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

Glad to see you're making positive forward progress. 

As I said earlier, beryllium tweeters are touchy.  I've now had three different pairs of speakers with those tweeters and when not implemented perfect, they're a little too exciting for their own good (which was the case on my older Focal Scalas). 

One of the things all beryllium tweeters need is clean power - for some reason they are very sensitive to clean power, much more so than other types of tweeters.

The pics confirm my fears about your room. 

If you don't treat your room (which looks to be too small for those speakers), you probably will never be fully happy with those tweeters.  It's just the nature of the beast.  That TV needs to be covered up when listening with a panel and those windows behind the speakers as well (look into moveable panels that you can keep elsewhere and then put up when needed).  Another thing you really need is an absorptive area rug, what I see doesn't look like it does much.  The table needs to go.  That leather couch is also an issue - you want absorptive cloth.  You also really need to treat that wall right behind the listening position.  Finally, if those speakers are on a typical US floor, then you've got to get some isolators as you need either direct coupling to concrete (which is what I have) or suspension.

Having said all that, you're also sitting WAY TOO CLOSE to the speakers if they have beryllium tweeters.  Also, my experience is that with beryllium tweeters you really need a system whereby you can shelve the output slightly up or down to also account for your room (which is one thing I've found that's an amazing option on Focals - that 1db up or down can make a huge difference).

Two things to add if not already mentioned. I too have an M1 and have never found it to be anything other than a wonderfully musical device and going direct to amp sounds great. It’s true that you might need to lower the output voltage which is not very hard to do. don’t even consider ditching the M1 as it’s not a problem but an asset. 
The other thing I might consider is a $300 pair of GIK free standing panels(2’w x 5’ t) to place at first reflection point. Easy to move around and will definitely dampen any nasty/hot  first reflection points. I actually prefer mine a little further down the length of the room. Point being you can find your sweet spot. 
Just my humble opinion and best wishes.

@fsmithjack,perhaps the bright sound you're describing is the result of your Pass Labs X350.5 amp operating in Class B mode.  Pass states that the X350.5 transitions to Class B at 40 watts, but I'm suspect of this as the newer X350.8 transitions to Class B at 18 watts.  My understanding is that sealed cabinet speakers like Magico's need a lot of power. Should be easy to tell when your X350.5 transitions from Class A to B by observing when the needle moves as you increase volume.

4425 - Thank you and I totally agree. For the record I've never considered changing my Bricasti. I think I've briefly mentioned but maybe not but I think it's the best peice I own and it's the rock that everything else I have gets tethered too. These Magico's would go before the Bricasti but they are not going anywhere neither. I tried new cables last night Kobala Sosna - not sure that is correct spelling SC and XLR IC. This change allowed me to really learn about these incredible but ultra sensitive to cabling speakers but I think my set is also is putting much more undue pressure on the cables also! 

The Bricasti is not going anywhere. Every little upgrade makes it sound better and better. I love it! 

I think what the Magico are - are a super - hyper revealing transducer that I've not experienced before. They absolutely hated - loathed my silver interconnects and my speaker cables. Screaming at the top of their lungs - no no no. I got their message loud and clear.

I actually think the Bricasti direct to my Pass amp in itself is uber transparent and combined with the Magico strips the cable combo is naked and  gets overly exposed and not that they are bad cables because they certainly are not but this set up put a microscope on the cables like a level I have never experienced and assume most other have M1 direct to X350.5 to S5's = you better have a balanced and perfectly match cable SC IC combo because they are going to be naked - under a spotlight - under a microscope - and where their may be a combo or synergy weakness gets not only exposed but uber exasperated and accentuated and force multiplied - where in my old system their brightness might have been a nice antidote for something those needed or where here - no hiding and prisoners. I've never had cables make such a difference - I've changed speakers and heard less change than these cables. I've never known such cable sensitivity but my former must have had a serious mismatch in fairness to Magico. 

I added the Kobala Sosna and last night was like awe - so much better. What a difference and now this morning guess what?

They sound muted - image that. I take these any day of the week. I added my Verestarr PC back in direct to the wall and that added a bit more resolution in but I've never - ever - had cables make such a difference as it was always before a matter of flavor or voicing or preference or sophistication not the difference between bleeding ears getting a head ache to being sort of muted - that is nuts but it's what happened in the last 48 hours. I would like these Kabola Sosna just a bit more revealing and sneak some tubes in somewhere to add a little earth and I think I'm in business - but am afraid another cable will change the entire audio world of my room again - crazy - I've never dealt with this before buy learning is key - asking for help and listening and learning - the members on this site are the best for proving help and pointing out things I've never thought of.

Al that info you shared about my amp and subs - I knew none of that - I was totally in the black - you saved my $12,000 MSRP amp - paid only $5,200 used but still thanks - if I blew my amp I would have been bummed. I send my stuff to Nelson's house rather than Pass Labs because we've know each other for some time but he would have been like / you didn't read the manual you nuckle head - thanks Al

Fsmithjack,

Welcome to the world of high resolution for both the pros and cons.

When you have a hyper detailed speakers you will be aware of all of the tiny things that can affect the systems tonal balance and utlimate performance.

We have the Personas and they are as revealing if not more so than the Magicos, but boy when you get them setup right, they are an amazing window into the music.

As per cabling, the Kubala Sosna sound is definatly on the warm side there are a new line of Enklein cables that are reasonbly priced at $1,800 per a set of interconnects based on the $16k David interconnects and they have a wonderful balance of warmth and body as well as detail.

You will be amazed at what changing your power conditioner might accomplish.

We do not have the negative view of Beryilium drivers as Bar 81 does, Beryilium, Diamond, Aluminium, Titantium, are all good materials which in the hands of a skilled engineering team can all make excellent diaphrams.

Beryilium is prized for its light weight and high ridgidity so it is very fast and clean treble, with a lot more resolution than the wizzer cone/ Lowther sound, exact opposties in fact. So with that kind of resolution you will have to retune your entire setup to add more warmth where your old speakers needed enhanced clarity, so very revealing silver based cables would work wonders on a softer treble speaker such as the Rythem.

Please read up on the Isoacoustics you will be amazed at how big a change they will make.

Good luck and our phones are always available for any questions or ideas you want to bounce off of us.

Your sub hookup questions should be addressed directly to Sumiko. As the ground for the speakers on a Rel is not like a nomral ground in an electrical sense. the Rel subs read the signal from the amp like an rca cable.

Dave owner
Audio Doctor NJ