Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 9823 times.

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« on: 23 Mar 2015, 06:04 pm »
I currently have both in my listening room, so if someone wants to make the trip to Chesapeake, VA and take a listen...

I'm setting up the 3.7i in the next few days.

3.7 Sold as of 4/10
« Last Edit: 13 Apr 2015, 01:02 am by fullerf@cox.net »

audio.bill

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 389
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #1 on: 23 Mar 2015, 08:53 pm »
Looking forward to your comments on how they compare. It would also be helpful if you can share what electronics you are driving them with. TIA!

NIGHTFALL1970

Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #2 on: 23 Mar 2015, 08:56 pm »
I can't wait for your impressions either.  Please tell us what albums you used (CD or vinyl) and what tracks.

SteveFord

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 6463
  • The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #3 on: 24 Mar 2015, 09:44 pm »
Feel like stripping the socks off?
The best guess is that they added damping material to the midrange section while the crossover remains as before.

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #4 on: 25 Mar 2015, 07:12 pm »
Looking forward to your comments on how they compare. It would also be helpful if you can share what electronics you are driving them with. TIA!

Bryston 4B SST2, Wyred4Sound DAC2 DSDse and homemade server running Audiophile Optimizer.

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #5 on: 25 Mar 2015, 07:14 pm »
Feel like stripping the socks off?
The best guess is that they added damping material to the midrange section while the crossover remains as before.

No, but I will take a close look through the fabric and report back.

*Scotty*

Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #6 on: 25 Mar 2015, 07:21 pm »
This is going to sound crazy, but you might try taking pictures through the fabric with your smart phone and a very bright light source. Also vary the angle on the light and the camera lens, you may be able to see something that cannot be seen with your eyesight alone.
A comparison shot between the 3.7 and the 3.7i, front and back, might reveal any physical differences in the drivers that exist between the two speakers.
Scotty

KLH007

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 461
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #7 on: 2 Apr 2015, 01:46 pm »
fullerf, Can you post some impressions of the comparison?

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #8 on: 2 Apr 2015, 02:13 pm »
I was fortunate enough to be able to listen to them back to back in my listening room in the same exact location, tweeter in and aligned with a laser pointer.  I even stacked the deck in favor of the 3.7 by leaving them in the Mye Stands with HiFi Tuning fuses and 0.6 ohm dueland resistor.  3.7i were stock with 1 ohm resistor but fully broken is as I bought them used.  I started with the 3.7 and then to the 3.7i then back to the 3.7 to confirm what I was hearing. The 3.7i were slightly better, specifically the vocals seemed to be more forward and in front of the speaker, more 3D...  There was a richer texture to the music and the drum strikes seemed to be more natural. Soundstage extended beyond the outer edges of the speaker more than the 3.7 already do.  After listening to them back to back I would recommend that anyone with 3.7 pay the $500 for the upgrade.  I realize shipping the 3.7 back to Magnepan and back home could cost another $500.  STILL worth it!

« Last Edit: 13 Apr 2015, 01:01 am by fullerf@cox.net »

SteveFord

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 6463
  • The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #9 on: 2 Apr 2015, 09:38 pm »
Thanks for the review.
Were you able to peer through the socks to see what's up? 

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #10 on: 3 Apr 2015, 12:18 am »
Thanks for the review.
Were you able to peer through the socks to see what's up?

Steve, Two things... One, the white tape that we have all seen posted here before. Two, the hardware on the back is bigger. The screws will not fit through the slots in the Mye stands.

SwamisCat

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 67
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #11 on: 3 Apr 2015, 01:08 am »
Does this imply that Mye stands for the 3.7 won't fit the new i's? Or just fit differently?

If the latter, are you keeping the Mye stands? How would you compare the sound improvement from the stands compared to the i?

virtue

  • Industry Participant
  • Posts: 1206
  • Making audio lovers audiophiles
    • Virtue Audio
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #12 on: 3 Apr 2015, 01:43 am »
Have you guys tried the DAC amps with your Maggies?

Tommy is running a Kickstarter campaign now with substantial discounts on the new MINT.

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #13 on: 3 Apr 2015, 12:10 pm »
Does this imply that Mye stands for the 3.7 won't fit the new i's? Or just fit differently?

If the latter, are you keeping the Mye stands? How would you compare the sound improvement from the stands compared to the i?

I am going to have to modify the vertical supports to accept the bigger hardware. (Drill a hole)  Otherwise they will work just fine.
 

Roger Gustavsson

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 72
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #14 on: 8 Apr 2015, 07:00 pm »
What is this bigger hardware?

fullerf@cox.net

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 19
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #15 on: 10 Apr 2015, 12:13 am »
What is this bigger hardware?

All the hardware on the back that holds the speaker together are larger machine screws compared the the 3.7 wood screws.

Roger Gustavsson

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 72
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #16 on: 10 Apr 2015, 10:34 am »
So there must be some kind of nut inserts for machine screws in the wood/metal clad MDF pieces holding the grille cloth?

rw@cn

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 336
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #17 on: 10 Apr 2015, 12:26 pm »
Perhaps someone should ask Grant Mye of Mye Stands. He doesn't list any 3.7i stands.

Hasse

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 48
  • "Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny" - FZ
Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #18 on: 11 Apr 2015, 04:00 pm »

"There is no change in anything that affects my design, I’ve sold plenty of stands for the 3.7i model."

Grant VanderMye
Mye Sound

Hear Clifford Brown

Re: Magnepan 3.7 and 3.7i
« Reply #19 on: 12 Apr 2015, 08:01 pm »
My 3.7i's were upgraded at the factory and shipped to me in mid-February.  They have wood screws on the back holding the speakers together.  In fact 4 of the screws were loose and would not tighten.  I spoke with Shelia at Magnepan who said that can happen because taking everything apart then putting the screws back into the same holes, and MDF being what it is, the hole can get too big for the screw to get a grip.  She recommended a well known fix, 2 or 3 toothpicks cut to the length of the hole depth, put in there with some Elmer's glue.  When dry, the screw tightens perfectly.  Still, it was rather disappointing to see the lack of care by the Magnepan technicians who should have taken care of that when putting the speakers back together.

I would like to see machine screws back there instead of wood screws.  Because there would need to be a nut insert in the MDF for the screw to go into, which would make for a stronger attachment.  However I doubt Magnepan would go to that trouble in the upgrade process.  There are 18 wood screws on the back of mine.  Changing those over to machine screws and placing nut inserts into the MDF would be a lot of work.

Also mine have no white tape or anything like that on the back.  In reply #135 in the discussion below, there is a picture of "padding on the back of the midrange."  Mine don't have that.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=122638.120

This is the picture from that discussion, not a picture of mine.  I could take a picture of mine later and post it if anyone is interested.