[Bret L]

These come more or less in two flavors, Magneplanars and
electrostats. Of the two, the electrostat is IMO the best as they are
far more rebuildable and serviceable and also I prefer the electrostat
sonically.

I am probably not the best person to ask about dipoles because they
don't have that much appeal to me. I find that people who like chamber
music in particular like them and those who don't generally don't.
although people who listen to rock at low volumes often like them as
well.

Audio saloons love to sell Magneplanars because they are, unlike
electrostats, an inductively rather than capacitively reactant load,
and thus compatible with more amplifiers since most amplifiers are not
truly unconditionally stable and do better into inductive loads since
that is what voice coil speakers present. In fact there is a school of
thought that says electrostats should have their own power amplifiers
integrally designed into them and there is a lot to that idea. No
expensive output transformer is then required and the panels may be
driven directly off high voltage tubes.

Does that make the "Maggie" bad? Not necessarily, but it has no
advantages other than this over electrostats.

[Boon[_2_]]

On May 18, 10:32*pm, Bret L wrote:
*These come more or less in two flavors, Magneplanars and
electrostats. Of the two, the electrostat is IMO the best as they are
far more rebuildable and serviceable and also I prefer the electrostat
sonically.

* I am probably not the best person to ask about dipoles because they
don't have that much appeal to me. I find that people who like chamber
music in particular like them and those who don't generally don't.
although people who listen to rock at low volumes often like them as
well.

Audio saloons love to sell Magneplanars because they are, unlike
electrostats, an inductively rather than capacitively reactant load,
and thus compatible with more amplifiers since most amplifiers are not
truly unconditionally stable and do better into inductive loads since
that is what voice coil speakers present. In fact there is a school of
thought that says electrostats should have their own power amplifiers
integrally designed into them and there is a lot to that idea. No
expensive output transformer is then required and the panels may be
driven directly off high voltage tubes.

*Does that make the "Maggie" bad? Not necessarily, but it has no
advantages other than this over electrostats.

Actually, Maggies need a lot of power and aren't really that
compatible with a large selection of amplifiers. If you don't have at
least 150 wpc, then you are better served elsewhere.