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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
james63
534 posts
 
Interesting that a number of you are agreeing they are dark. I have not heard them and I am just the peanut gallery. 

Bewteen these common comments and the price hike to $12.5k I will probably not bother demoing them as my closest magico dealer 3-4 hours away. 

I hate dark speakers. Neutral with a little warmth is fine and enjoyable but dark... no thanks. 
fdpdk
45 posts
 
Well i will also give my view on this , as i heard them with PS Audio gear , tellurium speaker cables and NordOst power cords to the system.
My initial thought was that these are tonally dark sounding.....on the same time i also remember that i think they are very coherent from top to bottom ....but tonally that dark is not my cup of tea....i also thought they lacked depth perspective.

ebm
9,311 posts
 
With the right electronics and cable they are not dark just wonderful sounding.
rhg88
45 posts
 
I have a pair of A3s and I don't find them dark at all. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons why I chose them after evaluating a bunch of speakers in its class, was that I did not find them to be overly bright (brassy). Of course, it is all in the ear of the beholhder. 
kswanson27
4 posts
 
After auditioning the A3's at two different dealers I bought a pair. Loved them. Then I made the mistake of auditioning the A3's and S3 Mk II's at the same dealer and traded the A3's in for the S3 Mk II's. At no time, either at the dealers or home, did I find the A3's or S3's anything approaching "dark". Different horses I guess.
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