I would choose between KEF or the TAD. The others two will be bass flabby (one of your concerns).
Magico S5 vs KEF Blade 2 vs TAD Evo One vs YG Kipod II Sig w/pwr bass
Opinions please. All are Used and are the same very good price but The Y&G are $4000 less which is nice.
KEF Blade 2
TAD Evolution One
Y&G Kipod II Signature w/Pwr Bass module
Magico S5
Would love your thoughts any thoughts on any please! Being all used and in good shape these are all within $500 of each other used price but Y&G and those had highest list but know to be good used deals because they are pretty serious speakers.
I think as far as used speakers in the great value - now less than 1/2 price but still new enough to provide great performance these are some different but pretty serious speakers. Please any and all feedback totally welcomed and is super helpful
Source: Bricasti M1SE DAC
Preamp: Parasound JC2 Pre
Amp: Pass Labs X350.5 Amp
IC: Darwin TRUTH Balanced
SC: HiDiamond D8 w/Furutech
PC: HiDiammond P3 (7)
AC: HiDiamond HDX2
Transport: microRendu 1.4 and full suite of UpTone Audio Premium Power Supplies (2)x LPS-1 and (1) JS-2 LPS - (2) Regens - ISO and Amber and custom Canare DC cables for all / Tellarium Q Black Diamond USB cable and Curious Regen Link
Room is 12 x 23 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 15 Foot a peak
Music: Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.
Likes: Transparency- Delicate-linear-Dynamic-Fast - high resolution-microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk it and come out on the right side - but real see through into the music - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - there more everything else sound more like my DAC the closer I'm getting to where I want to go as close as possible - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency as my selection choices might speak to
Coming from: Rethm Saadhana V3 speakers which I love and are incredible but want to try something else.
Love any feedback about matching or equipment matching or one or multiple of these - what you heard at shows or whatever. Love more Info on these.
KEF Blade 2
TAD Evolution One
Y&G Kipod II Signature w/Pwr Bass module
Magico S5
Would love your thoughts any thoughts on any please! Being all used and in good shape these are all within $500 of each other used price but Y&G and those had highest list but know to be good used deals because they are pretty serious speakers.
I think as far as used speakers in the great value - now less than 1/2 price but still new enough to provide great performance these are some different but pretty serious speakers. Please any and all feedback totally welcomed and is super helpful
Source: Bricasti M1SE DAC
Preamp: Parasound JC2 Pre
Amp: Pass Labs X350.5 Amp
IC: Darwin TRUTH Balanced
SC: HiDiamond D8 w/Furutech
PC: HiDiammond P3 (7)
AC: HiDiamond HDX2
Transport: microRendu 1.4 and full suite of UpTone Audio Premium Power Supplies (2)x LPS-1 and (1) JS-2 LPS - (2) Regens - ISO and Amber and custom Canare DC cables for all / Tellarium Q Black Diamond USB cable and Curious Regen Link
Room is 12 x 23 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 15 Foot a peak
Music: Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.
Likes: Transparency- Delicate-linear-Dynamic-Fast - high resolution-microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk it and come out on the right side - but real see through into the music - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - there more everything else sound more like my DAC the closer I'm getting to where I want to go as close as possible - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency as my selection choices might speak to
Coming from: Rethm Saadhana V3 speakers which I love and are incredible but want to try something else.
Love any feedback about matching or equipment matching or one or multiple of these - what you heard at shows or whatever. Love more Info on these.
Showing 17 responses by shadorne
@fsmithjack You really need to listen. It depends on your taste. Do you like 1 a totally neutral accurate sound or 2 some bass emphasis or resonance. IMHO two cents YMMV Blade and TAD are camp 1 (driven by a British and Japanese preference for musical accuracy) YG and Magico are camp 2 (driven by American preference for big sound) Tight accurate bass is NOT as impressive except when playing loud (when it is more impressive) . With tight bass you will hear more lower mid details and differences (instrument separation between kick and bass) and even differences between recordings. I think however tight accurate bass is an acquired taste. I think most audiophiles go through small monitors to eventually affording big overly bass heavy speakers and then given long enough time back to more accurate bigger but tight bass speakers. Initially bigger bass is attractive (just like that boomy subwoofer) but after a while the coloration becomes noticeable and tiring (for the details that are lost) Although it is always tough to generalize about speakers, the best British and Japanese designs tend to be bass neutral (low Q) to allow mid range details to be clean and clear and the best American tend to be BIG and Bold and brash and exuberantly outgoing and fun. So what are you looking for? That is really the question! |
Magico is a very well engineered speaker. There is no way a lowther driver even in the fanciest aesthetic box can even hold a candle to the Magico S5. I would not try to get a more tube euphonic sound out of such a wonderfully engineered speaker but your taste must be quite eccentric if you can equally love such two very different speakers. |
@fsmithjack The tweeter used in the older version of the S5 is inadequate. It compresses terribly above 90 dB SPL (a major design mistake on this speaker probably corrected on subsequent models). Perhaps you listen loud and are sensitive to this harsh dull distorted sound? Being a metal dome it will also have plenty of high end and risk of resonances. Finally, tweeters that compress easily at modest volumes like 90 dB SPL will likely burn up their tweeter Ferrofluid quickly. If these speakers are a few years old then I would consider to replace the tweeters. Based on your outstanding list of previous ownership I think your speakers are not working properly - have the tweeters checked first and see if there is an upgrade available. Here is a link - check the two "deviation from linearity" plots the performance of the tweeter is horrendous for a speaker at this price/quality. (2 dB compression at 90 dB and 3dB at 95) http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1043:nrc-measu... As the voice coil in the tweeter heats up the resistance increases and then the crossover will no longer work properly as it is not matched for the higher tweeter impedance. Since the crossover is around 2KHz any trouble there will be easily audible and that frequency can sound harsh if elevated. Trust your ears! |
@dlcockrum I have built several systems like most people here. I think the system you refer to was a 7.1 all ATC system. That 7.1 system is perfect for HT but for the last few years I use a simplified setup with a pair of active ATC EL150SL for 2 channel music only. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6257 I did not recommend ATC on this thread as I didn’t see the OP asking about them. If there is interest I can always add something. ATC is not for everyone. Definitely one of the most revealing speakers in the world. If Magico gives fsmithjack a headache then ATC would probably bore a hole right through his head! LOL |
@dlcockrum "That’s all fine, Shadorne. Making comments degrading others’ equipment is not." Agreed. However you seem to think it is fine to degrade other people. Not sure what is worse - a link to a technical article pointing out a technical issue with equipment or a personal attack against a person for their views that don’t match your own? |
This is concerning. If properly constructed, speakers do not need 600 hours of break-in. An hour or two at most. If the sound is still changing after 600 hours then it is unlikely the design has any stability or reliability to begin with and you can expect ongoing change for practically the life of ownership. What is more likely to happen is that you will get acclimatized to the new sound over such an extended period. Honestly, either you need to see an audiologist or there is something faulty with your new speakers or setup. Your speakers are world class - you should not be experiencing these issues. |
@steakster Sorry but it is simple. Something that changes for weeks and possibly months is neither accurate nor high-fidelity. The term high-fidelity is about faithful reproduction of the source. Components that constantly drift and change in performance should be avoided if you care about performance at all. You are welcome to your finicky wonky products but that makes you no more a flat earther then the audiophile who seeks performance. @fsmithjack Sorry you bought such an expensive product that the seller has confirmed can’t produce sound with any consistency (for 600+ hours). You seemed to have struggled from the moment you hooked up these speakers instead of being able to enjoy them as soon as they were unboxed. Of course, if you enjoy these struggles and frustrations then that is good thing. You may refuse to believe it but it isn’t rocket science that there are indeed many products that work out of the box properly, consistently and for many years. The reason for my suggesting you test your ears is because you are really struggling. You initially described the sound as giving you a headache. This is not a normal experience with a highly respected speaker like Magico. |
These are your words not mine: "these Magico's are burning a whole right through my head like a lazier beam." "I've been setting them up and measuring and tweaking and they are giving me a royal head ache now? How can this be? I spent a ton of money and time and was so looking forward to these?" "Even my non audiophile wife said these don't sound as nice as your other speakers - how come? Msybe she sensed it from me but I'm like - really ?? " "I was hoping they would sound good - different but good but not the case. I had nothing to do with my old speakers or what I'm used to. Any person after 2 minutes will say yeah Houston we have a problem here..." My comments are based on your statements. If you are now retracting entirely everything you said then perhaps break-in may be the solution for you. |
@csmgolf Good points! I agree with you. Yes these small changes which are usually attributed to spider compliance are well known. Should the spider dominate the in box designed response - probably not on a good design? So what seems not to be well understood is that an excellent driver and box design will be quite insensitive to spider compliance. A poor speaker and drive design will be sensitive to the spider compliance. It has a lot to do with the acoustic suspension (which dominates) and the power of the drive motor (magnet and coil diameter). 20 hours sounds about right for most of the break-in to have occurred on some drivers like the $30 one you referred to. I am confident Magico would use much higher spec and commensurately more expensive drivers. An analogy is towing a trailer. A large diesel truck with a poweful 5 liter motor is not going to be as sluggish towing a trailor as a small gasoline van. In this case the higher torque perfornance of the truck makes the impact of the trailer mass less influential. |
@fsmithjack If you review my comments you will see they are not a personal attack but entirely suggestions and responses to factual assertions by yourself who claims, "Houston" we have a problem. I don't recall suggesting you get ATC speakers, as I dont think that would have been at all helpful on my part. So how this has become "the real matter at hand" in your mind is entirely your viewpoint which I don't share. I don't have a problem with your opinions about ATC. They are indeed the wrong speaker to purchase if you intend to flip them after a year or two. You certainly make a good point there. |
@csmgolf All good points. Though I am not trying to insinuate anything. To be clear, IF Magico indeed takes more than 600 hours to break-in (which I doubt for such a seriously well engineered speaker) then this is actually a poor design IF the design intent is accuracy and high fidelity. Frankly, I don’t believe Magico change audibly after a few hours of playing loud, which is a far cry from 600 hours or more. |