M Project speakers

[marsalis]

MadFloyd,

I have been listening to the MPro for almost 2 months now, they replaced my Q3 (I also own an S3). Reading your posts here and on different audio forums, I am left wondering if we are listening to the same speakers. To my ears, and everyone who heard them, the MPro are by far the richest, fuller, slightly darker speakers Magico has ever built, and that is regardless of the many different electronics I have tried on them. The midrange is glorious and full of body and colors. These speakers are anything but bright.
At a different forum you even provided a comparison graph between them and the S5 that clearly shows that. By now, I am not sure what it is you are trying to achieve by posting these comments/questions as it is clear you are getting nowhere with this as you are not describing anything most of us can relate to. Why don’t you get your dealer involved and have him look at the problem you think you have. Maybe your speakers are broken. Have you tested them? Have you measured your system?
I would think that for what you paid, you should get a better service then you are getting, as it is pretty clear you got a problem there.

[Frank750]

You might try getting away from the network boxes on your speaker cables if you haven't already. The current from my Xs300s was actually damaging the networks in my former MIT MA-X SHD speaker cables. Only found out after sending them back to MIT to be checked, they still played music. Nelson Pass suggested changing them out. Not saying that's your problem cause the 160.8s don't put out that much current but worth a try.

After that, I would focus on electric. Your situation sounds pretty much like what I suffered through. If you want to PM, email or call, I can give you more detail.

[Douglas]

MadFloyd,

I am from South-Africa, so a bit far away. I would otherwise be happy to set-up your amazing speakers for you.

[cmarin]

Originally Posted by Frank750

You might try getting away from the network boxes on your speaker cables if you haven't already. The current from my Xs300s was actually damaging the networks in my former MIT MA-X SHD speaker cables. Only found out after sending them back to MIT to be checked, they still played music. Nelson Pass suggested changing them out. Not saying that's your problem cause the 160.8s don't put out that much current but worth a try. After that, I would focus on electric. Your situation sounds pretty much like what I suffered through. If you want to PM, email or call, I can give you more detail.

I would also focus on your interconnects, speaker cables, power conditioning and power cords; and in particular, the mixing and matching of various brands.

In my case, mixing various brands led to incompatibilities that degraded the sound quality in my system.

I recently tried a number of different brands of ICs, PCs and conditioners with Magico Q7s. The different brands resulted in different presentations with respect to soundstage, transparency, smoothness, background noise, etc (please let's not start a red herring discussion on the effect of cable on sound quality); but in some cases there were serious negative interferences on the sound quality when I mixed and matched different brands, especially when involving network boxes or active shielding.

In one case, mixing cables led to phasing issues with a preamp that went away when I switched the cables. In others, mixing led to muffled/dull or overly bright sound.

What was clear though, was that using only one type of brand for ICs, PCs and speaker cables at the same time, led to albeit different presentations, but in each case, the sound was excellent. I could easily have lived with any one of the options. And the results were not negatively affected by network boxes. In fact, one of the warmest, most analog, presentations was with network boxes.

As a friend and advisor suggested to me, different cables just move noise around differently. Mixing and matching can make it worse.

[MRJAZZ]

Originally Posted by MadFloyd

I was just about to post a thread asking for recommendations for an amplifier for my Magico M-Projects.

I'm currently using Pass XA160.8's but they are too neutral for the M-Projects (which are also very neutral). I tried XA160.5's and they were too warm and slow. I was thinking about upgrading the XS-150 but Pass says they have the same sound signature as the .8 series.

So I thought maybe Vitus but I have been told by an owner of Q7s that they are less warm than the Pass XS series. I also understand that Soulution is very neutral.

I'm not sure what amps remain that might mate well with the Magico M's (which are tonally similar to the Q series). I do not like tubes or overly warm amps, but right now with the M's I have a very thin & bright midrange that is fatiguing.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance.

I know you mentioned that you don't like tube amps, however you might want to consider the ARC G series, GS 150. The bass control is really quite good, not like a typical tube product, and the rest of the frequency response , (mid to top) is extremely good. Also ARC has a new REF 150SE which is a little cheaper, and probably offers a very similar qualitative sound.
Cheers.......

[Masterlu]

MRJAZZ... Welcome to AA!

[MadFloyd]

Originally Posted by marsalis

MadFloyd,

I have been listening to the MPro for almost 2 months now, they replaced my Q3 (I also own an S3). Reading your posts here and on different audio forums, I am left wondering if we are listening to the same speakers. To my ears, and everyone who heard them, the MPro are by far the richest, fuller, slightly darker speakers Magico has ever built, and that is regardless of the many different electronics I have tried on them. The midrange is glorious and full of body and colors. These speakers are anything but bright.
At a different forum you even provided a comparison graph between them and the S5 that clearly shows that. By now, I am not sure what it is you are trying to achieve by posting these comments/questions as it is clear you are getting nowhere with this as you are not describing anything most of us can relate to. Why don’t you get your dealer involved and have him look at the problem you think you have. Maybe your speakers are broken. Have you tested them? Have you measured your system?
I would think that for what you paid, you should get a better service then you are getting, as it is pretty clear you got a problem there.

Can I ask what size room you have and what you are driving them with?

Interesting that Tli thinks they are leaner than the Q series and you find them warmer. Wonder how much rooms play a role in this.

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by MadFloyd

Can I ask what size room you have and what you are driving them with?

Interesting that Tli thinks they are leaner than the Q series and you find them warmer. Wonder how much rooms play a role in this.

I think the room play a huge role in this!

[marsalis]

Originally Posted by MadFloyd

Can I ask what size room you have and what you are driving them with?

Interesting that Tli thinks they are leaner than the Q series and you find them warmer. Wonder how much rooms play a role in this.

I have heard the MPro now in 3 different rooms, dimensions and systems varies (My room is about 6MX9MX3M). The MPro signature was very clear at every presentation I have heard. Your room/amp may not be ideal, but what you are describing goes beyond interaction. The MPro is definitely warmer sounding then my Q3 or any Q that I have heard, including the Q7 (MK1). Something must be very wrong with your setup, that is why I think you should get your dealer involved.

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by Frank750

I know you've heard this before but there is something else going on and changing amplifiers, I don't believe, is the answer.
Your speakers are excellent, there's no way you should be getting the sound you're describing with the 160.8s driving them.

I know of what I speak. The country is littered with Audio Research, Pass, Krell and other amps, preamps and cables I went through because I wasn't getting the sound I should have been. You can keep chasing or figure out what's wrong.

With your speakers and electronics, the entire chain needs to be almost perfect or you're not going to be happy. Electricity, ICs, Speaker cable, power cables, everything. You can't cheap out or overlook anything at the level you're at or the great stuff you have will not perform at its best.

In my case, it was electrical problems. I wound up getting a Torus 90A panel to feed my room and a 4 year roller coaster ride finally came to an end. I would start with your electricity and what you're feeding your electronics and take nothing for granted.

My 2 cents.

Have you tested the voltage? I once had an extreme over voltage , 272 V instead of +- 230v and my system did exactly what you are describing, thin balance, and poor bass. I convinced the local authority to to turn the supply down to 235v and it solved the problem.