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Magico A3

I auditioned a pair of Magico A3's this week to replace my long-term, beloved speakers (Von Schweikert VR5 HSE) that are just too big for the apartment I moved into, and are sounding (but not looking) a bit dated (ca. 2001). I am emotionally attached to my speakers and changing is like divorcing and re-marrying -- they may look and sound good and seem compatible, but one doesn't know until one has lived with them for some time whether the relationship will last.

In brief: If someone would have told me the A3's were $15K - $20K I would not have been surprised. First, they are much more handsome in the flesh (or in the aluminum, to be literal) than in photos. They have a clean, bold, post-industrial look. They also are Goldilocks-size: not too big, not too small for a 22x12x8 living room. And the sound, especially the vocals, is eerily natural and realistic. The bass is astonishingly deep and tight, the highs crisp but not sizzling and the mid stellar. They just sounded fresh and clean without being antiseptic. And, they can rock with the best (check out Maybe the People on Love's legendary album Forever Changes) but be delicate when the music is (e.g., Wilco's Jesus etc., or Natalie Prass's Bird of Prey). So, I ordered a pair on the spot. Delivery will not be until August as the early production run apparently has sold out.

I predict this speaker will go down as one of the greatest values in audio history, and I cannot imagine the price remaining at $9,800/pr for long, especially when the formal reviews come out. BUT, we will see how we get along when I bring them home and we have lived together for some time. That will be the true test of whether it is love, or just respect and admiration.

Neal
nglazer
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@audiolabyrinth -- by the same logic you could also ask "how do the A3 compare to the M3" 😏

My experience in moving in the Magico lines is that there are two strands of DNA if you will -- one (the number) pertains more to room size and frequency extension (primarily low end) while the other (the letter) pertains more to tone and temperament -- I moved from V3 to Q3 and the effect was transformative, my next move (if/when I do) would be to M3. For some reason I have never warmed to the S series despite hearing them in many shows, they always seem to lack emotion and come across as sterile (although that could be the fault of how they are demoed)

So for me the question is tonally is the A class in the spirit of Q->M or the S. I suspect the latter given the necessity at this price point of designing a speaker that is undemanding of the sources and amplifiers it is used with, hence the slightly higher sensitivity I assume. The Qs can sound like hell if not carefully matched (they need gobs of power and ideally (to my taste) valves)
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
Folkfreak, what's the max power of the q3?
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@audiolabyrinth Magico do not publish a maximum power for the Q3 -- the "recommended power" is 30W but the one time I heard them (my set) driven by 50W EAR amps (my then dealers preferred choice) they sounded twee and polite but gutless. I run 450W from my VTL MB450III and this feels like a good combination to me. I suspect the range is similar to that they publish for the M3 i.e. 30-500W

Frankly provided you are sensible and avoid trying to run high volume test signals there’s no such thing as "maximum power" (I did blow the woofers on one of my V3s when I had a loose RCA connection and hit it with a full volume 60Hz buzz)
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
A well reasoned and seemingly experienced post Folkfreak. Not having heard too many Magico demos and all among the S series, my verdict is out on their products. One thing that always has impressed me is the heroic efforts Magico expends in using technology to further the audio art. To that end they, among a few other manufacturers' have my admiration. But this isn't about beauty contests or Miss Congeniality but attracting discerning listeners. Reading all the differing opinions reveals how audiophiles perceive reproduced sound. Sometimes I suspect we like talking about it than just listening and enjoying what we've got, it can all get a little nuts to me.    
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
Absolutely @tubegroover there is no such thing as an "absolute" in any aspect of audio reproduction. Furthermore I hold ardently to a belief that it's almost impossible to say ever that component A is "better" than B or vice versa. Why? Because it all comes down to matching and tweaking. Just because in one setup on one day you have a preference does not mean that in another setup on another day the preference would be reversed.

My system for choosing components is therefore to rarely if ever compare two amps, speakers or sources side by side. Instead I select based on overall impression, respect for the manufacturer, track record, looks and so on and then bring them home into my system. If I'm not pretty much immediately convinced there's a potential big step up (not just different) then out they go. If they stay then I spend several years, and often $$$ on tweaking the heck out of them to get the most I can. 

So while I'm currently in the Magico line V->Q (->M in due course maybe) my speakers are tweaked with Townshend stands, full SR HFT, Enigma Supertweeters etc etc and perform and (at least based on what others tell me) most unlike the typical stock Q3 demo

Be very afraid of anyone who insists ever that component X "smokes" anything -- if that's the advice you are bring given then learn to ignore that advisee
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