Magico M7 2023

[Mike Lavigne]

All Evolution Acoustics loudspeakers are designed, engineered, handcrafted, and assembled in the USA. All aspects of our loudspeakers are painstakingly researched and analyzed to produce incredible micro and macro dynamic performance as well as the highest level of clarity in the industry. Only the finest parts are used throughout including reference grade copper foil and paper in oil capacitors, high purity copper foil inductors, copper-nickel bifilar resistors, and foamed dielectric solid core copper wiring. All of these parts are hand matched and soldered point to point in our EXACT constant voltage crossover circuits without the use of thin PCB traces, which restricts current flow.

Clarity and dynamics are achieved through the use of ultra-high quality silk diaphragm " Air Motion Transformer " tweeters,

Kevin's new 'System' design does use an Air Motion Transformer tweeter.

my 'legacy' MM7's use a ribbon, an Aurum Cantus ribbon.

i did spend time a couple years ago listening to the new design and it's very very good; i like it at least as much as mine....if slightly different. and that was not the all the way finished production product.

 

[bonzo75]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1636056561129549

here is a little sample although not finished yet with set up or the room

A Starker Bach under 10k speaker with an integrated 6k amp playing a reissue.

 

[bonzo75]

Nothing wrong with the HF of the big Kromas ( AMT)
Underrated big speaker

I have posted many Scheherazade videos over the last 5 years, each one sounds better than this one.

 

[Audiohertz2]

Let me help you out, but only once as I know better; AMTs, being a line source, have a sound level reduction of 3 dB per doubling of distance vs. 6 dB of a point source, and a completely different dispersion characteristic could never properly match a point source. That is why they stick out like a sore thumb in a hybrid design.

Who has an AMT linesource ..?

 

[Audiohertz2]

A Starker Bach under 10k speaker with an integrated 6k amp playing a reissue.

Not as wooody colored as u like …. !

 

[bonzo75]

Not as wooody colored as u like …. !

You thought classical music was amplified, ‘nuff said.

The intellectual dishonesty of posting real live videos in a compare of two systems…

 

[PeterA]

The intellectual dishonesty of posting real videos in a compare of two systems…

This seems to be a growing common response from those who don’t post videos of their own systems. Over on my system thread, there’s a whole discussion about how reproduced music on our systems has nothing to do with the sound of real instruments.

I think that Altec Bach cello video you posted is quite good.

 

[bonzo75]

I think that Altec Bach cello video you posted is quite good.

And I am playing easy, I did not post Leifs TAD 4003 dual FLh playing tape. This is a system with amp and single woofer Altec costing 15k, no expert mods, plus Garrard led analog.

 

[PeterA]

And I am playing easy, I did not post Leifs TAD 4003 dual FLh playing tape. This is a system with any and single woofer Altec costing 15k, plus Garrard led analog.

It would be nice to hear a video of Starker play Bach on the M7.

 

[LL21]

And I am playing easy, I did not post Leifs TAD 4003 dual FLh playing tape. This is a system with amp and single woofer Altec costing 15k, no expert mods, plus Garrard led analog.

I think the Ypsilon in the photo is pretty expensive if that is a phono stage - $25K? Perhaps not or it was not in use during your video? In any event even there were 3 Ypsilons in the photo, the whole system would still cost a lot less than many systems on WBF.

 

[bonzo75]

I think the Ypsilon in the photo is pretty expensive if that is a phono stage - $25K? Perhaps not or it was not in use during your video? In any event even there were 3 Ypsilons in the photo, the whole system would still cost a lot less than many systems on WBF.

We actually compared Ear 834p at used price of under 1.5k to Ypsilon in that system, and preferred it. It was preferred to Kondo M1000 in another system by the owner as well, who also owns the Ear, and two Kondo M7 users also swapped theirs for the Ear.

So thanks for doubling down on my point

There are not 3 Ypsilon. One is a phono, and there is a phasemation SUT. It is possible someone else had a photo of Ypsilon phono, preamp, and SUT

 

[LL21]

We actually compared Ear 834p at used price of under 1.5k to Ypsilon in that system, and preferred it. It was preferred to Kondo M1000 in another system by the owner as well, who also owns the Ear, and two Kondo M7 users also swapped theirs for the Ear.

So thanks for doubling down on my point

There are not 3 Ypsilon. One is a phono, and there is a phasemation SUT. It is possible someone else had a photo of Ypsilon phono, preamp, and SUT

Thanks. On the 3 Ypsilon thing, I was simply pointing out that the system would still cost a less than many on WBF even if it had 3 (not just 1) Ypsilon pieces.

I do like the little experience I have of EAR. Bought their headphone amp 2nd hand and had it brought back to new by the factory for all-in a small fraction of the retail. I think Tim de P did very very good work.

 

[XV-1]

Are M7's hard or easy to drive?

A guy I know in AU has just received his M7's. he is in pig heaven.

Interestingly he is demoing a friends Bladelius integrated amp. Not sure they will beat his Accuphase / Gryphon combo.

 

[Al M.]

Are M7's hard or easy to drive?

Will probably also depend on the volumes the owner typically listens at, as well as room size.

A friend had Magico M Project speakers. They were hard to drive.

The M7 specs are not very different from the M Project:

-- Sensitivity 92 dB (M7) vs 91 dB (M Project)
-- Impedance 4 Ohm

Impedance tends to dip below 4 Ohm on Magico speakers, at least on the Magico M2, with unfavorable phase behavior (see Stereophile measurements).

 

[Rhapsody]

I drive my M7s with Kondo Kaguras/50 Watt SET's and most visitors love this combination. I also drive them with big SS/Pilium and VAC 300 monos, but the Kaguras hold their own in all sonic aspects and then some. The Kaguras are using Amperex 211's which are MUCH stronger than RCA/GE 211s.

 

[XV-1]

I drive my M7s with Kondo Kaguras/50 Watt SET's and most visitors love this combination. I also drive them with big SS/Pilium and VAC 300 monos, but the Kaguras hold their own in all sonic aspects and then some. The Kaguras are using Amperex 211's which are MUCH stronger than RCA/GE 211s.

It sounds like they are reasonably easy to drive, given their large size.

The best looking Magico speaker imo. Would luv to hear them one day. Hopefully in HK in August at the show.

 

[JiminGa]

It sounds like they are reasonably easy to drive, given their large size.

The best looking Magico speaker imo. Would luv to hear them one day. Hopefully in HK in August at the show.

How easy a speaker is to drive is specified by its sensitivity and impedance curve. M7 has sensitivity of 92db and nominal impedance of 4 ohms. I don’t have M7 curve but other measured 4 ohm Magico speakers will dip to somewhere between 2.3 and 3.1 ohms. Some say you would want to be able to achieve theoretic max of 120 db but let’s settle for 110 db for peaks. That equates to 64 W in a 92 db speaker. This is for 8 ohms. At 4 ohms it doubles (128W ) 2 ohms (256W) “easy to drive” depends upon your listening choices the spl you listen at and the type of music (dynamic peaks) you listen to. If you don’t have the power for your choices you will lose some frequency response at certain low impedance frequencies (usually bass). That’s not necessarily a deal killer if you love the amps midrange and dont listen at high spl’s. It depends on you and your tastes. Science will tell you what’s possible but listening is also important to answer your question. Hope this helps.

 

[Al M.]

How easy a speaker is to drive is specified by its sensitivity and impedance curve. M7 has sensitivity of 92db and nominal impedance of 4 ohms. I don’t have M7 curve but other measured 4 ohm Magico speakers will dip to somewhere between 2.3 and 3.1 ohms. Some say you would want to be able to achieve theoretic max of 120 db but let’s settle for 110 db for peaks. That equates to 64 W in a 92 db speaker. This is for 8 ohms. At 4 ohms it doubles (128W ) 2 ohms (256W) “easy to drive” depends upon your listening choices the spl you listen at and the type of music (dynamic peaks) you listen to. If you don’t have the power for your choices you will lose some frequency response at certain low impedance frequencies (usually bass). That’s not necessarily a deal killer if you love the amps midrange and dont listen at high spl’s. It depends on you and your tastes. Science will tell you what’s possible but listening is also important to answer your question. Hope this helps.

Well said.

I don't buy the easy driveability until I hear it for myself. As you and I said, it will also depend on the chosen SPL. I like my orchestral music loud at peaks (within limits recommended by NIOSH, avoiding ear damage), so the speaker would probably not work for me on less than very powerful amplification.

Impedance dips below 4 Ohm are a dealbreaker for most tube amps, too. My speakers are nominally 8 Ohm, and have their "worst" dip to 6.1 Ohm at 172 Hz. Tube amp heaven.

 

[Rhapsody]

I sold and installed two pairs of M9s in the last few months. Both of the new M9 owners visited me in Brooklyn prior to their M9 purchase. They both listened to the VAC, Pilium and Kondo Kaguras. Both visitors who are now M9 owners first choice on the M7s was the Kaguras.

Of course the Kaguras would not be everyone's first choice noting the SPL levels, size of rooms, types of music played and overall personal preference, but for these two listeners and myself as well, we all love the sound of the M7s when driven with the Kaguras. Another close friend who is a reviewer also prefers the Kaguras on the M7s, ESPECIALLY with vinyl.

 

[PeterA]

I sold and installed two pairs of M9s in the last few months. Both of the new M9 owners visited me in Brooklyn prior to their M9 purchase. They both listened to the VAC, Pilium and Kondo Kaguras. Both visitors who are now M9 owners first choice on the M7s was the Kaguras.

Of course the Kaguras would not be everyone's first choice noting the SPL levels, size of rooms, types of music played and overall personal preference, but for these two listeners and myself as well, we all love the sound of the M7s when driven with the Kaguras. Another close friend who is a reviewer also prefers the Kaguras on the M7s, ESPECIALLY with vinyl.

Congratulations on the good business Bob. What amps do those two new customers use at home with their new M9s?

I enjoyed my Magico Mini II and Q3 for many years with large Pass Class A SS amps, but when I heard the SET in my room driving those Magicos, I decided to get speakers that could be driven properly by my amps. Some choose speakers first and find well matching amps to drive them properly, and others choose amps first then speakers that can be driven by those amps. It sounds like the M9 can be driven nicely by a variety of good amplifiers. I am not surprised by the preference for the Kaguras in some condititions.