I am not sure. Is this a critique or an opinion poll?
I like Alon Wolf and Magico. That is the opinion poll. You can vote with your feet and your dollars.
Getting your speaker on the cover of a magazine sells speakers. Putting Magico on the cover sells magazines.
Hopefully the magazine contains a competent objective critique.
Tasos, Harley's comment seems a bit self-serving. However, I have read quite a few posts which describe JV as a very good writer. I, myself, happen to like his prose and his ability to describe what he hears. Perhaps there is some hyperbole, but still, I would describe him as an excellent writer. The best, who knows? I don't read very many reviews these days. Tima is quite good. I've also read some good reviews by Andre Jennings.
Regardless, the often dumb and rushed review was written by someone else, Robert Harley. I let my subscriptions to both magazines lapse, so I don't read these guys much anymore.
Despite the dirt cheap subscription prices and many years of reading this stuff, I noticed last Fall a pile of six or so unread TAS and Stereophile magazines sitting near my desk. I hadn't opened one of them. It's a combination of less time and less interest. I simply don't want to make the effort to read most of this stuff. Audio is one of four hobbies for me. I am no longer looking for new gear, and the stuff that interests me is not really reviewed. I guess the mainstream used to interest me, but not so much anymore. I'd rather listen to music, read this forum, or do something else.
Despite the dirt cheap subscription prices and many years of reading this stuff, I noticed last Fall a pile of six or so unread TAS and Stereophile magazines sitting near my desk. I hadn't opened one of them. It's a combination of less time and less interest. I simply don't want to make the effort to read most of this stuff. Audio is one of four hobbies for me. I am no longer looking for new gear, and the stuff that interests me is not really reviewed. I guess the mainstream used to interest me, but not so much anymore. I'd rather listen to music, read this forum, or do something else.
Considering the very low price I still keep the online subscriptions just to have another source of information and read from the few good guys - always entertaining and a source of knowledge and music. Surely I currently read less than 10% of the articles, but in my opinion they are worth my time.
Combined with a few good audio sites they give me what I need to help sailing in the high-end with pleasure.
The critical question is asking if such advanced methods do not introduce a measurement bias in the evaluation and optimization of speakers. Harman also developed and reported on a similar system to get a merit figure to describe speaker performance, but use a SOTA giant anechoic chamber.
Everybody is lucky cannata has nt read this new thread yet.
On a more serious note every loudspeaker has a sound of its own .
You pick the version of the thruth you like .
If you state a speaker is flawless you miss the point imo.
IIRC Magico and Harmon are concerned about predicting how thier speaker sounds in your room. Harmon claims this technique enables them to accomplish this.
Having now read the review I must say that it is actually well written and quite informative (even though I still don't like that one sentence of contention at its end).
I do have to disagree with RH about the power range (low and very low midrange). I don't think that the left hand of piano is the great distinguishing element here. My monitor/subwoofer system does the full range of piano extraordinarily well on recordings that allow it to shine, even though perhaps not on the level of the best.
But where high-quality large speakers (not just any multi-way floor stander) really shine, when it comes to the 'power range', are orchestral tubas and/or the low register of trombones. There, in the (very) low brass, they can have a power that something like my system, or 'regular' floor standers, just cannot muster. Perhaps the best example of this that I have heard were Rockport Lyras in a large room. It would be interesting to know how the M6 compares in that regard.
The article posted and this thread are both good reading.
I have never heard Magico speakers myself so I have to reserve my opinion other than to say "good for them" for getting on two magazine covers in the same month.
Seems to me that I recall this happening with several components in the mid-1990's.
Hard for me to read reviews of box speakers in general as I have little interest outside of the technology aspect.
Magico at shows serve up a big conundrum...they typically set up with what the area distributor has for the entire system vs. using the absolute best that shows off their speakers
Example is the first show with M6 and they used McIntosh electronics...enough said
Despite the dirt cheap subscription prices and many years of reading this stuff, I noticed last Fall a pile of six or so unread TAS and Stereophile magazines sitting near my desk. I hadn't opened one of them. It's a combination of less time and less interest. I simply don't want to make the effort to read most of this stuff. Audio is one of four hobbies for me. I am no longer looking for new gear, and the stuff that interests me is not really reviewed. I guess the mainstream used to interest me, but not so much anymore. I'd rather listen to music, read this forum, or do something else.
My issue with the magazines is the general decline in comparative reviews. Generally I find that only Michael Fremer and Don Saltzman routinely conduct comparative reviews.
I find uninteresting reviews which essentially conclude: “This [insert name of component] is one of the best I ever heard. I highly recommend it. If you are in the market for a [insert type of component] this should be on your short list.”
My issue with the magazines is the general decline in comparative reviews. Generally I find that only Michael Fremer and Don Saltzman routinely conduct comparative reviews.
I find uninteresting reviews which essentially conclude: “This [insert name of component] is one of the best I ever heard. I highly recommend it. If you are in the market for a [insert type of component] this should be on your short list.”
Your first point: it's not so much those author's being special in terms of desire to compare, as it is the availability of gear for doing a compare. Fremer likely has products coming out his ears and is able to hold onto them for long periods. I don't recall ever doing a review with no comparison. Different 'zones have different requirements. But one simply cannot ask a manufacturer for a comparable review sample for the purpose of using it for comparison. Only a desperate manufacturer would bite on that. it takes considerable time to, review two products, with only one being the review subject. It's more likely to have a prior edition of a product to compare with a new version. Some readers can only tolerate immediate back-to-back A/B type comparison and thus you usually don't get a comparison to a product you last heard two months ago.
Point two: Imo you'll miss a lot of excellent products if you rule out such review conclusions. Granted the language may be hackneyed, but presumably the sentiment is not.
