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Magico S5 vs KEF Blade 2 vs TAD Evo One vs YG Kipod II Sig w/pwr bass

Opinions please. All are Used and are the same very good price but The Y&G are $4000 less which is nice.

KEF Blade 2

TAD Evolution One

Y&G Kipod II Signature w/Pwr Bass module

Magico S5


Would love your thoughts any thoughts on any please! Being all used and in good shape these are all within $500 of each other used price but Y&G and those had highest list but know to be good used deals because they are pretty serious speakers.

I think as far as used speakers in the great value - now less than 1/2 price but still new enough to provide great performance these are some different but pretty serious speakers. Please any and all feedback totally welcomed and is super helpful 

Source: Bricasti M1SE DAC 

Preamp: Parasound JC2 Pre

Amp: Pass Labs X350.5 Amp

IC: Darwin TRUTH Balanced

SC: HiDiamond D8 w/Furutech

PC: HiDiammond P3 (7)

AC: HiDiamond HDX2 

Transport: microRendu 1.4 and full suite of UpTone Audio Premium Power Supplies (2)x LPS-1 and (1) JS-2 LPS - (2) Regens - ISO and Amber and custom Canare DC cables for all / Tellarium Q Black Diamond USB cable and Curious Regen Link

Room is 12 x 23 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 15 Foot a peak 

Music: Assorted Music no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else.

Likes: Transparency- Delicate-linear-Dynamic-Fast - high resolution-microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless - I know there is a fine Line here but I'm looking to walk it and come out on the right side - but real see through into the music - transparent to the source because I love my DAC - there more everything else sound more like my DAC the closer I'm getting to where I want to go as close as possible - image and sound stage lover - tight bass - hate flab - like speed and transparency as my selection choices might speak to

Coming from: Rethm Saadhana V3 speakers which I love and are incredible but want to try something else. 

Love any feedback about matching or equipment matching or one or multiple of these - what you heard at shows or whatever. Love more Info on these.









fsmithjack

Showing 4 responses by bar81

bar81
791 posts
 
Anything with a berryllium tweeter is going to be touchy in the highs.  What kind of power conditioning do you have?  What room treatment?
bar81
791 posts
 
You need a quality power conditioner like the Shunyata Denali and room treatments.

From Soundstage's review:

But those tracks, and others, showed me that I had to be a little careful with the S5’s extreme highs. Like the mids, they were exceedingly clear, but they were also designed to be neutral -- there was no subtle rolloff in the highest frequencies, as there was with the V2, which was a tad polite up top. As a result, the S5 sounded quite lively on top, even a little hot, depending on the recording. This wasn’t a problem in my room, which is very large, and has a carpeted floor that absorbs some of the highs. What I experienced with the S5s, even when listening on the tweeter axes, was a clean, thoroughly extended top end not at all unlike the XO Cericas’, which was also prominent. In a room more reflective than mine, the S5’s lively top end might have to be compensated for with speaker placement (less toe-in, meaning listening farther off the tweeter axis), and/or
absorptive materials.
bar81
791 posts
 
I had the 326S.  It is a very good preamp that I enjoyed while I had it and at its price it will likely be hard to beat.  The things to be aware of is that it's a little bit darker/colored (which will likely go well with your treble brightness issues) and not the last word in transparency, but nothing that I would consider a major issue that would keep me from recommending it.  Ultimately,  I replaced it with the Ayre KX-R which was almost double the price but addressed the shortcomings of the 326S and then some but erred the other way in terms of treble which while more open was also strident.
bar81
791 posts
 
While I haven't heard your cables, based on your description of the sound change with those cables, I can't imagine the 326S will be darker/more colored than those cables (which cables are probably going to prevent you from getting the "air" you're looking for). Based upon my experience going direct, I would also be surprised if the sound direct is competitive with that of a good preamp like the 326S.
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