Auditioned Magico A3 - VERY DARK...


So today after waiting for months to try and listen to the Magico A3, I went to Scott Walker audio at Anaheim and listened to the Magico A3, connected to some VAC Tube amp, being fed from a Sony audio streamer, here are my impressions:

- They look fantastic, I wish they made them in silver too, but they are just great in brush black aluminum
- They're quite small and could fit everywhere
- Fit and finish is impecable
- The bass they generated was nothing but amazing for such a small cabinet, you could hear the drums, the down beats and incredible depth of bass at an amazing level
- Imaging was INSANE, you could literally place everyone and everything...
- Sound was VERY VERY DARK!!! This was a bit of a surprise, the top end lacked for my taste to a quite a degree
- I felt like the combo of the Tube amp and Magico lacked resolution, while bass and mid was great, the top end absolutely lacked resolution
- The sound was extremely laid back, again dark
- It does NEED POWER, like he had to crank the volume up, to get good sound out of this, so be aware of that

Overall, I "personally" did NOT like the sound, it lacked details and resolution at the top end, while it was great at the bottom end.  Now, the rep and I think this is mostly due to Tube amp, and connecting it to a solid state amp would bring back resolution, but we simply didn't have time to do that today.  I look forward to listen to these at another time with some decent solid-state amp, but as-is, I was NOT as impressed as I expected and wouldn't have purchased one and I strongly believe Tube and Magico A3 do NOT go well together! 

Anyone else with similar impressions?! Curious to know what others may think, or maybe there was something else in play?

Thoughts?
alexb76
Congrats @ebm , that’s a very nice setup you’ve got there. I could see the warm sounding AF amps being a good match with the very neutral/linear Q3’s 👍 . I’m a happy camper running Vitus Signature series gear with my S5 Mk2’s. There is a slight similarity in that both amps use UI-core transformers.
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Well I think the Strumento #4 power amp is superb but the preamp is simply not in the same league and the power amp deserves something much better.Which is pretty much what Edgar Kramer said [if you read between the lines] when he reviewed them.Of course Edgar Kramer uses a Supratek preamp.I have a  friend with the Strumento pre and power amps.He also owns an Usher preamp which I think sounds much better than the Strumento preamp too-ceratinly much more open and vibrant.
It is probably just one of those freakish synergies that do exist in audio where for some reason a few components just combine fantastically together and in this case the Supratek preamp seems to unlock the potential of the other components.You would have to hear it to believe it .
Do you have a Supratek if so good luck.I am more than happy with my preamp so your advice is not needed.What makes you the expert on synergy.I have had ARC,CJ,and VAC in my system the preamp sounds wonderful.What is your system as you are the expert.Thanks again
Well if you like your AF preamp then that is all that is important.I can see why some people would like them because they sound very composed, smooth and refined.We do not all hear or listen the same.I much prefer the more open, 3D.vivid,dynamic and free sound of the Supratek however because to me that is how real music sounds. To me by comparison the Strumento preamp sounds like the sound is really struggling to get free of the boxes.Yes I have owned a Supratek Cabernet preamp for about ten years.A lot of other components including other preamps have come and gone but that has always stayed.