Analysis Audio versus Magnepan

[Ron Resnick]

Who has auditioned carefully and been able to compare and contrast the sound of Analysis Audio loudspeakers versus Magnepan loudspeakers? For example, the Analysis Audio Amphitryon versus Magnepan 20.7?

https://www.analysisaudiousa.com/amphitryon.php

http://www.magnepan.com/model_MG_207

What were the circumstances of your audition and which associated components were in the system?

Has anyone heard a model of loudspeaker from each of these brands literally side-by-side in the same system?

Since you likely heard the loudspeakers in different systems how and why are you confident that the sonic impressions you're reporting are valid and accurate?

Which brand employs a better technical design in theory?

Which brand uses better parts?

Which brand's loudspeakers appear to be better-built?

 

[cjfrbw]

Maggies have been through so many generations, they could have an increasingly improving arc.

I wrote some off the cuff comparisons many years ago on the Apogee site (don't ask me to remember chapter and verse) in which I compared the popular planars i.e. Apogees, Maggies, Analysis and stats (stacked quads and martin logan). None of these were done on a side by side comparison, just general interest observations in different contexts, so please don't go all double blind gonzo on me.

Generally, my opinion was for a sense of raw speed and detail, stats ruled with Analysis next, Maggies after that, and Apogees still very detailed but perhaps last but pretty close to the maggies.

For body, tone and impact, my opinion was that Apogees ruled, Analysis next, maggies after that and last, stats. I still love the Apogee type sound. It is plenty 'fast' enough but still kind of creamy, toneful, and tuneful. I have Analysis because they are very good and tended to suit my preferences for tubes better. Those older maggies sounded a bit thicker and more plastic-ey, if that makes any sense, but still a nice planar sound. The maggies I heard were the 30 variants.

Analysis is similar to maggies, in that the bass panel is aluminum strips (corrugated metallized kapton?) embedded and motivating a mylar membrane. That gives it both some ribbon effect with mylar speed. Epsilon has a special rubber support/surround in it's bass panel that keeps it very responsive.

I know the older maggies, bass and midrange were basically wires coiled into mylar membranes, and didn't have quite the speed or forthrightness of the rubber suspended Analysis bass driver with embedded ribbon type drivers. The Analysis ribbon midrange/high is also very, very good. I occasionally listen to the Analysis bass panel full range/crossover-less and it is a competent and beguiling full range driver and is a good way to test if the more complex, active crossover system approaches a crossover-less sound (it does).

I can't comment on Maggies for long term in home use durability, but my Analysis speakers after over ten years (I bought them used) still look and sound pristine. Mine are trimmed in Mahogany Rose and are pretty. I would say in those days, Analysis were better built, but newer Maggies could have caught up.

The original Analysis speakers had a serious problem with the rubber surrounds on the bass panels, and they deteriorated quickly. Apparently, that was quickly resolved after the beta testing on customers with a much more robust and durable design.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Thank you for your recollections! You have a very interesting system.

I thought the Epsilon is a two-way design? What are you quad-amping?

 

[cjfrbw]

Thank you for your recollections! You have a very interesting system.

I thought the Epsilon is a two-way design? What are you quad-amping?

It's four way active crossover. I have added 300b tube driven ribbon tweeters above 7khz and subwoofer system to the two way Analysis Epsilon, crossover points 80/350/7000@24db/octave. Woofs are self amplified, Epsilon bass panel amp (80-350Hz) uses Yamaha B2 VFET(vintage), Epsilon midrange/high (350-7Khz) various amps but mostly Sony TAN 8550 vintage VFET. I use a Manley Neo 300b preamp driver for the Sony VFET for gain matching, gets some of the DHT triode effect in there.

It's an adjustable system to mix things up.