Magico Comparison

Teeshot, keep the V3s. They are the best sounding Magicos.

I heard both speakers but in different systems with different room acoustics and different upstream components. I remember thinking the M5s were more listenable -- smoother with more body while the Q3 speakers were faster, more detailed, but one or two clicks toward center of gravity in the upper registers. Disclosure, I own S5 speakers (could not be happier with them...wonderful on every dimension that is important to me). I had one interaction with A Wolf at Magico and he was very responsive and friendly. I admire a man who can create something so wonderful... nothing but compliments from here. And people who work for Magico (e.g., Irv Gross) are exceptional and consumer + music focused.

I believe it was the magico v1 bookshelf it was not in the same system but components that i'm very familiar with

Musicfile, Perhaps you are talking about the original Mini. I've now heard the Mini 2 in six different systems and they have each sounded very different. I don't know what that means except to say that for a comparison to mean anything valid to me, it needs to be direct, that is in the same system. Otherwise, I can't learn much from it. Perhaps others are better at this then I am.

I also am concluding that the Mini 2 (and other Magico speakers, especially the new Qs) are fairly transparent to upstream components, and they will take on the character of what comes in front of them. I find it therefore pretty difficult to ascribe a character to these speakers. They have all been quite revealing though.

I have also had good conversations with Mr Wolf and Irv Gross.

Compering the above mentioned brands to Magico is like comparing 80’s American cars to current German ones.
The comments you often see on hi-fi forum toward Magico reflects the sad state of the high-end industry today. Here you have a truly innovative company, a rarity in the hi-end, being criticize constantly by closed minded, ill-informed, outdated crowd. In what industry “weekend hobbyists” stuffing off-the-shelve parts in a box, can be compared to a SOTA organization with a full R&D department and manufacturing capabilities? Instead of cheering the fact that someone is still willing to invest in R&D for this dying industry, something that potently can benefit all audiophiles, they go out of their way to rant about it. I understand that people are not happy with Magico pricing, but I don’t see Chevy owners trash Ferrari just because they can’t afford them. Unbelievable.