Anything else I should audition?

[Mike Anderson]

The 1.6 was the only planar speaker readily available for demo within my price range, and it simply did not provide the appropriate amount of impact and forwardness with trip hop, electronica, rock music, and hip hop.

Just one nitpick here, but an important one:

"Electronica" covers a lot of ground. If you want head-pounding tecnho, that's one thing, and I see what you're saying.

But 70% of the stuff I listen to these days is "electronica", and almost all of it (e.g. ambient) does not require head pounding, chest-thumping dynamics.

For this stuff, the Maggies absolutely excel. It's just gorgeous, lush sound - full of beautiful, multi-layered details and a magnificent, complex timbre like I've never heard from another speaker.

[E-Stat]

Just one nitpick here, but an important one:

"Electronica" covers a lot of ground. If you want head-pounding tecnho, that's one thing, and I see what you're saying.

But 70% of the stuff I listen to these days is "electronica", and almost all of it (e.g. ambient) does not require head pounding, chest-thumping dynamics.

For this stuff, the Maggies absolutely excel. It's just gorgeous, lush sound - full of beautiful, multi-layered details and a magnificent, complex timbre like I've never heard from another speaker.

I agree. While I favor acoustical music, I rather enjoy the coherency, sound field, and delineation of my full range 'stats on pop and electronic music as well. I played Madonna and Radiohead on my (now sold) Acoustats for a couple of friends and they were amazed at the presentation. "This is better than live".

Different strokes for different folks. My long term friend and ex-TAS reviewer JWC likes his Avalons (it was his Dayton-Wrights that turned me onto full range electrostats thirty years ago).

rw