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Magico Q3's at Goodwin's High End

Just a quick note to say that Goodwin's High End (in Boston) along with Alon Wolf presented a demonstration of the Magico Q3's yesterday.

As usual, it was a class act by Goodwin's and a real treat overall. Mr. Wolf fielded a number of questions about the speakers (and Magico's approach to design) and his detailed responses were fascinating.

The Q3's sounded spectacular. They were setup in Goodwin's huge listening room (20x30x11) and they were positioned quite wide apart and deep into the room (almost halfway). I was transported to the symphony hall with a few tracks - like nothing I've ever experienced before. They were driven with very expensive electronics, inluding huge Boulder amps that were 1000w each (if I'm not mistaken) to compensate for the size of the room.

The Q3 is a modest size floorstanding loudspeaker, but it weighs 250lbs! Like the Q5 (if you've ever heard it) it is very clean and neutral sounding. Definitely a speaker that lets you listen into the music rather than wow you with a forward presentation. Besides classical, we heard some jazz, some instrumental and a cut from Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat that was stunning. These speakers don't call any attention to themselves. They were so coherent and produced such an impressive soundstage that it didn't feel like they were the source of the sound. Jennifer's voice had no artifacts (sibilence, etc) that it was like she was standing there. I feel I finally heard how the record was supposed to sound.

Anyways, I'm not trying to do a proper review here, but I did want to thank Goodwins and Magico for the opportunity and I thought I would share my initial impresssions.

Would love to know what other folks at the presentation(s) thought.
madfloyd
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
>>06-15-11: Folkfreak
For example Sandy Denny was not a tall or large person, and this is how she sounds through these speakers<<

Huh?

Please explain how a vocalist's size/stature have anything to do with their voice.

This should be interesting.
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
Thanks for the interest

In terms of amps they are VTL MB-450II (I'll get them upgraded to MkIII next month). Pre is an audio-research 40th anniversary and Phono Ref II. Rest of system see my system descripton

On my comment on singer stature. I guess this is the vocal corollary of the 7' wide guitar -- somehow there's just a size that seems natural. The same comment goes for other instruments. Take Dire Straits Telegraph Road -- on every other speaker I've had the drums are overpowering, oversized, and very impressive. On the Q3s they're just there, in scale with everything else. Every instrument seems to be at a natural scale, and natural dynamic - making it much easier to her the details and how eveything interacts. With the correct scale established it's much easier to hear the space between instruments, they no longer blur into one another. Strange that I shoudl praise a speaker for how well it resolves the absence of sound but that's whats so odd about his speaker
jdoris
972 posts
 
Please explain how a vocalist's size/stature have anything to do with their voice.

Interesting. Could a petite person have a petite voice, and as massive person have a massive voice? Are there many 92 pounders singing bass? Does a mandolin sound "smaller" than a double bass?

Sorry, now back to Magico.

John
usermanual
104 posts
 
"Does a mandolin sound "smaller" than a double bass?"

Yes, indeed. What Folkfreak is saying makes perfect sense. One of the way we interpret the "size" of a sound generator is via the interaction between it and it's environment. A speaker that allows you to hear better the relationship between a singer/instrument and the space it is in, will get you closer to the illusion of live music. The Magico Q5 has done that better than any speaker I have ever heard. I am glad to hear that the Q3 does that as well.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
>>06-16-11: Jdoris
Could a petite person have a petite voice<<

I guess you'd have to ask Celine Dion, Linda Ronstadt (in her younger days), and Barbra Streisand.

Next question

>>Does a mandolin sound "smaller" than a double bass?<<

The issue is people's voices as they relate to their physical size.

How about another question?

Slam dunk
LOL
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