I went into the Esoteric room to take a listen to the digital components that build on the performance of the excellent SA-60 universal player that graced our October cover. But my attention was drawn to a pair of elegant loudspeakers sporting the Esoteric name. The Mg20 floorstander ($8410/pair) and bookshelf Mg10 ($5500/pair plus stands) feature tweeters and woofers fabricated from the very light metal magnesium, which is said to have an optimal combination of stiffness and self-damping. It has not been previously used in speakers (other than in alloys) because it degrades with exposure to the air. However, Esoteric collaborated with a British company to develop an effective protective coating.

The Esoteric speakers use a trapezoid-plan cabinet, ClarityCaps in the crossover, and van den Hul internal wiring, and are assembled by Tannoy in Scotland. Esoteric is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. With products like these new Mg-series speakers, it looks as if they will be around at least another 20 years.