First Listen: Magico Q7 Mk.II - An Unexpected New Direction for Magico

[KeithR]

Hi Alexandre,
No unfortunately I do NOT remember what music was playing.

BTW, let me make this clear once and for all....
I am VERY excited and pleased that you and your partners have opened Alma audio in my neck of the woods and wish you every success in this endeavor.

So Davey- did you hear the Sonjas or MM3s in the store? Were the MM3s bright? its a very similar tweeter I believe.

I visited the store as well two weeks ago right after they opened to wish them well!

 

[KeithR]

We can only speculate. If DW really thought silk is better, he would have made the change long time ago. The new tweeters performance are nothing new or revelatory. I have heard silk domes that sound like that, or better many years ago. So why did he change now, and not say 10 years ago, is not clear to me. Someone here, with some affiliation to the industry suggested that he simply ran out of these Focals. Could be, I don’t know. I do know that Focal no longer make these. Regardless, to my ears it was only a side move.

Its been reported he started to change his driver preference and speaker design after the time he spent with the Vienna philharmonic...i just assumed the soft dome tweet was an extension after that.

 

[KeithR]

But that tweeter does ring, and that is simply a fact. Another fact you may wish to consider is that silk domes THD performance is extremely poor, and that is across the board. To those who can actually hear what is real, not fiction, they do sound hard/harsh when driven hard (or as you will say, others hear it as well). That correlates with their empirical performance. Now that is not to say that there are no nasty metal domes out there as well. However, done properly, you will get much closer to perfection using a piston (I.e. very stiff, and well damp) to produce high frqs. Soft domes will never achieve that. That is why, companies with real R&D behind them, when cost is not a consideration, do not use silk domes for tweeters.

I think this is WAY too much generalization. We get it you think Magico is god's gift to man, but unfortunately this is just a preference- like any other speaker. To insinuate Wilson has no R&D or is restricted to costs is flaming a company without any proof and shouldn't be permitted on this forum. Mods?

 

[mauidan]

Like the title of this thread, the recent discussion has veered into "an unexpected new direction".

Time to put a lock on this.

 

[rockitman]

The only ones who should be fixated on tweeter ringing are...

 

[DaveyF]

So Davey- did you hear the Sonjas or MM3s in the store? Were the MM3s bright? its a very similar tweeter I believe.

I visited the store as well two weeks ago right after they opened to wish them well!

No, I did not get to hear the Sonja's or the MM3's. The MM3's were set up but not playing.

 

[DaveyF]

I think this is WAY too much generalization. We get it you think Magico is god's gift to man, but unfortunately this is just a preference- like any other speaker. To insinuate Wilson has no R&D or is restricted to costs is flaming a company without any proof and shouldn't be permitted on this forum. Mods?

+1

 

[cannata]

+1

I know that I should probably let this one go, but since you have the insolences to continue, let me point a few things to you and KeithR.


1. This is not Iran, or China. If you are going to call out anyone you think was insinuating things you don't like, we won't get very far and this forum will be a boring place to visit.
2. This is a Magico thread, so yes, most likely you will find people who care about this brand, defending it. You don't see me coming into other loudspeaker companies threads claiming their tweeters ring. Especially if I don't have good material to support it.
3. I just spent many posts trying to explain why silk is not as good as metal for tweeters. I have used objective data to support my argument. It is a shame that real data here get overrun by "Me and my friends heard it...".
4. It was you, DaveyF that insisted of bringing DW as an example to why silk is good. I objected to your assertion, and explained why.
5. When I said real R&D I meant companies that actually build their own tweeters. Like Focal, B&W, Ravel, Paradigm, TAD (and yes, Magico), etc… This was not about DW and If DW does develop, and build his own tweeters, I do apologies for leaving him out of the list.

 

[DaveyF]

I know that I should probably let this one go, but since you have the insolences to continue, let me point a few things to you and KeithR.


1. This is not Iran, or China. If you are going to call out anyone you think was insinuating things you don't like, we won't get very far and this forum will be a boring place to visit.
.

Cannata, you have some audacity to call me insolent ( BTW it is insolence...not insolences,there is no plural...)

I don't insinuate anything...although your clear and unabashed snipe at the Wilson brand was IMHO a disgrace.

You Sir, are truly not worthy of further discussion.

 

[Steve Williams]

Guys

this is a thread about Magico Q7 Mk ll. Can we drop the name calling and remain on topic......puhhhleeeez!!! Challenge the post and not the poster

 

[astrotoy]

This is the new M Project. My consultant Tim Marutani got his pair (I think he told me that 50 were made and all have been sold). I heard it today (and am responsible for the tilted photo - I take pictures like a 6 year old). Tim played me one of my own vinyl rips, a 60 year old recording of Grieg Peer Gynt (SXL2012) from an original Decca pressing. It was played back through a Pac Micro Model Two - same model that I used to make the rip, using the new Aurender N20 server prototype (which does dual wire needed for the Model Two at 24/192). Very impressive, particularly capturing the subtle tonal qualities of the strings and woodwinds, and the timbres. No real deep, deep bass - need the new Q7 MkII or subs for that.

Larry

 

[XV-1]

We can only speculate. If DW really thought silk is better, he would have made the change long time ago. The new tweeters performance are nothing new or revelatory. I have heard silk domes that sound like that, or better many years ago. So why did he change now, and not say 10 years ago, is not clear to me. Someone here, with some affiliation to the industry suggested that he simply ran out of these Focals. Could be, I don’t know. I do know that Focal no longer make these. Regardless, to my ears it was only a side move.

I agree and I am Wilson owner. I have heard the Alexia a few times at the dealer and at a friends house. It sounds like , hmm a soft dome tweeter. Personally I prefer the modified Focal tweeter. Yes, a step sideways and unfortunately the new Wilsons don't float my boat anymore.

Hopefully DW's Wamm project might bring out a tweeter that is a true step forward.

Back to Magico viewing

YMMV

 

[MadFloyd]

View attachment 19853

This is the new M Project. My consultant Tim Marutani got his pair (I think he told me that 50 were made and all have been sold). I heard it today (and am responsible for the tilted photo - I take pictures like a 6 year old). Tim played me one of my own vinyl rips, a 60 year old recording of Grieg Peer Gynt (SXL2012) from an original Decca pressing. It was played back through a Pac Micro Model Two - same model that I used to make the rip, using the new Aurender N20 server prototype (which does dual wire needed for the Model Two at 24/192). Very impressive, particularly capturing the subtle tonal qualities of the strings and woodwinds, and the timbres. No real deep, deep bass - need the new Q7 MkII or subs for that.

Larry

I'm not sure "no deep bass" is a fair statement. What is he driving them with - is that Constellation? That said, as an owner myself I don't experience a lot of bass - I think those three drivers are there for quality over quantity (e.g. 3 woofers means each doesn't have to move as much air). Mine go down to 15hz before they drop off. That said they don't produce much midbass (compared to most speakers including the S5's which I also own).

 

[cannata]

I'm not sure "no deep bass" is a fair statement. What is he driving them with - is that Constellation? That said, as an owner myself I don't experience a lot of bass - I think those three drivers are there for quality over quantity (e.g. 3 woofers means each doesn't have to move as much air). Mine go down to 15hz before they drop off. That said they don't produce much midbass (compared to most speakers including the S5's which I also own).

I have spent the entire day, last Saturday listening to the MPro, driven by the big Hercules.
I have to say, again, there was nothing missing in the bass, or the midbass. To the contrary. The sound was so lush and full, I could never get that with my S5. As much as I love the S5 there is not much to compere. I am looking forward to hear the new S7, perhaps it will bring me a bit closer to the MPro sound.

 

[MadFloyd]

I have spent the entire day, last Saturday listening to the MPro, driven by the big Hercules.
I have to say, again, there was nothing missing in the bass, or the midbass. To the contrary. The sound was so lush and full, I could never get that with my S5. As much as I love the S5 there is not much to compere. I am looking forward to hear the new S7, perhaps it will bring me a bit closer to the MPro sound.

That is so odd. My S5 sounds so much more full/warm than my M-Pro. Hercules is Constellation, correct? Do you think it's a good combo? What size room was it?

I have a feeling I need to change amps... it's driving me nuts. I'm praying I don't have to change speakers...

But hey, cannata, I'm sure the S7 is a good stepping stone in between the S5 and the M-Pro given it's configuration and tweeter.

 

[PeterA]

Astrotoy, do you know the dimensions of that room? It looks smaller than I would have imagined for a speaker the size of the M Project. Each speaker in your photo looks pretty close to the side wall and they seem fairly close to each other. It looks like a concrete floor and concrete blocks on the right side wall and generally, a pretty unfinished room.

I would think that adding isolation under the amps and source would improve the bass performance. The M Pro speakers that I have heard do have very articulate and extended bass.

 

[cannata]

That is so odd. My S5 sounds so much more full/warm than my M-Pro. Hercules is Constellation, correct? Do you think it's a good combo? What size room was it?

I have a feeling I need to change amps... it's driving me nuts. I'm praying I don't have to change speakers...

But hey, cannata, I'm sure the S7 is a good stepping stone in between the S5 and the M-Pro given it's configuration and tweeter.

Was truly incredible, and yes, that is the big Constellation. The room was fairly big, and was open at the back to the rest of the house. I think that you should measure your room, with the S5 and then the MPro and see. Maybe your speakers are broken? Did you check the speakers impedance? If you have a good ohm meter, you should compare the 2 speakers DCR - but you need a good meter like a Fluke to do that. Things do go wrong, maybe some of the bass drivers are not working, you need to get some empirical judgment there.

 

[PeterA]

That is so odd. My S5 sounds so much more full/warm than my M-Pro. Hercules is Constellation, correct? Do you think it's a good combo? What size room was it?

I have a feeling I need to change amps... it's driving me nuts. I'm praying I don't have to change speakers...

But hey, cannata, I'm sure the S7 is a good stepping stone in between the S5 and the M-Pro given it's configuration and tweeter.

MadFloyd, I'd wait to hear how things sound after the electrician bypasses your transformers and installs two dedicated circuits, one for each amp and perhaps a third for the rack components, before you think about changing amps or speakers.

 

[number95]

I have spent the entire day, last Saturday listening to the MPro, driven by the big Hercules.
I have to say, again, there was nothing missing in the bass, or the midbass. To the contrary. The sound was so lush and full, I could never get that with my S5. As much as I love the S5 there is not much to compere. I am looking forward to hear the new S7, perhaps it will bring me a bit closer to the MPro sound.

+1

If anything, I may consider increasing the bass traps in my listening room.

 

[MadFloyd]

MadFloyd, I'd wait to hear how things sound after the electrician bypasses your transformers and installs two dedicated circuits, one for each amp and perhaps a third for the rack components, before you think about changing amps or speakers.

Of course I'm going to wait given the electrician will be by within a week. I don't move that fast!