The 1.7i affords a true high-end listening experience for far less cost than sonically competitive speakers. It is a gem and a real bargain.
,The Absolute Sound · March 2021
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Magnepan 1.7i Planar Magnetic Speakers; pair
Built to order
Regular price
$2,995.00
Unit price
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Talk to Mike
Third-generation owner
Call or text: 410-239-2020Yes, that's literally his cell
Mike's Take
Mike's Take
Availability
Availability
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Family-Owned Authorized Dealer
Family-Owned Authorized Dealer
We're an authorized dealer for every brand listed on this site, so your warranty is valid and fully supported. We're a real brick-and-mortar shop in Chestertown, MD with shelves of actual inventory, not a drop-shipper. Family-owned and run for three generations, since 1978.
Magnepan Delivery and Shipping
Magnepan Delivery and Shipping
Magnepan Speakers are large and most incur a fee unless delivered.
- Free Local delivery up to 500 miles or more with minimum qualifying purchase
- See our shipping policies for details. We will contact you after your order.
Color Options
Color Options
Magnepan offers an array of variants and colors. If you have questions or want to see more of what Magnepan can do with visual choices, contact us.
Magnepan 1.7i Planar Magnetic Speakers; pair
Regular price
$2,995.00
Unit price
The Magnepan 1.7i is a full-range, three-way quasi-ribbon planar-magnetic speaker. Like every Maggie, the sound comes from thin diaphragms suspended in a magnetic field rather than cones in a box, and that is where its see-through midrange and big, room-filling soundstage come from. The 1.7i splits its panel into separate bass, midrange, and tweeter sections, so it plays bigger, digs deeper, and resolves more than the smaller .7.
The Absolute Sound named the 1.7i a Golden Ear Award winner and "a genuine Hall of Famer," and TAS reviewer Jonathan Valin counts the design among his favorite loudspeakers of the last 70 years. As the largest Magnepan dealer in the United States, The Listening Room builds every 1.7i to order in your choice of finish, and when Magnepan has your fabric and trim combination on hand, it ships quickly.
Key Features of the Magnepan 1.7i
- Three-Way Quasi-Ribbon Design: Three separate driver sections, each a thin radiating panel rather than a cone, for low coloration and fast transient response.
- True Full-Range Panel: 40Hz to 24kHz from a single dipole panel, with no woofer in a box and no crossover-to-cone handoff in the bass.
- Dipole Planar Design: Radiates from both sides of the panel, the trait behind Magnepan's open, spacious soundstage.
- Slim, Room-Friendly Profile: 65 inches tall and just 2 inches deep, a full-size panel that still tucks close to the wall when it has to.
- Made in the USA: Hand-built at Magnepan's factory in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
- 20 Finish Combinations: Four grille fabrics and five trim options, so the panel matches the room rather than fighting it.
How the Magnepan 1.7i Makes Its Sound
The Magnepan 1.7i is a three-way quasi-ribbon dipole rated at 4 ohms and 86dB sensitivity (2.83V). Instead of pushing air with cones in a cabinet, large diaphragms suspended in a magnetic field radiate sound from both sides of the panel, split across three separate driver sections. The result is low stored energy, quick transients, and the open, unboxed presentation Magnepan is known for. Like every Magnepan, the 1.7i rewards a strong, current-capable amplifier; give it real power and it comes alive.
What the 1.7i's Bigger Panel Delivers
Stepping up to the 1.7i is about what the larger three-way panel gives you, not a room measurement. More radiating area than the compact .7 means a bigger, more effortless soundstage and more output, and the added quasi-ribbon super-tweeter extends the highs for more air and detail on top. Choose the 1.7i when you want a fuller, larger-scale version of the Magnepan sound. Like any dipole it rewards a little space behind it to open up, but that is a setup detail to dial in, not a limit on who it is for.
How Much Bass Does the Magnepan 1.7i Have?
The Magnepan 1.7i reaches down to 40Hz from its panel, fuller and deeper than the smaller .7 and enough to carry most music on its own in a mid-size room. Like any panel, it stays lean in the lowest octave rather than thumping, and the bass it does make is fast and coherent because it comes from the same panel as the mids and highs. If you want more low-end weight in a larger room, a fast, articulate subwoofer extends the bottom end without dragging on the panel's speed. We most often pair Magnepan with REL and Perlisten subwoofers, since both blend cleanly with a planar rather than fighting its speed.
Fabric and Trim Options for the Magnepan 1.7i
The Magnepan 1.7i is built to order in four grille fabrics (Black, Off-White, Cherry White, and Gray) and five side-trim finishes (Natural Oak, Black Oak, Dark Cherry, Black Aluminum, and Silver Aluminum). That gives 20 combinations, from an all-black panel that hides in a media wall to natural oak rails that warm up a living space.
Where the 1.7i fits in the Magnepan line
How the 1.7i compares to the rest of the range, and what each step up or down the line changes.
$1,995 / pair
The compact full-range Magnepan: a two-way quasi-ribbon panel for smaller rooms or tighter placement. 45 Hz to 22 kHz.
Magnepan 1.7i You're viewing
$2,995 / pair
A three-way quasi-ribbon panel with a quasi-ribbon super-tweeter and more panel area than the .7. 40 Hz to 24 kHz, for more high-frequency extension and a bigger image. The sweet spot of the line.
Magnepan 1.7x Mike's pick
$5,000 / pair
The 1.7 panel with Magnepan's X-Series parts upgrade: capacitors, coils, resistors, and wiring replaced, circuitry simplified, tolerances tightened. Sharper imaging and a more natural sound, same panel and footprint.
$6,495 / pair
Steps up to a 40-inch true ribbon tweeter over quasi-ribbon bass and midrange. 40 Hz to 30 kHz, about 71 inches tall.
$9,495 / pair
A larger 60.6-inch true ribbon tweeter, with the midrange and bass on separate diaphragms for less crosstalk, plus more panel area. 35 Hz to 40 kHz. The most resolution and scale in the line.
Mike's Take
The 1.7i is the speaker most people settle on: the full three-way Magnepan sound at a real-world price, and an end-game panel for a lot of rooms. If you want the same panel taken further, the 1.7x adds Magnepan's X-Series parts upgrade for sharper imaging and more air. If budget is the line, the standard 1.7i gives up nothing in the core Magnepan sound.
Browse the full Magnepan Standard Series or the upgraded X-Series to compare the line.
The Listening Room Difference
We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. Whether you're visiting in person or ordering online, we bring decades of experience, personalized service, and honest guidance to every interaction. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, answer your questions like real humans, and make sure every detail of your setup is right, from the cables to the final connection. Our passion is helping you get the most out of your gear, with support that lasts well beyond the sale.
Magnepan 1.7i Specifications
| Description | 3-Way / Full-Range / Quasi-Ribbon |
| Frequency Response | 40-24kHz |
| Recommended Power | Stable into 4 ohms, high current (50-200+ watts typical) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB / 500Hz / 2.83v |
| Impedance | 4 Ohm |
| Weight | 95 lbs per pair (shipping) |
| Dimensions | 19" W x 65" H x 2" D |
the 1.7is distinguished themselves as amongst the most coherent, natural, and downright realistic sounding transducers ever to grace my listening room.
,Positive Feedback · July 2016
these speakers are so enveloping and natural sounding that good recordings become magical.
,TNT-Audio · April 2014
How much power does the Magnepan 1.7i need, and what kind of amp?
How much power does the Magnepan 1.7i need, and what kind of amp?
The 1.7i is a 4-ohm speaker with 86dB sensitivity, so it likes current. Magnepan's own guidance is to look at an amplifier's 4-ohm power rating, not its 8-ohm number, and there is no single right wattage, some owners are happy on 50 clean watts while others run 200 or more. What matters most is an amp that stays stable into 4 ohms with a strong power supply, so it keeps control when the music gets demanding; thin receivers that derate at 4 ohms or trip a protection switch are the ones to avoid. We usually pair the 1.7i with a current-capable integrated. Three good matches: the Rogue Audio Sphinx v3, the Cambridge Audio EXA100, or the Primare I25 for more headroom in a larger room.
Do the Magnepan 1.7i need a subwoofer?
Do the Magnepan 1.7i need a subwoofer?
Not for most rooms. The 1.7i plays down to 40Hz from its panel, which covers the great majority of music in a mid-size room, and the bass it makes is fast and articulate because it comes from the same panel as everything else. If you have a larger room or want more low-end weight, a fast, musical subwoofer keeps the 1.7i's speed without dragging on the panel. We most often pair Magnepan with REL and Perlisten subwoofers, since both blend cleanly with a planar. The thing to avoid is a big, slow sub that lags behind the panel.
Should I get the 1.7i, the smaller .7, or the bigger 2.7i?
Should I get the 1.7i, the smaller .7, or the bigger 2.7i?
It comes down to your room. The Magnepan .7 is the compact full-range panel for smaller rooms or tighter placement. The 1.7i is the sweet spot for mid-size to larger rooms, with a full three-way panel, fuller bass, and a bigger image. The 2.7i and 3.7i step up to more panel area and output for large rooms. They all share the same planar character, so it is about matching panel size to room size rather than buying your way to better sound. If you are torn, call or text us at 410-239-2020 and we will talk through your space.
How far from the wall do the Magnepan 1.7i need to be?
How far from the wall do the Magnepan 1.7i need to be?
As a dipole, the 1.7i radiates from both the front and the back of the panel, so it needs room to breathe behind it. Magnepan's guidance is to start around two to three feet out from the wall behind the speakers and adjust from there, with the panels toed in toward the listening seat. Pulling them further into the room generally deepens the soundstage, while moving them closer to the wall firms up the bass. A little experimentation with distance and toe-in pays off, and we are happy to help you dial it in.
Should the Magnepan 1.7i tweeters face inside or outside?
Should the Magnepan 1.7i tweeters face inside or outside?
The 1.7i ships as a mirror-imaged pair, and the ribbon-side strips can be set up with the tweeters on the inside edges or the outside edges. Tweeters inside tends to give a more focused central image and a bit more warmth; tweeters outside tends to widen the soundstage. Magnepan lets you choose because the right answer depends on your room and seating distance, so try it both ways and keep what sounds best to you.
What grille fabric and trim options does the 1.7i come in?
What grille fabric and trim options does the 1.7i come in?
The Magnepan 1.7i is built to order in four grille fabrics (Black, Off-White, Cherry White, and Gray) and five side-trim finishes (Natural Oak, Black Oak, Dark Cherry, Black Aluminum, and Silver Aluminum), which works out to 20 combinations. Because each pair is made to order, you can match the panel to your room, from an all-black panel that disappears into a media wall to natural oak rails that warm up a living space.
Is the Magnepan 1.7i the same as the "MG 1.7i"?
Is the Magnepan 1.7i the same as the "MG 1.7i"?
Yes. MG stands for Magneplanar, Magnepan's term for its planar-magnetic panels, so "MG 1.7i" and "Magnepan 1.7i" are the same speaker. You will see Magnepan use the MG prefix across the line, from the MG .7 to the flagship MG 30.7.
