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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.









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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Thanks Jim - appreciate the feedback!! WB - I should check those never thought of them. There is a pair on here - the model 60 or something with 60 in the name and he says only ones in US but seem older and kind of expensive but only because I know nothing about them!

thanks again. 
yyzsantabarbara
4,443 posts
 
" Really, KEF? Not even in the same zipcode as Magico or YG. The TAD is just plain harsh, so even though it’s detailed, it’ll drive you batty. I’ve also seen people recommending Focal... Must be jokers, for sure..."

Jokes on you buddy, Go for a hearing test, get’ em fixed, and then go and listen to everything listed here. The Blades, to my amazing ears, are the best of the bunch. They disappear to the point where you do not even know they are there,. All the other speakers do not do that, Even with mid-level amplification the Blades do that.

The Magico’s are alright but nut in the class of the Blades in this disappearing act. The Thiel CS 3.7 was also good at that. My second choice over anything listed in this thread.

BTW - $$ do not represent the best. Individual tastes matter and also marketing.
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Lol... That's funny I thought you were killing the Blades - people either love them or hate them though that's for sure. I would have thought they would have more fans to be honest! 

As the prices I listed above show most are 40% to 60% off retail and I'm not going to go to a dealer and use them just to listen when I know I'm buying used for the simple reason of 60% discount is not something they could swing unless they had a trade and they are close enough which none are.

Dealers have it tough enough without me using a room a buyer from them could use but I do wish I could hear these with my gear in my room.

The thing I keep hearing about the Blades is too much bass - too bass heavy and the Blade 2 helped fix that but who knows. It could have been the room. I have the room for the Blades being 12 x 23 with 16 foot cathedral ceilings set up on the long wall and I love imagining. 

Blades are in the race!

thanks so much for the feedback - it helps - maybe I shouldn't listen to people and have their input effect my decisions but I do and especially when I'm buying em blind.

Live without a net - well at these prices if I hate my choice I should be able to get my doe back to put to another but reaching out to all the aphiles on here to try and avoid that if I can.

Thanks all! Keep the feedback coming please !!! 
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@fsmithjack in my experience the secret to Magicos is inserting tubes somewhere in the system. With your Parasound and Pass I worry it will sound sterile as Magicos too often do when shown with big SS amps at shows. If you are inclined to adding a tube pre it may work very well. I match my Q3s with big VTL amps and an ARC 40th pre and often get comments along the lines of “these don’t sound like Magicos”. Btw. Magicos, esp Qs, love gobs of power but your 350.5s should be well up to the job
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Thanks and I totally agree. I actually put a stop to the SS JC2 pre. One of the guys responded to me earlier saying a similar thing and I totally agree so I nixed the SS pre. 

He recommends the real warm Cary SLP-98 which is nice device or a CJ ET3. I have always been a fan of certain brands for certain things. I love Nelson's warm and transparent SS amps and been a fan of BAT preamps.

Been thinking my Pass Labs X350.5 might match up nice with the reasonably used priced BAT VK50SE which seems to go for around $3k used. I say this pre because I know it is a pretty dynamic and neutral pre for tubes but it's tubes. Think that might be a good match for the money?
Thanks 


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