Quandry: Used Magico V2 vs. new S1


It is time to update my speakers. I have a lead on a nice used pair of V2's which probably can be gotten for $9 -$9.5K, vs a new pair of S1's that list for $12.6K. I like the Magico sound, have heard the V2 but not the S1, although I will try before making a decision. There will be no opportunity to hear them side by side so separate auditions may not be meaningful unless the S1's greatly disappoint.

Any thoughts, Comrades? You know how traumatic it is to change speakers.

Thanks,

Neal
nglazer
I would buy the S1. I just did, after comparing it with quite a few speakers. It is absolutely exquisite. I am a Magico fan but I wanted to have something different for my office system. It simply did not work out. I ended up pretty much where I started.
I listened to the used V2's and was surprisingly underwhelmed. Bass was shallow and flabby and top end lacked sparkle. Would be a step down from my VSA VR5 HSE's. heard the Marten Django's and they were very good, but huge -- too big for my LR.

Will try to audition Magico S1's someday. Thx.

Neal
I heard the S1 with Vitus integrated and higher end Ayon cd.
I was also really underwhelmed and stopped listening within 10 minutes. To much low and high which did not sparkle either. The midrange was fairly ok. In total I found it not balanced out.
It did not help that the Ayon was not fully broken in.

A whole other level was Magico Q3 with ARC Ref5SE, D'Agostino Momentum mono's, MSB dac/Powerbase/transport, Transparent Reference.
Easily the best sound I ever heard, very lifelike, at another pricelevel also.
Hmm, there seems to be a pretty big discrepancy in opinions on the S1. I will just have to hear them some time for myself.
Strange comment. I own both speakers, and yes the Q3 are much better, but it is not a night and day comparison. You can clearly hear that these are of-the-same family. Particularly the highs, which have the same amount of sparkle. Sounds to me like there was something wrong with the setup you heard.