Magico A5 vs SF Amati vs Raidho D3 - Help me decide!

Wow… those are as different as night and day.

It would be really helpful to see your current setup and its components… there is a place under your ID to put photos an identify components.

Also, what kind of music and sound do you like?

Music tastes are mostly classic rock, folk, americana, alternative, etc.  Little to no jazz or classical.

I think these may all be wrong.  A Klipsch or JBL or Dynaudio might be much more to your liking.

Get a pair of subwoofers and figure out how to make it work in your room with your current speakers. That's one jump in SQ you couldn't miss.

Otherwise, a jump at this level with a speaker won't feel like a whole lot, especially, if you're an older guy with degraded hearing. Nevertheless, you could keep your V3 and get the Raidho as a 2nd pair. When you get bored listening to the same pair of speakers over and over (because someone told you it's 'end game' n all), you could just swap over to the 2nd pair, keep it fresh, etc.

If you love the sound of your speakers I have to agree with @deep_333 that adding a couple good subs could be the better, easiest, and most cost-effective way to go. It’s absolutely amazing what a couple good and properly dialed-in subs can do for the overall performance of a system in addition to better, and better optimized, in-room bass. In the end you’ll maintain all the virtues you love about your current speakers and add bass performance/capabilities none of your other options can hope to even touch. Definitely something to strongly consider.

@erik_squires - I’ve found Dyn to be a bit too “boomy for me. I like the taught nature of Magico, just looking for the next level.  Maybe Dyn Confidence??

OP:  It's worth listening to different models in the Dyn since they have very different sound signatures.  They don't stick to one house sound like many other brands.

The Magico is honestly an excellent choice if it has the right tonal balance for you.  Glass smooth mid and treble, lots of output. My complaint, and I am the only person on earth who thinks so, is they are a little cool and maybe exaggerate the lower vocal registers a little.  I call it chesty, like you can hear their chests a little more than expected.  Still, nit picking things you should listen to for yourself.

If you like Magico I really think you should stick with them. Raidho speakers are fussy to placement and Sonus Faber I might consider the opposite of magico. We like what we like and everything else sounds a little off.

Thanks so much for the feedback. The upgrade-itis in me is disappointed but my wife is super relieved. Maybe the best option is some subs as recommended or a DAC upgrade instead. 

Out of these the Sonos Faber makes the most bass. Borreson is most hifi.

the A5 is just not great for bass and needs subs but good for the money with subs. Look for a used Vivid Giya G2 :)! that’s what I bought when I was looking at the same speakers. I would also look at a new pair of Borreson X6’s

If your taste is on the classical rock, then you had better choose Magic A5 which go down reasonably well with nice dynamics.

Sonus Faber is more suitable for classical music with nuanced sound.

I found Raidio very nice speaker at Pacific Audiofest 2022 and 2023 but more suitable for light jazz and chamber music rather than classical rock.

Thomas

+1 Magico

I agree that you should stick with your preferred sound brand or extend the bass with articulate subwoofers like JL Audio, Rel, or Perlisten.  Your Magico V3 has 2 7inch woofers reaching down to 32Hz while the A5 has 3 9inch woofers reaching down to 24Hz.  Another bonus is the A5 reportedly has a fabulous midrange which is perfect for the type of music you listen to.

I have had a chance to hear the SF and magico speakers, auditioning them against each other, and I think you would see a significant step up with either of the choices that you inquired about. I haven’t heard the Raidho, So can’t make a meaningful comment about a speaker I have not heard. I think the Amati  would   Outperform the A5 in the bass department although the sound is completely different. The SF Serafino is more directly comparable to the A5. Generally, SF is going to be a warmer, more lush sounding speaker and will give up a little detail to the Magico. I chose SF (Il Cremonese) over Magico (S5) but I prefer the SF house sound. if you like the magico sound. I suspect you should stick with that because SF is very different. I’ve heard the A5 and it is an excellent choice.. you would realize a significant improvement moving up to that level in the magico line

I love the "live" sound of the Borresen / Raidho's....Michael Borresen takes a different direction when it comes to speaker design...SF and Magico are more "old school "....IMHO......

I would not pair Magicos with Nordost cables. A change of cables might work as an alternative to changing the speakers.