Vivid kaya 45 or Magico A3


I am looking for a new speaker to replace my 803d3’s. I don’t need the lowest frequencies in my 14 x 19 ft room. And i want a slightly quieter, more honest sound. So, what would be a good replacement?

Can someone tell me about differences in sound?

- vivid kaya 45

- Magico A3

My amps are: pass labs xp12, Bryston 14bsst2

cd: simaudio 650d, Bryston bcd3.

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

 

audiogek

I find the 803d3’s a bit edgy and bright with good bass (depending on amplifier). To my own ears the A3 is very neutral to the negative, has no life and boring YMMV. Now the Vivids are a different animal, yes warmer, has more detail but to my ears are the far more musical. Again depending on what's behind the speakers. To me I'd be able to listen for hours to the Vivids where the A3's maybe an hour or two at most. Just another perspective

 

Visible here.  Note that the FR anomalies are consistent at all listening angles.

@kr4  Thanks, I understand and frankly don’t even like the speakers, but I’m interested in specifically what the OP is hearing that he doesn’t like and is looking to fix. 

I will try to explain. I find the 803 a bit edgy and the 803 emphasizes the voices of women in particular (arond 3-4 Khz).

So i am looking for a more neutral sounding, dynamic, not laid back, a bit warm sounding speaker, with good imaging and with slightly less pressure in the low end because sometimes it rumbles in my room (because my room is aucoustically not very good).

If I was you I’d be looking at Wilson or tad on your list. Wilson however does typically have plenty of bass on their towers although I’ve not heard the Sabrina. I’m selling my tad evolution 1tx towers and they are basically a perfect and neutral speaker but being that my main rig has a larger room than yours I feel like they’re more suited in the bass frequencies for a non-open floor plan like mine. I run the Sasha daw’s and they’re the best speaker I’ve ever had in my home and I’ve also had not only the tads but also 803d3, Kef blade meta 1’s, klipsch heresy iv’s, and many-many high end mini monitor/bookshelf speakers such as 705s2/s3, 805d3, Wilson watch 1, Wilson tune tots, sf olympica nova 1’s, Fischer and Fischer sn70’s, Kef r3 meta, Kef reference meta 1’s plus a few others I’m missing. Bowers tends to give you some sparkle and wow factor during demos but soon wears off once you get them placed in system. This is of course system and room depending but there are some great values on market right now for Wilson Yvette and if your budget allows the Sasha daw is the speaker to beat under $70k. Also in my experience Wilson is NOT a bright speaker from which soft dome tweeter versions I’ve owned. They get a bad wrap for that because of the previous generations of focal tweeter. I hate hearing people say Wilson is bright because there are far more bright offerings and to me they are balanced if not a bit of a bottom up speaker

It's the Vivid Audio Kaya 45.  The K45 is the most neutral and has a more focused yet spacious soundstage.  The dynamic contrasts (the shading between micro and macro dynamics) are amazing and they are so coherent from top to bottom and sweet through the highs.  Full disclosure, I sell the Vivids, but am very sincere and passionate about how they serve the music.