Rockport Avior or Magico S5

I have a slightly different take than Ctsooner. Its exactly why you need to audition both speakers before purchase - this is very subjective when you get to this level of loudspeaker and system/component matching is also another variable.

That being said, here is what I have heard and taken away....

Rockport Avior - I found these to be quite musical, especially on tube gear. Soundstaging width is phenomenal with images well outside the speaker cabinets and wall boundaries. Soundstage depth also very good, but not at level of Avalons. Solidity of images is incredible, very dense images. Dynamics were exceptional too. This speaker plays great on just about anything - rock, classical, jazz, etc..

Magico S5 - heard these with only solid state stuff. Build quality exceptional as were the Aviors. Imaging was great, but images seemed a bit thin to me compared to Aviors. Bass was fast and tight, but not as extended and full as Aviors. Soundstaging was great, dynamics were above average. But something was 'missing' with the Magicos - it didn't draw me emotionally into the music. They were a bit too analytical for me.

I liked the Aviors so much, I actually initially placed an order for a pair, then changed the order and upgraded to the new Rockport Cygnus.

Both Magico and Rockports (and Avalons) are world class loudspeakers. It really comes down to how these integrate with your room and system. Audition is a must, even if it means traveling somewhere for a weekend.

Joey V - you must be in DFW! Its true, it was me more than likely if you are in DFW.

I auditoned the Aviors extensively twice in a one mnth period. Loved them. It's interesting that you mention harshness with Ayre, but with the new 20's, its more liquid. That is exactly what I thought about the initial Ayre set up. But one could certainly hear 'through' that and know what the Aviors are capable of and more.

I talked with both Vu after he heard them at CES and Andy at Rockport - it was enought to know that the signature sound of Rockports/Aviors would be there with the Cygnus - except just more open and 'bigger' sounding and of course, more bass.

Small world! By the way, I can't say enough good things about Hi End Audio and Home Theater in Plano. Vu is a great dealer and person!

Thanks Ken, I'm told the Cygnus should arrive sometime in June or July (late Q2). I was updated last week that it is still on track for that timeline and no delays are expected. I loved the Aviors when I auditioned them too, the Cygnus just offered a chance at the latest design implementations of Andy Payor. Combined with my keeping loudspeakers for several years and not 'flipping them', and it seemed like a wise move.

My room is 21x15x9 and some pics are on my Audiogon system page. Andy felt like either the Cygnus or Avior would work well in my room. I was concerned that I might be pushing it with the Cygnus and my room might not be large enough. But as an empty nester, we may be moving in the next two years and I will definitely get a larger room if we ever move.

Congrats on your Altairs! I can only imagine how incredible they sound!

From my experience listening to Vandersteen 5A's and 7's, I think there are truths to what everyone is saying here.

I will use the Vandersteen 7's for an example. I heard them extensively with an empty room early in the morning the last day of the show. Richard was there as well as Dave Gordon from ARC.

First, the solidity of images and the liquid mids and highs the 7's portrayed was exemplary. Some of the best I have ever heard. Images were so solid that you could almost reach out and touch the performers. Realism was great.

If I had two complaints about the 7's set up in a large room at RMAF, it would be the following:

1. Bass - the bass had a huge overhang. Bloated even. I was really surprised that by the last day of the show this wasn't addressed better. Later from talking to others in the industry that don't have a 'dog in the fight', I was told that the 5's and 7's are particularly hard to set up and they think only a handful of dealers can do it properly. One would think with the active bass module in the 7's you could 'dial' perfect bass for any room or placement. I'm sure you can, but it will take a lot of time and expertise to do it.

2. Soundstage image height - caveat here - I'm 6'4". But I was constantly slumping in my chair to get in the middle of the soundstage. In my opinion they throw and deep and incredibly wide soundstage, but the soundstage height was not much higher than the top of the speaker cabinet. It was unrealistically low in my opinion.

All that being said, the 7's are a GREAT loudspeaker and does a ton of things incredibly well. I can certainly see how some would pick this loudspeaker as a destination/end of the road one. And no loudspeaker is perfect!

Yeah, Ctsooner, I was surprised at the bass with the 7's at RMAF. I used a Dead Can Dance track I am very familiar with to assess bass and I played it in that room. The bass was very extended, just not tight and focused in the lower midbass making things feel 'thick' and 'bloated'. The set up was vinyl, and they had a Brinkman table and Lyra Atlas cart. ARC preamps and the Vandersteen custom amps that mate with the 7's. Can't remember the cables. Maybe they didn't have the Atlas dialed in to the proper SRA and VTF?

As far as soundstage height, I don't have to do anything special with my loudspeakers or have noticed the 'lowering of the soundstage' with the exception of the 7's. It was weird - the depth and width of the soundstage was world class, and images were as solid as they get. But the center image was only around 2-3 feet off the ground and the height barely made it a few inches above the speaker cabinets. The room and ceiling were quite large so I'm not sure what was going on there.

I really liked everything about the 7's except for the above. They were on my short list for a new loudspeaker. After hearing everything at RMAF and auditioning several, my top three were the Rockport Avior, Vandersteen 7's and Lansche 5.1's.

I'm as much to blame as Ctsooner for taking this in a tangent direction. I just thought it would help the OP see my course of listening to several speakers - Lansche, Magico, Vandersteen and Rockport before deciding on Rockports and why.

Ctsooner - if you would like, just PM me through Audiogon and we can continue to discuss my Vandersteen experience.