Magico S5 review

Just spent the morning listening to my S5 (with the new grills attached). Didn't get a sense the grills take anything away sonically and they look great. For kicks I put the Magnepan 3.7 speakers in the mix and A/B versus the Magico S5, using same equipment (Benz LP-S/Graham Phantom Suprmeme/Clearaudio Innovation Wood to Herron phono preamp to VAC Ren Mk III pre to VAC 450S amp.

As good as I thought the Maggies are with speed, air, resolution, harmonics....the Magico's beat them by a wide margin in every department, and then brought slam, dynamics, and a new couple of registers of bass. No grain or hash. Smooth and articulate with incredible extension. While the bass is a big step up, it isn't just the reach, it is the absolute articulation...zero muddiness or slop. For me the S5 speakers' hat trick is total resolution and extension but with coherence and flow/timbre/musicality (versus analytical etchiness). Now I just need to find my summer amp (leaning toward Hegel H30). And, I'm experimenting with which speaker taps to use on VAC. Moving from the 2-4ohm to 4-8 changed things a bit.

I listened to the S1, S5 and Q3 at HANSEN Audio in Dayton.

First, I thought that ALL the MAGICO speakers were very well like one another in their tonal balance. True, the room to my ear, favored the S1 (not the speaker's fault).

My impressions, on all three, are amazing levels of resolution. Voices seem textured oh so well. I'm a mid range fanatic as I listen to mostly folk type music; Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt, Seals and Croft, Peter Paul and Mary ETC. MAGICO's approach electrostatic levels of detail like no other dynamic cone driver speaker I've yet heard. And, the air suspension system allows them to go deep in a smaller box, at some efficiency limits. So buy more watts. I have a MOON W-8 that would be fine, a very neutral amplifier.

Faults are, and this is NOT actually true...yet, is that they really put you in a SPOT to hear the "magic". Move left or right of that spot and the image collapses into itself rapidly. They still sound very open, so this isn’t as bad a sin as some speakers that HAVE to reach out to one another to sound good, one MAGICO is darn good sounding! Yes, to get the level of resolution they may HAVE to limit the dispersion, true. This isn't unheard of (pun intended).

MAGICO owners, do you listen off axis (sure, I admit it, I lie on the couch off to the side more than half the time and just chill out to the stereo instead of the TV) and still get pretty good center imaging? My C4's don't mind off axis seats at all, and hang onto their virtues extremely well.

I am somewhat captivated by this speakers resolution capabilities. The highs may seem "bright" only because they are so open and float in space and depth. Bass is the visceral tight bass you feel (and I LIKE IT!). Don't know how deep it really goes. I use Two DD10+ subs with my C4's to get truly flat to 25 Hz.

The C4 signatures image like crazy no matter where you sit. They have a super smooth nice sound, but not the resolution that the MAGICO's have. No way. The C4's are good, the MAGICO's are simply killing the category on detail. The S5's would be the best "version" to fill a pretty large room and produce a decently robust sound stage (the C4's do that very easily). Not to mention, I can't ever afford the Q3.

I can see why MAGICO owners like this speaker; detail, detail, detail without the electrostatic dynamic range limitations. Still I'd have to listen for awhile to make sure it isn't too much. I'll admit, when you first listen to a speaker like this, you get sort of blown away by the finely drawn lines of resolution around everything. You have to re-learn your music again. But oh that midrange. I listened to K.D. Lang and Oh my, if angels do exist. OK, I bought the CD the next day. Still thinking about those S5's, though.

They are indeed expensive, but seem to be a category killer for openness and detail. The new S5 is a well-placed speaker. Some say that they have a MAGICO house sound (I do) but they must mean that in a good way. Few speakers try to have no sound as much as these do. If this product can hang in there off axis (it has to match my life style) it could be waiting for me some day.

For those that have just that one seat, bravo for you!

Spent the last few days speaking with Scott Walker in California. This dude rocks. He obsesses perfection like all of us do. Never met the guy in person, but I can tell he wants, he needs, he wishes for me to realize the full potential of my Magico S5s. He's like Jack Nicholoson in "A Few Good Men"..."...you want me on that wall; you need me on that wall..." He was direct with me on the phone about what I needed to do to get my room and equipment right. I tested to make sure he wasn't just about selling me new equipment or gadgets....the fact he probed and questioned and discussed a whole bunch of stuff on my system and room setup leads me to believe he is the real deal. I'm flying him up to personally assess and configure my system and room. Money well spent. The beauty of our hobby and passion is guys like Scott who obsess perfection (and therefore support brands like Magico), go the extra mile, so we can fully realize the potential of our systems...which...speaking for myself...I've invested a lot of dough....

Just visited and listened to magico S5 at a dealer using soulutions mono....

sounded more like a stage concert speakers to me..

Aprica, your brief commment leaves it open ended as to weather you liked, or didn't like the S5's. If not, then would you care to elaborate what you didn't like about them?