I used to work at Avalon, so I'm a bit biased...
But some things I do know:
1. The Indra's crossover design is based on everything learned from the Eidolon, to the Isis- and each improvement (in a controlled environment) is audible. Neil Patel of Avalon has a scary understanding of crossover design, not to mention the caps in a Wilson barely make the cut for Avalon's entry level speakers.
2. Any ceramic based driver takes about 500 hours to break in fully. Once they do, the effect on vocals and "in the room" presence is startling.
3. Room placement and room involvement is critical with any speaker, but to an even greater degree with speakers that can focus like the Avalons. They will sound anemic and lacking bass in a poorly set up configuration (like 3 inches too much this way, or toe-in off by a couple of degrees). Set up just right, they sound like they are twice the size and float images like a 20 foot wide pop-up book.
4. I've heard the Indras in a wide variety of setups, and they require more space than most of us have in our living rooms to really breathe.
I've not heard the Magicos. Considering their positive press, I'm sure they are really fine- but remember, hype through journalism is a weird world that the consumer is not able to see the inner workings of, not to mention that audio reviewers are often 50+ years old and have developed preferences for sound that are so utterly subjective that we as consumers should really only look to the in-magazine photographs for any sense of tangible reality.
Wilson sounds the best for blasting Dark Side of the Moon at 103 decibels and evoking a much needed bowel movement. But if evoking the feeling that Darth Vader is singing some Pink Floyd to you is top priority, look no further.
Of course opinions are like (fill in the blank)
It's all just good fun.
-For what it's worth
But some things I do know:
1. The Indra's crossover design is based on everything learned from the Eidolon, to the Isis- and each improvement (in a controlled environment) is audible. Neil Patel of Avalon has a scary understanding of crossover design, not to mention the caps in a Wilson barely make the cut for Avalon's entry level speakers.
2. Any ceramic based driver takes about 500 hours to break in fully. Once they do, the effect on vocals and "in the room" presence is startling.
3. Room placement and room involvement is critical with any speaker, but to an even greater degree with speakers that can focus like the Avalons. They will sound anemic and lacking bass in a poorly set up configuration (like 3 inches too much this way, or toe-in off by a couple of degrees). Set up just right, they sound like they are twice the size and float images like a 20 foot wide pop-up book.
4. I've heard the Indras in a wide variety of setups, and they require more space than most of us have in our living rooms to really breathe.
I've not heard the Magicos. Considering their positive press, I'm sure they are really fine- but remember, hype through journalism is a weird world that the consumer is not able to see the inner workings of, not to mention that audio reviewers are often 50+ years old and have developed preferences for sound that are so utterly subjective that we as consumers should really only look to the in-magazine photographs for any sense of tangible reality.
Wilson sounds the best for blasting Dark Side of the Moon at 103 decibels and evoking a much needed bowel movement. But if evoking the feeling that Darth Vader is singing some Pink Floyd to you is top priority, look no further.
Of course opinions are like (fill in the blank)
It's all just good fun.
-For what it's worth