should i sell my S3MK2?!?!

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
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Israel
Hello everybody,
i enjoying my relatively new S3mk2 for a few months now, and like always my Audiophile head is running forward with Upgrades decisions. i was flipping a lot of gear last two years and recently all my analog set up was changed too. (you could see in my signature my all set up)

in the speakers department - although i LOVE my S3 mk2 a lot,- i was thinking maybe going all the way and get the M3 (sadly the M6 are not in my league) !
my room is very very small but Magico sealed box is contributing to the overall acoustics and air management along with my passive acoustic treatment around my walls.

the "problem" are:
1- the M3 is Very very expensive for my blood! its a huge step forward from anything i got till now days in a single piece of equipment. so i'm shaking in my pants to make the move although i could swing it some how.

2 - i don't think i will get nearly the M3 full potential in my room so the money issue is here too. (i don't think i'm getting from the S3MK2 his full potential also, but i love his 80-90% I AM getting. from others 100% speakers i tried).

3 - AND HERE is the spot that the plot are thickened: i was offered to make a Head to head switch for a few years old Q3!!!
so maybe this is the answer to my dilemma?!

what would you do\suggest?
will you get a Q3 instead of a S3MK2? (if we for now eliminates the M3 factor)
the Q3 is an awesome speakers . and i remember a few years ago people asking about it VS the S3MK1 and every single thread or post in the internet was 100% behind the Q3! as a superior and way better then any S around. small or medium rooms.
but there is the matter of the MK2 now, for a better drivers, sweeter sound, and of course new model instead of discontinued old model of sort.

oh sorry:
a few things i Know will be asked in this thread:
1 - yes i can listen to the Q3 but in a different house\system (i was listen to it a few tomes before, so i know how it sound but not with my system and in my house)
2 - no, i cant bring the Q3 in to my home and get an AB test between it and the S3MK2
3 - yes, it will be with no money exchange. the Q3 will be delivered by our Magico distributer and he will take back my S3MK2 to sell by himself.

any thought will be appreciate,
Thank you
A
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I think if you go with the M3, you're done in the speaker department at least unless you move. So in my mind, go for that.
 

Al M.

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Sep 10, 2013
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You said your room is very, very small. How small is it? Room dimensions may be crucial to speaker choice.
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Byrd, I love how my new larger room has opened up my sound.
But I’ve also heard three stellar systems in smaller rooms that fit hand in glove too.
It seems in smaller rooms that spkr size is crucial and you don’t want to go too big.
 

Al M.

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Sep 10, 2013
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It seems in smaller rooms that spkr size is crucial and you don’t want to go too big.

Which is why I asked. The M3 and Q3 may be compact, but they are more full range than the S3MkII (I said on purpose "more full range" because few speakers are truly full range without subs).
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Hi,
thanks for sharing some...

Jack, i guess you right, but i hate the fact i will need to spill 50K$ now for a speaker is out my room league.
and for now, i think its safe to say i will be in my room for the foreseeing future.

regrading my room dimension.
it is VERY SMALL!!!
2.2m X 4.3m
it was heavily acoustic treated and its a magical intimate and wonderful sound room. but i dont think its enough for a 74K$ speaker room...

anyway, i think i was miss understood in my post.
i guess the q3\M3 will work in my room at least or in the ball park of how the S3MK2 play in my room so -
im not so afraid from the result of a heavy bass (i am a little worry about the Q3 highs though, to be much more "in your face" from the S3...and for what i remember the Q3 had less deep bass as the S3MK2 have. but more anergy on the lower octave for sure) ) in my room

bottom line -i guess what i'm asking is :
will you prefer the Q3 over the S3MK2?
and if you own a s3mk2 speakers - would you trade it for a Q3 if you got a chance like i having now?! (speaker for speaker)
(lets keep it hypothetic with no room equation in the math) .

thanks.
 

GMKF

VIP/Donor
Aug 15, 2017
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I quite liked the S3MkII in Munich last year.

Q-3 with a Q-15 sub ?
Or even Zellaton's. In my opinion they should suit such a small room rather well.

Do you have the time to decide after you visit the munich show ?

Have fun ;)
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
hey Max!
thanks for sharing.

i wasn't on a quest for alternate my speakers till i was thinking to get the M3 instead of my S3MK2...
but then the Q3 option come across my laps and caught me unguarded.
so i need to decide if the Q3 is a better speaker then the S3MK2 without listen to them toe to toe
i guess my question is referring for whom listen to both and have a strong opinion between them.
 

GMKF

VIP/Donor
Aug 15, 2017
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Munich
I think the Q3 should go well with tubes. Jadis comes to mind. This may take care of the high frequency 'issue'. See comment
If you wish to make that move.
 

jep123

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Dec 23, 2012
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You should get a pair of very high quality stand mount speakers. I am talking the Q1 if Magico is your "thing", Raidho D series, Kaiser Acoustics Chiara ..... If (very if) you need more bass you could try a subwoofer or preferably two.

You have a app 11-12 sqm listening room and although very heavy treated you will be unable to get large speakers to work properly in your room. I can say this without have listening to your system. You are wasting a lot of money buying large speakers. It is your choice of course, my advice is well meant.

JP
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
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Interesting decision. If the dealer is offering an equal trade, why will he not allow you to audition the Q3 in your room? My local Magico dealer, Goodwin's High End is very accommodating and once told me that I could audition a demo speaker at my house for a small fee that would cover the labor and time for an employee to make the delivery and set up. I thought that was great service.

I like the Q3 very much, but I have not heard the S3II. I would think they sound quite different. I would try to hear the Q3 in a different setting. Unless you are blown away by it, I would stay with the S3II that you really like anyway and not risk the trade without an in home audition. I will also ask if you can take the S3II to the dealer to directly compare it to the Q3. This would tell you a lot, especially if they can assemble a system similar to yours in a small room. Again, Goodwin's did this for me, going so far as to reorient the speakers on the long wall because that more closely resembled my set up at home. They also hooked up the same table and a competing similar 100W SS amplifier.

I think you should see what your dealer is willing to do to help you with your decision.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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OH! That is indeed VERY small! The only times I've set up rooms that small I always spec'd monitors with a pair of subs dialed in very low.
 

Hieukm

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Oct 2, 2016
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How long you think you will stick with your room? And also the speaker? Magico can do decent in small room. I vote for the M3 just so you can have peace with upgrade bug. It wont sound to it potential but it will sound better for sure.
 

Al M.

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Sep 10, 2013
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You should get a pair of very high quality stand mount speakers. I am talking the Q1 if Magico is your "thing", Raidho D series, Kaiser Acoustics Chiara ..... If (very if) you need more bass you could try a subwoofer or preferably two.

You have a app 11-12 sqm listening room and although very heavy treated you will be unable to get large speakers to work properly in your room. I can say this without have listening to your system. You are wasting a lot of money buying large speakers. It is your choice of course, my advice is well meant.

JP

OH! That is indeed VERY small! The only times I've set up rooms that small I always spec'd monitors with a pair of subs dialed in very low.

Add my strong support to those opinions, Byrdparis. In such a small room monitors, possibly + sub(s), are the way to go. The chances are great that you will get much better imaging, and much more involvement in the music. The intimacy of the monitor sound will also complement the intimacy of your room.

I love my Reference 3A Reflector monitors. Top level performance with extreme resolution (no blurring cabinet resonances, great drivers) for just 12 grand. Currently I have a REL sub, to be replaced shortly with JL Audio Fathom 112v2 subs (also standing on ASC sub traps). And I have a considerably larger room than yours, 24 x 12 x 8.5 feet (7.2 x 3.6 x 2.6 m).
 
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Hieukm

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2016
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Add my strong support to those opinions, Byrdparis. In such a small room monitors, possibly + sub(s), are the way to go. The chances are great that you will get much better imaging, and much more involvement in the music. The intimacy of the monitor sound will also complement the intimacy of your room.

I love my Reference 3A Reflector monitors. Top level performance with extreme resolution (no blurring cabinet resonances, great drivers) for just 12 grand. Currently I have a REL sub, to be replaced shortly with JL Audio Fathom 112v2 subs. And I have a considerably larger room than yours, 24 x 12 x 8.5 feet (7.2 x 3.6 x 2.6 m).

I very much doubt your monitors can outperform a full range speaker in your room.
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Thank you all for your reply’s and suggestions.
I love my Magico and think the S3mk2 are great in my listening room.
I had big speakers for years in my room
Audio physic avanti 5, Avalon eidolon vision and others and I manage to play with all with my tiny room.

The question and decision. Ow will be Q3 under trade with no real evaluate them against the S3mk2.
Or to take the plunge and pay for the M3 and be done with it.

Thanks again!
Well appreciate all your comments.
 

Al M.

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Sep 10, 2013
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I very much doubt your monitors can outperform a full range speaker in your room.

I very much doubt a full range speaker can outperform my monitors in my room.

Except perhaps on some aspects of presentation of orchestral music, while it may run into trouble with others. For anything else, no. That includes rock (and no, I don't play above 90-95 dBa because i still want to have ears left to be an audiophile in 20 years' time).

For orchestral music my dream would be a Magico M6 -- in a very large room, much larger than mine.
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
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Thank you all for your reply’s and suggestions.
I love my Magico and think the S3mk2 are great in my listening room.
I had big speakers for years in my room
Audio physic avanti 5, Avalon eidolon vision and others and I manage to play with all with my tiny room.

"Manage to play with all with my tiny room". That is all relative. Have you even tried monitors?
 

Hieukm

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2016
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I very much doubt a full range speaker can outperform my monitors in my room.

Except perhaps on some aspects of presentation of orchestral music, while it may run into trouble with others. For anything else, no. That includes rock.

For orchestral music my dream would be a Magico M6 -- in a very large room, much larger than mine.

I recently move from Magico S1 Mk2 to a much bigger speaker similar to M6 in a room with exact dimension like yours. In my opinion, you are missing out a lot.
 

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