From Wendell.
"On the Road Again"
This ad will appear in the December issue of The Absolute Sound and Stereophile.
This concept could be the proverbial "fork in the road" for Magnepan. As stated in the ad, a big panel is still the least expensive way to deliver the maximum sound quality. But, big speakers of all types are a shrinking percentage of the market. Magnepan is the world leader of full-range dipole speakers. We have a huge factory with 50 years of acquired fixturing and the skills to produce panel speakers at an affordable price. We will continue to produce big panel speakers, but to grow in the future, we must diversify. Is this new speaker concept the way to go? We intend to find out.
As explained in the ad, this is not a hybrid speaker. We are calling this concept "Double Dipole™" and this invention will be the subject of at least one patent application. We are not giving a technical explanation or offering it for sale at this time due to patent application issues. We can say that it mimics how a Maggie produces bass.
The prototype we will be taking on these tours is intended to be the flagship of this new concept. If we decide to produce this concept, we will eventually go down-market with smaller or more narrow versions of the line-source driver. This prototype line-source is 6 feet tall, 12 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches deep (there is no box woofer on the back).
What will it look like? Attendees at the focus group events will help us decide. We will ask them to submit ideas of how it should be dressed (the prototype will only have a black bag on it).
What is the price estimate of the proposed flag ship model? That depends on how it is dressed.
We realize that some customers will want to wait to see and hear it. If we decide to produce this concept, they are in for a very long wait. It is designed for near-field listening (in small rooms) for customers that are not so concerned about value. So, if the customer can accommodate a 20.7 or 30.7 and they are "price conscious", this speaker is not for them.
This is focus groups on "steroids" done in public forums. The press, dealers and consumers will help us decide if we take this "fork in the road". We hope to begin the first tour in December.
