Rockport's or Magico's

koegz, I was not implying you are a fool because you read stereophile or tas. Just that those mags are highly over rated and don't have necessarily have your best interest in mind when they 20 different speakers as best of the best. I used to read those mags religiously 20 years ago. No apology needed.

Soix, looks like you have been reading up on my posts. Yes I have chosen to go with the Ridge Street Audio Sason. The improved version floats my boat like no other speaker in my last three years of auditioning for a reference speaker. I selected to get the Dueland CAST caps and resistors for the cross over. Cost is close to $13k with the upgrades but still peanuts compared to these speakers approaching $100k. I didn't want to sound like I was schilling these speakers. I have no financial ties to RSA.

Dracule1, that's great that you found a speaker that fits your discerning tastes at a fraction of the price of others that you listened with. There is probably a better way to get that across than with the snide, self-congratulating remarks you chose. Then in classic good taste you leave your own choice for people to guess at--Boston Acoustics?

Everyone has strong feelings about speaker choice and many opinions differ as strongly as the various designers that created them. We are all fortunate that there are enough lines left to give us all choices at so many price points.

Comments about the performance of speakers in shops describe only that set up, naturally. I heard the Magicos and Rockports at Goodwins as well --hooked up with Boulder electronics. I have also heard speakers from those lines at many dealers, at Jeff Fritz's place mentioned above and in peoples homes. In each system they sounded vastly different. For instance the same floor standing Magico's with Boulder at Goodwins, I would not have recognized sound-wise at the Munich show with Spectral and a Music Server. Are we getting the importance of context?

This is like the Maggie lover that hates Wilson etc...

Both speakers are chameleon-like and both have their charms, strengths and specific presentations that define them. Diversity and choice. These are wonderful trademarks of high end that we should embrace and promote.

If you have a point to make, couch it in superlatives about the speaker you chose and how it compares favorably with the Magico's, Rockports etc. based on your (context here) evaluations. Teach someone a new trick rather than the usual "I heard ABC speakers at DEF dealers and they _sucked_ compared to my new ...... at a fraction of the...., Are you keeping your new Bose Wave System a secret? :-P The same goes for the tired old magazine rips. Are you writing from a script?

Everyone has a favorite speaker because we listen for different cues in music that trip our switch. 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.

The best advice for the OP considering one or the other design is to buy the ticket and hear both in similar set ups. Goodwins out East would be a good spot. First hand listening is the only way to judge speakers at this level.

Samuel, I gave my opinion and don't need a lecture from you. If you found my remarks snide and self-congradulating which you seem to be so proficient at, I'm not losing sleep over it. Where did I say this speaker sucked vs another? I liked the Rockports, but found the Magicos fatiguing. I was not trying a detailed review. Context? Both of these speakers are close to 100K driven by same 100K electronics in a same 200k dedicated audio room by one of the most respected dealer in the country (Goodwins). Don't you think they should sound spectacular? "Wonderful trade marks of high end we should promote"? Do you work for one of these companies who continue to make over priced speakers (that's my opinion since you don't understand the concept of opinion)? Oh sorry, seems like you are poster boy for Wilson speakers (enough said). Tired old magazine rips? Where have you been the 30 years ago when Stereophile only had several components in their Class A category, now it's filled with so many components it's useless. All of these class A components seem to have significant amounts of ads in Stereophile. Remember the Bob Carver-Stereophile challenge debacle? Give me break. I don't need some idiotic lecture from you.

>>>" 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)