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

[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.

[Masterlu]

dcvibe... Very nice review, thanks for sharing your listening experience with us.

[jdandy]

dcvibe.......That was an enjoyable read of your audition experiences. Thank you. I have a few questions. Were these speakers all in the same room? Were the auditions done using the same electronics and source component? Were the speakers wired with identical speaker wire?

[dcvibe]

Originally Posted by jdandy

dcvibe.......That was an enjoyable read of your audition experiences. Thanks you. I have a few questions. Were these speakers all in the same room? Were the auditions done using the same electronics and source component? Were the speakers wired with identical speaker wire?

Speakers were all in the same room. Electronics were all the same. The source was the same. Speaker wire was consistent for all but the Giya G2 which had a different pair hooked on to them because of how the binding posts are located underneath.

[bart]

dcvibe, thank you for a nice review!
Good luck with your journey.
One way or the other, you'll end up with superb speakers, but it is nice to know you compared with (some of) the best (affordable) there are.

[jdandy]

dcvibe.......Thanks again. I was curious about the variables that could possibly impact your listening experience. Bass coupling with the room boundaries has a great deal of influence over the perceived low frequency performance of speakers so perhaps the physical locations of the speakers in the room played into some of what you heard with each speaker's bass performance.

[JemHadar]

Nice review...thank You for sharing...and good hunting

[Kingsrule]

What electronics?
What wire
What sources?

[Yardbird]

DCVibe,

Very enjoyable review. You were indeed fortunate to find one dealer with such a diverse line of high end speakers! I too had to travel; in my case to four states - multiple trips - over several months, to do my listening before deciding on the Magico Q3's. Coming off of seven years with B&W 802's, I found the Q3's a little lean in the mid-bass at first (no BBC hump). But as I listened to Wilson (Sasha, Alexia) , Avalon (Eidelon Diamond, Compass), Rockport (Avior), and other Magico models (M5, V2, Q5, Q1, S5), I kept returning to the Q3's, because I valued neutrality, and transparency. I also realized that what I thought was a lean mid-bass was actually accuracy - no BBC hump, as with the B&W (and many other ported speakers). I chose the accuracy and musicality of the Q3. I did take a long look at the S5 because it seemed to bridge the sizeable sound gap between the type of sound that was familiar to me with the B&W 802's and the Q3. But I value the small details - the overtones, room ambience, tonal texture, and I've never heard a speaker that did a better job of presenting all that without sounding too analytical. The Q3's sound utterly natural and unforced to me.
Good luck with your search. You have some great candidates there, and don't rush the process - the hunt is more than half the fun with our hobby! Ted.

[dcvibe]

Originally Posted by g997

What electronics?
What wire
What sources?

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).