Going to try a Jeff Rowland Design Group 1500 WPC Daemon Super Integrated Amplifier that I picked up today on the A5's
Magico A5?
- Thread starter Audire
- Start date
The daemon is 1/2 as much as my current amp on A5 , it's just something I wanted to try because I just put Rowland 735's on my other system and I am very happy with sound .
I have the A5 in my home system and have auditioned the new S3 2023 extensively at the local Magico dealer in Denver, Colorado (Soundings Fine Audio and Video). Everyday I enjoy the A5 and not surprisingly it exhibits similar characteristics in its presentation to the S3 2023. After all they are designed and built by the same company and both are based on similar design objectives (such as banishing distortion generated by cabinet resonances, etc.). The Magico website contains a lot of detail on the design criteria and testing methodology applied to each design while under development as well as during manufacturing; no need to duplicate that information here.
While one can hear the familial relationship of the A5 to the S3 2023, the new S3 is simply superior in every way one might anticipate (as it was designed to be).
My first impression was how transparent the S3 2023 is and how it disappeared in the room. While the A5 does this trick in my home system in a very satisfying way, the new S3 throws a soundstage into the room without any apparent connection to source from which it came. Whatever Magico has done to neutralize cabinet and driver distortion/resonances is immediately apparent. At the same time it (the S3 2023) is beautifully balanced in tone from top to bottom (within the constraints of its design envelope) and as a result it is wonderfully engaging. The other takeaway for me was how much more low level detail the new S3 was able to retrieve from music I am intimately familiar with compared to the A5. This contributed to the wonderful sense of ease in the presentation that drew me into to the music.
IMO, because the S3 2023 will "transmit" the attributes (hopefully virtues) of everything that precedes it, how it "sounds" will necessarily be a function of the system with which it is paired. To me this is a wonderful thing in that the S3 2023 is somewhat of a blank canvas providing the stage for the type of sound one prefers (I am of the school of thought that there is no single way to get to where you want to go, only that one needs a plan to get there).
The system in which I have heard the S3 2023 contained Boulder electronics (1160 preamp, 2160 amp and DAC/streamer). Cabling was provided by Nordost (Odin 2) along with power distribution and system grounding. No surprise that one could hear the signature control and transparency of the Boulder/Nordost combination. If the attributes of the Boulder/Nordost combination are aligned with ones personal preferences then no doubt you would have loved what you heard at the listening session I attended. Wide and tall soundstage to the limits of the room, articulate and detailed with beautiful extension in the treble and lower octaves. Add in the remarkable ability of the new S3 to retrieve low level detail and I heard a sound that for many would be irresistible.
While I admire Boulder equipment I don't desire it in my home system. Frankly, I can't wait to hear the S2 2023 in my home system because I think it will sound even better because it will reflect my preferences. And that, to paraphrase Frank Zappa, is the "crux of the biscuit' and what is so fundamentally appealing to me about the S3 2023.
@rau, sorry to blabber on but all I can say (or should have said) is find a pair to listen to firsthand. If you do, please share your thoughts. I think Magico is onto something.
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Thanks for taking the time to post this , I decided to just order a pair of S3's should have them in a week or two . I'm sure I will like them. I will share thoughts once I get them setup .
I was just told the A5 with (2) magico titan subs is suppose to best S3 2023 but I don't see it . I'm thinking more bass on a A5 is not going make up for what the S3 2023 is offering no way , it's not even a bass issue
I'm with you rau. Having heard the new S3 and happily living with the A5, that is something I would have to hear first hand to believe.
Besides I have heard the A5's with a six pack of REL Carbon Special subs at the same Denver dealer, in the same room with the same electronics as the S3. I enjoyed the S3 more.
On the other hand, it is likely $64K USD and 780 lbs of subwoofers will make a difference in something.
Dre
780 pounds I hear ya , I'm hurting just thinking about it . Also I'm not a sub guy for audio .
I lost big on my A5 trade in , my fault I should of bought the A5 when first released . I waited and purchased when price jumped . The problem with that is the guys that bought at lower price are listing the A5 now . I'm also assuming that the S3 MK2 will be also popping up at a nice discount. But I'm sure no matter what one does or adds the S3 MK2 or A5 won't come anywhere near the S3 2023 . I should be picking my S3 2023 up Monday
Hello, I'd like your views on a second hand speaker choice. Q5 from 2010 at £25k or A5 ex demo at £22k.
Rest of my system is gryphon essence pre and antilleon power with a ideon dac.
Thanks, Mark (england)
Rest of my system is gryphon essence pre and antilleon power with a ideon dac.
Thanks, Mark (england)
I'd pick A5 , but if you can stretch the buck S3 2023 all day .
This is a tough one. I have to admit, I’ve never heard the Q5. Only older S3 Mk I & II, S5 Mk I & II and the current A3, A5, M2 models.
The issues are:
1) A5 is going to have better drivers with less distortion probably. Although as Magico moves up from A to S to M series, I think they might actually use bigger magnets for better linearity at louder volumes so it is possible the Q5 would have less distortions under specific circumstances but I think that’s unlikely. However, I think that’s the only advantage of A5. That said, it’s what most people listen for. You get more detail, more dynamics. And you save £3k
2) Stereophile measurements suggests that the Q5 tweeter is a little hotter compared to the A5 but just by toeing out the speaker, you can tone down the tweeter a bit. I think this is neither here nor there. But I know some people refuses to toe the speakers and I suspect you have to be more precise with toeing of the speakers with the Q5 compared to the A5 to get optimal sound.
3) Q5 may have better crossover than A5. I think Magico uses better crossover from A to S to M series. So even though the Q5 is much older than the A5 and technology has moved forward, it’s possible but it’s unclear that Q5 still has better crossover than A5. It is a 4-way crossover instead of the A5 so the drivers would be asked to do a little less and perform more optimally.
4) Q5 is almost double the weight of A5. Inevitably, Q5 is likely to have less vibrational distortion than the A5.
5) Because Q5 is quite a bit bigger than A5, you’re simply going to get more bass from the Q5 because of the greater Q5 internal volume
6) It seems that the Q5 baffle is more curved whereas the A5 is quite flat. Moving up the Magico chain, you start hearing less and less diffraction effects because of the baffle design. Now whether this is something you’ll appreciate is hard to know, mostly because most speakers have flat baffles like A5 so most audiophiles are used to some diffraction. But it’s quite an impressive effect to hear less diffraction from the baffle.
Unfortunately, with used models, I presume it’s hard for you to demo at home or even in store. So sorry I can’t be more helpful. I’m not trying to induce more fear uncertain and doubt into your purchase. Needless to say, if you like the Magico sound, you can’t go wrong with Q5 or A5.
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