Magnepan CC3

The $990 USD CC3 uses two planar-magnetic drivers with a crossover point of 900Hz to reportedly produce the range from 80Hz to 20kHz. Sensitivity is quoted as 86dB/W/m. The tweeter is 31" x 2 1/2" (32 1/2 square inches), while the bass driver is 155 square inches. The 15-pound, 5 1/2"-deep CC3 is of nearly 3" less deep than the CC2 while retaining its predecessor’s 36" and 11" height. More important than obvious visible changes is one that you cannot see: Where the CC2 was a single curved planar-magnetic segment, the CC3, while still continuous, loses its curvature for a length of about nine inches smack dab in the center. The reason for this is as ingenious as it is simple. Small dipolar speakers suffer from rapid bass roll-off due to the fact that longer low-frequency soundwaves will bend around the speaker to cancel the equal yet out-of-phase output on the other side of the speaker. One solution is to create a natural and gentle rise in the speaker’s voicing as frequencies fall to naturally offset that cancellation. The other solution, which involves making the speaker so physically large as to preclude these cancellations, is obviously inappropriate for a speaker intended for center-channel placement.

The custom stand is quite heavy and can be raised and angled as needed.