The best speaker you ever heard?

Whatthe, no one is denying your right to enjoy Magico speakers, we just reserve the right to disagree. The speakers are not for us, that is all. Ours is a broad church which should allow many opinions. "Sterile" is a word I would use, in the context of Magico Speakers and it means different things to different people. To me, it means the sound may have many attributes, but creating the impression of live music, isn't one. I would add other well received and popular "High End Brands", Focal and B and W come to mind.

You criticise us for making a judgement based on shows and I agree, it is not ideal. The rooms are poor and there is insufficient time for a system to settle in. I look at it the other way, if a system, piece of equipment sounds good in show conditions, then it must be pretty good. Another point, what is the alternative to a show? A fellow enthusiasts home system would be ideal, if you can find one. The alternative is a dealer and I think dealers are in enough trouble without me wasting their time listening to speakers I don't like and can't afford anyway. I will not take a dealers time, where I have no intention to buy.

Whatthe, why are you being deliberately obtuse? I did not say the speakers were sterile because I could not afford them, but because I found them "sterile".

I have to repeat again, I am not aware of a qualifying number of hours of auditioning, required before one can offer an opinion. Please note, opinion of what I heard listening to the speakers. I did not dismiss them out of hand , as others would.

Am I the only person who doesn't "get" Magico speakers. I have heard them in a number of top flight systems, with Dartzeel and Constellation amplification amongst others. Dynamic, neutral, transparent, yes, yes and yes, but just to dry and sterile for my tastes. I am sure it is a defect in my ears and character, not to think Magico are unbeatable, but I suppose it takes all sorts of enthusiasts in our hobby/obsession.

The best I have heard and it suprises me to say so, is the Wilson Alexias. I have never liked Wilson, until I heard them with sympathetic amplification, in the first instance, ARC tube amps. The best though, was the Alexias with D'Agostino pre and Monoblocks, just magical. In fact I couldn't really find any fault in the system, except the insane cost. Almost as good at a mad, rather than insane costs, was the same room and speakers with the Dartzeel integrated amp

I think you ignore my point about how one can audition speakers, if not at a show. The gold standard is a prolonged audition at home, in your own system or a friends system, which is in a settled state. I repeat, that I will not take a dealer's time auditioning a speaker, just to confirm, it is not for me, and, or I can not afford it.

If one follows your stricture about who may comment on a speaker, then only owners are likely to qualify and reports will be universally positive.

Please also note, that I accept your description of the limitations of show auditions. However that is likely to be the only way all of us will ever hear many components on the market. I am sure most of us use a show as a way of winnowing out large numbers of possible choices, for a next purchase. It is imperfect, but the only practical way open to us.

Finally, please note I did not "rubbish" magico speakers or dismiss users as misguided or worse. I merely pointed out, that in my experience, limited as I admit that is, they were not for me.