Magicos are chesty


admit it.

E
erik_squires
@helomech

I love the sound of polypropylene cones. My first higher end speaker was Energy Pro 22 with a poly mid-woofer woven onto a rubber surround.

That said, my experience is that polypropylene cones almost always sound more rolled off in the 1 to 3 KHz range and more lively around 200 to 300 Hz (a more “chesty” sound). This gives them a “warm” characteristic versus pulp/paper which has a more lively sound. Both can sound good.

In the case of Magico, from internal pictures it seems they use a large internal washbasin size plastic cabinet around the midrange. Ostensibly to limit the backwave from the woofer influencing the mid range. I suspect this plastic tub could add a warm chesty coloration - vinyl shower or vinyl bath tub will give vocals that kind coloration should you be inclined to sing in the bathroom.
I love the sound of polypropylene cones. My first higher end speaker was Energy Pro 22 with a poly mid-woofer woven onto a rubber surround.

That said, my experience is that polypropylene cones almost always sound more rolled off in the 1 to 3 KHz range and more lively around 200 to 300 Hz (a more “chesty” sound). This gives them a “warm” characteristic versus pulp/paper which has a more lively sound. Both can sound good.

In the case of Magico, from internal pictures it seems they use a large internal washbasin size plastic cabinet around the midrange. Ostensibly to limit the backwave from the woofer influencing the mid range. I suspect this plastic tub could add a warm chesty coloration - vinyl shower or vinyl bath tub will give vocals that kind coloration should you be inclined to sing in the bathroom.
I have to disagree. "Chesty" vocals  usually result from the speaker cabinet. Doubtful that a plastic basket could produce this trait in any audible way. If your blanket claim was valid, Harbeths would be chesty, but I've yet to hear one that sounds that way.

Another explanation for the Magico's character is that possibly, the chestiness is actually part of the recording and the Magicos damp it less than other speakers. Magicos tend to produce exemplary measurements with extremely low distortion, so what's the more likely scenario, that they have ill-behaved drivers, or that other drivers overdamp that character? IME, many artists sound a lot more "chesty" in live performances than they do in playback of their studio recordings. This isn't a defense of Magico, as I personally don't care much for their type of sound.


Having sold, installed and set up dozens of Magico Speakers, from the A3 to the Q7. We have to disagree. When time is spent to get the correct setup distance from the back wall, from the side walls, the separation between the speakers as well as the amount of toe-in Magico is not a "chesty" speaker. This is not just our opinion, our room measurements do not indicate an emphasis on the frequency range that your referencing. 
Properly placed and optimized you will get incredible results. Anything less, look at the room and the setup.
I havent heard enough Magicos under optimal conditions to decisively comment but my guess is that the Magicos are revealing more of the true sound in the recording than other speakers you have heard. Most dynamic speaker stink with distortions some of which are the result of thin resonating cabinets. It takes some serious listening to get to the point where you can distinguish between pleasant distortions and more accurate reproduction. Problem with many is that they confuse preference over truth. I sincerely believe that the best speaker for the individual is the one that they prefer, but spend some time listening to Harbeths (as an example) and then go to a speakers with inert cabinets, first order crossovers, proper time alignment, sealed enclosures, etc and you get an entirely different sense of the music. Reproduced music should not sound homogeneous.
My Magico Mini 2 and Q3 never sounded "chesty" to me or anyone who has heard my system.  I listen to a lot of vocals.  I do not have a lot of experience with the S series, having only heard the S1, S5, and S7 at dealerships, but the S5 mk2 at a reviewer's house sounded superb with no "chesty" sound on vocals.  

It seems like a strange artifact or coloration you heard.  Have you ever heard a well set up pair of Magicos in a private home?