Magico Ultimate 3

[marslo]

I heard today U3 . Well, i withdraw my former -may be stupid - comments about their price tag.
They play at galactical division. The rest of the competition is still on earth.
I am horn lover and my ranking from Munich is as follows : U3, than long, long nothing then : Acapella Apollon ,Living Vox Olimpia with Kondo, Avantgarde Trio with Vitus with Fono Acoustica cables, then Avantgarde Duo Grosso with XA integrated.
The biggest deception - Cessaro Liszt. Not bad at all : Horn Fabrik with Atma Sphere amplifiers.

Btw- I agree with Luiz Felipe, Audiopax amps with Rhem speakers and Antelope Dac sounded very well indeed.

 

[PeterA]

I heard today U3 . Well, i withdraw my former -may be stupid - comments about their price tag.
They play at galactical division. The rest of the competition is still on earth.
I am horn lover and my ranking from Munich is as follows : U3, than long, long nothing then : Acapella Apollon ,Living Voice Olimpia with Kondo, Avantgarde Trio with Vitus with Fono Acoustica cables, then Avantgarde Duo Grosso with XA integrated.
The biggest deception - Cessaro Liszt. Not bad at all : Horn Fabrik with Atma Sphere amplifiers.

Btw- I agree with Luiz Felipe, Audiopax amps with Rhem speakers and Antelope Dac sounded very well indeed.

Hearing is believing. What exactly distinguished the sound of the Ultimate 3 system compared to the other horn based systems?

 

[marslo]

U3 have everything : 3d dimensions, huge soundstage, resolution, timbre,perfect attack and decay, dynamic , deep and controlled bass at the level by far superior to the other horn constructions. The only element wich is less impressive is the ability to present the music in the emotionally involved way . Both Acapella and Living Voice and even Avantgarde can do better, of course imo. Maybe they are more human , U3 are extraterrestrial

 

[earlinarizona]

Any pics of the new Acapella speaker? I just saw somewhere that the price is 140,000 USD.
How were the electronics setup on the U3? I saw 2 or 3 First Watt amplifiers bur what about crossover and front end preamp and other details.
About the emotional value of the U3. Could you comfortably sit and listen to them all day and enjo tehm or just for short bursts or is the Vox Olympian a speaker you could sit with all day. Same goes for the Acapella. As for the Avantgard speakers, I have heard them 4 times and not my bag.

 

[marslo]

For the pics of Acapellas I could post them tomorrow as i am still in Munich with iPad only.
The price of Acapella Apollon is 102 k euro, so you are probably right about the price in USD.
The amplification of U3 was not exposed, it was just behind the pannels with Magico pictures.
The same for the crossover and the front end- i could not see them because i had space only to breathe, not to move.
The presentation was based on selected pieces and it is hard to evaluate how one would react to the longer listenning sessions. Imo U3 could provoque fatigue much faster than Vox Olympia or Acapellas.

 

[Elberoth]

If it wasn't for the outstanding presence and dynamics (both micro and macro) U3 were the only horn that could full you into thinking your are not listening to a horn system at all. No typical horn colorations. The Cesaro speakers on the other hand were the polar opposite - they drove me out of the room every time I tried to listen to them.

Vox Olimpian were close to Magicos (easily second best on the show in my book), but still not there. Thay were souding very emotionaly engaging though - more than the Magicos - which I directly atribute to the Kondo 300B amplification beeing used.

The Kondo / Vox Olympian presentation was the only one after which I witnessed the audience ovation.

And BTW, since this is the Magico thread - for the first time ever I enjoyed the Magicos (Q5) beeing driven by Soulution gear. They were demoning their new 701 monoblocks, a Soulution pre. The source was a TT. The sound in that room easily made it into my top 5.

 

[marslo]

Adam ,
I can agree with your comments about U3, Living Vox and Cessaro. We have nearly the same opinions. As far as the combo Q 5 / Soulution is concerned may I ask you where was the soul ?
No , I did not like it at all.

 

[Jazzhead]

Adam ,
I can agree with your comments about U3, Living Vox and Cessaro. We have nearly the same opinions. As far as the combo Q 5 / Soulution is concerned may I ask you where was the soul ?
No , I did not like it at all.

Q5/Soulution ...Dry and digitally flat perspective , am sure it should better given a better environment , surely not befitting their pedigree

 

[Elberoth]

I've spoken with many people exhanging opinions about what sounded good and bad, and Magico/Soulution pairing was mentioned by many as one of their favourite. Go figure.

The sound was certainly fast and very uncoloured, perfectly separeted from the speakers, with no boomy bass or other iritating colorations that you could hear in almost any other room. I didn't hear the Soulutuon CD/DAC playing though, only the TT ... so maybe that made us differ. If you are tube fan, I'm sure a tubed DAC or pre would add enough of 'flavour' and 'emotions' for you.

BTW - when they attempted to play The Wall at realistic volume, the amps switched off for no reason - first the left one, and then the right one, after some bass whacks. Most likely some protective circuit kicked in. That only shows, that the bad reputation of a speaker that needs a nuclear power plant to drive, the Q5 enjoys, is all true.

On the other hand, one would expect the $100.000 Soulution 701 monos to be able to supply more current...

Thankfully, the improved Q5 is in the works.

 

[Roysen]

Q5/Soulution ...Dry and digitally flat perspective , am sure it should better given a better environment , surely not befitting their pedigree

I would have to disagree. The Q5/Soulution sounds wonderfully musically natural and utterly neutral.

 

[Bodhi]

Q5/Soulution ...Dry and digitally flat perspective , am sure it should better given a better environment , surely not befitting their pedigree

+ 1. I've read the Vitus SM-102 mono's are a good match. The new MP-S201 would be even better

 

[LL21]

BTW - when they attempted to play The Wall at realistic volume, the amps switched off for no reason - first the left one, and then the right one, after some bass whacks. Most likely some protective circuit kicked in. That only shows, that the bad reputation of a speaker that needs a nuclear power plant to drive, the Q5 enjoys, is all true.

On the other hand, one would expect the $100.000 Soulution 701 monos to be able to supply more current...

Thankfully, the improved Q5 is in the works.

I wonder if its the speaker/amp interface...or the amp/wall circuit interface. Didn't the Wotans playing the Apogee Grands at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel actually blow the circuit due to the extraordinary power draw? I know that the Gryphon will temporarily shut off if the draw is too low.

I am NO techie, but I could imagine the Soulutions would instantly seek to draw a lot of power to handle live-level Pink Floyd on speakers with a low impedance like the Q5s...perhaps the power was not instantly on tap for this? just a thought.

 

[Audiocrack]

Could you describe in more detail why you preferred Magico to the Vox Olympian? Is it only a matter of dynamics? Never liked the horns that I listened to in the past but the Vox Olympian in combination with Kondo amplification seems to be a marriage in heaven although I have not yet heard this set up personally.

 

[Luiz Felipe]

Hi Adam and all, First I must to say the right solution amplifier shutdown when I was listeming, I really agree it can't happens. I just listened the cd player and I really did't like this result, wasn't natural sound. Good soundstage, but it was all to tell the truth I listened magicos + solution 6 times and I never really like them combination, a lot of people like this, but do not work for me. Is important to say I preffer solid states, but solution never convinced me. I have a theory, amplifiers like solution with so much negative feedback aways sound stressed to me.

About the horns, I agree the Magico was a better presentation, very very fast, but is important consider a price tag of 600k, probably the most expensive speakers in the world. If I should pay for that result, absolutely not. Because was not more impressive than a rockport arrakis, or orhers on a 1/3 price. It is most for very rich people who are looking by an exclusive object than a result I think.

 

[LL21]

Hi Adam and all, First I must to say the right solution amplifier shutdown when I was listeming, I really agree it can't happens. I just listened the cd player and I really did't like this result, wasn't natural sound. Good soundstage, but it was all to tell the truth I listened magicos + solution 6 times and I never really like them combination, a lot of people like this, but do not work for me. Is important to say I preffer solid states, but solution never convinced me. I have a theory, amplifiers like solution with so much negative feedback aways sound stressed to me.

About the horns, I agree the Magico was a better presentation, very very fast, but is important consider a price tag of 600k, probably the most expensive speakers in the world. If I should pay for that result, absolutely not. Because was not more impressive than a rockport arrakis, or orhers on a 1/3 price. It is most for very rich people who are looking by an exclusive object than a result I think.

Interesting feedback. I have heard the Arrakis and that experience remains a personal 'favorite' of mine. I have never expected to encounter such solidity, such effortlessness. The tonal qualities, nuances of instruments, etc...was equally revelatory...not because I have not heard great detail before (I think i have)...but because it is so matter-of-factly presented, so easily, you wonder 'how come other speaker cannot do this?'...it seems so EASY.

 

[Luiz Felipe]

Just one off topic, as usual in Munich the worst presentation at all in my opinion was the 5.1 home theater with sonus faber and mcintosh made by fine sounds. Who was there could comment this presentation and if agree with me !

 

[Jazzhead]

The U3 mated with two Q subs worked !!! Great scale , micro dynamic shading with SOLID foundation . Tone of timbre was accurate and pleasingly so , also absent was the cupped nasality associated with so many of their brethren , or is that a trait of the past ? horn speakers of more recent vintage seem free of this former vice . If I were to be super critical of set up , it was a slight tizzines and waver to the very end of HF extension . All said aglimpse no doubt of the immense potential that the U3 is capable of given a dedicated room and a more systematic approach to set up. Worth the admission price ??? That only a longer acquaintance can answer ....

 

[marslo]

Any pics of the new Acapella speaker? I just saw somewhere that the price is 140,000 USD.
How were the electronics setup on the U3? I saw 2 or 3 First Watt amplifiers bur what about crossover and front end preamp and other details.
About the emotional value of the U3. Could you comfortably sit and listen to them all day and enjo tehm or just for short bursts or is the Vox Olympian a speaker you could sit with all day. Same goes for the Acapella. As for the Avantgard speakers, I have heard them 4 times and not my bag.

I hope all Magico fans will forgive us the pics of Acapella Apollon with La Musica amplifier and the turntable by Alfred Rudolph , the designer of Acapellas . They sport 15 kg plasma ion tweeter and sounded imo even better than Living Voice / Kondo setup.

 

[BruceD]

Um well yes re that TT-I suppose it it works fine--the Brits have a saying for it--"Heath Robertson" but hey if the sound is great-why not!

Carry on chaps

BruceD

 

[earlinarizona]

I was just reading that The Ultimates include an amplifier for the mid bass and lower bass. In Munich were they using the Qsub 15 and is that what they are talking about being powered along with the lower 15 inch of the main unit which we know has a built in amp. OR we know the built in 15 inch sub has a self contained amplifier but is a self contained amplifier for the large lower mid horn also included? Just need some clarification. This article said that the end user only needs to provide 3 channels of amplification or 6 total.
They also mentioned a special Magico crossover. Does this also do the time delay and room corrections. Very little has been said about this.