Does Magico have a "house sound", and if so, how would you describe it?

[KPC]

....or being hung by them....

 

[Joe Cohen]

The original Magico layered wood stand mount speakers (Magico Minis) were an eye opener when they first arrived on the scene. I remember being very impressed with the sound stage they developed. Over the years I would visit numerous rooms with their floor standing aluminum bodied speakers and always come away with the feeling that they were missing the kind of organic quality that satisfies my listening taste and which I heard in the minis. There was always, as ML posted earlier in this thread, a certain “left brain” quality to them. To me the presentation was always very clean but lacking in soul. It wasn’t until I was able to bring some of our PranaWire cabling to a system with a pair of M5s that I was able to hear them deliver a fair amount of what had been missing which enabled me to see their capabilities in a new light and afford them greater respect. The transformation to that system was such that I could have easily listened all night.

 

[fabythom2713]

I’ve owned a pair of Magico S1 MkIIs for roughly 18 months. Whenever you think you’ve pinned down a particular characteristic all it takes is a change of recording to utterly void the observation. In terms of house sound there really is none that I’ve identified and not had immediately contradicted, but there are house characteristics:

• Extremely transparent of the recording. Every recoding sounds unique and different
• Able to build a room filling soundstage that is as large or small as the acoustic on the recording
• Able to disappear completely, leaving only musicians playing in a cohesive acoustic space, independent of room size
• Able to produce highly believable instrument timbre including whisper quiet bass notes.
• Able to resolve even the most subtle spacial differences between instruments on a recording.
• Able to reproduce music that sounds like its being ‘made by the instruments’ rather than ‘coming from the instruments’. In other words it doesn’t sound like music made by a trombone....it sounds like a trombone making music.
• Chrystal clear with super extended treble that shimmers and sparkles and provides tremendous reality thanks to its tremendous energy, accurate timbral information and dynamic resolution
• Amazing dynamic speed, which revolves the beautiful shape of notes from the initial pinpoint percussive source, the bloom and expansion and the often directional decay.
• Amazing speed and rhythmic drive
• A warmth or dryness that reflects exactly what’s on the recording
• SoTA listener involvement and ability to engage and stimulate emotional response.

When I first bought the Magico i did think they were rather expensive for a 2 way speaker. I now think of them as something of a bargain given theIr abilities.
For those who may get a demo of Magico speakers I would say this. If you can sit and listen comfortably with the lights on and your eyes open, they are not producing anything like they are capable of because if they are, at least with appropriate recordings the contradiction between ears and eyes is so extreme its quite disorientating.

I can only say: Wow. You are on point. that's how i feel with my A5's. nothing more nothing less.

 

[Bobvin]

I hope to be able to contribute something meaningful to this thread in the next couple weeks as I am arranging a visit to meet with Alon and get a taste of the new M9 driven by Pilium electronics. From what I’ve been told Alon is absolutely gobsmacked with the sound he‘s getting.

Consider my last time really hearing Magico was, I believe S5 mk II at Miles Astor’s place several years back. And I’ve been a Wilson guy (Sasha, Alexia) since I sold my Avalon’s ten years ago. I have felt the biggest difference between the better Wilson and Magico is bass impact (imho) and i am one who likes a visceral experience of bass — you should feel it! Of course it should also be clean, clear, and tone-full.

I have heard WAMM, and XVX, driven always by Dagostino. As great as the Dag electronics are I have to admit I have never been drawn into the music the way my ARC Reference stack has done lately, particularly with the Etsuro Gold(mg) and CS Port phono stage. The M9 will have MSB source and Taiko Extreme along with the Pilium.

The question ultimately will be—am I drawn into the music? Or will I just hear another collection of uber-expensive toys making sound? (And a nod to Mike Lavigne whose system portrayed SRV‘s version of “Tin Pan Alley” in a way that not only drew me in but left me not wanting it to end... if the big Magico / Pilium rig does that then a new fanboy might emerge from my trip to Hayward.)

 

[MadFloyd]

It certainly will be interesting to learn what type of presentation the M9s deliver. Having owned S5s (mk1) and then MPros there is a big difference in presentation. While the MPros are better overall (and they should be) they don't deliver the visceral punch that the S5s did (despite one extra woofer) nor the Wilsons I had (Sasha, Alexia).

I suspect they'll be like the others in the M line, only bigger and more glorious. I have no doubt symphonic music will be fantastic.

 

[LL21]

I hope to be able to contribute something meaningful to this thread in the next couple weeks as I am arranging a visit to meet with Alon and get a taste of the new M9 driven by Pilium electronics. From what I’ve been told Alon is absolutely gobsmacked with the sound he‘s getting.

Consider my last time really hearing Magico was, I believe S5 mk II at Miles Astor’s place several years back. And I’ve been a Wilson guy (Sasha, Alexia) since I sold my Avalon’s ten years ago. I have felt the biggest difference between the better Wilson and Magico is bass impact (imho) and i am one who likes a visceral experience of bass — you should feel it! Of course it should also be clean, clear, and tone-full.

I have heard WAMM, and XVX, driven always by Dagostino. As great as the Dag electronics are I have to admit I have never been drawn into the music the way my ARC Reference stack has done lately, particularly with the Etsuro Gold(mg) and CS Port phono stage. The M9 will have MSB source and Taiko Extreme along with the Pilium.

The question ultimately will be—am I drawn into the music? Or will I just hear another collection of uber-expensive toys making sound? (And a nod to Mike Lavigne whose system portrayed SRV‘s version of “Tin Pan Alley” in a way that not only drew me in but left me not wanting it to end... if the big Magico / Pilium rig does that then a new fanboy might emerge from my trip to Hayward.)

Look forward to reading your listening notes on that one! I notice that your signature has Pilium plus 3 speakers...are you still trialing speakers? What else are you considering or are these three the triumverate?

 

[Bobvin]

Look forward to reading your listening notes on that one! I notice that your signature has Pilium plus 3 speakers...are you still trialing speakers? What else are you considering or are these three the triumverate?

I will have the good fortune to keep these speakers in-house and available to host private auditions as the Portland-RLR, or “Rhapsody Listening Room,” essentially acting as a remote showroom (listening room is better description in our hobby) for Rhapsody.audio in Manhattan.

I’m sure I will develop a favorite over time, but with three amazing speakers it might be matter of flavor or mood.

Just last night had a going away party for the Audio Research / Wilson pairing. (I have an offer on the Wilsons, about to post the amps on Audiogon.) Had a half-dozen local audio buddies over for a pre-covid like event. Damn! That was fun. Anybody remember living your life without the fear/anxiety/concern about masks and elbow bumps? (We did elbow bump our hellos.)

 

[LL21]

Fantastic! Look forward to reading your listening notes!

 

[andromedaaudio]

My take;

Very revealing loudspeaker , but it still has a sound as well , just as any brand .
Lean in the bass in general , S 5 mk 1 and V3 were the best in the bass of all the models i ve heard .
Q 7 lacks integration , a lot of integration differences per model , some succeed very good , some less .
I liked the V3 probably the most , as i like a bit of warmth in the speaker , aluminium is colder sounding .
I have not heard the M series
Very good construction / fit n finish .

 

[HenryD]

My take;

Very revealing loudspeaker , but it still has a sound as well , just as any brand .
Lean in the bass in general , S 5 mk 1 and V3 were the best in the bass of all the models i ve heard .
Q 7 lacks integration , a lot of integration differences per model , some succeed very good , some less .
I liked the V3 probably the most , as i like a bit of warmth in the speaker , aluminium is colder sounding .
I have not heard the M series
Very good construction / fit n finish .

These are old models, some are over ten years old. Magico had come a long way since.
My A5 is a true chameleon. If there was a ‘sound,’ I have yet to find it.

 

[andromedaaudio]

These are old models, some are over ten years old. Magico had come a long way since.
My A5 is a true chameleon. If there was a ‘sound,’ I have yet to find it.

Artificial / digital sound immediately comes to my mind if paired with solid state
The only magicos i liked were on tubes , if driven with solidstate then definitively a tubed dac .
Mostly a snappy sound to impress if shown with solid state and the beryllium tweeter , i dont think i could live with them long term without tubes in the system

 

[HenryD]

You should try and hear current models, on SS or Tube, your pick. The only house sound I detect is transparency.

 

[Bobvin]

I think my limited exposure to Magico is going to change. If there is a ‘house’ sound, I’ll be happy to some in my own house.

 

[andromedaaudio]

You should try and hear current models, on SS or Tube, your pick. The only house sound I detect is transparency.,

Could be , but i doubt it

A bit synthetic / cold comes to mind .
Those alumium housings are made to a very high standard , but aluminium has a coloration , but if it suits your taste /coloration , hard to argue
I think magico would make a much larger cut into the wilson market if they used composite phenolic resin based cabinets and soft dome tweeters .
Phenolic compostie cabinet Intrinsic energy storage is lower , giving it a more dynamic sound.

Ps May be magico owners will suggest the other way around and say phenolic resin based cabinets colour the sound .
And in general good audiophile manner those attributes can off course be altered with the right cable

 

[HenryD]

Could be , but i doubt it


Phenolic compostie cabinet Intrinsic energy storage is lower , giving it a more dynamic sound.

That is simply not true. You got your physics wrong here. But we get it, you heard some Magico speakers 10 years ago, and they sounded cold and synthetic to you, I think you made your point.

 

[andromedaaudio]

That is simply not true. You got your physics wrong he

Please explain further, show me some data

re. But we get it, you heard some Magico speakers 10 years ago, and they sounded cold and synthetic to you, I think you made your point.

The last time i heard one was last years magico Q 5 and a couple years before that S5 mk1 , Q7 , Q3

 

[MadFloyd]

I have to say I agree with andromedaaudio observations. I've owned Magico V2, S5mk1, MPro and A5.

I sold my A5s last week. I couldn't get past what I perceived as a metallic coloration - at least with the electronics I was using. I really liked the bass in the S5Mk1s the best of any speaker I've ever owned.

 

[Lagonda]

I have to say I agree with andromedaaudio observations. I've owned Magico V2, S5mk1, MPro and A5.

I sold my A5s last week. I couldn't get past what I perceived as a metallic coloration - at least with the electronics I was using. I really liked the bass in the S5Mk1s the best of any speaker I've ever owned.

What is on your radar now Ian ?

 

[MadFloyd]

What is on your radar now Ian ?

I'm not pursuing speakers at the moment. The MPros are still in my main system and the A5s were for a second system which I put together... and have now abandoned.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I really liked the bass in the S5Mk1s the best of any speaker I've ever owned.

Yes that model had good bass definition , i heard it at a dealer on top LP analogue and Octave tube amps
But coming home to my own system ,its like going from a monitor sound to a large floor stander sound impact wise .
Same official specs iin the bass basically but night n day difference mine just crushes them like a fly