Magico Mini 2 vs Kharma Midi Exquisit vs MBL 101s

Hi Sirspeedy it's okay I don't take it personally, but these forums are to help each other out and when someone responds as you did it needs to be addressed.

Just to let you know I bought the Magico Mini 2's recently looking at downsizing the current set-up in which the MBL's are present and was told these speakers would be a perfect fit along with also looking at buying the Dartzeel amp and pre to go along with the set-up to make it very simple. If you go to for sale items and type in MBL 101E's you will see my set-up and that I have already sold the CATs.

What size is your friends room? and what associated gear is hooked up?

If you read read my threads I don't believe I was kicking them very hard as you put it but just giving my own over all opinion with out going into great detail as I own both MBL and Magico.

I agree with you both are crazy priced but look at the the technology in the MBL's and then look at the Magico Mini 2's and how much they cost, wow! It just does not make any sense.

If you look at the title of this thread "Magico Mini 2 vs Kharma Midi Exquisit vs MBL 101s" I was responding to it.

If you also read I say the Magico Mini 2's are a good 2-way but no way can you compare them to the MBL 101E's and along with this you will see I refer to them needing to be used in a smaller room which I believe sums it all up.

Regarding the MBL's, you are most defiantly open to your own opinion but you have never heard my set-up. No room is perfect even if it is built to spec. and the room my MBL's are in is not my designated room. No speaker is perfect either and all have faults some with less and some with more.

In closing when you said;

"Not a fair fight,and I have no doubts you will be happier with what you own(yes,I may have gone a bit overboard in my MBL knock...sorry)!"

sums what I was trying to convey all along.

Dev,your point is well stated....My friend's room is 12.5 x 21 ft x 8 ft.He uses a "fabulous for the given task" Rowland 8t.Not a hint of SS "supposed" problems,with beautiful timbral tinges,and real impact when needed!A great mating!

Btw,the Mini "needs" alot of power from the amp!The Dartzeel is a fabulous design,but from what I've been "told" from a Mini/Dart owner,it falls a bit short in low freq weight,on some musical passages.Just a point of interest,as you probably know already....

Anyway good luck on "the quest" -:)

Husk,

Clearly, you need to go hear them for yourself!

I am a Mini II owner, so I guess you know what I am going to say as my preference.

I have listened to the Kharma, MBL etc mentioned in the thread. I too would rule Sonus Faber out immediately as they are very colored and are clearly 'voiced' after some specific tastes and preferences.

A few things about the Mini II.

1) The Mini II are essentially new speakers compare to the Mini (Original). Diff crossover, diff woofers.

2) The Mini II are considerably 'warmer' then the original Mini. The minor problem with the original Mini has to do with the breakup frequency of the woofer... which has been rectified by the new nanotec driver (which is really nano-tubes mixed with Rohacell).

3) I am completely addicted to the sound from a properly sealed enclosure. All port speakers now sound 'wrong' to me... when the sound reaches the port tuning frequency in a ported design, it alsmot feels like the speaker is 'giving up' and just sort of puff out sound... kinda disgusting.

4) While I am well aware of the limitations of a 2 way speaker, I have a soft spot in my heart for them. I have yet listened to a >2 way speaker that offers the same kind of 'intimacy' as a properly executed 2 way speaker like the Mini II. I do not mean they sound 'close' by using the word intimacy, but a way the music communicates with the listener.

I hope one day I will find a larger speaker with the finesse and proper execution of the Mini II but in a 'larger scale' version... perhaps the upcoming Magico M5?

Wslam,I've enjoyed your posts,on the Valin discussion site.Though I usually find J.V. to be a bit over the top,he pretty much got this speaker "right" in his opinion piece!

I convinced my friend to be open to the "mini-monitor" approach(that "mini" word scared him originally)and he subsecuently bought the Mini II's.He has a room size around 12 x 20,with 8 foot ceilings.These mate far better than his previous big three way.

The new speaker likes his Rowland 8t incredibly much(300 wpc),and he has a superb sense of scale,and more importantly,a superb tonal range.To hear the superb original pressing Mercury LP's,and a vast array of killer discs in such gorgeous/convincing fashion has altered my way of listening at "his" place.Gotta love it!

In his room,with good program material,the low bass can "easily" shake the walls and retain proper scale,and it is HERE that we know it is a good room match,because he is set against a sub.Not needed here!

Of course there are those,in our club,who cannot bring themselves to accept the "fact" that such a "somewhat" small speaker is doing ALL of this "gorgeous music",and they look for little things to pick on(like not enough overblown bass....yes a port cannot match a correctly designed sealed system....IF THE SEALED DESIGN IS PROPERLY ROOM LOADED).

I myself just have to laugh at the contrarians,because though the speaker is getting a bit too costly,it is STILL superb in almost every way!As you know,you have to hear it well set-up to understand -:)

BTW,I believe there is going to be a goodly amount of high ticket competition in the NEW "mini-market",now that Magico has put this speaker on the audio table....

I am anxious to see/hear from TAD,who is going to release their own monitor design,possibly as soon as the RMAF,but no later than Vegas,from what they have told me.That should be "serious" competition for the Magico Mini,and it will be a coaxial mid/tweet,with an 8 inch woof(yet it IS vented,hmm).....Not cheap,at over thirty grand,but Magico needs the competition....No?

Good luck