Instruction manual

80 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND n FEBRUARY 2006
All of the qualities of the 20.1 are
highlighted by recordings such as Mahler’s
Das Knaben Wunderhorn [EMI LP], a sensa-
tional Christopher Parker recording. The
stage is open, lush, and airy, and the walls
of your room will effectively disappear
(sonically speaking, of course). Fischer-
Dieskau’s powerful baritone is to the left
and somewhat back, while Schwarzkopf’s
voice floats ethereally from right center
stage. The bass drums are shockingly pow-
erful and roll through the room, just as you
would experience them live.
Reproduction of strings, large-scale
and small, is one of the great strengths
of all Magnepan loudspeakers, which
beautifully capture the instruments’
tone, body, and rosiny bite. In the
Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 8 [Decca
LP], the brooding and ominous strings
of the Borodin Quartet completely
escape the confines of the speaker. In the
Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 1 [EMI
CD], Jacqueline du Pré’s cello is lyrical
and resonant, while Janos Starker’s driv-
ing performance of Brahms’ Cello Sonata
No. 1 [Mercury LP] is so alive it’s hard
to sit still in your chair, and Gyorgy
Sebok’s piano accompaniment is warmly
resonant and natural. Likewise, wood-
winds and horns are convincingly life-
like through the 20.1s.
And when you’re ready to rock, the
Maggie’s won’t disappoint. My wife’s old
Jethro Tull and Janis Joplin CDs had her
dancing all night. Even an all-out elec-
tronic assault like Massive Attack’s
Mezzanine [Virgin CD], so long as not
played at ear shattering-levels, delivers
(almost) subterranean bass and a strong
pulsating beat. Richard Thompson’s
voice and guitar on
The Old Kit Bag
[Diverse Records, LP] are so palpable and
alive that if you close your eyes you might
think he and his guitar were in the room.
There’s not much that’s missing, but
as good overall as the 20.1s are they are
not perfect. As noted, they will play very
loud but won’t blow down the walls
without unduly stressing the drivers.
While the bass is fast, full, and well-
defined without boxy colorations, it is
equipment report
The most addictive qualities of the 20.1 are its
even top-to-bottom tonal balance and realistic
portrayal of the soundfield in which the recording
was made.