Review: Magico Q3, Vivid Giya G2, Magico S5, Rockport Avior

[Number95]

Originally Posted by dcvibe

I just finished about a 1/2 day session listening to the following speakers in a dealer showroom:

I am a current Sasha 1 owner.

Below is the order I listened to the speakers in:

1. Magico Q3
2. Vivid Audio Giya G2
3. Rockport Avior
4. Magico S5
5. Magico Q3 (encore!)

Magico Q3

At first audition I felt like the imaging and transparency were excellent. The treble was more balanced than Sasha and smoother. The bass at first "seemed" deficient but at higher volumes the dynamics were there. Just less distortion so it was harder to "hear" the bass at first. I suspect many people would have this experience at first and may get turned off because of it. All I can say is when I circled back to these speakers at the end of my audition process these were the overall best sounding in my opinion. They were very accurate, transparent, and had excellent midrange presence. The midrange sound had so many layers and textures. Voices were spot on and so detailed with every last bit of edge around the singers voice. Music moved with a quick pace and instruments were very detailed. The bass was very tight without distortion. When looking for a single word to characterize this speaker I would choose "Truth". The Magico Q3 is like a concert in your living room without artificial amplification. It's more intimate with tremendous detail. The only negative I would give is I felt like these were not quite as effortless as the vivid G2 at very high volume levels and if you prefer more obvious bass you may prefer the vivid more. I think it would be debatable about whether these speakers are truly full range by everyone's standards. Some may feel completely satisfied and others may "feel" like they are missing something at the bottom end. Also for HD tracks and stellar recordings these speakers definitely got the prize. They were a little less forgiving than the Vivid's overall.

Vivid Giya G2

These speakers disappear completely. With my eyes closed I could probably walk around the room with a blindfold and not be able to find them easily (ha). Bass was great. Very palpable. The midrange was very sweet and the speakers were fast and very musical. They were a bit more forgiving than the magico. I liked the looks and the presence these had. They filled the room with music. Definitely a full range experience. I felt they were less analytical than the magico but still very detailed. For someone listening for only a few minutes these speakers will probably come out ahead most of the time. They have a very pleasing impressionable sound. These speakers in a single word…. actually I'll choose two words "Dynamic" and "Musical". I could be quite happy with these. The Vivid is like a concert or live performance in a hall, auditorium, or even outdoor theater. In contrast, the Magico's are for music lovers and audiophiles/enthusiasts that are looking for the squeaky clean presentation and like to dissect their musical collection. I don't mean that in a bad way. I enjoy doing those things. With the vivid G2 you just play the music and enjoy the "live" performance. I didn't feel like analyzing them because I got so lost in the musical presentation. The sum presentation is greater than individual attributes with this speaker. It did not matter what type of music I played on these they always impressed. This speaker offers tremendous flexibility in my opinion.

S5

These seem to be a slight mix of the Vivid Giya 2 and Q3. The bass is easier to hear and somewhat more forward compared to the Q3. While casually listening the midrange/tweeter remains very clean and transparent. These would seem to be a very popular choice as they responded well to a lot of different music. I think these are a special speaker based on price point and I prefer them to my Sasha 1. Mostly because the treble is better and the midrange has more texture. I think they are better balanced than Sasha 1. They look amazing in person. More sizable then I had expected. At the end of the day I believe the Q3 is a better speaker than S5 but may take some getting use to. The S5 is a much easier transition for Wilson owners as I feel there are some similarities to Sasha. One word for S5 at least in this grouping "Well-rounded". This speaker is very good and and something I could also be very happy with. If someone was going to listen to one Magico speaker I could see how this might be the sweet spot and from what I understand they sell a lot of these speakers.

Rockport Avior

These were very good in the lower register. The bass is tight and whole with lots of impact but still very clean sounding. The noise floor was significantly reduced through these speakers. Almost too much so. I felt a slight lack of speed and reduction in midrange presence compared to the other speakers and even my Sashas. Tonally the speakers felt a little darker than the others in the group. I will say I like the tweeter better in the Avior than in the Sasha 1 but I prefer the midrange of the Sasha and overall musicality of the Sasha to the Avior. The speakers definitely had a sense of power and presence and the quality in craftsmanship cannot be ignored. I would say that overall the Avior comes down to preference because it sounded the most different of the grouping to me. It's like a fine bottle of wine but not just one I prefer. This from a guy who doesn't drink alcohol but could not think of a better analogy (ha). One word for the Avior "Bass". Again, you need to hear this speaker for yourself. It is a work of art and something that your individual taste may definitely prefer.

So in summary…

Q3 tells the truth. "Can you handle the truth?" (ha). Giya G2 has the dynamics and musicality. "I'll take two tickets to the concert in your house". S5 fills a gap and is a great value and well rounded. "They just sound so good". Avior wins the bass war but has a true sound of it's own. Very low noise floor and very smooth with a darker tonal quality. "Finally a speaker that doesn't sound bright at all". If you feel all speakers you've heard have too much top edge shrill the Avior may suit you best. Honestly each of these speakers has attributes that make them a good choice.

For me I rank them as follows:

My picks in order:

1. Magico Q3
2. Vivid Audio Giya G2
3. Magico S5
4. Rockport Avior

I would place my Sasha 1 just ahead of the Rockport Avior. The S5 and Sasha 1 are close but in the end I would take S5 because of better control over top end and greater detail in the midrange. The Sasha still wins in bass. But again, that depends on what type of bass you are seeking. Granted Sasha 2 has a different tweeter and is likely more competitive with S5 now. Q3 and Giya G2 are at a different level in what they can do with musical presentation. I would imagine that Wilson Alexia would also be competitive at this level but I have not been able to audition them so I would rather not speculate.

I had to travel out of my state to audition all of these speakers which required a full day and some added expense but in the end I felt it was worth it and encourage others to do the same when comparing audio products at this level. You just can't know what something will sound like until you listen for yourself. Although I liked the Q3 the best I can't say it's a done deal for me yet. I could still see buying the Giya 2 or even a Giya 1 and I want to try and audition the Alexia as well.

Also, being completely honest, I listened again to my Sasha 1's when I got back and they still hold their own (to some degree, IMHO) against the competition so I have to decide if an upgrade is worth the cost. Granted I think people get very use to their system sound and in a way it becomes their reference so some adaptation and open mindedness (leap of faith) is required to make incremental improvements at times. I think that is part of what makes this hobby so much fun and addictive.

Thanks for sharing! Nice review.

[Picto]

Originally Posted by Number95

Thanks for sharing! Nice review.

+2

Nice review, nice comments, great pleasure!

Bertrand

[antipop]

dcvibe... Very nice review and I think many are interested to see how these speakers compares.

I think you need to check the Alexia as well. They are terrific speakers.

BTW, it is sometimes good to look at new speakers and gears to realize the quality of what you have at home.

[Number95]

Originally Posted by cmarin

Yardbird,

I currently have the Magico M5s driven by soulution (711/720) amps. Curious to hear how you would compare the relative merits of the M5 and the other Magico speakers you auditioned especially the Q5. Thanks.

I listened to both M5 and Q5 with same equipments behind. Q5 sounded smoother and more dynamic compared to M5. Having said, M5 was not far behind.

[Kingsrule]

Originally Posted by dcvibe

Soulution Amp/Preamp… MIT cables… Aurender S10 and my own MacBook Pro running Audirvana. A little vinyl on a VPI turntable (I think it was the classic 4).

Thank you for the answer but do you know what models of each components were used? Really interested in what MIT's were used!

[dcvibe]

Originally Posted by g997

Thank you for the answer but do you know what models of each components were used? Really interested in what MIT's were used!

I'm sorry I do not know the model of the MIT's. I'll try to find out.

[dcvibe]

Originally Posted by dcvibe

I'm sorry I do not know the model of the MIT's. I'll try to find out.

MIT SL matrix 90.

[jazzman]

Originally Posted by Elberoth

Interesting review. I mostly agree with most of the comments. Where I disagree, is the bass performance of the S5 vs Sasha 1.

I used to had Sashas for over 3 years and last summer replaced them with Magicos S5, after lenghty home audition. So I had a pretty good chance to compare them side by side, in the same room.

To my ears, the S5 bass is superior to Sasha's, in every single performance parameter. It goes deeper, is faster, more articulate, less colored. I have heard bass textures on double bass I have never heard before.

I expected the S5 midrange and highs to be more polished, but it was bass, where I noted the biggest difference between those speakers, and which surprised me the most.

After living for over 15 months with a sealed box speaker, I don't think I will ever return to a ported design.

Great post, cannot agree more.

[Ritmo]

Very nice review. All of the candidates are excellent speakers. Comes down to personal taste.

Maybe I missed it but did you get a chance to listen to the Sasha 2s?

[dcvibe]

Originally Posted by Ritmo

Very nice review. All of the candidates are excellent speakers. Comes down to personal taste.

Maybe I missed it but did you get a chance to listen to the Sasha 2s?

I did not get to listen to Sasha 2.