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Magico Q3's at Goodwin's High End

Just a quick note to say that Goodwin's High End (in Boston) along with Alon Wolf presented a demonstration of the Magico Q3's yesterday.

As usual, it was a class act by Goodwin's and a real treat overall. Mr. Wolf fielded a number of questions about the speakers (and Magico's approach to design) and his detailed responses were fascinating.

The Q3's sounded spectacular. They were setup in Goodwin's huge listening room (20x30x11) and they were positioned quite wide apart and deep into the room (almost halfway). I was transported to the symphony hall with a few tracks - like nothing I've ever experienced before. They were driven with very expensive electronics, inluding huge Boulder amps that were 1000w each (if I'm not mistaken) to compensate for the size of the room.

The Q3 is a modest size floorstanding loudspeaker, but it weighs 250lbs! Like the Q5 (if you've ever heard it) it is very clean and neutral sounding. Definitely a speaker that lets you listen into the music rather than wow you with a forward presentation. Besides classical, we heard some jazz, some instrumental and a cut from Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat that was stunning. These speakers don't call any attention to themselves. They were so coherent and produced such an impressive soundstage that it didn't feel like they were the source of the sound. Jennifer's voice had no artifacts (sibilence, etc) that it was like she was standing there. I feel I finally heard how the record was supposed to sound.

Anyways, I'm not trying to do a proper review here, but I did want to thank Goodwins and Magico for the opportunity and I thought I would share my initial impresssions.

Would love to know what other folks at the presentation(s) thought.
madfloyd
maril555
619 posts
 
One comment about speakers portraying "the size" of the instruments right.
Folkfreak writes:
"Take Dire Straits Telegraph Road -- on every other speaker I've had the drums are overpowering, oversized, and very impressive. On the Q3s they're just there, in scale with everything else"
My first question would be: if the drums on that particular track were recorded to sound "overpowering", and all others speakers reproduced THE RECORDING correctly, and Magico somehow diminished "it's size"?
I do undestand, that heard live, the drums should sound in proportion to other instruments.
But here is my second question: do we expect speakers to reproduce the recording of the instruments correctly, or to reproduce it in a way, the same instruments would've sounded live, which would be different from the given recording?
Just a thought.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
As a singer, I am now learning to perform test tones in case of an electrical grid meltdown. I have a large head but agree that, in the words of the respected bass player Will Lee, "everybody needs a little head."
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
To the OP: I was at the Goodwin's demo. It was a wonderful afternoon and the Magico Q3 sounded very good in the system in the large room. To my ears, they sounded extremely coherent. They disappeared as sound sources, seemed very neutral and transparent. Soundstaging was excellent. They were very extended both in the highs and lows. They really sounded very natural. I can't really find anything negative to say about them. If I were in the market for a $30-40K pair of speakers, these would definitely be on my list.
rtn1
535 posts
 
Professional singers when unamplified and in large halls will fill the hall. They project their voice and sing deep from the diaphragm. They have a position, but the sound eminates beyond that position IN A NATURAL WAY. When the imaging is large and forward, it is not natural and we perceive it to be incorrect.

When recorded, it is the job of the engineer to convey this perspective. It seems as though light and rigid cones tend to image in a way that puts the image in the correct place and perspective in relation to the rest of the musicians. If the frequency response is linear, then nothing should be prominent or forward.

In a typical pop music recording studio, aren't the musicians often recorded individually in a chamber to be later reassembled? I cannot listen to popular music because it all sounds cut-up, 2D, and distorted to me. Too many filters and tricks. Plus, I cannot listen to electronic instruments.
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
Having triggered what seems to have been a very interesting discussion (if off topic) on singing I think Rtn1 gets it just right. I'd argue that in a pop music study the tricks should be in the service of reassembling that same perspective -- which is what Joe Boyd was able to do so well with Sandy Denny, and that the Q3s fed back to me.

And on singers and size, and another of my favorite recorded artists for unamplfied voice .. Thomas Quasthoff ;-) I'll definitely fire him up when I get home tonight
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