2. speakers
  3. 1265937190

Magico Mini II vs V2 with Pass amps

I am considering new speakers and have heard both the Mini II and V2 in different systems, but not in mine or with Pass XA100.5 amps. My room is small and I value accurate timbre, transparency, a realistic soundstage and lifelike dynamics. I found the Mini II to be slightly more coherent with a slightly better soundstage, but the V2 went slightly lower and is an easier load for the amp. Both seemed very accurate, transparent and disappeared as sound sources. I listen mostly to small scale jazz (Ray Brown, Elle, Chet) and classical (Beethoven and Brahms, strings, piano and full orchestra).

I would appreciate opinions from people who have heard both speakers. Are my impressions consistent with what others have heard, which would satisfy more long term given my tastes? And what does anyone think about the Magico/Pass pairing. Thanks.
peterayer
teajay
1,696 posts
 
Peterayer, I dislike intensely when someone "jumps a thread" and brings up other brands or items that the poster was not asking information about. With all do respect, would you be interested in another suggestion in the price bracket that the Magico Minill's are in.

I'm a planar speaker guy, but over the last ten months I have had the fun and pleasure to listen to some of the highest regarded box enclosure speakers on the market, including the Magico's. For my personal taste there is a couple of other speakers I would want in my system even more then the Mini ll's. If you want this information let me know and I will happly provide it, if not, I understand, and good luck with your speaker search.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
MAGICO IS A WONDEFUL SPEAKER!!
peterayer OP
1,382 posts
 
Thank you all for your advice. I have decided on an excellent used pair of Mini IIs. I have a small room and they seem to be the best choice. I am experimenting with speaker location at the moment, but they sound wonderful with my Pass XA.5 amps.
jpspock
14 posts
 
Hi Peter,

did you try a wp/sasha with your XA100.5? It's a kind of magic. I have both of them at home and the result is very great. You have the impression to be involved in the music. As you, I think that I will change my preamp for a XP20.
peterayer OP
1,382 posts
 
Hi Jpspock,

I did not consider the Sasha. My room is too small for all of that bass. I had a pair of Eggleston Rosa's which were also a great combination with my XA100.5 amps but the bass was too much for my small room. The Magico dealer who knows my room well suggested that the Magico V3 was too much speaker for my room also. So I bought the Mini II and love them. I then compared the XA100.5 to the XA160.5 and found the latter sound better. The Mini II is a very demanding load. I now have real respect for the importance of the room/speaker interface.

I did hear the Sasha with the Ayre monoblocks set up by Peter McGrath from Wilson. The room was considerably bigger than mine and it had real bass issues also. Strange considering that the Wilson rep spent a day setting up the speakers at this new dealership. They should have sounded great, but acoustic bass sounded like one note with no detail or articulation. There was also an issue with the upper mid/tweeter transition which sounded strange.

I have a friend, Madfloyd here on Audiogon, who has Sophia II's and the XA100.5 and wants to audition the Sasha in his system. You may want to contact him.
More to discover