two way v. three way speakers

the one ways i just had built beat my old 2 way kestral 2's and my paradigms studio line 2 wys. consider a full range if you really want some drop dead musical presentation. audio nirvana was the brand i got, the 8 in full range classic 8's. i could add a sub but i live in a condo so unlikely and tbh i do not really need it at normal volumes. spend as much as you want on any high quality make or model. i hooked it up to a $300 7 watt tube amp. yes they are very efficient! imo, 2 ways and 3 ways are no0 better or worse than the other..depends on engineering, drivers, crossovers and on and on

I own the Mini 2. In the right room, the right system and properly set up, this two-way can astonish. I chose it over the 2 1/2 way V2 and the 3 way V3, primarily because of its coherence and neutrality. In my system, the Mini 2 provides a very big, dynamic and room filling sound, even when pushed to extremes. But this is not an ordinary two-way speaker. It was designed and built to an extreme standard.

I agree with some other posters that it is difficult to generalize between two and three way speakers. Perhaps a three-way will be slightly more efficient, a bit more extended and less restricted during very demanding and complex music, but I think it really depends on the individual design, size of room, type of music and amplifier that you plan to use.

Apparently, the Magico Q1 is an even better speaker. I suggest you listen to some 3-way speakers in other settings and perhaps go to a Magico dealer and compare the Q1 to the Q3 or the S1 to the S3 to at least compare similar designs and philosophies while also hearing a 2-way versus a 3-way.

Should be a fun process.

It depends about the quality of the brand and crossovers. Magico is exeptional good also in crossovers. That is why they can make an exeptional good 2 way speaker. There are only a few on this planet who can achieve this. These days I am only interested in speakers who can give a wide and deep stage. All 2 dimensional speakers ( most are) you can dump in the ocean from my point of view.

Many 2 way miss the fullness in the mid freq. On the other hand many 3 way have a lack of playing fully loose from the speaker.

At the end there are only a few brands who make exeptional good quality what makes audio really special!

Bo - can you please list those "few brands"?

It depends about the price range.

Since 2007 my focus is only on 3 dimensional sound. I wanted to create a higher level also in the lower and mid price ranges.

What makes good highend special for prices which more people can afford. When you compare many brands with eachother you understand the differences.

In the world of highend I like the image and approach of Magico. The can give a wide and deep stage, but within the stage voices and instruments are small as in real.

I prefer them over speakers with Thiel&Partner units cause of a more intimate sound. And I do not like the sound of a contrabass with Thiel&Partner units either.

I love Monitor Audio. Because this is the only brand I know who also there cheapest speakers have good crossovers.

When you use amps which can give a deep and wide stage you will understand how much better Monitor Audio can build a wide and deep stage compared to there competitors.

But.....you still need an amp who can give you a wide and deep stage. Within this stage you need a touchable and intimate focus.

I only work with 3 brands of amps; Onkyo, Primare and Pass Labs. In there pricetag they can give me the best quality in endresult and 3 D stage.

With my way of roomcorrection I can get a stunning sound with Onkyo even with there cheap receivers like the 626. My way of roomcorrection and using Audyssey EQ and Volume make the overall sound a lot more musical than the normal sound Onkyo gives without it.

I can send my clients to any shop. When they demo B&W, Dynaudio, KEF, Focal, Dali etc I Always can create a much more 3D image. I send my clients to these shops so they understand how big the difference is between 2 and 3 dimensional sound.

They come back and often they laugh and say: but that is 2 dimensional. Because I teach people the difference between 2 and 3 dimensional sound in what it does to your emotion.

Beside the deep and wide stage I create, I also create a stunning touchabele and sharp intimate focus of all the instruments and voices togheter.

The brands I earlier mentioned ( which I sold most of them far over 8 years of time) I never can reach the same level as with Monitor Audio.

Why? Because I understand properties of each individual brand. Monitor Audio owns more qualities.

And now the fun thing comes. Even if another person in this business buys all the parts I use, they cannot reach the same level. Because the way I use it, is the key to the succes.

With cables I do the same. At the end all the parts which I create in any set is Always based on creating more emotion in every individual set.

I give you a few advantages of the PL-200 over the Magico S1.

Monitor Audio uses lighter and faster low freq units and also mid units compared to the S1. You can hear it in the low freq. You hear more layers in the lowest freq.

They both can give a stunning wide and deep stage. But... the ribbontweeter makes the stage in front of the speaker even bigger. The tweeter of the Magico cannot make his stage so big in front of the speaker. Also a ribbontweeter can give a more touchable image of instruments and voices.

When you understand all the properties your speaker owns you could be able to get them all out of the speaker.

Monitor Audio gives me more freedom and options to get a higher endresult. When I visit other shops who sell Monitor Audio. I have to laugh, often they use 2 dimensional amps. When I ask them if they know the properties of Monitor Audio and the amps they sell. They say: we don't know.

Then you never will understand what the f... you are doing!