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Magico Mini 2

I've been listening to the same set up for a 6-7 years now and been fairly happy till recently, when I saw a pair of Magico Mini 2 at a used dealer.  I am of course very curious about these speakers as they were unobtainable back when they were released.

My present system are listed below.  For music, I value musicality, timbre and staging, listening mostly to vocals and small jazz groups. Nothing too loud in a small 12x18 ft listening room

Esoteric K05x with Cybershaft clock
Aurender S10 
Acuphase E450 
Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor 
Mixture of Acrolink and Shunyata cables with a Hydra conditioner

My questions are
-  Is the Magico Mini 2 still relevant and one of the best out there?  AT USD12K used, it isn't exactly cheap but certainly a price I can buy into to try the Magico sound.
-  Understand that its a power hungry speakers and I'll likely need to switch my amp as well eventually... are there any intergrates options out there that you can suggests?
- Not all standmounts are the same and while my auditors work well in my smallish room, can anyone advise if this will be a problem?  Changing the room is not an option ;)

Thank you for taking your time to read this and please offer your thoughts and advise, especially former/present Mini 2 owners. 

128x128petzzz
petzzz's avatar
petzzz OP
23 posts
 
Many speak very highly of the Raidho 1.2 as well. I like the ribbon tweeter. Am not a Magico fan for the reasons mentioned. 1 + SF Extremas are a legendary speaker. And the three way with the back tweeter are excellent. I also love the SF look.
@mglik Locked into a TAD and Magico audition next week.  Agree with the Extremas but they also need lots of power to shine.  Between the SF, I would still go for the Guarneri Homage if it surfaceS :)


petzzz's avatar
petzzz OP
23 posts
 
That's been my take-away impression of Magico speakers too (including the A3 I auditioned). They seek such an audiophile-approved sound of "control" and reduction of anything speakerly, that they end up sounding, to my ears, restrained to a fault. I hear all the details, but they don't reach out and grab me or groove.

@prof I understand Magico’s need for a good amp but if it breaks the bank (5K used budget for amp), I might just have to give it a skip.  At this point, listening to the new Magico and comparing them to the mini 2 will give a good idea on the value.  One thing that’s surely on the mini 2 side is wife appeal :)
petzzz's avatar
petzzz OP
23 posts
 
@ptrck887
Thanks for sharing your experience
I can tell you both the Cremona Auditor M’s and the GE crave good clean power. I’m running McIntosh MC601 monoblocks and both of those models really opened up with that power. They are highly resolving but require attention to details to bring it out...neutral cabling plus I have all gear on 3" maple, Symposium Platforms and a combo of Stillpoints or Rollerblocks. My room is only 16 x 12 and have the GE’s paired with two REL G-2’s....
I noticed you mentioned the Auditors weren’t as resolving as you’d like, but having heard Franco’s original GH....as beautiful and full as they are they are not highly resolving in any way. You Cremona’s, while not as full and lush will be more highly resolving than the GH’s. Have fun and enjoy the search!
I had the opportunity to listen to both the SF Guarneri Memento and Evolution models previously and although they were good speakers, the impression of the original Homage was still the deepest. Perhaps, during those auditions, I wasn’t at the “upgrading” frame of mind :). Both these models are much easier to come by and if I’m lucky, I might just find a pair at a used dealer for an audition.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,871 posts
 
@ptrck887  I have no idea as to what ancillary gear you listened to the GH's with, BUT to say they are not 'highly resolving in any way' tells me that either a) you heard the GH's with a severe mismatch of the upstream gear, or b) you have never really heard the GH's! 
Of all the folks who have heard my GH's, none have ever said they are anything but highly resolving, in fact one person mentioned they are like a lens on the upstream gear! Every tiny change I have done in my system has been easily heard and IME, these speakers are as resolving as anything out there, and a ton more than most...YMMV.

@petzzz...Like everything in this hobby, don't take "opinions" for granted on these forums, go and listen to the speakers that you have questions about for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. 
exupgh12's avatar
exupgh12
58 posts
 
If like me you like the sound of Magico than do yourself a favor, buy S1MK2 instead, all oughta little pricier than your budget for mini, those are better speakers in any term.
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