Magico Owners - Tell us about your rooms!

[mgbaron]

These days it seems like Magico loudspeakers are garnering more and more attention. Having been thoroughly impressed by them on multiple occasions, they are a strong candidate for a future upgrade. However, I want to make sure I don't overdue it and get something that overpowers my medium sized room.

So...

What model do you own? How big is your room? How is the match?

My room measures in at 14x24 feet with an 8' ceiling and lots of openings (hallways, doors). I was originally looking toward the S5, but had concerns that it might overpower my room. This is particularly a concern because my system is off center and closer to one corner. The S3 has really caught my eye, and I hope to hear one soon.

As always, I really appreciate the thoughts of the AA community!

[imprezap2]

Hi Matt,

I am using Magico V3's (old news, but I still prefer them over the newer types)
My room is 6x4mtr (concrete walls, ceiling, floor), with accuphase amplification (E-560), to my ears a very balanced result, very transparent highs/mids with excellent resolution, bass goes deep (although not with the volume your 802D can manage), bass is also very fast and is blending in perfectly with the mids/highs, no overhang.

All changes to my system are easy to pin point, I have just put in a separate audio power group and still amazed by the improvement. Soundstage has opened up fully, there is energy in front, behind, between, outside (far) and above the speakers.

A good friend owns the latest 802 Diamond, Primare pre/power amplifier, Ayre CX7e MP source. I enjoy listening to his sytem, brilliant highs, deep low's but a more coloured midrange than the Magico's. Overall his system is more spectacular. The Magico's play more coherent and are drawing me more into the music. Soundstage wise the Magico's have the upper hand, pin point placement, with more air around voices/instruments. The 802's are not bad in these diciplines, but not as accurate as the V3's.

Both are good systems, but worlds apart, I would not trade my system, same for my friend, in the end it comes to personal preference.

Which Magico's are you interested in ?

Olaf

[jazzman]

Originally Posted by mgbaron

These days it seems like Magico loudspeakers are garnering more and more attention. Having been thoroughly impressed by them on multiple occasions, they are a strong candidate for a future upgrade. However, I want to make sure I don't overdue it and get something that overpowers my medium sized room.

So...

What model do you own? How big is your room? How is the match?

My room measures in at 14x24 feet with an 8' ceiling and lots of openings (hallways, doors). I was originally looking toward the S5, but had concerns that it might overpower my room. This is particularly a concern because my system is off center and closer to one corner. The S3 has really caught my eye, and I hope to hear one soon.

As always, I really appreciate the thoughts of the AA community!

it is difficult to answer you because nobody knows the frequency response of your room. Openings means that real volume is much larger. The opening towards other rooms behave like helmholtz resonator. You can be lucky and absorb the room modes in the bass, or you can be unlucky and they make the frequency response even more un-heaven. If you have big room modes in the low bass, you may prefer to have a speaker with less extension, like the Q1.
Then it depends of treatment of your walls. If very reflective / room, of course decay time may be too long. I personally target a decay around 0.35 to 0.5sec.
The lack of symmetry on placement will be detrimental on imaging. This will be the case whatever speaker you buy.
With these "disclaimers", I don't think that your room would be too small: it is already a quite sizeable room. S3, Q3 or S5 would be the right speakers for a room of this size.
hope it helps.

[TOGA]

Agree with Jazzman,
S3, Q3, s5 will be compatible. Also depends on how loud you play too.
Toga

Originally Posted by mgbaron

These days it seems like Magico loudspeakers are garnering more and more attention. Having been thoroughly impressed by them on multiple occasions, they are a strong candidate for a future upgrade. However, I want to make sure I don't overdue it and get something that overpowers my medium sized room.

So...

What model do you own? How big is your room? How is the match?

My room measures in at 14x24 feet with an 8' ceiling and lots of openings (hallways, doors). I was originally looking toward the S5, but had concerns that it might overpower my room. This is particularly a concern because my system is off center and closer to one corner. The S3 has really caught my eye, and I hope to hear one soon.

As always, I really appreciate the thoughts of the AA community!

Matt, I re-checked my room measurements & my room is almost identical in length, width & height to yours. My floor is tiled over concrete. My walls are plasterboard. I have a medium size rug & long 3.0 meter sofa opposite my speakers. Like yours, my system is also off center and closer to the door. To the right of my RH speakers I have an open atrium leading up to a flight of stairs which helps. As far as speaker set up goes, my S5's are approximately 2.9 meters apart in a near field listening position as per the Cardas Room Setup Guide.

When I was deciding on which Magico speakers to buy, I consulted with Magico directly who suggested the S5 based on my room dimensions (which is effectively a medium size room). My Dealer also suggested the S5, and all the stars seemed to align as I fell in love with their sound. In my room, the S5's don't sound boomy, but simply sound wonderful, throwing off a good soundstage (even off axis) & sound tight, fast & authoritive. They can be delicate and beautiful with female vocals and classical, or exciting with Dire Straights or a blue ray movie. The S5's are a chameleon. You'd have to test drive the S3's to see if they have enough authority for you. Personally, i'm not looking back

Here is a pic of my (partially) assembled system showing the atrium to the right. Sharp eyed members might notice the Taoc iso board & Stillpoints in the foreground

[mgbaron]

Olaf, I really appreciate your perspective, especially your thoughts on the differences between the Magico and my 802Ds. It would be a big change and one I would not intend to make unless I am sure it's what I'm looking for (more detail, transparency, and accurate bass). To answer your question, I had zoomed in on the S5 and possibly the S3 as being possible fits for my room and budget.

For what it's worth, most of the music I listen to is Jazz, but I can go all over the spectrum from time to time.

Originally Posted by imprezap2

Hi Matt,

I am using Magico V3's (old news, but I still prefer them over the newer types)
My room is 6x4mtr (concrete walls, ceiling, floor), with accuphase amplification (E-560), to my ears a very balanced result, very transparent highs/mids with excellent resolution, bass goes deep (although not with the volume your 802D can manage), bass is also very fast and is blending in perfectly with the mids/highs, no overhang.

All changes to my system are easy to pin point, I have just put in a separate audio power group and still amazed by the improvement. Soundstage has opened up fully, there is energy in front, behind, between, outside (far) and above the speakers.

A good friend owns the latest 802 Diamond, Primare pre/power amplifier, Ayre CX7e MP source. I enjoy listening to his sytem, brilliant highs, deep low's but a more coloured midrange than the Magico's. Overall his system is more spectacular. The Magico's play more coherent and are drawing me more into the music. Soundstage wise the Magico's have the upper hand, pin point placement, with more air around voices/instruments. The 802's are not bad in these diciplines, but not as accurate as the V3's.

Both are good systems, but worlds apart, I would not trade my system, same for my friend, in the end it comes to personal preference.

Which Magico's are you interested in ?

Olaf

[mgbaron]

Thanks, jazzman. I appreciate your input. I don't think I have a significant bass issue with my current speakers. I have measure the frequency response in my room and I have a medium sized, but narrow band null at around 80Hz. Aside from that, things are reasonably flat. I've never looked at the decay, but now I'm interested.

I've read some of your posts in which you've mentioned that you prefer the Q3 for Jazz music. Can you elaborate on that?

I have a preference for the S series, due in part to price but also due to the practicality of having a grill to protect them from my kid, but your comment caught my attention because I listen to a lot of Jazz.

Originally Posted by jazzman

it is difficult to answer you because nobody knows the frequency response of your room. Openings means that real volume is much larger. The opening towards other rooms behave like helmholtz resonator. You can be lucky and absorb the room modes in the bass, or you can be unlucky and they make the frequency response even more un-heaven. If you have big room modes in the low bass, you may prefer to have a speaker with less extension, like the Q1.
Then it depends of treatment of your walls. If very reflective / room, of course decay time may be too long. I personally target a decay around 0.35 to 0.5sec.
The lack of symmetry on placement will be detrimental on imaging. This will be the case whatever speaker you buy.
With these "disclaimers", I don't think that your room would be too small: it is already a quite sizeable room. S3, Q3 or S5 would be the right speakers for a room of this size.
hope it helps.

[mgbaron]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Agree with Jazzman,
S3, Q3, s5 will be compatible. Also depends on how loud you play too.
Toga

That's a good point, Toga. Thanks!

[mgbaron]

Thanks, Bodhisattva. That's very useful feedback (same dimensions, similar setup). On paper, I feel like the S5 is the better value, with a relatively small price difference between it in the S3. I've also heard it a couple of times and know that I like it.

Unfortunately, there are no Magico dealers in Colorado yet, but I'll be traveling to Massachusetts a couple of times in the next few months and will spend some time at the Magico dealer there. Hoping to be able to do a more direct comparison with the S3 and Q3.

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

Matt, I re-checked my room measurements & my room is almost identical in length, width & height to yours. My floor is tiled over concrete. My walls are plasterboard. I have a medium size rug & long 3.0 meter sofa opposite my speakers. Like yours, my system is also off center and closer to the door. To the right of my RH speakers I have an open atrium leading up to a flight of stairs which helps. As far as speaker set up goes, my S5's are approximately 2.9 meters apart in a near field listening position as per the Cardas Room Setup Guide.

When I was deciding on which Magico speakers to buy, I consulted with Magico directly who suggested the S5 based on my room dimensions (which is effectively a medium size room). My Dealer also suggested the S5, and all the stars seemed to align as I fell in love with their sound. In my room, the S5's don't sound boomy, but simply sound wonderful, throwing off a good soundstage (even off axis) & sound tight, fast & authoritive. They can be delicate and beautiful with female vocals and classical, or exciting with Dire Straights or a blue ray movie. The S5's are a chameleon. You'd have to test drive the S3's to see if they have enough authority for you. Personally, i'm not looking back

Here is a pic of my (partially) assembled system showing the atrium to the right. Sharp eyed members might notice the Taoc iso board & Stillpoints in the foreground