Goosebumps.. heart beating fast..

[admin_exported]

Yup that's it... I'm in love.

I just upgraded to some high-end gear. I will be uprading the speakers too, probably to some Magico V2 and next year V3. But I have to say that I have NEVER EVER heard my Spendor A5's sing like this. None of that too laidback stuff anymore. My dealer told me that I'd be in for a (pleasant) suprise but I could never dream that it would make SUCH a difference. To bring the best out of these speakers you really need an amplifier that is FAST, that stops and starts like the best of them, that cast an iron grip over the Spendors and make them sweat (work). Spectral amplifiers do this like no other amp(that I've heard), they truly are an world apart. Only thing that's not so cool is that you MUST use MIT cables. And I'm not talking about those cheap ones...

Another thing that you guys might be interested in... the Audio Research CD5 - Cyrus 8SE comparisons.

Simply put the Audio Research is better in so many ways. It made me want to listen to my whole CD over and over and over again. It has that turntable listenability, it extends so incredibly well in the frequency extremes with resolution to spare and it has that blooming beautiful midrange that marks Audio Research products. As the owner of both CD players at the moment (the Cyrus I'm selling) I have been testing these players side by side.. extensively. The Cyrus just doesn't stand a chance, it sounds so sterile and cold suddenly. I remember that feeling when I went from a DVD player& DacMagic to the Cyrus 8SE.. I have this same feeling (but stronger) when I moved from the Cyrus to the Audio Research. Ofcourse the Audio Research is much more expensive so it's not really a fair comparison, but since the Cyrus punches above it's weight I thought some people might be interested.

The most important thing of this whole rant of mine is that; the music that I love so much just became SO MUCH more enjoyable!

 

[Anonymous]

1978:Just out of curiosity - why are you thinking of upgrading your speakers since they sound so good as you say. 'A' series is really good compared to the previous one in my opinion.

Surely it has brought new life to my Spendors, BUT having heard what this setting can do with an Avalon Indra or Magico V2 (preference) is mind boggling. The thing is when I'm listening to my current setup I hear a really good hifi system. When I take out the Spendor and put in the Magico there is no more system, just a thrilling music experience. They're so transparent that they dissapear. You don't hear the box, quiet suddenly becames really quiet. I can say all I want though, the best thing for you to do is to go and listen for yourself. Even if you don't have the intention of buying such expensive gear the experience is worth it imo.

 

[Thaiman]

I rather have Magico than Avalon but no discount on V3 just yet, have you heard MBL speakers? As good I reckon!

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman:
I rather have Magico than Avalon but no discount on V3 just yet, have you heard MBL speakers? As good I reckon!

Nope haven't heard them. The main difference with between Avalon and Magico is ofcourse the low frequencies. Magico is better in the low frequencies. Avalon are a bit more Holographic 3D sounding. But the positioning of Avalons is very tricky. They need lots of space (understatement), especially from the backwalls. For most people they would end up in the middle of the room! Another BIG difference is with Avalons you sit on the 8th row of a concert and with Magico's you sit on front row. They're voiced rather differently.

If you can, listen to the the V3 driven by Spectral 360 S2 monoblocks, Spectral 30 SS Preamplifier, MIT Oracle MA cables. Robert Harley of the Absolute Sound has said a lot of times that it gets the best out of the V3's. They really set the V3's on fire.

Ofcourse Magico M5 driven by Soulution gear is unbeatable. But then it costs as much as a house. Be sure to listen to the Soulutions Thaiman as I think you'll be in love. The most organic, natural, free, honest sounding amplifiers in the world. It's as clear as water. So pure.

Haven't heard MBL's. But I've been told that the MBL 101-Extreme is outstanding. People who've heard the M5's though prefer the M5's.

Well maybe in another 5 years I can finally get those 😉

 

[vinod_david]

Hi:

Nice to read your high-end experience, congrats!

 

[Thaiman]

SlickenSmooth:Thaiman:

I rather have Magico than Avalon but no discount on V3 just yet, have you heard MBL speakers? As good I reckon!

Haven't heard MBL's. But I've been told that the MBL 101-Extreme is outstanding. People who've heard the M5's though prefer the M5's.

Well maybe in another 5 years I can finally get those 😉

M5 and 101 extreame! Now we are talking S class merc with all the options. I don't have big enough room for them even if I can afford them (which I can't). The V2 is about right size for me but a bit more cash, V3 will bring the concert in the front room.

Avalon is mainly for classical head and I don't do classical stuff, having say that the Alalon Eidolon driven by Conrad Johson pre/power with Zandan front end is the best system I ever heard to date. As for what to drive Magico, I never like spectral stuff, a bit cold and over control for my taste but I can see why many love them. If I get a pair, my choice might be ARC ref 3 pre and a pair of Jeff Rowland amps although I like to think that my Chapter Audio is plenty good enough. Cables is not a question as I have a full set of Vertex, one thing in my system that will never ever change.

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman:SlickenSmooth:Thaiman:
I rather have Magico than Avalon but no discount on V3 just yet, have you heard MBL speakers? As good I reckon!

Haven't heard MBL's. But I've been told that the MBL 101-Extreme is outstanding. People who've heard the M5's though prefer the M5's.

Well maybe in another 5 years I can finally get those 😉

M5 and 101 extreame! Now we are talking S class merc with all the options. I don't have big enough room for them even if I can afford them (which I can't). The V2 is about right size for me but a bit more cash, V3 will bring the concert in the front room.

Avalon is mainly for classical head and I don't do classical stuff, having say that the Alalon Eidolon driven by Conrad Johson pre/power with Zandan front end is the best system I ever heard to date. As for what to drive Magico, I never like spectral stuff, a bit cold and over control for my taste but I can see why many love them. If I get a pair, my choice might be ARC ref 3 pre and a pair of Jeff Rowland amps although I like to think that my Chapter Audio is plenty good enough. Cables is not a question as I have a full set of Vertex, one thing in my system that will never ever change.

Yeah I know Thaiman it's deadly expensive hehe. I love both the V2 and V3. The V3 is truly world class imo. I can see why some don't like Spectral. Some find them cold others find them musically too correct. You either love em or hate em. HAve you heard the SDR4000 PRO CD player by Spectral though? So analogue sounding! ARC ref5 Pre is MUCH BETTER. Just heard it last week! Very very musical amp. I have never heard Chapter amps so I can't judge. My dealer has tried lots of amps with the Magico's. There was a demo with Pass Labs driving the Magico's. Pass Labs are amazing amps but almost all of the high-end dealers in the room said the Spectral really opened up the Magico's on a demo. Cables I don't want to debate as I can't use any other brand other than MIT. FULL set of MIT delivers great synergy though, Holographic 3D sound. Again never heard the Vertex so I can't judge. Check out Soulution. You'll love it.

If you are ever in Holland by any chance be sure to shoot me an email. My dealer is pretty amazing. He has SO MUCH knowledge and over 30 years of experience and he's a live musician. There are not many places where you can audition. ALL the Pass amps, ALL the ARC amps and CD players, ALL the Spectral gear, ALL the Soulutin gear, the whole Magico line, etc.

 

[RCduck7]

SlickenSmooth:

1978:Just out of curiosity - why are you thinking of upgrading your speakers since they sound so good as you say. 'A' series is really good compared to the previous one in my opinion.

Surely it has brought new life to my Spendors, BUT having heard what this setting can do with an Avalon Indra or Magico V2 (preference) is mind boggling. The thing is when I'm listening to my current setup I hear a really good hifi system. When I take out the Spendor and put in the Magico there is no more system, just a thrilling music experience. They're so transparent that they dissapear. You don't hear the box, quiet suddenly becames really quiet. I can say all I want though, the best thing for you to do is to go and listen for yourself. Even if you don't have the intention of buying such expensive gear the experience is worth it imo.

I know what u mean when speakers seem to dissapear, it's difficult to listen again to a setup that has the boomy boxiness and sound that doesn't seem to get loose from the speaker, allthough i agree, alot has to do with the amplification. When i was selling my Wharfedale Evolutions i couldn't let them hear my other new speakers as noone would want to buy the Wharfedales after that i think. While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

They are not pupular over here in Europe but they blend the transperancy of a electrostatic with the benefit of a full range speaker. They also have a topcabinet for the midrange and tweeter to get good seperation from the bass drivers. They look a bit like the very expensive Watt Puppy's but a lot of people seem to like them more then those. They are nice with tubes to but i wouldn't want them without a bit of power though.

But from my experience, listen in a shop wich has the familiar typical living rooms size to listen to gear can be great but i went to a show and there was a lot of expensive stuff including the MBL's, it was so dissapointing, the sound felt analtic most of the time but so detached, the rooms were in most cases to big, It is really difficult to judge gear that way.

In my search for new speakers i found Spendor A5 and Dynaudio Excite and Focus the best sound for reasonable affordable speakers. More expensive means not always better, there is a lot of thin air to be sold in the so called "high end" hifi business. You have to be very alert on what to burn the money.

So the amp and cd player you listend to was all Audio Research stuff?

 

[Thaiman]

DOUBLE POSTS.

 

[Anonymous]

RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:
1978:Just out of curiosity - why are you thinking of upgrading your speakers since they sound so good as you say. 'A' series is really good compared to the previous one in my opinion.

Surely it has brought new life to my Spendors, BUT having heard what this setting can do with an Avalon Indra or Magico V2 (preference) is mind boggling. The thing is when I'm listening to my current setup I hear a really good hifi system. When I take out the Spendor and put in the Magico there is no more system, just a thrilling music experience. They're so transparent that they dissapear. You don't hear the box, quiet suddenly becames really quiet. I can say all I want though, the best thing for you to do is to go and listen for yourself. Even if you don't have the intention of buying such expensive gear the experience is worth it imo.

I know what u mean when speakers seem to dissapear, it's difficult to listen again to a setup that has the boomy boxiness and sound that doesn't seem to get loose from the speaker, allthough i agree, alot has to do with the amplification. When i was selling my Wharfedale Evolutions i couldn't let them hear my other new speakers as noone would want to buy the Wharfedales after that i think. While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

They are not pupular over here in Europe but they blend the transperancy of a electrostatic with the benefit of a full range speaker. They also have a topcabinet for the midrange and tweeter to get good seperation from the bass drivers. They look a bit like the very expensive Watt Puppy's but a lot of people seem to like them more then those. They are nice with tubes to but i wouldn't want them without a bit of power though.

But from my experience, listen in a shop wich has the familiar typical living rooms size to listen to gear can be great but i went to a show and there was a lot of expensive stuff including the MBL's, it was so dissapointing, the sound felt analtic most of the time but so detached, the rooms were in most cases to big, It is really difficult to judge gear that way.

In my search for new speakers i found Spendor A5 and Dynaudio Excite and Focus the best sound for reasonable affordable speakers. More expensive means not always better, there is a lot of thin air to be sold in the so called "high end" hifi business. You have to be very alert on what to burn the money.

So the amp and cd player you listend to was all Audio Research stuff?

Funny that you're talking about transparency of electrostats with the dynamics of a full range speaker. Magico is considered as an electrostat with cones. Like I said my A5's are still nice speakers but I can't even start comparing them with say like a V2.

I listened the V3's on an all Spectral setting. Then my dealer switched the pre to a Pass Labs XP10 and the soundstage shrunk from a big cube into a small cube. The XP20 was better but not on the same level as the Spectral pre. The ARC Ref 5 preamp I heard was on the new Pass Labs XA260.5 monoblocks to some Avalon Indra's. Beautiful presentation, real music. The ARC 5 is definitely a step up from the XP20. Still I prefered the Avalon's on a Spectral set as the band got much closer. Not as close as with Magico's though as Avalon's are voiced to have that magical distant presentation. Like you're in a cathedral or something.

I'm still enjoying my set btw!

 

[Thaiman]

RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:

While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

Compare to Magico?? Not in the same class! I afraid.

 

[Craig M.]

i don't think much else would be! that's some setup you're putting together there slick.

 

[Thaiman]

Craig M.:i don't think much else would be! that's some setup you're putting together there slick.

That is, isn't it Craig.....God I hate thread like this, it want me to up grade again!

 

[Craig M.]

turn your computer off!

 

[RCduck7]

Thaiman:RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:

While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

Compare to Magico?? Not in the same class! I afraid.

From experince with them? Or hype on the internet?

Well, reviewers and other users seem to like them better the Wilson watt Puppy's. Do you mean that those Magico's in an even more expensive class? I certainly like te Hyperions much more then the B&W nautilus serie, i found the B&W's seem to be only slightly better then my wharfedale's when i compared them.

 

[Thaiman]

RCduck7:Thaiman:RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:

While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

Compare to Magico?? Not in the same class! I afraid.

From experince with them? Or hype on the internet?

Well, reviewers and other users seem to like them better the Wilson watt Puppy's. Do you mean that those Magico's in an even more expensive class? I certainly like te Hyperions much more then the B&W nautilus serie, i found the B&W's seem to be only slightly better then my wharfedale's when i compared them.

That's because limitation of your amp! imo. Anyway you know what you like, I don't know so that's the fact. I didn't mean it in a nasty way...it's simply just my opinion oh and Magico is no hype!

 

[Anonymous]

I respect your opinion RCduck7. But I have to agree that Magico is no hype. The prices are unattractive but anyone (lucky) who can afford it will be in audio heaven. period.

My dealer had a Wilson Sasha for testing purposes. He compared it side to side with the Magico V2. Although the Wilson digs deeper in the lower frequencies the Magico was ahead in the most important factors that contribute to getting the live show in your home. Which presentation you prefer is ofcourse personal, but I always use live music as my reference.

There are little real bargains in hifi imo. The Magnepans 3.6 are considered bargains. The Odyssey amps are considered bargains (alon wolf of Magico uses them to test their speakers, that is if you can't afford Soulution he said).

 

[Anonymous]

SlickenSmooth:Funny that you're talking about transparency of electrostats with the dynamics of a full range speaker. Magico is considered as an electrostat with cones. Like I said my A5's are still nice speakers but I can't even start comparing them with say like a V2.

I listened the V3's on an all Spectral setting. Then my dealer switched the pre to a Pass Labs XP10 and the soundstage shrunk from a big cube into a small cube. The XP20 was better but not on the same level as the Spectral pre. The ARC Ref 5 preamp I heard was on the new Pass Labs XA260.5 monoblocks to some Avalon Indra's. Beautiful presentation, real music. The ARC 5 is definitely a step up from the XP20. Still I prefered the Avalon's on a Spectral set as the band got much closer. Not as close as with Magico's though as Avalon's are voiced to have that magical distant presentation. Like you're in a cathedral or something.

I'm still enjoying my set btw!

Hey Slickensmooth, I'm so glad for you! You're definitely on the way to sonic promised-land. As for me, I'm still wandering in circles in my sonic wilderness!

Hmm....what is it about the V2 that I missed? It really sounded terrible with the Soulution 720 pre / 710 power. I envy you in the sense that the V2 is your cup of tea. I wanted it so much to be my cup of tea too but somehow I just couldn't get into the music when I auditioned them. Could be due to the dealer's homemade brew of speaker cables though.

Next month, I'll be auditioning the SF Amati Anniversarios vs. Wilson Sasha. Both will be driven by ARC Ref 3 pre / 210 power. Hey, is the ARC Ref 5 much better than the Ref 3? I will also audition the Thiel CS3.7 but they wil be driven by Parasound Halo JC2 pre / JC1 monoblocs because it'll be at a different dealer.

Afterwhich, I plan to take a flight down south to Singapore to audition the Avalon Indra together with Spectral DMC-30SS and DMA-360 monoblocs. Will also listen to Verity Audio Parsifal Ovation and Rockport Techonologies Mira / Ankaa. Yummy!

All the above will be auditioned against my benchmark of the Avantgarde Uno G2 / Audio Note Meishu SET amp because they have made the biggest impression on me thus far.

By the way, why did you choose the V2 over the Indra?

 

[Thaiman]

jtein:

Will also listen to Verity Audio Parsifal Ovation and Rockport Techonologies Mira / Ankaa. Yummy!

 

[JoelSim]

I'm demoing some valve amps next month, think it will be Pathos Logos, Unison Preludio and a couple of others. Looking forward to it, day off work, missus and baby in Egypt. Bliss.

 

[RCduck7]

Thaiman:RCduck7:Thaiman:RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:

While your at it, if possible why not audition a Hyperion HPS-938 or 968?

Compare to Magico?? Not in the same class! I afraid.

From experince with them? Or hype on the internet?

Well, reviewers and other users seem to like them better the Wilson watt Puppy's. Do you mean that those Magico's in an even more expensive class? I certainly like te Hyperions much more then the B&W nautilus serie, i found the B&W's seem to be only slightly better then my wharfedale's when i compared them.

That's because limitation of your amp! imo. Anyway you know what you like, I don't know so that's the fact. I didn't mean it in a nasty way...it's simply just my opinion oh and Magico is no hype!

Ok, no hard feelings

You propably know but anyway.. Amps are about matching, some amp can't work with a speaker while the other works like magic, some like tubes, some not, etc.. just like other components. I still use the Dussun V8i , it is the same amp inside as the Mark Levinson Red Rose 8000$ model (if you didn't know). Google it! Something better or should i say something that sounds different can be found as long it has quality components inside, isn't cheap build and bad designed. Then it can sound great in the right setup but i think i know that you know. I can't deny the Magico's are great, off coursse they would be. At that price they'd better be (looked for their price on the internet). But i also know that (as an example) Wilson is expensive and they got great reviews in their upcoming hey day's when they released new speakers. And when i look at some comparisons from Wilson now with a few other cheaper (but by no means cheap) speakers, their price start to become questionable, at least from a sound point of view, they are mostly still better build. Not saying that the same is going to happen to Magico though, i'm just careful. I choose the Hyperions on my personal experience with in comparison with other speakers from different price category's, haven't heard all (popular) speaker brands but still more then a few. I read it a few times on a forum that a Hyperion 938 owner changed his speakers with some other more expensive exotic models, one had also magnepan electrostatics and only to come back to the 938's and buy them again.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=56856.0

Still sound is personal, i know of certain people that suprised me that they like a certain sound that most would dislike, if my wife says it sounds bad, then it really is a personal thing if that someone likes it, i assure you. But maybe i should audition the Magico's, they were on a show where i went to once but they weren't playing at that moment i the room, instead something from Focal was playing. After going home and looking on the forum for reactions from people that went to that show, i read from reporters that Magico now and then was playing. Most found the Dynaudio Sapphire was best sound of the show and not the most expensive MBL speakers (wich i found analatic and non musical). Ah well maybe it can be blamed for the room acoustics or something, a lot of things didn't speak volumes on that show to me.

 

[RCduck7]

SlickenSmooth:

I respect your opinion RCduck7. But I have to agree that Magico is no hype. The prices are unattractive but anyone (lucky) who can afford it will be in audio heaven. period.

My dealer had a Wilson Sasha for testing purposes. He compared it side to side with the Magico V2. Although the Wilson digs deeper in the lower frequencies the Magico was ahead in the most important factors that contribute to getting the live show in your home. Which presentation you prefer is ofcourse personal, but I always use live music as my reference.

There are little real bargains in hifi imo. The Magnepans 3.6 are considered bargains. The Odyssey amps are considered bargains (alon wolf of Magico uses them to test their speakers, that is if you can't afford Soulution he said).

I don't comment specificly on the Magico's but just speakers in general, i don't want it to sound as i have no good word about those speakers, i can't.

I was almost going to buy the unusual Emerald Physics speaker, it really brings a live concert "alive". With that speaker it is as you were sitting on the front row, same as with the big box GKF speakers (from the professional world) that are used in concerts and some cinema's in french, thoug not as refined this speaker, i found it can be tyring, at least to me it was good for a concert, it was a ride but then you wanted to shut it off and relax, not that it sounded to bright though, i can't explain. I was looking for a speaker that sounds also right but musical and transparant, plays not only well with classic music but also other genres like dance/rock. For me with the volume high up it can sound great with a live concert. But is also had to be easy and smooth for normal listening at lower volumes (with some speakers you tend to listen always loud or it's like it doesn't sound that good, i din't want that). BTW Live concerts offer various recording qualities, it is not my reference music i'd bring on a audition, maybe we do have different taste in sound. I read about a few speakers and found a dealer that happens to support and love all the components i love and many would not dare to buy as they didn't say B&W, Rotel, Nad, Arcam etc on the badge. He really isn't making much profit but he has a fine selection of components that weren't distributed and bought with the same succes all over the world. Some brands are popular in a certian region, like the English love the sound a bit mellow and holding back and the Germans love a more upfront sound, and the world is much bigger then that. There are so many speakers that are badged best speaker of the world if you google. sometimes they are very good but sometimes they just have some ordinary SEAS driver and the reviewer labels them as the best speaker in the world in the right setup and room, hhmmm... Anyways as great as some speakers are, if they are very expensive they should at least be build as they look as a million dollar. I'm not talking about the Magico but some even higher priced speakers are taken apart and pictured on a DIY forum where they food for laughter as they know how much a certain driver or filter component can cost.

 

[Anonymous]

jtein:
Hey Slickensmooth, I'm so glad for you! You're definitely on the way to sonic promised-land. As for me, I'm still wandering in circles in my sonic wilderness!

Hmm....what is it about the V2 that I missed? It really sounded terrible with the Soulution 720 pre / 710 power. I envy you in the sense that the V2 is your cup of tea. I wanted it so much to be my cup of tea too but somehow I just couldn't get into the music when I auditioned them. Could be due to the dealer's homemade brew of speaker cables though.

Next month, I'll be auditioning the SF Amati Anniversarios vs. Wilson Sasha. Both will be driven by ARC Ref 3 pre / 210 power. Hey, is the ARC Ref 5 much better than the Ref 3? I will also audition the Thiel CS3.7 but they wil be driven by Parasound Halo JC2 pre / JC1 monoblocs because it'll be at a different dealer.

Afterwhich, I plan to take a flight down south to Singapore to audition the Avalon Indra together with Spectral DMC-30SS and DMA-360 monoblocs. Will also listen to Verity Audio Parsifal Ovation and Rockport Techonologies Mira / Ankaa. Yummy!

All the above will be auditioned against my benchmark of the Avantgarde Uno G2 / Audio Note Meishu SET amp because they have made the biggest impression on me thus far.

By the way, why did you choose the V2 over the Indra?

Jtein! Slowly but surely I'm getting there yes!

I cannot say what was wrong with the V2 that day! Could be the homemade cables, could be the room. I cannot imagine that it could be the Soulution gear. I've noticed that with high-end gear the dealer must really know what he's doing. As tiny things can screw up the set. So cables can have a BIG impact on high-end gear, much more so than on a set that costs 6k. Also my dealer showed me that speaker placement can be a thing of milimetres. He proved it to me with the Indra's. Just a bit toed in, and we're talking about mm here, and your missing so much of what the Indra can convey. It could be that the V2 is not your type of speaker but it being described as terrible is really the first time I've heard.

The V2 is nice imo, but more of an attention getter (straight forward speaker) than it's brother the V3. IMO, the real magic starts at the V3. The V2 is still awesome though, but if you think that for another 10k extra you get an performance that's 3 times better it's a bargain. The V2 is more like an speaker for the time being (sounds more disrespectful than it is)for me as it's the V3 that I really want. My dealer has offered me the V2 and he will take it back next year for the same price as I'm buying it now when I get the V3!!!

Rockport should have awesome speakers! I'm really crazy about the Altair, but waaay to expensive for me right now. Nice that you get to hear some Spectral finally. Don't know if you will be loving it as much as the benchmark you have. It's quite a different sound and that's an understatement. From what I take from your post Audio Research, Audio Note and maybe Pass Labs might fall more into the category of the sound that you like.

But the Spectral with the Indra combo should be awesome. The best Avalon imo is the Avalon Eidolon Diamond though.

I still have to do a long audition before I will choose. But like I said do you like that holographic 3D distant sound or do you like to be there. That's the main difference between these speakers. Also the low frequencies are nicer with the Magico's. The other day my dealer and I were comparing in 2 rooms he had set up. The Indra with the new 260.5XA mono's, ARC Ref 5, Spectral 4000S Pro CD player and the other room Magico V2, XP20, 60.5XA, Wadia 781 CD. Those were not his ideal settings for both speakers but he told me that he had listen appointments later that day and he set the speakers up to match what the clients have at home. Anyways he prefered the Indra's when setup properly over the V2's properly setup (300 wpc amps). I asked him why? He told me that the Indra is not as transparent but it was more liquid and the ease of presentation got his vote. I love both and would be happy to live with both of them. The V3 in our opinion, on this one we both agreed is a few steps ahead of the pack. He told me that he would even get it over the Eidolon Diamond, which is more expensive btw. It's a speaker than really pushes the boundaries and very innovative. And when someone who listens on a daily basis to Avalon Time, Indra, Eidonlon Diamonds, Amati Anniversarios, Magico Mini II, V2, V3 on a daily basis says that you know it's not your average speaker. He's getting the Magico Q5 as the first shop in Europe to demo next month! I'll be there! 200 kgs a piece, it should be better than the V3 and just a bit short of being an M5.

My invitation also stands for you Jtein should you ever come to the Netherlands shoot me an email and I'll take you to my dealer. It's amazing how much he knows and he can prove it right there because he has all the equipment!

 

[Anonymous]

RCduck7:SlickenSmooth:

I respect your opinion RCduck7. But I have to agree that Magico is no hype. The prices are unattractive but anyone (lucky) who can afford it will be in audio heaven. period.

My dealer had a Wilson Sasha for testing purposes. He compared it side to side with the Magico V2. Although the Wilson digs deeper in the lower frequencies the Magico was ahead in the most important factors that contribute to getting the live show in your home. Which presentation you prefer is ofcourse personal, but I always use live music as my reference.

There are little real bargains in hifi imo. The Magnepans 3.6 are considered bargains. The Odyssey amps are considered bargains (alon wolf of Magico uses them to test their speakers, that is if you can't afford Soulution he said).

I don't comment specificly on the Magico's but just speakers in general, i don't want it to sound as i have no good word about those speakers, i can't.

I was almost going to buy the unusual Emerald Physics speaker, it really brings a live concert "alive". With that speaker it is as you were sitting on the front row, same as with the big box GKF speakers (from the professional world) that are used in concerts and some cinema's in french, thoug not as refined this speaker, i found it can be tyring, at least to me it was good for a concert, it was a ride but then you wanted to shut it off and relax, not that it sounded to bright though, i can't explain. I was looking for a speaker that sounds also right but musical and transparant, plays not only well with classic music but also other genres like dance/rock. For me with the volume high up it can sound great with a live concert. But is also had to be easy and smooth for normal listening at lower volumes (with some speakers you tend to listen always loud or it's like it doesn't sound that good, i din't want that). BTW Live concerts offer various recording qualities, it is not my reference music i'd bring on a audition, maybe we do have different taste in sound. I read about a few speakers and found a dealer that happens to support and love all the components i love and many would not dare to buy as they didn't say B&W, Rotel, Nad, Arcam etc on the badge. He really isn't making much profit but he has a fine selection of components that weren't distributed and bought with the same succes all over the world. Some brands are popular in a certian region, like the English love the sound a bit mellow and holding back and the Germans love a more upfront sound, and the world is much bigger then that. There are so many speakers that are badged best speaker of the world if you google. sometimes they are very good but sometimes they just have some ordinary SEAS driver and the reviewer labels them as the best speaker in the world in the right setup and room, hhmmm... Anyways as great as some speakers are, if they are very expensive they should at least be build as they look as a million dollar. I'm not talking about the Magico but some even higher priced speakers are taken apart and pictured on a DIY forum where they food for laughter as they know how much a certain driver or filter component can cost.

It's not that I only bring Live music to an audition. I do bring the great recorded ones though. I love Keith Jarret Live concert in Koln. What I meant was that I've been to good concerts in big concert halls and I've had the privilege of working with live musicians in the past. I know by heart how a certain instrument should sound in real life and in a concert hall. That's my reference. It can be studio recordings or live recordings. I listen to mostly Jazz, vocals, classic these days but I also listen to funky soul music and dance/rock now and then. It's important for me that a speaker is allround. That's why I prefer Magico's over Avalons.

With the Magico V2 you're closer to the performance and with the V3 a little bit further away but still 'there'. I got sucked into the music the whole time, but never got tired of listening to it. And I've been listening to the V3 for 5 hours straight. I really know what you mean about getting tired of listening to upfront stuff the whole time but believe me the Magico's never sounded harsh, with really high level resolution at the same time. It must have something to do with the balance of the speakers.

And yeah there are surely companies that put cheap components into speakers. Avalon and Magico not being one of those though. But I see your point and it's the sad truth.

I also agree that music is a very personal thing. You seem to know what you like and you seem to be loving your set! That's the most important thing. If it satisfies your needs of making the music that you love so much sound the way you want then there's nothing more to wish for.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks SnS for the invitation! It would indeed be wonderful to make a trip there and be able to actually listen to all the equipment in one place. What a pity I couldn't listen to the V3 as the dealer told me it was already sold and he has only the V2. It's pretty much a husband and wife business and they are in their 50s. I wonder how he transports and sets up those speakers!

I guess the problem with me is that I haven't really established what kind of sound I really want. I love holographic 3D sound but I also want a "I'm there" immediate kind of sound! I find that I'm adverse to harsh trebles and upper mids. I want to be able to "hear/see through" the timbre of instruments. Hard and opaque timbre puts me off which which was what I heard from the V2 + Soulution combo. I like vocals (especially female) to have lots of body. Thin and shrill vocals again switches me off (which again was what I heard through the V2). I want bass to be have lots of weight yet be articulate and punchy.

I guess the only way to really be sure of what I want is to listen to more equipment for longer hours but this is made inconvenient for me because no one dealer stocks all my shortlisted speakers and electronics. Visiting your dealer is indeed a very tempting prospect!