Rockport's or Magico's


I have heard that these two speaker lines employ some state of the art design concepts.

Has anyone had a chance to compare the new Magico M5 and Rockport Altair at Goodwins or anywhere else?

How similar are they and where do they differ?

Thanks AO
aoliviero

>>>" I didn't want to sound like I was schilling these speakers. I have no financial ties to RSA."<<<

That is admirable, however making the statement that you found a pair of speakers at a fraction of the price of the Magico/Rockports that you prefer and then not naming them seems to _beg the question_... Once asked.. the ready answer appears.

Those RSAD speakers must be very good. A $13k, spec'd -10db at 30hz stand mount design that best's established floor standing full range loudspeaker designs is certainly ground breaking...

To each his own. However, short-changing two established full range designs in the interests of promoting your own less expensive off-market choice with almost no context is not all that convincing.

Those custom made, upgrade option RSAD designs are not at any US dealer I've been to nor have I read, seen or heard of them off-line. There is a line of reasonable questions one can follow from that but we'll leave it there.

If the alternatives are being entertained and sometimes informed by the HE Audio press or making purchase decisions based on some of the context-less infomercials that get posted here then the choice is a pretty simple one.

Magazines, imperfect as they may be serve a vital purpose in maintaining what is left of our many purchase options and choices in this high-end hobby. As usual, ymmv. That there are still Rockports, Magico's and a host of others including RSAD for us to choose from is a _great thing_.
No lecture's. Just a different POV since yours came across as a tad one-sided. Enjoy the RSAD's. No doubt they are great performers for the money and appear to be a good value. You seem a little worked up. We're just sharing different opinions and we're both entitled to them.

I know, there should only be one or two class A product selections per category that loosely follow your own listening preferences and its all an ad-conspiracy, I get it. :o)

>>>" I didn't want to sound like I was schilling these speakers. I have no financial ties to RSA."<<<

That is admirable, however making the statement that you found a pair of speakers at a fraction of the price of the Magico/Rockports that you prefer and then not naming them seems to _beg the question_... Once asked.. the ready answer appears.

Those RSAD speakers must be very good. A $13k, spec'd -10db at 30hz stand mount design that best's established floor standing full range loudspeaker designs is certainly ground breaking...

To each his own. However, short-changing two established full range designs in the interests of promoting your own less expensive off-market choice with almost no context is not all that convincing.

Those custom made, upgrade option RSAD designs are not at any US dealer I've been to nor have I read, seen or heard of them off-line. There is a line of reasonable questions one can follow from that but we'll leave it there.

If the alternatives are being entertained and sometimes informed by the HE Audio press or making purchase decisions based on some of the context-less infomercials that get posted here then the choice is a pretty simple one.

Magazines, imperfect as they may be serve a vital purpose in maintaining what is left of our many purchase options and choices in this high-end hobby. As usual, ymmv. That there are still Rockports, Magico's and a host of others including RSAD for us to choose from is a _great thing_.
"Both the Magico's and Rockports have great musical triggers given the right system. Both lines offer diversity in choice and have survived brutal commercial market tests to become and remain successful at dealers. That's more than can be said for some of the "out of nowhere" designs that get pub and sell direct based on audiogon reviews."

Dear misguided Samuel,

By "out of nowhere" designs, I think you are implying RSA Sasons and other of similar pedigree. So you think Wilsons, Magicos, and Rockports that spend megabucks on ads in Stereophile and TAS are only deserving for your consideration. I'm not surprised by the statement comming from a typical audiophile snob like you these small but highly innovative designers have to face. And you have not even heard the Sasons. Are speakers like the Sasons below you, oh great audiophile in your ivory tower?
Your quoting the low end response of the Sasons, which you have never heard, as some great negative? The Magico Mini ($30k) does not have the bass quality of the Sasons. I have extensively listened to both, albeit in multiple separate settings. Not in one case, have I heard the Magico sound nearly as good.

Conspiracy? There is no conspiracy, just advertizing dollars the drives bulk of the reviews in HE audio mags these days. When JGH started Stereophile, the reviews were driven by magazine sales.

Have fun with your Wilsons. Those mega ads and Stereophile reviews must have impressed you.