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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
 
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
mekong56
137 posts
 
I was really excited to hear the A3 at AXPONA, and I was pretty underwhelmed as some of the others here have stated. Could be the show conditions, but I was not impressed with what I heard (I heard them on Saturday). I would like to hear them again at a dealer.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
@ folkffreak,  Are you saying you replaced the stock tweeters on your q3 speaker's? 
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@audiolabyrinth no, I simply added the Enigmacoustics Sopranino supertweeter. This is a pretty common add on for Q series Magicos and complements them nicely

you can read about my experience here
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/supertweeters-yes-please

andrei_nz
192 posts
 
erik_squires3,375 postsFor the money I MUCH prefer the A3 to the S1 Mk II.


I think it is a much easier speaker to live with in several ways, while giving up nothing.

Pleased to hear that. I have heard the S1MlI at a dealers who set up a system to match my home Digital source - Ayon Pre - and Accustic Arts Amp (in place of my Pass Amp). I was impressed with the S1 and its accuracy. A3 on my radar, as well as Dynaudio Contour, Canton Ref.
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