audiolabyrinth3,668 posts12-28-2015 5:34am...and if you believe that commentary from a disingenous shill who owns $500.00 vintage speakers, you need your head read.
I believe the Raidho
Speaker’s are your best bet, that’s what I’m going to pursue, magico?, forget about them, they are cold sounding and unevolved! I listen to the q3 speaker’s all the time, their better than the afterthought s series!
Speakers that will bring me down to me knees crying with joy
Ok, so I had to write something ordinary in the title, but it´s really what I want. I live in Sweden and here we have a few really good Hi-Fi dealers which can offer great brands, but not everything is available. I´ve taken a break from this hobby the last 2-3years so I´m not up to speed on every new set of speakers.
What I have listened to in the past:
TAD Reference One - Really awesome speaker, it was paired up with TAD´s electronic and I found the sound a bit cold, just a bit.
Giya G1 - I can´t get past the design 100% but the sound was good, but the setup might not have been the best or optimal for me. However I could see wanting to listen to them again in a different setup if possible.
Raidho D3 and D5 - Now this is the speakerbrand is, together with Sonus Faber Cremona M, that made the best emotionally connection with me. I was actually visiting Raidhos factory in Denmark with a dealer who brought me there. The sound from the D5 were super awesome, but they are very hard to get by used, but they could be the best speakers I´ve heard.
Focal diablo - Really awesome little speaker; sounded really good, I would like to hear the new speakers from Focal.
B&W 800D - Paired up with classe electronics; I found them pretty good, but it was too long ago when I heard them.
Magico S5 - I really really wanted to love this speaker, it looked so perfect 2x10" etc. it was paired up with electronics from Devialet. I experienced the sound to be too cold for me, could have been the room which was very small and weird.
## So what is important for me; well emotions emotions emotions; I want to feel something when listen to music; if we´re talking about chosing a "colorless" speaker and pair it up with tubes" or chose a speaker like Sonus Faber use to be, made everything sound lush, then the first option might suite me the best. I don´t want a ruthless system that make 65% of CD´s sound like shit because they are extremely analyzing. This is what I find the hardest to balance. But I like my music loud and I´m mostly looking a bigger speakers because I want that BIG sound which can bring me to my knees I want to be overwhelmed and washed with sounds. I have all my music in FLAC / WAV.
Any suggestions?
What I have listened to in the past:
TAD Reference One - Really awesome speaker, it was paired up with TAD´s electronic and I found the sound a bit cold, just a bit.
Giya G1 - I can´t get past the design 100% but the sound was good, but the setup might not have been the best or optimal for me. However I could see wanting to listen to them again in a different setup if possible.
Raidho D3 and D5 - Now this is the speakerbrand is, together with Sonus Faber Cremona M, that made the best emotionally connection with me. I was actually visiting Raidhos factory in Denmark with a dealer who brought me there. The sound from the D5 were super awesome, but they are very hard to get by used, but they could be the best speakers I´ve heard.
Focal diablo - Really awesome little speaker; sounded really good, I would like to hear the new speakers from Focal.
B&W 800D - Paired up with classe electronics; I found them pretty good, but it was too long ago when I heard them.
Magico S5 - I really really wanted to love this speaker, it looked so perfect 2x10" etc. it was paired up with electronics from Devialet. I experienced the sound to be too cold for me, could have been the room which was very small and weird.
## So what is important for me; well emotions emotions emotions; I want to feel something when listen to music; if we´re talking about chosing a "colorless" speaker and pair it up with tubes" or chose a speaker like Sonus Faber use to be, made everything sound lush, then the first option might suite me the best. I don´t want a ruthless system that make 65% of CD´s sound like shit because they are extremely analyzing. This is what I find the hardest to balance. But I like my music loud and I´m mostly looking a bigger speakers because I want that BIG sound which can bring me to my knees I want to be overwhelmed and washed with sounds. I have all my music in FLAC / WAV.
Any suggestions?
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Consider the Charney Audio Concerto ($22,000) or Maestro ($6,500) with a quality 300b amplifier. I have listened to both of them at the 2015 NY Audio Show and at the manufacturers studio. They are a full range single driver Tractrix designed rear loaded horn. Like you I'm an emotional listener and want to be "taken" to a different place. From the first note to the last I was completely engaged in the music. Every CD played was a new experience compared to my own system. I was completely transfixed and absorbed into the music for the time there. Charney Audio is a new company run by an impassioned audiophile who has the same listening criteria we both enjoy. |
Skoczylas, That's interesting that you mention Habeths needs careful setup and system matching. I just read Paul Sydors review in the absolute sound that said system setup and associated gear are not that important to get Harbeths to sound great. In fact he said one thing great about the Harbeths is they are not fussy like Magico or Wilson. He went on to say if he quit reviewing equipment tomorrow he would be happy to have the Harbeths be his last speaker. |
the_spaniard OP1 posts12-28-2015 2:03amThe S5 Mk2’s use almost identical drivers, cabinet technology and x-overs to the S7’s, so they should sound similar. My pair are due to arrive in early February. Of course I will post my first impressions once their in situ & i've had a chance to sit down to a couple of long listening sessions. Magico’s latest speakers very much reflect the sound of the connected gear. They can sound average through to magical depending on the upstream gear and cables they’re paired with. Vitus, Pass XS series and Soulution would fit the latter. |
thanks for your feedback guys! The Magico S7 looks awesome and on paper is something I would love. 3x10" bass drivers just wow! I´m just a bit worried that they would sound thin, but that might be the amplifier. Too analytical, thin and bright is something I hate. The Raidho D5 is MUCH more expensive and the driver to cost ratio is worse if I look at size only compared to S7. Then there is the "bass problem" that Raidho had with D3, which they fixed for their customers, but I see that they have some problems with D5 as well?! I can´t comment on that because I heard them at their factory for maybe 1h. http://www.audioshark.org/hometown-meet-greet-170/absolute-pure-magic-raidho-d5-5831-page2.html |
Hi Jwm, not directly. I heard a full Ypsilon system at the Melbourne Hifi Show and really enjoyed the sound. But how much of that came down to the superb Continuum Caliburn tt I can’t say. And not having heard those amps in a familiar room with familiar speakers, I haven’t got enough of a handle on the sound to compare the two brands. But if you mainly listen to digital, with all due respect to the Ypsilon Dac 100, I think the Vitus MP-D201 would have the wood on the Ypsilon, but that depends on your system and personal preferences. I believe the S7’s were paired with Ypsilon amps at the Warsaw Audio Show last month, however I couldn’t find any commentary on that room. But as I have often said, one should not rely on sub-optimal show conditions alone before drawing any conclusions. In the end, much of this comes down to what gear you can access through your Dealer and whether you’re biased one way or the other toward tubed or ss gear. Then you have to look at how that gear synergizes with the rest of your system including the room. |
the_spaniard - I know what you mean regarding the Raidho Diamond sound. I owned the D1's and now D2's (D3's are too big for my room). A friend has D3's and another has D5's. One thing I have to say is they don't sound as loud as they really are. I think it's because of the blackest background I've ever heard from a speaker. BTW the XT series is a lot closer to the diamond sound but not quite there compared to the X series. Like Magico's they need good clean power. and proper set up. I too like Magico's a lot but they just don't draw me into the music like Raidho's do. A couple of other speakers I liked almost as good as the Raidho is YG and Polymer. |
I think your experience with the S5’s could be partly blamed on the Class D amps you used (Devaliet). I’m not a fan of them. The best synergy i’ve found with Magico for my ears is with Vitus Signature series gear. Soulution 7 series also pairs extremely well if you like that sound. For me, Vitus sounds organic and tube-like in presentation, but with plenty of control and resolution. Vitus gear is also ’forgiving’ and tames bright sounding speakers & their dacs make garden variety cd rips sound very musical. To answer your question, based on your stated preferences..If you’re looking for a speaker which will bring your knees crying with joy, look for a pair of Magico M Projects and pair them with a Vitus SS-102, SL-102, SP-102 phono pre (if you run vinyl) & MP-D201 dac, some Siltech Royal Signature series cables & Stillpoints isolation. If the M Projects are beyond your reach or can’t be sourced, the new Magico S5 Mk2 or S7’s might be the answer depending on your budget and room size. FWIW, I just ordered a pair of the new S5 Mk2's & will be running them with Vitus Signature series gear. |