Magico S5 Speaker - SET UP ADVICE PLEASE - Tow-In - Etc.


Any Magico Owners or Dealers or Folks or anyone that may have some basic advice, ideas or feedback from hearing or seeing in a friends, dealers system or owned older version of Magico or something like or anything really that can help me? How are yours or theirs set up? The smallest moves makes huge changes and I am coming from speakers that are so very different so any and all feedback would so welcomed.

I CAN EMAIL YOU PICS of Room / Set up / Etc  fsmthjack at YAH00

THANK YOU

BACKGROUND INFO:

ROOM:                         24 x 14 with cathedral ceilings 
MUSIC:                        Good mix - no hard metal / large orchestra and the like
LOUDNESS:                normal levels - just loud enough to sound best
SPEAKERS                  Magico S5 Speakers
AMP:                            Pass Labs X350.5 Amp
SOURCE:                     Bricasti M1SE DAC
TRANSPORT:               mircoRendu 1.4 w/Full suite of Uptone Audio products
CABLES                       HiDiamond Full Loom 
CONDITIONER            HiDiamond HDX2
SUBWOOFERS           (2) Sumiko S.9 Subs (hoping not needed with new Magico's) 

Thanks guys - I am kind of lost here and any help or feedback to get me heading in the right directions would be so appreciated.







128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
P.S: I just found the following statement in the manual for the X350.5, which was apparently written before the version of the amp which provides a signal ground terminal was introduced:
Some powered subwoofers require an audio signal ground reference and their makers may suggest that a black speaker terminal is where this voltage reference might be found. On complementary designs, which would be typical of all power amps produced by Pass Laboratories™, this is an incorrect and unsafe assumption. On all Pass Laboratories™ power amplifiers a reference of 0 volts will be found only at pin 1 of the XLR input or at the shell of the RCA input.

Reference connections for these devices require special consideration when used with our product. If you have such a device, and wish to use it with our product, please contact our Foresthill, California factory for specific instructions.... you have been warned.
Regards,
-- Al

Get the grills off the speakers!!! All Fixed. My S3 are different speakers with grills on and off. That's why they are optional. 
Have you tried the Cardas speaker positioning? 
http://www.cardas.com/speaker_placement.php
The speakers look like they should be pulled out, from the front wall more?
You've got a coffee table in front of the listening sofa along with the TV/rack between the speakers. Room treatment?

 Game over, if you're expecting "high performance" sonics. At least  that's what some of those "audio experts" might mention, looking at the pics?

It appears the system is in a "living space" so WAF,aesthetics,etc also limiting ultimate SQ?

With all that nice gear,speakers and doodads, it's a shame you're not satisfied.
And I see suggestions for MORE doodads! 

Good luck.




Glad to see you're making positive forward progress. 

As I said earlier, beryllium tweeters are touchy.  I've now had three different pairs of speakers with those tweeters and when not implemented perfect, they're a little too exciting for their own good (which was the case on my older Focal Scalas). 

One of the things all beryllium tweeters need is clean power - for some reason they are very sensitive to clean power, much more so than other types of tweeters.

The pics confirm my fears about your room. 

If you don't treat your room (which looks to be too small for those speakers), you probably will never be fully happy with those tweeters.  It's just the nature of the beast.  That TV needs to be covered up when listening with a panel and those windows behind the speakers as well (look into moveable panels that you can keep elsewhere and then put up when needed).  Another thing you really need is an absorptive area rug, what I see doesn't look like it does much.  The table needs to go.  That leather couch is also an issue - you want absorptive cloth.  You also really need to treat that wall right behind the listening position.  Finally, if those speakers are on a typical US floor, then you've got to get some isolators as you need either direct coupling to concrete (which is what I have) or suspension.

Having said all that, you're also sitting WAY TOO CLOSE to the speakers if they have beryllium tweeters.  Also, my experience is that with beryllium tweeters you really need a system whereby you can shelve the output slightly up or down to also account for your room (which is one thing I've found that's an amazing option on Focals - that 1db up or down can make a huge difference).