New S3 was said by very respectable dealer Mke B from Suncoast to fall between the M2 and M3 sonically... I think that he is correct and it has all the good attributes but also has a bit more forgiveness of bad recordings ;^)
S3 MK3 (2023) Arrived
- Thread starter exupgh12
- Start date
exupgh12, how were the room measurements done? I heard these S3s at AXPONA. I thought they sounded wonderful.
Funny I just listened to a pair of S3 and my biggest issue was playing bad recordings. I thought the midrange was outstanding.
I can totally see that. I was very impressed by the newer A5’s 5” & 9” drivers.
That said, the reduction in diffraction of the M2 is something that you almost have to appreciate over time. To me, it’s quite unlike other speakers. I basically lived with the M2 for a while and then I went back to other speakers and go, what’s that distortion I’m hearing. Now whether you value that over the nicer drivers is a personal thing. But I can easily see people preferring S3 2023 (even though I haven’t heard it) over the M2.
For good or bad, with right condition, magico Speakers will mirror the recording quality
M2 originated from the same lineage as high-end speakers designed for smaller spaces such as those found in Tokyo, Japan, and other major cities. While it's an excellent speaker, its capacity to fill larger rooms is limited. The new S3, equipped with larger drivers, a slightly expanded enclosure, and updated technology, is better suited for condominiums and music rooms around 50 square meters.
both speaker have th advantages and disadvantages.
I am nearing completion of break-in of S3 2023s that have replaced my S3 MkIIs after six years. Similar to exupgh12, mine are driven by a Luxman M-10X, and I find his comments on how they sound to pretty much mirror my experience. The 2023s are better than the MkIIs across the board. Perhaps a difference from comments above is that I find some older recordings that sounded harsh on the MkIIs are actually somewhat enjoyable on the new speakers in spite of, perhaps because of, their superior resolving capabilities. I really really like these speakers. Looking forward to completing break-in and fine tuning placement.
It's fantastic to hear about your experience with the S3 2023s! The upgrade from the MkIIs after six years seems to have been worthwhile, especially given your positive comparison.
It's intriguing that the new speakers not only outperform their predecessors but also manage to enhance the listening experience with older recordings that sounded harsh on the MkIIs.
Enjoy your continued journey.
Upgrading from the S3 MkII to the new 2023 S3 is definitely a large upgrade and absolutely worth it.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the upgrade from the S3 MkII to the new 2023 S3. It's great to hear that you found it to be a significant improvement and worth the investment. The advancements in technology and features between the models can indeed make a noticeable difference in performance and functionality.
I have compared the S3 to others in various price range. For me the biggest strength of the S3 is the midrange. I truly love the mids in this speaker. My biggest complaint is it isn't a forgiving speaker. If your recording is bad, it sounds bad. Some might call this a true to the music speaker. If that is your liking, this speaker will be hard to beat IMO.
...thanks @bryans
I am working myself up to making the 65 mile drive to Buffalo to hear the S3. So far, snow forecast has kept me out of trouble, but that won't hold forever.
I am working myself up to making the 65 mile drive to Buffalo to hear the S3. So far, snow forecast has kept me out of trouble, but that won't hold forever.
Currently I have Magicos S3 Mk2 on SPODs in a well treated room. I am tempted to upgrade to the S3 2023. I will visit a dealer, where I can compare the S3 2023 with an A5. Because it's not possible to compare the S3 Mk2 vs the new S3 in the same room, it would be interesting to know how experienced Magico owners or dealers would - roughly - classify the three speakers in relation to each others.
For example: S3 2023 >> S3 Mk2 > A5
This would be helpful for my upcoming listening session, as I am more interested in the difference between the two S3 models than in the difference between the two speakers I can actually compare.
For example: S3 2023 >> S3 Mk2 > A5
This would be helpful for my upcoming listening session, as I am more interested in the difference between the two S3 models than in the difference between the two speakers I can actually compare.
This one's easy. S3 2023>M3>M2>S3Mk2>A5>A3>A1. Jonathan Valin of TAS just reviewed it and says it's better than any Magico he's had and he's had the above M's both I believe. The new S3 is special indeed and probably the best speaker under $100k. The new model is a totally different animal so it's not really fair to compare to the S3mk2. It's far warmer and more extended on the bottom end than the S3Mk2 as well as being smoother and more coherent. It's far more forgiving and dynamic than the Ms. the new S3 makes the old one sound broken tbh. Anyway that's the short version. You must hear it for yourself to know on a good high power system.
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I would describe the new S3 as having greater clarity, detail, focus, speed, and balance than the S3 MkII.
The S3 MkII betters the A5 in similar ways, particularly with smoother treble and more detail and delicacy in the midrange. The A5 can play louder with its three bass drivers, but that's probably not a pressing requirement for most people.
I would upgrade to the new S3 speakers if I were you. If you compare the A5 to the S-series MkII speakers, you immediately hear how much better the S-series MkII is. There are similar immediate and obvious improvements comparing the S3 MkII to the new S3. It's not one of those things where you have to try to listen carefully for small differences, or where you have to consider trade-offs where it does one thing better but another thing worse.
Townes, I've had the S3 2023's since Fall. They replaced S3 MkII's (on spikes) that I had for more than five years. I've heard all of the A Series speakers several times. The S3 2023's are superb. Compared to the MkII's, they are clearer and more transparent across the spectrum. Regardless of what Magico's bass spec says, they go significantly deeper but without the bass hump many are used to with ported speakers. They exhibit excellent coherency (a really big deal with one of my friends). Piano, strings, voices are 'right.' Very dynamic, but you don't have to turn the volume way up to appreciate the quality. Some recordings I hadn't paid much attention to previously are getting a lot of play time now (but don't expect the 2023's to put lipstick on Poor/mediocre recordings). If you acquire these, I think you'll be pleased. You won't have to listen hard to hear the improvements.
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