Magico Q7: "most impressive product in 23 years of TAS reviews"

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by VT Skier

I just heard the Q7s with Spectral gear. Stunning.

The Q1 and the Q7 are remarkable speakers.

I also heard the Raidho C4.0, which was outstanding as well.

Hi Jon,

How do you think Spectral will sound on my TADs. I know the owner of computer audiophile uses TAD and Spectral as his reference.

[Kingsrule]

Goodwin's?

[VT Skier]

Goodwin's for the Q7/Spectral (and Q3, Q1, S5, Avior and Verity Amadis with Simaudio) and Blink for Raidho.

GJ, I agree with your remarks on the Q1 vs. the Q3. Barring some strange twist, I'll be ordering the Q1. You should listen to the C4.1s though. Everything you liked about the Temptation with its D'appolito array but better treble thanks to the ribbon tweeter and much better bass. Blink has 4.0s, so I can only imagine how much better the upgraded model is, because what I heard was excellent.

I didn't listen to the Q7 for long. It was in a different room with different gear, and that wasn't my purpose in visiting. But I spent time over two days at Goodwin's closely listening to the other speakers.

Joe, I think Spectral would give you more of what you didn't like with the Burmester/TAD combo. Spectral is like Boulder, Sim, and certain others -- ultra clean and revealing with enormous control. I'm not sure you can do better than darTZeel with that tweeter. Maybe Constellation. Or all VAC?

Why not take a couple of hours and drive up to Goodwin's with your CR1s, try them with Constellation? I think the Performance amp is $24, and the preamp is currently $19 but supposedly going up to $24. Sell those Burmesters and you're not far off the pair. And maybe there's a dealer closer to you.

[Mikado463]

Originally Posted by jazzman

go to any big hifi show and you would be surprised by the number of 150-200k pair of speakers on show... and the number of them being not worth the money. Take the XLF for example: a pair of S5 at less than 30k sounds way better.

I'll be the first to agree that very few of the speakers in that range really wow me, with that being said a show enviroment is rarely the place to hear such product.

As for stating that the S5 is 'way better' than the Wilson XLF is your opinion and that's fine but have you heard the two in the same acoustical enviroment ? FWIW, give me a pair of Logan CLX's and a couple of good subs over the S5 any day .......hell I'll take the Logan combo over the Q5 ! and yes I have listened to all the above in the same listening enviroment (Overture, Wilmington, De)

the Q7 is in a category in its own

so I've read, looking forward to hearing them soon.

[jazzman]

Originally Posted by VT Skier

I just heard the Q7s with Spectral gear. Stunning.

The Q1 and the Q7 are remarkable speakers.

I also heard the Raidho C4.0, which was outstanding as well.

i heard on same day in same room the Q7 with Spectral 260, Constellation Audio Centaur and VAC 450 Ref. Started with Spectral, sound was great... until I switched to Constellation and realized that it was much better (Spectral sound lacking bass in comparison, and a bit too cold).
VAC was too colored, too slow - but nice smooth mid.

[rlacoste]

Originally Posted by Mikado463

As for stating that the S5 is 'way better' than the Wilson XLF is your opinion and that's fine but have you heard the two in the same acoustical enviroment ? FWIW, give me a pair of Logan CLX's and a couple of good subs over the S5 any day .......hell I'll take the Logan combo over the Q5 ! and yes I have listened to all the above in the same listening enviroment (Overture, Wilmington, De)

so I've read, looking forward to hearing them soon.

If you can do with the discontinuity of a sub, not to mentioned mating with the CLX (colored, and anemic on their own) then you shouldn’t be bother with any of the Magico lineup.

[Mikado463]

Originally Posted by rlacoste

If you can do with the discontinuity of a sub, not to mentioned mating with the CLX (colored, and anemic on their own) then you shouldn’t be bother with any of the Magico lineup.

again.....thanks for reminding us that you haven't had the pleassure of listening to a properly set up system. To think that in this day and age with the quality of subs and the integration afforded them that they cannot be properly married to ones system is ridiculous.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by VT Skier

Goodwin's for the Q7/Spectral (and Q3, Q1, S5, Avior and Verity Amadis with Simaudio) and Blink for Raidho.

GJ, I agree with your remarks on the Q1 vs. the Q3. Barring some strange twist, I'll be ordering the Q1. You should listen to the C4.1s though. Everything you liked about the Temptation with its D'appolito array but better treble thanks to the ribbon tweeter and much better bass. Blink has 4.0s, so I can only imagine how much better the upgraded model is, because what I heard was excellent.

I didn't listen to the Q7 for long. It was in a different room with different gear, and that wasn't my purpose in visiting. But I spent time over two days at Goodwin's closely listening to the other speakers.

Joe, I think Spectral would give you more of what you didn't like with the Burmester/TAD combo. Spectral is like Boulder, Sim, and certain others -- ultra clean and revealing with enormous control. I'm not sure you can do better than darTZeel with that tweeter. Maybe Constellation. Or all VAC?

Why not take a couple of hours and drive up to Goodwin's with your CR1s, try them with Constellation? I think the Performance amp is $24, and the preamp is currently $19 but supposedly going up to $24. Sell those Burmesters and you're not far off the pair. And maybe there's a dealer closer to you.

Jon...Sounds like you are pulling the trigger on Q1s but you also listened to Q3, S5, Avior and Amadis. Correct me if I am wrong but all auditioned with Simaudio is that correct? I am curious if you are going to supplement the Q1s with subs at all because it's the only monitor vs. a host of full-range speakers? What was your order of preference among the remaining speakers? Who did you deal with at Goodwins (Paul or Al)? Thx. just curious.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by VT Skier

Goodwin's for the Q7/Spectral (and Q3, Q1, S5, Avior and Verity Amadis with Simaudio) and Blink for Raidho.

GJ, I agree with your remarks on the Q1 vs. the Q3. Barring some strange twist, I'll be ordering the Q1. You should listen to the C4.1s though. Everything you liked about the Temptation with its D'appolito array but better treble thanks to the ribbon tweeter and much better bass. Blink has 4.0s, so I can only imagine how much better the upgraded model is, because what I heard was excellent.

I didn't listen to the Q7 for long. It was in a different room with different gear, and that wasn't my purpose in visiting. But I spent time over two days at Goodwin's closely listening to the other speakers.

Joe, I think Spectral would give you more of what you didn't like with the Burmester/TAD combo. Spectral is like Boulder, Sim, and certain others -- ultra clean and revealing with enormous control. I'm not sure you can do better than darTZeel with that tweeter. Maybe Constellation. Or all VAC?

Why not take a couple of hours and drive up to Goodwin's with your CR1s, try them with Constellation? I think the Performance amp is $24, and the preamp is currently $19 but supposedly going up to $24. Sell those Burmesters and you're not far off the pair. And maybe there's a dealer closer to you.

Thanks Jon. The 911's are a tough sell, but I am working on it.

[VT Skier]

Cyril, I would love to write a long review of all of these speakers, but I don't want to deal with the irrational and derogatory responses Magico seems to immediately generate on this forum (and others). Really, if one can't say something nice, or at least instructive, why comment at all?

"Wilson's great, Magico sucks."

"Magico's great, Wilson sucks."

Maybe it's because of the relative anonymity one feels when posting? Or some visceral need to defend one's personal choices/preferences?

Whatever the reason, it's sad because most people here (and most reviewers for that matter) will never be able to spend as much time with these speakers as I did, listening in the same room with the same music and same electronics for the subtle (and not so subtle) differences.

Anyway, I recommend reading Alan Sircom's recent review of the S5s, which is very well written.