Auditioned Magico A3 - VERY DARK...

@folkfreak That doesn’t surprise me, the Q3’s are only a moderate load @90db. If you can run the mono’s on the lowest damping setting & in Triode mode with ease, that sounds like a perfect match 😎. Now back to normal programming...something about the Magico A3’s? 😋.

@melbguyone don’t use the triode mode ever! Super syrupy and gloopy, avoid at all costs!

folkfreak919 posts08-15-2018 12:01amPlease review my system for good results combining Q3s with VTL and ARC. Very high powered tubes work excellently with the Q series

Thanks for sharing your system FF.  Truly impressive, and great photography too.  A bright spot in an otherwise dark thread.

Supratek Cabernet preamp or the Audio Flight Strumento preamp -

don’t plug one of these things in front a Magico speaker. It’s like drowning your NY Strip in ketchup and asking to speak to the chef because you think he seasoned or cooked your steak wrong. No disrespect but come on man.... and I really like ketchup.

Magico’s are a very low distortion, sealed box design that are as transparent a speaker as has ever been made by anyone. Dark, bright, dull, vibrant, cool, laid back or in your face are all super easy to get out of Magico speakers.

Come on over and we can get them to sound like each of these and quite simply. Plug in a rolled off, veiled, slow, stumbling, bumbling tube preamp in and bam..wow those Magico speakers are boring...

Not hard to do. This is audiogon pretty sure we all know this...

They will spit out what you put in. Super simple...

Tubes suck anyways, I was tube head for years and they are fine for Harbeth, Splender, Devore or the like if that is what you like or unless you spend crazy money for the top end tube stuff. Nothing wrong with that but these are different animals.

The way the modern Vitus, Pass Labs, Ayre, Simaudio, GamuT, Dan DA’gostino sound there is no need for tubes with Magico’s.

Certainly not a Supratek Cabernet (vomit in my mouth) preamp...lol

Magico’s want very high bandwidth, highly resolving, Transparent devices in front of them. They want it clean and linear with some natural warmth or they will pout and stomp their feet and make a scene.

They are like magnifying glasses and will highlight whatever you give them and to the enth degree and if only or mostly uncolored music is there to magnify they will blow your mind but they are ruthlessly revealing and grumpy monsters that chew on weak links like bubble gum and until find it and root it out it will foul up it all up and non Magico folk will blame the speakers when all they are doing is magnifying that week link.

You change out the ac power cable to your dac and the whole system changes and its like - um - awe these are stickily, prickly buggers but worth the work and effort because you can clearly hear as you get closer and closer - they let you know clear as day...

They are not for the faint of heart or by any means simple partners.

They will keep you honest and make you be on the ball. Don’t roll with some half ass source either or your just asking for it.

Get it right and I put them against anything, anywhere. Get them wrong and well those Harbeth or Devore’s sound mighty nice.

I’m working with Josh at Mark Walker to get my Magico S5 MK II’s in a few weeks and can’t wait.

You don’t need to go to crazy money wise either with but you must make, good sound choices. Yes Vitus and DA’gostino gear can get pricey.

Get the most powerful Pass Labs .8 amp you can afford and a good quality used Pass Labs, Simaudio, ARC Ref or Ayre preamp, Bricasti or Berkeley digital and some real good quality copper cabling and your in.

Role with much lesser gear and your asking for it. You need to go big money if you must have tubes. Tubes can be great with Magico but you need to go real steep money for tubes where you can get reasonable money ss and still get there...