I did not really understand the issues with the bass?
One point is I play very low levels. from 55dB up to say 65dB most of the time. Right now I am at 60dB average C weighted.. from seated position.
So i am looking for more bass..  I thought the 20.7 playing this loud would still have enough to make me happy.
One point is too much bass and it would be very bad. Over 55 apartments.. little old laidies everywhere... (me too) except i like to play music all the time. (not one of all of the neighbors do) And if someone moves in who blasts music they get the eviction notice. So i am quiet. I play music.. but quietly.
So I would actually NOT trade in my 3.6 just because in case the experiment did not work i could put aside the 20.7s and put back the 3.6.

I really think that when talking about bass filling in at lower levels, you have to boost the bass with a sub - ala Fletcher Munson Curve.  We just don't hear bass at those lower levels the way we need too.  And I'm a 3.7 owner that is considering a sub and rolling it off lower to balance.

[SteveFord]

I use a sub with the 3.7s to fill in where the speaker can't go - it really perks up Pink Floyd's One Of These Days!
I could never live in an apartment, they'd burn me at the stake.
Getting back to the 20.7s, they go low enough for nearly everything as delivered.

[Elizabeth]

I use a sub with the 3.7s to fill in where the speaker can't go - it really perks up Pink Floyd's One Of These Days!
I could never live in an apartment, they'd burn me at the stake.
Getting back to the 20.7s, they go low enough for nearly everything as delivered.

Back when I was young, and lived in a building with all young people/college students, blasting the stereo was never an issue. Even the manager, who lived right above me, only commented once and that jokingly, when she woke up and thought a truck had hit the building! (But it was just my Infinity RSIIa speakers ..LOL
Now i am in an 'over 55 only' building and LOVE the quiet. So I want to help keep it this way. No one bothering me, me not bothering them.

[a.wayne]

Agreed.  I had a chance to borrow Sound Lab 'stats many years ago and the bass was horrible.  Struck notes would hang in the air for what seemed like an eternity.  Aside from that they sounded nearly identical to my stacked DQ-10s with Sequerra ribbons.

Speakers or bad setup, i have never heard SL do that .....