One of the reasons I was disappointed when I auditioned the Magico A3 was a lack of drive and dynamics. The A3s are spec'd at the same 4 ohm impedance as my Thiels, but with higher sensitivity. And yet, even though the Magicos were driven with a higher current SS amp than my own amps, they sounded dynamically reticent vs my Thiels, or any number of other speakers I auditioned. For me they did the "audiophile" trait of producing soundstaging and transparency and detail, but in a way that sort of just sat back behind the speakers. They didn't reach out and grab me, or really "boogie" when asked to.
Anyone hear Vivid Audio Speakers? Considering Vivid Giya G1 Series 2 from Magico S5 MKII
Have new pair of Magico S5 MK II and have had Magico for a long time. I love them but considering trying either Giya G1 Series 2 or YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2 from my Magico's. Curious to hear from anyone that has head
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One of the reasons I was disappointed when I auditioned the Magico A3 was a lack of drive and dynamics. The A3s are spec'd at the same 4 ohm impedance as my Thiels, but with higher sensitivity. And yet, even though the Magicos were driven with a higher current SS amp than my own amps, they sounded dynamically reticent vs my Thiels, or any number of other speakers I auditioned. For me they did the "audiophile" trait of producing soundstaging and transparency and detail, but in a way that sort of just sat back behind the speakers. They didn't reach out and grab me, or really "boogie" when asked to. |
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@prof My finding is the exact opposite of yours (I own the A3). The A3 DO NOT do the usual "audiophile" trait, and that is probably what you are missing (Your preferences seems to be of speakers with boosted highs/lows – almost like a loudness button, very common grab for audiophiles). The A3 are balanced, and like most Magico loudspeakers, super low on coloration, to some ears, this may be “boring”. |
@mheinze, I’m not dissing the A3. It’s a fantastic speaker and I thought it was going to make many people very happy. I’m just reporting my own experience from auditioning it. I’m hardly the last word on the issue. But at least when I auditioned the A3 it was set up by a very experienced Magico dealer, in a very good space, and he seemed happy with the set up. It excelled in transparency and could at times produce quite amazing detail in instrumental timbre. But, again, when I heard it, it didn’t sound dynamic from top to bottom. I’d put on something like Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon, which I play a lot at home and have heard on tons of speakers, and some of the percussion, synth parts, horns just seemed to "sit" there with little air-moving drive or palpability. When I got home and played the same tracks on my Thiels, all the instruments that sounded limp on the Magicos sounded dense and dynamic and drove the rhythm on the Thiels. If the Magicos are doing good dynamic things in your set up, that’s great. BTW, I don’t know why you think I seek the crude "smile" eq in a system, or engineered in to a speaker. Usually that’s as far from the case as possible. My Thiel 2.7s are very neutral from top to bottom, no sizzle on top, and even, firm controlled bass. My Waveform speakers are similarly extremely neutral. The Spendors I was listening to last night and loving also don’t have a "smile" eq built in to them. One of my favorite speakers, which I owned, are the Harbeth SuperHL5 Plus speakers, which as per the measurements here:
To my ears, the Harbeths seem to portray a more believably "organic" tone than almost anything I heard through the Magicos. Not that you should agree. Even the Devore speakers that I have enjoyed, while rich in the bass, don’t have a "smile" eq built in to them. And working in pro sound, I’m pretty familiar with neutral studio playback gear. Anyway, I would never find a speaker that actually sounded lifelike, dynamically and timbrally, to sound "boring." I find real sounds anything but "boring." |
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