Magico S5 Speaker - SET UP ADVICE PLEASE - Tow-In - Etc.


Any Magico Owners or Dealers or Folks or anyone that may have some basic advice, ideas or feedback from hearing or seeing in a friends, dealers system or owned older version of Magico or something like or anything really that can help me? How are yours or theirs set up? The smallest moves makes huge changes and I am coming from speakers that are so very different so any and all feedback would so welcomed.

I CAN EMAIL YOU PICS of Room / Set up / Etc  fsmthjack at YAH00

THANK YOU

BACKGROUND INFO:

ROOM:                         24 x 14 with cathedral ceilings 
MUSIC:                        Good mix - no hard metal / large orchestra and the like
LOUDNESS:                normal levels - just loud enough to sound best
SPEAKERS                  Magico S5 Speakers
AMP:                            Pass Labs X350.5 Amp
SOURCE:                     Bricasti M1SE DAC
TRANSPORT:               mircoRendu 1.4 w/Full suite of Uptone Audio products
CABLES                       HiDiamond Full Loom 
CONDITIONER            HiDiamond HDX2
SUBWOOFERS           (2) Sumiko S.9 Subs (hoping not needed with new Magico's) 

Thanks guys - I am kind of lost here and any help or feedback to get me heading in the right directions would be so appreciated.







128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack

I would think that this combination of gear, DAC/Amp/Speaker would have a very strong, detailed, but potentially bright sound. I'm not surprised that you are getting that result. I  have no issue with Pass Labs; I have reviewed them and used them extensively, but I would think a Pass/Magico combo would be tough to work with.

A friend of mine who had trouble with too much stridency and upper end energy with a Pass/Thiel combo put in a CJ (Conrad Johnson) tubed preamp and that has been a lovely combo. So, perhaps a warmer sounding preamp in the chain could help. I know from experience that often when going direct from DAC to amp it can be very tricky to get the tonal balance correct. In fact, most DAC to amp pairings require a fair bit of adjustment. So, no need to despair; it's really fairly common.

When you have that much of an issue often one has to change components, not just cables.

One thing you can try; you already have the subs. With many systems adding subwoofers can ameliorate a perceived overemphasis on the high end. It balances out the spectrum and it is amazing how the addition of deep LF makes extension on the top not as glaring. So, I would try the subs with the speakers as a first step.

If you have some additional interconnects, try whatever ICs you have on hand. Often a very good combination can be found where the IC - as an easy change - can address some high level stridency.

Also, if you have different brands of power cords, rotate them between gear. The results can be helpful.

These are among the simplest and easiest changes. If doing all this does not seem to improve the situation enough for your taste, then you are looking at either a speaker or component change. Or, you can swap out entire looms of cables to find some that mesh better with the system.

Regarding positioning, toeing in the speakers or not is entirely your option. I would not simply place them parallel, but would experiment with some toe in, because it influences the center image and that image in relation to the soundstage. Even if the manufacturer says no toe in is necessary, still try it, as you may prefer it.

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There are a number of things you can do, positioning is best done using the Wilson grid method. 

You may also need to play with tweeter rake angle sometimes if the tweeter is off axiss when you are sitting it can cause the speakers to sound bright.

I believe in what Mr. Schroeder said, the Briscati is a Levinson design, by ex Levinson designers, therefore it is not big on tone color. Adding a good tube preamp will add a bit more warmth to the system.

Also moving into a good power conditioner can help. I think your Hidiamond is a power distrbutor rather than a power conditioner, we have had amazing results with the Audio Magic line of conditioners and the Running Springs, which tend to improve a system greatly in musicality.

As per tube preamps we have a number of demo preamp from CJ, BAT, and a few others that we could bring over to you.

We talked briefly about the Kef Blades. We are the NJ based dealer we do offer a tuning service and I can almost certainly guarantee that we can fix your issues with the Magicos. 

Please feel free to contact us, to schedule a tuning session.

Dave owner,
Audio Doctor NJ
Please pm me your email and I will send you a copy of the owners manual. You receive the link when you register your speakers with Magico. Magicos speakers are anything but bright. 
Thank you Kalai - Doug - Dave - Benzman -

I really appreciate the help. I don't want to overreact but these are way too good a speaker to be sounding the way they are - I am so glad I waited on a buying a preamp until I heard these.

I absolutely was not ready for this though to be honest!

My understanding is Magico really needs the Power of a SS amp or I wouldn't even consider a tube amp but a tube amp to drive these properly is way more than I have money wise. Heck I stripped out my analog and all my tube based components to sell to get these. I think these are super sensitive to changes.

I switched the power cable to my amp and just that made a big change in the sound. Not really any better but quite different - these certainly are finicky grumpy - angry speakers.

If they don't like something they you know it and scream it at the top of their lungs and they don't like something - hope its not the amp - know it's not the DAC. The DAC is better than the speakers IMO.

I think they hate the SS combo of my DAC direct to my amp. They hate it - I think they hate my interconnects and hate my power cables and maybe even my speaker cables but these are not bright SC's so maybe not those but they are not happy.

One of the guys was saying this is how Magico's are and why some people don't like them. I don't buy that for a second. These speakers are just not happy right now all with how they are matched... if this was their sound no one would like them and so many people do! 

my email is:

fsmithjack at YAH00 

Part of me just wants to trade out of these today to something else but these deserve the effort I think They have so many fans - I have to be able to get them to sound good! 

Dont you guys think? 

These are grumpy buggers!!!