Magico speakers too clinical and fatiguing?

Long time reader of the forums but I have only been back in to home stereo systems for about 6 years. I’m retired now so can enjoy some behind time.

Also know from reading the forum that a lot of you are way more gifted in hearing and evaluation but as Forest Gump would say (I do know what good Sound is.)

I have been to many audio shows and dealers and many amazing systems experienced.

One of most musical was with Ken Stevens CAT gear with the Magico S5 MKll

Not rich so I’m limited in purchases a little bit.  No CAT gear yet 😂

Presently rotating in same med to large room between:

(1) Tannoy Canterbury GR on Townsend platforms bi-amped with McIntosh mc75’s and MC830 mono amps and C70 preamp Aurender streamer and Berkeley Dac with Cardas Clear cabling.  Mostly stream. Some LP with Linn Sondek and Marantz SA10 SACD player. Sounds great! 

(2) Magico S5 MKll on casters using same equipment and cables as the above system with exception of the amplification being done with McIntosh MC 2301 mono tube amps rated at 300 watts. Sounds great also!

Not al all fatiguing to me even after 6 hours continual listening.

I find I leave the Magico’s in rotation longer than the Tannoy Canterbury GR.

I’ve not heard any that much better than either at the shows without a much higher entrance fee

Magico S5 MKll sounds pretty sweet with tubes.

@rforddaddyo 

what Tubes do you use on the MC 2301? How do you like the biamp config? 

@vuch 

This.

The deeper I go into this hobby/obsession the more convinced I am that the room and setup are vital. Before deciding to spend 6-figures on gear, one really needs to consider the limitations of the room. A bad room can create all kinds of sonic issues/limitations. 

@willyht no doubt! I also greatly enjoyed @deep_333 and @rforddaddyo's takes. 

The Room! Speaker placement to listening position are the cheapest, fastest way to getting there with whatever you've got. I've found matching the triangle set-up by having the speakers exactly the same distance from outer walls and listening position centered between them. Having the speakers as far away from the front wall pays increasing dividends but sometimes, perhaps a lot of times it isn't practical ie: WAF.

I have a 2nd rig that is so old and cheap but I love it when I'm there almost as much as the main rig. 

This morning I spent over an hour readjusting my speakers to get them about 6" further from the front wall. I also rechecked level of the speakers, slope leaning back, distance from the outer wall & sweet spot position. 

I get so much enjoyment out of this rig! Even with tech reconditioning, I think I've got about $750 into it including the Furman power conditioner I just got for it this week.

Do I really need the main rig? No, sometimes I don't know how I got there. But I do know that I love music, albums, streaming, CD's maybe a little bit. Tape is cool but I don't have any. Yeah the main rig is great but wherever I am I seem to enjoy the rig as much as possible...

I just installed a DEQX Pre 8 in a system based on Magico S7 loudspeakers. First off, they are extraordinarily well made. To start, they were being driven by  McIntosh gear. The image was diffuse and details smoothed over in typical McIntosh fashion. There were two JL Audio Fathom subs using a low pass filter only and the bass was confused. The room is a dedicated media room 20 X 30 feet with a 9 foot ceiling. After replacing the mac preamp with the DEQX the image snapped into focus and details were audible that were glossed over before. Adjusting the treble down a bit gave a neutral sound without any sibilance. The bass now managed by the DEQX was eons better but still lacking in the utmost definition, the fault lies with the Fathoms. We are going to replace the Mac amps with a pair of Bricasti Design M28s and I am sure that will bring this system up into the upper echelons of performance with the exception of the bass below 50 Hz. We have not discussed new subs yet, I would like to see four Martin Logan BF 212s. 

In short, The S7s are a fine speaker and a reasonable value given that you can spend a lot more for the same performance. As you see here they can be no better than the equipment in front of them. This is true of any great loudspeaker.