Magnepan DWMx Bass Panel
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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
Free Shipping. Every Magnepan X-series model ships free in the contiguous US, along with the 20.7 and 30.7 flagships. Whether yours arrives by parcel or on a freight truck, the shipping is our cost, not yours.
- Free local delivery up to 500 miles or more with a minimum qualifying purchase.
- We will contact you after your order to arrange delivery. Full details in our shipping policy.
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 DWMx Bass Panel
The Magnepan DWMx is the DWM planar bass speaker panel built to Magnepan's X standard, with matched, discrete crossover circuits, hand-tested copper-rich polypropylene capacitors, in-house air-core copper coils and silver-soldered solid copper wiring. It comes as a single panel, or as the DWM²x: a dyadic pair of panels designed to work as a set, each carrying a terminal panel wired for the documented connections and, with the guardrails off, truly infinitely wireable depending on the configuration.
Key Features of the Magnepan DWMx
- Two configurations, and the difference is more than panel count: the DWMx is configured exactly like a standard DWM, just with the X crossover upgrades applied, so it still runs stereo from a single panel. The DWM²x is two panels designed and built to be used as a set, and it takes the crossover network off the second driver so you can connect straight to it. That is what opens up the complex wiring, and Mike will talk the configuration through with you. Pick one in the selector above.
- X crossover treatment: capacitors tested and paired to within thousandths, air-core coils wound and measured at Magnepan, 15-gauge or heavier solid copper bus wire, every joint silver-soldered.
- Four documented wiring schemes on the DWM²x, and no guardrails past them: standard, intra-series, intra-parallel, and series-plus-parallel across both panels, landing between about 2 and 8 ohms. With no crossover network on the second driver you connect straight to it, so Magnepan's four are where you start, not where you stop. Connection diagrams are in the gallery and below.
- The fabric bulges at the back: the X crossover network is large, and on both the DWMx and the DWM²x it pushes the rear fabric out. That is what it looks like, on purpose.
Magnepan X Series: The Secret Menu
Three X Series speakers that never made the catalog. Each one started with a customer who wanted something Magnepan does not make, and Mick, Magnepan's X Series Architect, built it. They are still nowhere on Magnepan's website, which is about the only thing still secret about them.
- Built to order in any of Magnepan's twelve fabric and trim combinations.
- Mike walks you through the options before the build starts.
Also in this group: MC1x · Mini Maggie System X · DWMx and DWM²x
DWMx or DWM²x: which one is in your cart?
The DWMx is a single bass panel with matched, discrete X circuits. The DWM²x is two panels. Dyadic is the word Magnepan uses for them: not simply a matched pair, but two panels designed from the start to work together. Inside any one DWM panel there are two separate voice coils, two separate drivers, and by default each one has its own crossover network, fed as a left and a right inside the same chassis. On the DWM²x there is no crossover network on that second driver, so you can connect straight to it, and that is what lets you do complex wiring things. That is where the four documented connections, and everything past them, come from. If you are adding bass area to a stereo pair of Magnepans, you want two panels, one per channel, which is the DWM²x. If you are filling in one center channel or one "small" Magneplanar, a single DWMx does that job. Two singles are $10,000; the DWM²x pair is $11,000. That $1,000 is what the paired build and its wiring options cost. The selector above names the panel count in the option itself so the cart cannot be ambiguous.
The fabric bulges. That is the crossover.
Both the DWMx and the DWM²x carry a crossover network far larger than the one in a standard DWM, and it does not fit flat. The rear fabric pushes out over it. From the front the panel looks like any DWM in the same trim and fabric; from behind, you will see the bulge. In Mike's words, "it's a really massive crossover network," and it needs saying before the panel arrives so nobody thinks something shifted in shipping.
How the DWM²x pair wires: four schemes, about 2 to 8 ohms
Each DWM²x panel has six terminal pairs: two amplifier inputs, a second-driver pair, a high output for the small Magneplanar, and two bass attenuation pairs. Inside sits a 266.0 µF capacitor bank, a 2.200 mH coil array, a 3 ohm primary driver and a 3 ohm secondary driver. Jumpers and resistors across those terminals set which drivers play and what load the amplifier sees. Magnepan documents four connections.
| Connection | What it does |
|---|---|
| 1. Standard, about 3.6 ohms | Ignores the second driver entirely. Swap the vertical banana jumper in the bass attenuation terminals for a 0.50 ohm resistor and the load becomes 4 ohms. |
| 2. Intra-series, about 6.6 ohms | Uses both drivers in series: more efficiency and more amplitude at a higher impedance. Replace one horizontal jumper with a 1.50 ohm resistor for 8 ohms, or leave both jumpers and add a 0.50 ohm resistor vertically in the unused bass attenuation terminals for a 4 ohm load that still uses both drivers. |
| 3. Intra-parallel, about 2.1 ohms | Both drivers in parallel. Greater amplitude, better efficiency, and in Magnepan's own words the best overall sound of the four. Do not use this connection with an amplifier that is not rated for 2 ohms. Wired this way on a 4 ohm amplifier, the panels will likely damage the amplifier. |
| 4. Series plus parallel across both panels, about 3.3 ohms | Both panels on one channel, for a center channel or a single speaker. This is the CCRx full-range configuration. Other loads, such as 4 ohms total, can be set with the attenuation options from connection 2. |
The 2 ohm rule is the one line on this page to read twice. Three of the four connections are safe on any amplifier that handles a 4 ohm Magnepan. The intra-parallel connection is not. If you are not certain your amplifier is rated into 2 ohms, do not wire it that way, and ask before you order. Mike will match the connection to the amplifier you own.
The complete set, including the circuit diagram, is here as a PDF: DWM²x circuit and connection diagrams.
Turning a CCRx into a full-range center channel
A CCRx on its own runs from 200 Hz up and hands its bass to a bass management system, a subwoofer, or a DWM. Two DWM²x panels on the center channel, wired in the series-plus-parallel connection, give the CCRx its own planar bass and midbass at about 3.3 ohms, which calls for a high-current amplifier on that channel. The center stays planar from the ribbon down to the bottom of the bass panels instead of handing off to a box. This is the upgrade path the DWM²x was built for, and it is the reason the pair carries the wiring options the single does not. On the pair the guardrails are removed, so there are a good many more ways to wire it than the four documented here. Call Mike and talk the options through before you order.
What the X treatment changes inside the DWMx
Magnepan's X program replaces almost everything between the speaker cable and the driver. The capacitors are copper-rich polypropylene, each one tested and sorted, and the banks re-tested so left and right match within five thousandths. The coils are air-core, bobbin-wound copper made at Magnepan and measured for inductance, resistance and Q before and after they go on the board. Bus wire is 15-gauge or heavier solid copper with the excess removed. Every connection except the terminal screw is silver-soldered. On the DWMx that treatment is applied to a bass panel crossover, which is why the network is so much larger than a standard DWM's, and why the fabric behind it bulges.
Where the DWMx fits in the Magnepan bass panel and center line
The DWMx sits between the standard DWM and the center channel it was built to complete.
See the rest of the Magnepan X Series and the Magnepan bass panels.
Magnepan Trade-In Program
We offer trade-up credit of up to 85% of your original purchase price toward a more expensive Magnepan up the line, handled personally and case by case. See our trade-in terms for details.
Plenty of choices. Sometimes that's too much.
Reach out to Mike and he'll personally help you find the right model for you.
Third-generation owner. He answers these himself.
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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 DWMx Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | Planar-magnetic dipole bass panel with X crossover treatment. DWMx: single panel, matched discrete circuits. DWM²x: dyadic pair of two panels, no crossover network on the second driver so it can be connected directly. |
| Drivers (DWM²x, per panel) | 3 ohm primary driver plus 3 ohm secondary driver |
| Crossover (DWM²x) | 266.0 µF capacitor bank, 2.200 mH coil array, bass attenuation terminals, high output |
| Impedance (DWM²x) | About 3.6 ohms standard, about 6.6 ohms intra-series, about 2.1 ohms intra-parallel, about 3.3 ohms series plus parallel across both panels. Resistor options set 4 or 8 ohms. Intra-parallel requires a 2 ohm rated amplifier. |
| Impedance (DWMx single, standard hookup) | Nominal 4 ohms |
| Frequency Response (panel) | 40 to 200 Hz as a bass panel (the DWM driver is flat to 5 kHz; the crossover sets the range) |
| Sensitivity (panel) | 86 dB, 2.83 V, 1 meter, 50 Hz |
| Dimensions (per panel) | 19.25" H x 22.5" W x 1.25" D, plus the rear crossover bulge |
| Trim and fabric | Black Oak, Natural Oak or Dark Cherry trim. Black, Off White, Cherry White or Dark Grey fabric. |
| Included documentation | DWM²x circuit and connection diagrams (five pages, in the gallery and as a PDF above) |
What is the difference between the DWMx and the DWM²x?
What is the difference between the DWMx and the DWM²x?
The DWMx is one panel: the DWM bass panel with matched, discrete X crossover circuits. The DWM²x is two panels, designed from the start to work together, which is what dyadic means, and on the pair there is no crossover network on the second driver, so you can connect straight to it, and that is what lets it be wired the four documented ways and a good deal further than that. If you are adding bass area to a stereo pair of Magnepans you want one panel per channel, which is the DWM²x. If you are filling in one center channel or one small Magneplanar, a single DWMx does it. The configuration selector on this page names the panel count so the cart cannot be ambiguous.
How do I wire a DWM²x pair, and what impedance will my amplifier see?
How do I wire a DWM²x pair, and what impedance will my amplifier see?
Magnepan documents four connections, and the diagrams for all of them are in the gallery and linked in the description. Standard (about 3.6 ohms) ignores the second driver; a 0.50 ohm resistor in the bass attenuation terminals makes it 4 ohms. Intra-series (about 6.6 ohms) puts both drivers in series for more efficiency and amplitude at a higher impedance; a 1.50 ohm resistor gives 8 ohms, or a 0.50 ohm resistor placed vertically gives a 4 ohm load that still uses both drivers. Intra-parallel (about 2.1 ohms) runs both drivers in parallel and is the best-sounding of the four, but it is for 2 ohm rated amplifiers only. Series plus parallel across both panels (about 3.3 ohms) puts the pair on one channel for a center speaker. Which one suits your amplifier is a conversation worth having before the panels ship: get in touch with Mike and tell him what you are driving them with.
Can I use the DWM²x with an amplifier that is not rated for 2 ohms?
Can I use the DWM²x with an amplifier that is not rated for 2 ohms?
Yes, in three of the four connections. The standard, intra-series and series-plus-parallel schemes present roughly 3.3 to 6.6 ohms, and with the resistor options you can set 4 or 8 ohms, all of which are ordinary loads for any amplifier that already handles a 4 ohm Magnepan. The one exception is the intra-parallel connection at about 2.1 ohms. Magnepan's instruction is explicit: do not use it with an amplifier that is not rated for 2 ohms, because a 4 ohm amplifier wired that way will likely be damaged. The DWM manual's rule of thumb still applies to the rest: an amplifier that doubles, or nearly doubles, its power from 8 ohms to 4 is a high-current design and will be comfortable here.
Can the DWM²x turn a CCRx into a full-range center channel?
Can the DWM²x turn a CCRx into a full-range center channel?
That is what the pair was built for. A CCRx runs from 200 Hz up and hands its bass to a bass management system, a subwoofer or a DWM. Put both DWM²x panels on the center channel in the series-plus-parallel connection and the CCRx gets its own planar bass and midbass, with the center staying planar from the ribbon down instead of handing off to a box. The load is about 3.3 ohms, so the center channel amplifier needs to be a high-current design, the same requirement Magnepan sets for a CCR on a DWM. In Mike's words, you basically get close to the surface area of a 20.7 on its side.
Why does the fabric bulge on the back of the DWMx?
Why does the fabric bulge on the back of the DWMx?
Because the crossover is large. The X treatment applied to a bass panel produces a network far bigger than the one in a standard DWM, and it does not sit flat behind the diaphragm, so the rear fabric is pushed out over it. This is true of the single DWMx and of both panels in a DWM²x pair. From the front the panel looks like a DWM in the same trim and fabric; from behind, the bulge is visible. It is the build, not shipping damage, and it is why we say so on the page before the panel arrives.
