This kind of scale and presence is something you can only get from a nearly 5 foot tall speaker like this, and while the .7 may be statuesque, it’s a downright skinny 1.25 inch-thin (31.7mm) panel design. Not only that, most high-end speakers have round dome and cone drivers; the .7 doesn’t. Lurking behind the cloth grille is a thin-film, 44-inch tall (1,117mm) tweeter, and a huge 8.5-by-44-inch (216 x 1,117 mm) mid/bass driver. While box speakers project sound forward, the .7 radiates sound from its front and rear surfaces. No wonder the .7 sounds like no box speaker you’ve heard. Magnepan has been refining this technology since the early 1970s and builds all of its speakers in White Bear Lake, Minn.
It’s also a great “quiet” speaker — you can enjoy the .7 at very low volume and still hear oodles of detail. One night I listened to Miles Davis’ extra funky “On the Corner” album and was amazed by the sound of the percussion instruments. For example, this speaker reproduces the metallic sparkle and shimmer of cymbals far more realistically than most speakers using dome tweeters. The clarity was incredible, even at a hushed, late-night volume. Details and textures abound — the sound of Miles’ trumpet and the “On the Corner” rhythm section were fully present. With Aphex Twin’s deliciously palpable electronica the .7 speakers again unraveled the densest of sounds, which floated free of the actual locations of the panels. With Magnepans, music at home sounds more like live music.
Technical Specifications:
- Description: 2-Way/Quasi Ribbon
- Frequency Response: 45-22kHz ±3dB
- Rec Power: Read Frequently Asked Questions
- Sensitivity: 86dB/500Hz /2.83v
- Impedance: 4 Ohm
- Dimensions: 15¼ w x 54¼ H x 1¼ D inches