Visit to Chris to See Magico M9 and VYGER and Pilium in Southlake, Texas

[Lagonda]

After watching this video, I was curious about Scaeana 3.2

Video could not convey whole scale and deep bass but if you have keen ear, you can catch the overall performance.

When I happened to see the listing for used Scaena 3.2, I jumped at it on Dec 2019

Funny thing is that I could not assemble it for 2 and half years since I could not ask other people to help me on assembly during Corona Pendemic.

After doing the job with help of one WBF member, I could get the sound I want only after adding Rel 31 subwoofers.

Without Rel, the deep bass was missing.

The advntage of line array speaker is realistic soundstage with deep and wide soundstage.

The conclusion is that video could be of help to the people with keen ear, but could mislead some naive people without much experience.

And maybe your particular setup, with little reinforcement for the woofers needs a lot of bass to work !

 

[Al M.]

The conclusion is that video could be of help to the people with keen ear, but could mislead some naive people without much experience.

The conclusion by people with keen ear and with lots of experience of how music should sound is that video is worthless. I hope your system sounds much better in person. Actually, I am sure it does.

 

[bonzo75]

The conclusion by people with keen ear and with lots of experience of how music should sound is that video is worthless.

Congrats on being certified by Al, Al. You do have a lot of experience defending digital on this forum

 

[Alrainbow]

Sorry videos can be very useful. To say as a whole useless is not correct but to conclude a system based on one is wrong. The two views are both equally important

 

[PeterA]

Is Chris the owner of the former Rhapsody Dallas listening room a member of WBF? It seems a bit strange to have a ten page thread about a guy's Magico M9 system and room in his absence.

I wish Chris well in his audio pursuits. We spoke on the phone for a possible visit just before the M9 was installed, but the room was not yet ready for visitors.

 

[Kingrex]

Carlos, Al and Bonzo converted me. I listened to the videos on Carlos' new thread. I listened to Bonzos posts. Then I recorded my own system and listened. Then I listened to threads on Whatsapp and text by friends. The recording of my own system and comparing it to others made it easier for me to hear the crossover sucking up power that should be going to the drivers. Without the video capture on my Samsung phone, I did not have a back to back reference on what my stereo sounded like compared to others that are more well done.

By listening to a phone video of my system, I also became aware my amps really are world class doing what they are suppose to. Also the speaker drivers are capable. Just the crossover is sucking up so much power its robbing in many area. This is exactly what the manufacturer of my amps said when he came to listen to my setup after it settled in. He said I had to fix my crossover. I did not understand what he meant till I heard it through a (different set of ears).

A video is far from telling you everything. I can't see how it would tell you if the sound is hard or fatiguing. It won't show the soundstage. But you definitely hear compression of dynamics, veiling, smear, mid forward cuping, scale, energy, clarity, Lots can be heard.

Its pretty eye opening to listen to a video of your own system through a phone capture. Its actually an amazing tool if you can grasp what to do with the information. Unfortunately it does not show you answers. Its only a data point.

After listening to a bunch of video, Its pretty apparent what the M9 are doing in the room they are located. Whether you like that sound in real life is up to you. Same for the big horn systems people laud over. You can hear some "horn" sound in the horn video. You can also hear the M9 are not doing some things the horn system video show. You can tell the M9 have a sound. Exactly what it is is not known from the video. But its definitely not similar to the samples Carlos and Bonzo posted.
in the end you have to listen to a system in person to decide. Thats the true test. But I challenge anyone who denies phone video to shoot their own stereo and listen. Take 4 or more video. Do everything you can to make a good capture. Then ask yourself, why is my phone video so different from the videos Carlos and Bonzo posted. When you accept they used a phone and nothing else, you can then start looking at your system and asking, what is constraining mine??? Why is it lacking in area you thought were fine but you were to close to the system to hear before.

 

[bonzo75]

you can then start looking at your system and asking, what is constraining mine??? Why is it lacking in area you thought were fine

Most people shouldn’t take this advice, as we need you happy and cheerful at your age

 

[XV-1]

I thought the only thing wrong with Ron's video was the abysmal choice of music and questionable video editing.
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms has no low bass, nor does the Dylan track, yet people were complaining about the lack of bass - LOL.

personally, if I never hear BIA album again, it would be too soon.

For me, videos show absolutely nothing about how the system sounds. It is nice to see all the gear and stuff. If the music is naff, very hard to be positive about the video.

That said, watching this video did nothing to dissuade me of wanting to hear the M9's if I ever got the chance.

 

[Carlos269]

I thought the only thing wrong with Ron's video was the abysmal choice of music and questionable video editing.
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms has no low bass, nor does the Dylan track, yet people were complaining about the lack of bass - LOL.

personally, if I never hear BIA album again, it would be too soon.

For me, videos show absolutely nothing about how the system sounds. It is nice to see all the gear and stuff. If the music is naff, very hard to be positive about the video.

That said, watching this video did nothing to dissuade me of wanting to hear the M9's if I ever got the chance.

It appears that your expectation of what a $750K set of speakers, in a $1MM system, in a $$$K “state of the art” bespoke acoustically engineered listening room, should sound like, even over video, is very uninspired.

 

[Al M.]

Dire Straits Brothers in Arms has no low bass, nor does the Dylan track, yet people were complaining about the lack of bass - LOL.

personally, if I never hear BIA album again, it would be too soon.

Agreed. Can't stand it. I still think the first Dire Straights album is the best. Young and hungry musicians back then.

 

[DasguteOhr]

Agreed. Can't stand it. I still think the first Dire Straights album is the best. Young and hungry musicians back then.

Love over Gold (telegraph road,private investgations)have most dynamic and punch in the bass.

 

[bonzo75]

Carlos, Al and Bonzo converted me.

I think you should clarify this is the Al who can hear - Al Rainbow.

 

[Al M.]

I think you should clarify this is the Al who can hear - Al Rainbow.

Regardless of who can hear or not, it felt definitely surreal to see my name up there .

 

[bonzo75]

Regardless of who can hear or not, it felt definitely surreal to see my name up there .

You will forever be judged by the company you kept in Rex's post

 

[XV-1]

It appears that your expectation of what a $750K set of speakers, in a $1MM system, in a $$$K “state of the art” bespoke acoustically engineered listening room, should sound like, even over video, is very uninspired.

LOL
the only thing laughable is anyone having any expectations of sound quality from a Canon camera's video.

If you think judging the system based on this video, you frankly are completely uninspired of any imagination unless you have heard it yourself .

 

[Rexp]

I think you should clarify this is the Al who can hear - Al Rainbow.

So it is a hearing problem that these video deniers have, good to know. I was thinking it's down to faulty gear.

 

[bonzo75]

LOL
the only thing laughable is anyone having any expectations of sound quality from a Canon camera's video.

If you think judging the system based on this video, you frankly are completely uninspired of any imagination unless you have heard it yourself .

In person, would you have used those LPs that Ron used for audition, which you said lacked bass?

 

[itay123]

LOL
the only thing laughable is anyone having any expectations of sound quality from a Canon camera's video.

If you think judging the system based on this video, you frankly are completely uninspired of any imagination unless you have heard it yourself .

Absolutely right!

I have a feeling that, apparently - maybe,
people before they record their video ,
they (maybe) well "engineer" the sound with various external components like equalizers,
and then check several times if its well audible and make sure it sounds as if it's the closest to YouTube
just for the recording, and judging on people with expensive gear that they will probably will never have,
and pat themselves on the back, that here they supposedly have a result that is the closest to the "original" in their recording,
and in reality, sounds so terrible and horrible,
those people will never host people either,
unfortunately I have come across several

shame.

 

[Carlos269]

Absolutely right!

I have a feeling that, apparently - maybe,
people before they record their video ,
they (maybe) well "engineer" the sound with various external components like equalizers,
and then check several times if its well audible and make sure it sounds as if it's the closest to YouTube
just for the recording, and judging on people with expensive gear that they will probably will never have,
and pat themselves on the back, that here they supposedly have a result that is the closest to the "original" in their recording,
and in reality, sounds so terrible and horrible,
those people will never host people either,
unfortunately I have come across several

shame.

i think that you better think again. I have more gear and more expensive gear than you can even dream of. My personal videos are taken at the end of the my listening sessions and as you can see from the videos I don’t even use a stand or any other special arrangement, I just sit in my listening chair hold the camera in front of me and push record. But it’s interesting that you would think that these videos are the results post production. You would think that with the “level of quality” gear you own you could at least achieve or aspire to similar results but I guess not. Face the music, some of us know how to assemble great systems and get the most out of them. It’s not just about writing that check that matters, it’s about being intelligent enough to known the elements at play to make the proper adjustments to achieve the results that you are after. Ponder on that for a minute.

 

[itay123]

i think that you better think again. I have more gear and more expensive gear than you can even dream of. My personal videos are taken at the end of the my listening sessions and as you can see from the videos I don’t even use a stand and only special arrangement, I just sit in my listening chair hold the camera in front of me and push record. But it’s interesting that you would think that these videos are the results post production. You would think that with the “level of quality” gear you own you could at least achieve or aspire to similar results but I guess not. Face the music, some of us know how to assemble great systems and get the most out of them. It’s not just about writing that check that matters, it’s about being intelligent enough to known the elements at play to make the proper adjustments to achieve the results that you are after. Ponder on that for a minute.

I wasn't talking specifically to you, but in general,
I'm not really interested in your gear,
approach of determining and judging a result from a smartphone recording,
it's better not to say everything I have to say...