Magico A3

@allhifi - My only point was that around the time the S3 Mk II came out it was similarly priced to the Sopra, and while the S3 is a more  musical speaker, it was lacking in the bass, chesty, demanding of room and amplifier.

As for your comments about construction, I really do like the all aluminum construction, but I find your overall take demeaning without good cause.

It will be interesting to learn the full set of cost saving measures employed in the A3. The rest of this post is speculation, so Magico fans, cut me some slack.

I think the high-end Magico's use billet, machined aluminum, while the A3 uses what appear to be extrusions. Not a bad thing, I think.

What makes the A3 a potential killer in the price range (IMHO) is bass extension and sensitivity of a "normal" speaker (compared to the S3) with the fabulously smooth mid-treble of the S3.  It could in fact fix everything I complained about in my review of the S3, at a better price point.

Best,

E

I recently went on a tour of the Magico factory in Hayward Ca. and it was amazing to see the work that goes into these speakers. The machined aluminum enclosures alone are a piece of art before finishing and populating the driver holes. The tour also included a demonstration of their flagship speakers in their listening room. But still, even the $9500 version is still out of my price range. Maybe in a few years I can get a pair used from this site.

HI MIKE. VITUS 

Some pretty interesting details from the A3 design and build came out recently and most of the cost reduction come from the cabinet construction being outsourced to a larger shop instead of their own in house tools and using flat walled cabinets over curved. Alon admitted the outsource shop being able to provide better finishing over the house machines.

Alon does go out and say that the target was to exceed the performance of any speaker from any make at this price point. Granted, that is what anyone would say, but the company does have a good reputation at the sharp end of things, so I would certainly take the claim with some weight.