This is an ex-demonstration pair in excellent condition. They come with the original packaging. 

We purchased them in December 2013. This pair is black trim with black cloth.

After a 12-year history, reaching a near-iconic standing, the Magneplanar 1.6 has been improved with value engineering. No costly tweaks of questionable sonic value. Magnepan is all about better ideas which give verifiable, high-value sonic improvements. All members of a listening panel chose the 1.7 or the 1.6 in a blind listening test.

The 1.7 is a departure from Magnepan's 41-year history of using planar magnetic drivers for the bass or lower midrange. The use of quasi ribbon technology down into the lower midrange and bass will provide a new level of coherence.

What is a quasi-ribbon? The quasi ribbon driver is a deviation from the true ribbon design. A very thin film backing is used to hold the delicate ribbons in place. One of the advantages of quasi ribbon drivers is extremely wide frequency band width and high power handling. The result in the 1.7 is low distortion and seamless ribbon clarity--a sound so clear and effortless that it has changed the thinking of thousands of audiophiles about planar speakers.

The 1.7 also boasts a quasi ribbon super tweeter with a wider "sweet spot," and one step closer to the delicacy and detail of Magnepan's true ribbon design.

The 1.7 was subjected to "blind testing" by a panel of audiophiles and casual listeners. In addition to better sound, there is one more important improvement that you can test for yourself---With tweeters placed on the outside, note how the imaging remains remarkably stable when seated off-axis. With some speakers it is necessary to sit in the "sweet spot" for good imaging.

A new, modern styling with wrap-around aluminum trim on the 1.7 is also a departure from Magnepan's more conservative cosmetic styling. The total design concept for the Magneplanar 1.7 results in a speaker that measures exceptionally well by all the standard criteria, but more important, sounds even better.

Then, the 1.7 became the 1.7i