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Your most disappointing purchase or audition?

I've had a few.

bought a Naim Nait 3. Loved it in the store. Returned it within a week- way forward at home

Brought home some CJ preamp to audition perhaps 22 years ago. Noisy as anything and a turn off transient destroyed a tweeter (though years later i bought a CJ 17LS2 which I thought was the finest preamp I ever heard in my home)

Auditioned a VPI table (HW19) in a store- the store just could not get the belt to stay on. Bought a Rega instead. This was in perhaps 1990.

Fortunately, I never really experienced buyers remorse say 6 months or more after settling on a piece of gear.

Finally, there have been too many speakers that got stellar write ups which I just didn't care for.
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knghifi
1,668 posts
 
Magico is very TRUE to source so important to drive them properly.

When I was in market for speakers, I demoed Q3 and Q5. The dealer demonstrated their chameleon characteristics in driving them in 2 configurations. One all Spectral and other tube pre with SS amp. All Spectral was horrific and other EXCELLENT. At the end I decided on another brand.

What's interesting is dealer said at shows, they usually drive them faster than the Spectral configuration. Probably reason Magico earned poor musicality reputation especially with SET fans since most only experienced them at shows.

Syntax, can you briefly describe the system you demoed Q5? Just curious.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,249 posts
 
Knghifi,
What you wrote makes sense. I've listened to the Magico Q3 and Q5 driven by Soulution, Spectral and Constellation power amplifiers and didn't like what I heard (Constellation with the S5 was better, less clinical). I've heard the S5 and S3 models numerous times and the best match IMO was the Absolare Passion PSET 845 driving the Magico S5 (it was pretty darn good!). I've heard VAC amplifiers with the S5 and although decent sounding, I preferred the Absolare amp with this speaker.
Charles,
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Tidal speakers not very good i heard the $80k ones was not impressed .
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Tidal speaker not very good i heard the $80k ones was not impressed .Everybody likes something different.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,075 posts
 
Using headphone sound as a reference, Tidal I have heard reminded me of Audeze. Magico more like Sennheiser. Very different.
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