Magico Q1 ...

[Thimios]

Originally Posted by jazzman

Not decided yet between the 2 options I have. I am moving everything in my new dedicated room (finalizing construction this weekend I hope). I need to compare in the new room my 2 configs, and see which amp I keep:
- minimalist: Q1+ Devialet fed directly by my NAS
- option 2: Q1+ Dartzeel 108 + APL NWO-Master CD player (just upgraded the Dartzeel to latest status, need to bring it back from Switzerland to hear how it sounds now)

Q1 & Dartzeel 108 is an option I am considering so I am eager to hear your views.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by Thimios

Q1 & Dartzeel 108 is an option I am considering so I am eager to hear your views.

I'd be very curious of this combination. I bet it will sound great.

[dcc]

Colloms' Q1 review:

http://www.absolutesounds.com/pdf/ma...epQ1forweb.pdf

[jazzman]

Finally got today the Q1 in my new room (fully treated with 31 Helmholtz resonators and 67 diffusers). Sounds fantastic!
I have put more info and a few pics on whatsbestforum....

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by jazzman

Finally got today the Q1 in my new room (fully treated with 31 Helmholtz resonators and 67 diffusers). Sounds fantastic!
I have put more info and a few pics on whatsbestforum....

Congratulations!

Look forward to seeing and reading more about them.

[imprezap2]

Just looked at your pics on the other forum, great room, with the Q7's it will be fantastic

Originally Posted by jazzman

Finally got today the Q1 in my new room (fully treated with 31 Helmholtz resonators and 67 diffusers). Sounds fantastic!
I have put more info and a few pics on whatsbestforum....

Congratulations Jazz. I've heard the Q1's with a Vitus amp & Siltech cables and was amazed at the sound. It was incredible. I"m sure you'll be very happy with them!

[Thimios]

Spend some time recently in a European dealer hearing the Q1 driven by Dart 108/18 NS combination. CD source was a Metronome Calista while cabling was by Transparent Reference.

All in all very nice sound, super transparent and beautiful in timbre.

Caveats:
1. The music needed to be played at exactly the optimal volume level. One click down and the speakers would not come alive while one click up from the optimal and the sound became ear-piercing.
2. Very good quality CD recordings where reproduced marvelously. However the early 50s & 60s jazz records were very difficult to listen to. St. Thomas from the excellent Saxophone Colossus/S. Rollins album was practically unlistenable.
3. Bass quality again varied pretty much with recording.
4. In loud passages the eyes of the Dart 108 blinked (not once but a number of times correlated with excess loudness)

My take is that both Dart & Magico Q1 are routhlessly revealing, but in my view the Dart does not represent the optimal amplifier for the Q1s. I know that a lot of members here like the combination but for my tastes Q1s should be driven by a more forgiving amplifier, like Vitus/ Burmester etc.

[Priaptor]

Originally Posted by Thimios

Spend some time recently in a European dealer hearing the Q1 driven by Dart 108/18 NS combination. CD source was a Metronome Calista while cabling was by Transparent Reference.

All in all very nice sound, super transparent and beautiful in timbre.

Caveats:
1. The music needed to be played at exactly the optimal volume level. One click down and the speakers would not come alive while one click up from the optimal and the sound became ear-piercing.
2. Very good quality CD recordings where reproduced marvelously. However the early 50s & 60s jazz records were very difficult to listen to. St. Thomas from the excellent Saxophone Colossus/S. Rollins album was practically unlistenable.
3. Bass quality again varied pretty much with recording.
4. In loud passages the eyes of the Dart 108 blinked (not once but a number of times correlated with excess loudness)

My take is that both Dart & Magico Q1 are routhlessly revealing, but in my view the Dart does not represent the optimal amplifier for the Q1s. I know that a lot of members here like the combination but for my tastes Q1s should be driven by a more forgiving amplifier, like Vitus/ Burmester etc.

I am driving my Q1s with the Constellation Centaur stereo amp and couldn't be happier. I also have REF 250s which I use for my other system and have tried with the Q1s and while good does not represent an optimal pairing with the Q1s.

I am using a REF5SE as my preamp and have found, what I believe to be the best bargain in the this crazy world of high end audio-MG Audio Design cables. I am using their CU2 interconnect from source to preamp, their silver IC form preamp to amp and their new PlanusIII speaker cables. These cables have replaced my 10x the price cables. Highly recommended.

[dcc]

Originally Posted by Thimios

Spend some time recently in a European dealer hearing the Q1 driven by Dart 108/18 NS combination. CD source was a Metronome Calista while cabling was by Transparent Reference.

All in all very nice sound, super transparent and beautiful in timbre.

Caveats:
1. The music needed to be played at exactly the optimal volume level. One click down and the speakers would not come alive while one click up from the optimal and the sound became ear-piercing.
2. Very good quality CD recordings where reproduced marvelously. However the early 50s & 60s jazz records were very difficult to listen to. St. Thomas from the excellent Saxophone Colossus/S. Rollins album was practically unlistenable.
3. Bass quality again varied pretty much with recording.
4. In loud passages the eyes of the Dart 108 blinked (not once but a number of times correlated with excess loudness)

My take is that both Dart & Magico Q1 are routhlessly revealing, but in my view the Dart does not represent the optimal amplifier for the Q1s. I know that a lot of members here like the combination but for my tastes Q1s should be driven by a more forgiving amplifier, like Vitus/ Burmester etc.

Thimios,

Very interesting.

Has your dealer received a pair of S1s yet?

Looking forward to some comments comparing the S1s vs. Q1s.