Magico M9

[TLi]

Very interesting! Not many have heard both...and even fewer have heard them in the same room and perhaps in the same system!

Did you find the much bigger Magico M9 had more powerful bass and greater sense of all out scale and higher 'limits' due to its size, larger cone/air displacement, etc? Or did you feel that in the areas of pure power and scale, they seemed comparable, just different?

The active crossover of M9 can be adjusted to plus and minus a few dB's. The owner originally played it on 0dB, ie flat, the bass was too thin for his room. Later he set it at +2dB. The bass was very smooth and linear. I have requested it to be set to +4dB, there were more bass and the sound was warmer.

It is up to the user to dial in the amount of bass he/she prefers. Even if one turns up the bass, the presentation is different from that of XVX. XVX has more mid bass, more slam, perhaps helps by the tuned port. M9 has more low bass and it will not give you the kick at the bottom as some prefers with Wilson Audio speakers.

There is certainly more details in M9. It gives me the impression of it being more refined, better for classical. XVX maybe better for Michael Jackson, pop music.

 

[LL21]

The active crossover of M9 can be adjusted to plus and minus a few dB's. The owner originally played it on 0dB, ie flat, the bass was too thin for his room. Later he set it at +2dB. The bass was very smooth and linear. I have requested it to be set to +4dB, there were more bass and the sound was warmer.

It is up to the user to dial in the amount of bass he/she prefers. Even if one turns up the bass, the presentation is different from that of XVX. XVX has more mid bass, more slam, perhaps helps by the tuned port. M9 has more low bass and it will not give you the kick at the bottom as some prefers with Wilson Audio speakers.

There is certainly more details in M9. It gives me the impression of it being more refined, better for classical. XVX maybe better for Michael Jackson, pop music.

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights! That is very, very interesting. I look forward to hearing the M9 someday.

I have always admired Magicos all the way back to the older V2, but admit my own personal priorities in sound have always led me towards Wilson/Rockport, and many years ago, Sonus Faber (Guarneris/Strad). Of all the priorities (mid-range magic or all out bass, etc)...detail actually has only become a priority in the last few years AFTER all of those other elements have been delivered first.

And even when I look for that next big level up...I tend to go for more of my personal main priorities, where ultimate detail retrieval comes third or fourth.

As a result, to make a great physical and financial leap forward, I probably would see myself going more towards the all-out scale/power and drive of something like Genesis Prime/XVX + dual subs/Rockport Arrakis + subs or Lyra + Custom Rockport subs...where power, foundation, and effortlessness are what first attracts me...and then later their ability to portray musical nuance and detail.

That said, we can always learn something (I certainly have...and it has led me to new discovery)...so I look forward to hearing the big Magicos some day.

 

[Ron Resnick]

IMHO a speaker of that size need more room.

+1

Maybe it's just the perspective of that photo, but they do look kind of cramped in there.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Wow, reduction of resolution at that price point?

Assuming TLi is correct, why is it a surprise that even at this SOTA level and price level subtle, conscious compromises might have to be made? I am sure that competing $65 million private jets by Gulfstream and Bombardier have lists of pros and cons.

 

[howiebrou]

Thank you...interesting. I think the reason for my very specific question was because the Magico is a much bigger speaker physically and cone-area-wise...and I am personally digging into my own next move and where to go next...and I think the only place for me to go into unchartered waters is all-out scale...ie, like what ones hears from a Genesis One, or a big 4-tower.

So of course, when someone hears both the much bigger Magico M9 and the XVX in the same room/possibly same system...I have to ask whether that scale/bass/power thing follows in accordance with the 50%+ increase in weight/size, bass cone area, etc of the speaker.

I have heard the same speakers as TLi and imho, the M9 are much more engaging, both acoustically and visually.

 

[morricab]

It’s a shame one still needs to compromise with a $750k(?) speaker.

When the technology used to make speakers is compromised how could the final products not be?

 

[Rhapsody]

The "compromised" discussion is based off one person that heard both the Wilsons and the M9s in one specific room. Sure the speakers sound different but compromised has only been brought up by all of the people here commenting that have not heard the M9s and probably the big Wilsons themselves.

I invite anyone to come and hear the M9s at the Rhapsody- Dallas/Fort Worth location and then see if you think that the M9s are compromised. They sure don't sound compromised to me but I sell the M9s, so ignore my comment, see what you think after having a listen with whatever music that you would like to play, digital or vinyl.

After one hears something and then comments on the sonic attributes of a given speaker then at least it is an informed opinion.

 

[bonzo75]

I am sure that competing $65 million private jets by Gulfstream and Bombardier have lists of pros and cons.

The private jets sound like they might turn into the A737 circa 2019

 

[chuck]

I invite anyone to come and hear the M9s at the Rhapsody- Dallas/Fort Worth location and then see if you think that the M9s are compromised. They sure don't sound compromised to me but I sell the M9s, so ignore my comment, see what you think after having a listen with whatever music that you would like to play, digital or vinyl.

I will be in Dallas on Friday, May 26, 2023. Can I take you up on the invitation?

 

[Rhapsody]

I will be in Dallas on Friday, May 26, 2023. Can I take you up on the invitation?

Get in touch with Chris Hesse at the DFW Rhapsody location to see if he is available on that day. That day is the Friday of Memorial Day weekend so not sure of his availability.

email: chris@rhapsodydfw.com​

phone: +1 (716) 982-4189​

 

[andromedaaudio]

Id like to hear those " compromised " M9 s
I hope wilson does a better job next week in Munich then last year , otherwise it ll be another 2 song max room.
Sounded more like " handicapped " to me last year.

 

[Zeotrope]

Assuming TLi is correct, why is it a surprise that even at this SOTA level and price level subtle, conscious compromises might have to be made? I am sure that competing $65 million private jets by Gulfstream and Bombardier have lists of pros and cons.

Because the compromises we are discussing are not subtle. Time alignment, or lack of driver rigidity is akin to saying G6 wings are not perfectly aligned for level flight! Both brands should have done better for what they are charging.
Ultimately, these are boxes with magnets and paper...

 

[Rhapsody]

Because the compromises we are discussing are not subtle. Time alignment, or lack of driver rigidity is akin to saying G6 wings are not perfectly aligned for level flight! Both brands should have done better for what they are charging.
Ultimately, these are boxes with magnets and paper...

So you have heard both systems?

 

[Zeotrope]

So you have heard both systems?

You’ve missed the point

 

[Rhapsody]

You’ve missed the point

What I got from what you said is that both manufacturers "should have done better for what they are charging". How do you know this? You just know???

If I'm so dense that I missed your point, please enlighten me as to what your point was.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Time alignment, or lack of driver rigidity is akin to saying G6 wings are not perfectly aligned for level flight!

You should stop reading Lee s reviews .
Good sound has as much to do with NASA technology ( some carbon lol ? ) , then a pigeon in my garden

Ps magico doesn t uses paper cones .

If were going the Carbon / " High tech " gives good sound route , there are numerous other possibilties you can buy with great sound , Mclaren 720S great sound V8 only 200 K , and it actually gets you somewhere

 

[Zeotrope]

What I got from what you said is that both manufacturers "should have done better for what they are charging". How do you know this? You just know???

If I'm so dense that I missed your point, please enlighten me as to what your point was.

How do I know? Well, I’ll tell you:
Because I spent 8 years designing my own speakers and learning about the science, and art, of acoustic engineering. And because I can afford them.
So for my dollar, and knowing what I know about speaker design, it’s unacceptable to have non time aligned drivers and drivers that are mounted with insufficient rigidity.
These are not compromises that I feel are acceptable.

 

[Rhapsody]

How do I know? Well, I’ll tell you:
Because I spent 8 years designing my own speakers and learning about the science, and art, of acoustic engineering. And because I can afford them.
So for my dollar, and knowing what I know about speaker design, it’s unacceptable to have non time aligned drivers and drivers that are mounted with insufficient rigidity.
These are not compromises that I feel are acceptable.

Oh, ok. Now I understand.

 

[andromedaaudio]

So for my dollar, and knowing what I know about speaker design, it’s unacceptable to have non time aligned drivers and drivers that are mounted with insufficient rigidity.

BS

 

[Zeotrope]

BS

What exactly is “BS”? Enlighten me on what factors I should consider important!