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Auditioned Magico A3 - VERY DARK...

So today after waiting for months to try and listen to the Magico A3, I went to Scott Walker audio at Anaheim and listened to the Magico A3, connected to some VAC Tube amp, being fed from a Sony audio streamer, here are my impressions:

- They look fantastic, I wish they made them in silver too, but they are just great in brush black aluminum
- They're quite small and could fit everywhere
- Fit and finish is impecable
- The bass they generated was nothing but amazing for such a small cabinet, you could hear the drums, the down beats and incredible depth of bass at an amazing level
- Imaging was INSANE, you could literally place everyone and everything...
- Sound was VERY VERY DARK!!! This was a bit of a surprise, the top end lacked for my taste to a quite a degree
- I felt like the combo of the Tube amp and Magico lacked resolution, while bass and mid was great, the top end absolutely lacked resolution
- The sound was extremely laid back, again dark
- It does NEED POWER, like he had to crank the volume up, to get good sound out of this, so be aware of that

Overall, I "personally" did NOT like the sound, it lacked details and resolution at the top end, while it was great at the bottom end.  Now, the rep and I think this is mostly due to Tube amp, and connecting it to a solid state amp would bring back resolution, but we simply didn't have time to do that today.  I look forward to listen to these at another time with some decent solid-state amp, but as-is, I was NOT as impressed as I expected and wouldn't have purchased one and I strongly believe Tube and Magico A3 do NOT go well together! 

Anyone else with similar impressions?! Curious to know what others may think, or maybe there was something else in play?

Thoughts?
alexb76
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sciencecop
180 posts
 
@fleschler The number one audio system at shows for the past three years has been his Ultra 11s as written up in Absolute Sound, Stereophile, Enjoy the Music, Positive Feedback and others, not Magicos....


Sure, none of these outfits ever gave rave reviews to Magico, never…
Not even these from the last 2 big shows; Munich and Axpona:
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-2018-munich-high-end-show-loudspeakers-under-20k/
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/munich-high-end-show-2018-electronics-15k-and-up/
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/munich-high-end-jv-on-loudspeakers-20k-and-up/
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-2018-munich-high-end-show/
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/AXPONA_2018/Weaver/page1.htm
https://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/axpona-2018-end-of-the-road-snow-on-the-horizon/
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/05/05/axpona-2018-the-magico-a3-debut/
https://www.stereophile.com/content/sunday-morning-axpona-john
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2016/05/09/axpona2016-magico-s5-rolling-thunder-cat-and-tape-disrupt-...
https://audio-head.com/scott-walker-audio-magico-and-synergistic-research-axpona-2018/
https://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/day-2-axpona-2018/

And that was only from the first 2 pages of Google search…
Any other stories to tell us? Are you really interested in how the A3 sound? You already told us how you feel about the brand and those who like it, and you had no problem twisting the facts doing so. I don’t expect a fair assessment from you on anything regarding Magico, you don’t have to like it, but insulting those who do, on a Magico thread is weak (no wonder you needed help from your friends, wife, some mastering guys from the 50’s, etc). Hope you have a good rest of your Sunday, listening to whatever it is you fancy. I know I will ;)






fleschler
2,012 posts
 
Sciencecop - I know all about the critics who are enamored with Magicos.  You didn't have to waste your time proving it to me.  However, why is it every time there is a new speaker, it's so superior to the last?  That's what I don't like about most critics, they push the new and denigrate the old products.  

I didn't twist any facts, there is a large group of audiophiles who dislike Magico speakers as there are many owners of Magico speakers who prefer them.  

I gave Magico speakers a fair assessment based on many auditions of them (at least a dozen audio shows and two retail showrooms), occasionally using my own recordings (classical, jazz and Yello for pop).  My friends likewise gave them fair auditions.  That's why it's my opinion.

As to the A3s, maybe Magico changed their formula and made a speaker that sounds more like music playing to me.  The thread started quite negatively didn't it?  I waiting to hear back from the author and see what he thinks and why.   I am not planning to purchase Magico speakers.  I am planning on purchasing either a Von Schweikert VR55K or Lumenwhite Kyara.  They both work together perfectly with a VAC IQ200.  

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fleschler
2,012 posts
 
I didn't know there was a previous thread on Magico A3s.  Some posters also found the A3 not to their liking and dark sounding.


tutetibiimperes

199 posts

04-23-2018 10:34am

I don’t know if I’d agree about the similarities with the S5.  I heard the S5 in the Synergitic room and thought they were amazing.  The A3 just didn’t wow me.  

It didn’t sound bad by any means, but compared to the Paradigm Personas and Revel F228be it seemed a bit flatter and didn’t resolve detail as readily.  I’d go as far as to say it had a slightly ‘dark’ tonality.  

Some of that could have been the various room setups, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them.  I could see someone having a preference for the A3 if they prefer that darker sound signature.  

mekong56

117 posts

04-25-2018 3:19pm

I was really excited to hear the A3 at AXPONA, and I was pretty underwhelmed as some of the others here have stated. Could be the show conditions, but I was not impressed with what I heard (I heard them on Saturday). I would like to hear them again at a dealer.

firefightingrob30 posts04-21-2018 8:47amI heard the A3 at Axpona and didn't find them to be anything special outside of build quality. Their sound did not set them apart from the many other speakers in the price range, in fact there are many others that I prefer. I am a S5 Mk1 owner.
FWIW- the person sitting behind me was raving about how great they sounded while I was thinking, meh.



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