[k6davis]

Just an update - these speakers are amazing considering their cost!

They had about six months of use before I got them so might be well broken in.  The bass is so good without the subs that they are not really needed, although they add a nice foundation with some music.  A couple days after initial setup I realized I didn't change the sensitivity setting on the Vandersteen 2Wq subs from 92 dB (my Coincident Speakers) to 85 dB (the 1.7s).  That made a huge difference.  Bass with subs is perfect now.

I moved the the 1.7s sans subs temporarily to our family room/kitchen which is a much larger space.  They sound maybe even better in his space, wish they could stay here.  More distance to the side walls, a little over 3 feet, a 9 foot ceiling, and 18 feet behind the seating.

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your spearkers!

I've been a fan of the Maggie sound for many years now. I find them to be not just a great value for the money, but I prefer them to cone speakers regardless of price. I always run my 1.7's with subs which are set to only to add the very lowest frequencies which the Maggies don't produce at all.

I think the combination is unbeatable... except maybe by bigger Maggies. 

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Maritan, I'll post the spacing of the 1.7s in the main room after they are back up there.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

In the dedicated room inside edge to inside edge is 60 inches.

[SteveFord]

How are they stacking up compared to your Coincidents?

[Maritan]

Fantastic. Thank you!

[Hear Clifford Brown]

The Coincidents sound small in comparison to the 1.7s and can't play as loud.  On the 1.7s big band jazz or large orchestra works sound much better.  The small fabric dome tweeters of the Coincidents don't put out nearly as much high frequency energy.  Music sounds much more live and real with the 1.7s

The Coincidents are set up in sort of a near field situation in another room.  They do a better job than the Maggies at low listening levels.

[Davey]

So I guess you have some Coincident speakers for sale now Jeff? 
Those 1.7's sounded great.  Thanks for the listen.

Dave.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

You should have sat down for a listen to the Coincidents on your way out Dave, you might have bought them yourself! 

It was great having you and Chris over for a listen, appreciate your thoughts and expertise, and enjoyed the music you brought (might have to share the sweet spot with my wife now).

[Gearplay]

Yes indeed magnepans are some amazing speakers.   

[Davey]

..........(might have to share the sweet spot with my wife now).

Sorry about that.....I think. 

Dave.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

No worries, I enjoyed the classical too   

[Hear Clifford Brown]

I was able to buy a Sanders Magtech amp for a good price and the improvement over the SS amp I was using is pretty profound.  Playing both big band and small group jazz, at fairly high volume (84 to 96 dB per my meter), and there is absolutely no strain.  It feels like there would be no listening fatigue at these levels.  It is a very effortless sound.  Percussion, drums & cymbals are amazing, probably due to the amp's ability to power the transients so much better.  I actually felt chills on very familiar tracks which hasn't happened in a long time.  Playing a live Billy Taylor recording, the piano sounds more distinct, there is no congestion so that every key his right and left hand hit ring true. I think the Magtech is able to cleanly reproduce the musical peaks at the moment the piano hammer strikes the strings.  The other amp clipped during this highly percussive sound, compressed the dynamic range, lost its detail, and sounded strained.  The Magtech doesn't seem to have this problem. This could also be why the highs no longer sound overly bright.  Maybe another higher powered amp like a Bryston would have given the same improvements.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Well I've learned again that first impressions are not always lasting.   

I put the Ayre V-5xe amp back in the system and now feel that I prefer it.  It's just a personal preference, the Magtech is a very fine amp and others could easily come to the opposite conclusion.

But for me the music was beginning to be less involving and lacking something with the Magtech.  I worked with speaker position first and found a little more toe-in helped by increasing the midrange.  Still the 1.7s didn't sound quite as good as a week ago, so tried the Ayre again.  Went back and forth with the two amps and the Magtech does reproduce the musical peaks better, but it has a slight edge or harshness to the higher frequencies which perhaps was the major reason for my dissatisfaction.  Overall the Ayre sounds smoother and more natural with possibly a bit more layered soundstage.  It's not a huge difference, and might be due to my use of and satisfaction with tube amps for the last five years.  I'm pretty sure the Ayre stays and the Magtech is for sale. 

[SteveFord]

What are you using for a preamp?

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I was in the market for a new tube preamp to go with my Pass X250 amp and 1.6's.  I went to my local hifi shop and listened to the 1.7's and 3.7i's with that Ayre V-5xe amp and an Atma-Sphere MP3 preamp and an ARC LS27 preamp.  I was not impressed with the Ayre amp.  The next week I went back and brought over my own DAC and Pass X1 preamp.  I listened to the Ayre and a McIntosh MC452 amp.  The Arye lacked dynamics and bass compared to the MC452 and both paled in comparsion to my Pass X250 in dynamics, bass slam.musicality and speed.  The Ayre was too laid back.  My Pass amp makes my 1.6's sing at low volumes, very dynamic sounding. 40watts of Class A power and 500wpc delivered effortlessly will do that.

I ended up buying a used BAT VK-51se preamp by the way.  I love the combo of a SS amp and tube preamp with maggies.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

The preamp I've been using is an Ayre K-5xe MP