MAGICO S1 MK II TAS Review

Thanks for posting the link Jap. That was a good read. And it's always interesting to read Alon's comments about the design and construction of the latest S series speakers :thumbsup:.
 
I certainly love mine. Perfect size for my 11x14 ft room.
I believe Suncoast has a pair in stock if anyone is interested in hearing.
They were a step up to my Harbeth Super HL5 plus in terms of quickness and overall accuracy in sound. My 60watt Pass Labs amp is more than sufficient in driving them.
Larry
 
Dguitarnut said:
My 60watt Pass Labs amp is more than sufficient in driving them.
Larry
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That's interesting Larry as Andrew Quint noted in the TAS review "The Pass XA 60.8s didn’t sound underpowered; it’s just that one won’t regret having a big amplifier to drive any Magico loudspeaker."...and that was the mono's. Though I guess it is system and room-dependent :audiophile:.
 
Andrew auditioned the Magicos in a larger room 15x15. My room is 11x14 with my speakers on the skinny side. I had my doubts also whether I was missing something and a buddy loaned me a Vitus R-100 which is a glorious amp in its own right with 300watts per channel.
In the end I preferred the class A sound of my Pass and at the volume that the Vitus would overtake it I risked getting a visit from the condo police. Now I'm thinking how that sweet Vitus SIA-025 would drive them. Yep, and that my friends is how your wandering thoughts get you in trouble.
Larry
 
Dguitarnut said:
Andrew auditioned the Magicos in a larger room 15x15. My room is 11x14 with my speakers on the skinny side. I had my doubts also whether I was missing something and a buddy loaned me a Vitus R-100 which is a glorious amp in its own right with 300watts per channel.
In the end I preferred the class A sound of my Pass and at the volume that the Vitus would overtake it I risked getting a visit from the condo police. Now I'm thinking how that sweet Vitus SIA-025 would drive them.
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Larry it certainly sounds like you've had a fun journey, and worked out who's who in the zoo. I agree with my friend Paul that the Vitus SIA-025 is the most organic, tube-like amp in the current Vitus lineup. Certainly more liquid/tube-like than the SM-011 mono's, and a bit sweeter sounding than the SM-102 mono's. But they both sound great in their own ways, so i'm splitting hairs. Both Pass Labs and Vitus's smaller Class A amps tend to sound a bit sweeter and more tube-like than their higher powered brothers.

Dguitarnut said:
Yep, and that my friends is how your wandering thoughts get you in trouble.
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An idle mind is the Devil's workshop as they say :evil: :lol:.
 
The S1 mk2 is a "don't just a book by its cover" speaker. I had them playing in my big room and man oh man are they good. You can't believe the bass they put out in an 18 1/2 x 25 room.


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Mike said:
The S1 mk2 is a "don't just a book by its cover" speaker. I had them playing in my big room and man oh man are they good. You can't believe the bass they put out in an 18 1/2 x 25 room.
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+ 1. The S1 Mk2's sound like much bigger speakers in terms of their deep, well controlled bass & sound stage size. They also sound completely seamless as you've mentioned previously. Amazing performance from such a small form factor!
 
Just read it, interesting comment from the reviwer, and that is against a 3-way:

"I was very impressed with the Sabrinas when I heard them at the 2015 RMAF—they were a significant part of my "Best Sound for the Money" choice. But they don't play nearly as "big" as the Magicos and the S1s have punchier, more viscerally satisfying bass... I owned Wilsons for 20 years and now have Magicos as my reference"


 
I had both in my listening room. The Sabrinas have more macrodynamics and more bass slam, simply because they use 20cm vs 16cm woofer. That is a big difference in terms of sheer output. It is just physics, no magic here.

I was able to overpower (bottom out) the S1 woofers playing soundtracks with lots of intrasonic content (Braveheart) in my 14x19 listening room - sth which never happened with the Sabrinas.

Now, if we talk about the quality of the low freqs, than I agree that the Magicos are much better. The S1 bass is faster and more articulated, with much less overhand and boomines. In fact, I had to put sponges into Sabrina's ports to bring the bass down to acceptable levels (which made them a semi closed design) and avoid said boominess.

The S1 are more transparent, image better, have much better highs and more natural midrange, but they are still a small 2-way with 16cm woofer with all (bass) limitations of such a designs.
 
Elberoth said:
I had both in my listening room. The Sabrinas have more macrodynamics and more bass slam, simply because they use 20cm vs 16cm woofer. That is a big difference in terms of sheer output. It is just physics, no magic here.

I was able to overpower (bottom out) the S1 woofers playing soundtracks with lots of intrasonic content (Braveheart) in my 14x19 listening room - sth which never happened with the Sabrinas.

Now, if we talk about the quality of the low freqs, than I agree that the Magicos are much better. The S1 bass is faster and more articulated, with much less overhand and boomines. In fact, I had to put sponges into Sabrina's ports to bring the bass down to acceptable levels (which made them a semi closed design) and avoid said boominess.

The S1 are more transparent, image better, have much better highs and more natural midrange, but they are still a small 2-way with 16cm woofer with all (bass) limitations of such a designs.
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Was it the S1 Mk2, or the Mk1?
 
S1 mk 2:

cV8ZT6.jpg


jFab86.jpg


Sabrinas:

s2ctfF.jpg
 
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