Magico A3 vs. Focal Kanta 2

Paradigm Persona 3F.  They would absolutely shine with your McIntosh gear.

I feel my electronics are far superior to my speakers and I'm not getting their full potential. VA Mozart seem too small, laid back, lack of detail at the top, do not accurately reproduce massive orchestral works or piano works. 

Paradigm persona doesn't look good to me. 

@jackd: Why would you pick Elipsa specifically ? 

@stereo5: Are you familiar with VA Mozart sound? Do you think it is unwise to upgrade and expect a markedly improved sound? 

I would add the Revel F228Be, it has the largest woofer out of the three.  Should be better with classical music.  8 ohms and 90db, easier to drive than the A3.

Firstly, I don’t consider myself an expert. And that would include 95% of members in this forum. That said, I recently auditioned the Magico A3’s for a review i’m writing. The fit and finish is excellent. The speakers sit solidly on their spikes. However WAF is purely subjective. I think they look really handsome. In terms of the sound, they portray piano and strings very very well. I think the A3’s are better suited to classical and jazz, than rock and pop. They do like a lot of power, and your Mac separates should have no problem controlling them. Magico sounds best with warm tube-like ss, or with some tubes in the mix.

I haven’t heard the SF Elipsa speakers, but from listening to other SF speakers, they will have a completely different sound signature; warmer, richer, a bit less resolving of micro detail and more forgiving (ie: gently rolled off). Though obviously beautiful looking speakers if you like a more fine furniture look. They are a sensitive speakers which presents an easier load to the amp & allows for greater dynamics. That said, you’d have to be comfortable buying 2nd hand in that case.

I got to hear the Focal Kantas at the Melbourne Hifi show a couple of years back. Under show conditions, I wasn’t that wow’d with their sound. They sound pleasant, but not that involving. Though show conditions are notoriously difficult. I do like the Focal Utopia speakers which are punchier, more resolving, transparent & natural sounding, but also a lot more $.

Another speaker which I haven’t heard, but greatly admire is the Joseph Audio Profile ($9.8k). That speaker images very well, is resolving, smooth and musical. It doesn’t have the heroic build quality of the A3’s, but is well designed and built. And is has the advantage of being a true 8 ohm speaker, hence dynamics should be effortless. Hope that helps!

I have had the Focal Sopra No2's since they first came out, driving them with a C2500/MC452 and am absolutely smitten by the way they sound.  I listen to mostly classical, some rock & roll, some jazz, some world music, and find the Focal's don't seem to prefer one type of music per se.

The one thing I would recommend, if you pick the Focals, is that you show some patience in breaking them in.  After about 150 hours of streaming content, first at a low volume, increasing it every so many hours, I thought they started to "settle down".  But after owning them for about six months, they really seemed to find their groove.

That MC452 really matches up well with all the Focal's I've auditioned.