Sirspeedy you have the post wrong. Thread is not about performance of magico its about the interview with Alen. Where he said hes the only one advancing loudspeaker design past 15 years and everything hes done is new. When all of its standard design and he insulted so many wonderful loudspeaker designers who actualy did come up with unique designs that advanced loudspeaker art. Plus like you say about you buddy whos scared of purchasing because of what he reads in forums. Well folks will read the Wolf interview and think its true when it a bunch of BS. Sound of magico is not what we are talking about. Just Wolfs large head and how a respected audio mag could print such BS... |
Are you all done patting each other on the back yet? |
Johnk,you kinda missed my point.
I like the Magico philosophy,and products alot.I also like many other products.
Because I trust my sensibilities,and need no reinforcement.I'm sure many others feel the same way. |
Sirspeedy - Pathetic indeed. What is up with that?? It seems like some sort of primal fear or need. Look at the commotion AW interview is causing . Much slurring about subjects that were taken completely out of context by people that I doubt even read it. Johnk - are you just regurgitating Hansen verbiage or did you actually read the interview? Where on earth does wolf says that he said hes the only one advancing loudspeaker design past 15 years and everything hes done is new. What exactly is bunch of BS And how do you know how big Wolf head is? Have you ever seen him? This is unbelievable |
Dhaan,I don't quite follow your thought.
Sorry. |
Sirspeedy- I was actually agreeing/marveling with/at what you said. |
It may sound egotistical, but if he didn't truly believe he was advancing speaker design and build then he wouldn't be building loudspeakers at all. It takes a big ego to make something and ask the price Magico charges. |
Dhaan,I am a bit slow these days.Got your point!
Best |
Asked to hear a really good tube system at SBS in NYC this past weekend. Magico Mini II with DCS Puccini CD, VTL TL G15 pre, VAC 300 PHI amp were auditioned and caught my ear.
Also read the recent Stereophile article.
"Revolutionary" is perhaps a bit overstated. Extremely well designed and executed would be more accurate. Innovative would also most certainly not be an overstatement given the unique combination of design elements incorporated. CAD design tools certainly enable precision designs when properly applied, but these tools have been around and in common use for well over 20 years at least now, right?
Having said this, the system I heard was certainly "magic" in its smooth, clean, transparent and effortless rendering (with just a touch of warmth) of the Saint-Saens Organ symphony on DG CD, particularly with the massed strings. Low end extension and dynamics were not all there with the smaller Magicos, but otherwise , this was a $100000 or so system that I could surely live with! |
Magico Mini 2 is magical as well as VERY musical it is one of the best 2 ways out there sound wise. Having said this however i was at Carnegie Hall Saw the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and nothing can do this in your home however MAGICO does come close both with MINI 2 AND V3. Remember its all about the sound not the price!! |
I must admit that the review of the new KEF Monitor speaker,in this last issue of Stereophile has caught my eye/ear!
This looks like a superb design.Not unlike the "coming" TAD three way Minimonitor!
Some really interesting small enclosure designs around the "audio corner",and the furure looks good.
From my experience(which means nothing,btw)the less enclosure present,the more natural the "presentation"!
Those with smaller rooms can rejoice,as new technology IS a good thing!!
Best. |
These are not claims these are among the best speakers out there period MINI AND V3 are ground breaking designs and sound that way because of this. If you go to live classical concerts at top shelf halls you would know this.!! |
Sirspeedy, from my recent reading of Stereophile reviews take them all with a grain or several grains of salt. They don't seem to review much that they don't like a lot. The hyperbole freely flows. Last month they reviewed the Ravel Salon IIs and said something along the lines of "this is the best, most natural sounding speaker I've ever listened to." Come on. How can every new high-end piece be the best they've ever listened to? But they say that about a lot of stuff they review. There are plenty of amps, CDPs, etc, that if you go back and read the review, it's the best ever within some category. I wouldn't buy anything until it had been out a while because a lot of the stuff becomes flavor of the month then starts showing up used and a substantial discount because it wasn't all they cracked it up to be. |
Very well said Wireless200.
It is quite obvious that whatever piece of gear Stereophile happens to be reviewing at the time is "the best sounding" ground breaking must have piece of gear available. Meanwhile some of the reviewers have 10 year-old pieces of gear in their systems. I recently listened to a friends rig consisting of nearly 10-year old Krell Class A Series Components and Wilson Audio W/P 6 Speakers, and it sounded awesome, and contrary to what Stereophile would have you believe, the new Systems, that I have recently heard (at this level), do not make it sound broken.
Stereophile Magazine is plainly and simply paid (through advertising dollars) to try to convince their readership that last years (or last issues) model is crap and that whatever you are listening to at Home is garbage, and that you are doing yourself a grave disservice unless you run-out and buy this newly-reviewed piece of gear. Nearly every review that I have read in this Magazine gives an absolutely glowing review, proclaiming the best of the best status on nearly everything they plug-in. This is not objective journalism, or consumer reporting, it is advertising.
Im sure that Consumer Reports Magazine would find that at least half of Stereophiles reviewed gear is over-priced garbage (most notably the equipment that frequently fails during the review, or shows up broken).
The Magazine does however have some interesting and well written show reviews, industry news and opinions, and strangely enough, their music reviews are actual reviews and not endorsements, but when they get their hands on a piece of electronic gear look-out, hear comes the not-so-subtle sales pitch
|
It's not fair to single out Stereophile in this regard, TAS, 6moons, all of them are guilty of promoting the latest as the greatest. Many Audiogoners as well. Consumer Reports? Zero credibility when it comes to audio equipment. |
Its not fair to single out audio mags either. Most media outlets are marketing, not service driven. The goal is to get people to buy more new things. Audio is no different. Just face this reality and think before you believe anything someone tells you.
Isn't that part of what makes this country great? |
I think that we are all expecting too much from these magazines. It is obvious, from reading these forums how hard it is for people to make decisions on their own and how emotional this activity is. Why is it that people need so much a affirmation when it come to audio equipments? |
Dhaan,
I think you stated the reason why people need so much affirmation. Its because it IS hard to know for sure exactly what something will sound like once you take it home, and, perhaps even more importantly, it is costly to make poorly informed decisions whenever purchasing products based on technology, especially when investing large sums on new equipment that will generally depreciate in value over time. |
Wireless,my comments were merely expressing an interest in a fine looking design,in the KEF.From a fan point of view,not as someone running out to spend money.
I certainly like the coaxial mid/tweet,and well matched woofer employed.Not cheap,but the "about to hit the market" TAD monitor will,also be a coaxial mid/tweet design(three way too)but be five times the cost....
A decent reason to shine a light on the KEF,for those interested.
Best |
Yep, somebody's got to buy 'em new. I find the best way to evaluate a product is to read dozens of reviews. A lot of times you can read between the the lines of the magazine reviews and then read the discussions in the forums here and really get a good idea of what a piece is going to sound like. But it takes a lot of reading. Of course I think we all enjoy that.
Not all magazines are like that. For example cars (Car and Driver) and computer products (Cnet online) are often accurately reviewed. But it's quite clear audio is not that way. The market is probably just not big enough to support a print maganzine and dozens of esoteric products without an at best synergistic effort between the magazines and manufacturers. One thing I noticed reading Stereophile (I recently subscribed to the print version) that I hadn't noticed before is that the writers are very serious about the hobby. Almost serious to a fault even thought they are clearly over-hyping almost everything they review. They know where their bread and butter is (advertising) but they do seem to be genuinely into it to a strong degree. Like I said since they are clearly over the top I just take their reviews with several grains of salt and enjoy the fiction as well as the true. |
Does seem like its the best loudspeaker of the month club. Every month or so a new revolutionary loudspeaker design is reviewed. I feel for the poor soul who buys these loudspeakers based on reviews only to read next month a new favored son is available. Most of the gear Iam interested in never gets tested and if so not by major mags. Very rare they have reviews that realy interest me. I do enjoy phile and other mags but the reviews are not much use system wise to me. But to be fair sure we all could list kit we would like reviewed maybe I should start my own mag and quit complaining about phile;) |
I want to say something too: I think it would be wise to audition the Magico first (with the right set up and in a room with appropriate acoustics) before concluding that it is indeed a flavour of the month speaker...
I think only a few of you have done serious listening to the Magico's.
Chris |
IMO,the "thing" I get from a review is whether I want to persue giving myself some exposure to said product.That's it!Nothing more.
I will make an attempt to hear something,if it falls into my own take on how I want to do things.Sometimes this works out quite well,as I "may" be able to voice my own rig,to better get what I may(only occassionly)like about some product's performance.Occassionaly I am inpressed enough to find a way to buy it.
As to reviews...of course you have to take them with a grain of salt.
As to the Stereophile reviewers' "seriousness"....well like other journals,this is subjective as to how a particular reviewer comes off.
I think Mike Fremer got alot of (undeserving) heat on Audiogon,based on his "opinion" of the Grand Prix Monaco table.A review that got an almost "opposite" write up(as to how the reviewer liked the product)in Hi Fi Plus(from Roy Gregory)....Why?...I don't really care!!That's the subjective appeal of listening to something.Yet,I like M.F.,and thinks he does a job "I would screw up"!!
I "DO" happen to know Bob Reina(of Stereophile)quite well personally,and believe he is very honest,and down to earth in his review process.
I know his musical likes,and his system.He does NOT get new equipment often,but ascribes to the "logical" school of setting up a system to his needs,and making changes very logically/slowly..."one smart dude"!
Actually I think he deserves a special mention for NOT trying to get the hobbyist to go out and buy the very latest gadget that he may think is just swell,and he does not constsatly go on about the greatness of what he has,and how we are missing something,by not having "his" stuff!....
Then you look at guys like J.V. from TAS,who basically hypes almost everything!Without questioning price,or possibility of competing designs for less cash.He seems to have good equip,but he also seems to favor the "mfgr of the month" over the hobbyist,who spends their money.Of course he is doing his job,and quite well actually,but I come from an era when the reviewers of TAS(the old "real TAS")would have definitely had alot more to say about the pricing of the latest darlings,and would not have aided "some greedy" mfgrs in hiking up prices,because the reviewer simply kept mentioning the "fabulosity" of the design ENDLESSLY!!Review after review!!Until something better came along,of course.That annoys the crap out of me.......
Reina....well he is a musician extroadinaire,eclectic,interesting,has musical taste all over the place(I love that)and really understands that this is a hobby!...Btw,he has a really good sounding rig,but alot of his "personal" setup is NOT the newest(yet sounds damn good)!
Sorry for the rant |
The design of Magico does not interest me its very standard in the industry thats what this threads about not magicos sound quality. About claiming a standard design is revolutionary. Plus now carbon nano tubes are suspected in causing cancer like asbestos. Wonder if speakers or other products so equiped will be considered toxic waist in the near future. |
Correct John.
I used the article to re-evaluate speaker construction and if the other manufacturer uses innovative techniques for dampening. Not sound quality which I will judge for myself. And understand who is responsible for designing drivers or tweeters (such as Scan-Speak Ring Tweeter used in the V3) and using larger magnets or new materials such as carbon nano tubes. |
