At every dinner I attended with industry members during RMAF 2012, someone invariably asked, “How was the Magnepan demo?” As I soon learned, it seems that Wendell Diller’s decision to forego exhibiting at consumer shows—since the last Stereophile show in San Francisco, in 2003, he has displayed product only at the annual CES trade event (not open to consumers)—has only heightened buzz around the Minnesotan company’s fabled planar-magnetic loudspeakers.

In carefully controlled and timed 3-channel stereo demos, which enlarged the sweet spot so that everyone in the room could enjoy the experience, Diller amazed full house after full house with the new Magnepan MMG loudspeakers ($599/pair). Now available for a 60-day home trial—keep the pets off the grills, boys and girls—the MMGs were paired with the Maggie Bass panel. This prototype, concealed under the lamp, brought the system price up to $1394. The center channel costs an additional $1095.

From what I heard, the wait was worth it. The air and depth on this little system, and the beauty and realism of its highs, put a hell of a lot of other small and medium-size loudspeaker systems to shame. As I enjoyed two classical selections and some humorous doo-wop through Bryston’s 6B amplifier and SP2 processor, all connected with Kubala-Sosna cabling, I couldn’t help but think that if a lot of other exhibitors on the floor had heard the air and beauty produced by this little Maggie system, they might have considered packing up and heading back to the drawing board.