Attending the Magico Q3 premier...

ack · May 7, 2011

Attending the Magico Q3 premiere...

I will be attending the May 14 launch of this speaker, so watch this space for comments. If I don't post next Saturday or Sunday it means the speaker is not worth consideration in my opinion... Anyone else at that event?

Steve Williams · May 7, 2011

where's it at?

ack · May 7, 2011

Goodwin's High End

ack · May 14, 2011

First impressions... a thrilling speaker, though based mostly on unfamiliar material, apart from RR hi rez. Unfortunately, the source material and electronics (dcs Scarlatti redbook & Berkeley Alpha hi-rez, Spectral preamp, Boulder amps, Basis/Clearaudio top of the line cartridge analog) were different than last year's Q5 demo (all Spectral), so I can't offer comparisons, but I felt the Q5s (which I've also heard a number of times since) are the slightly better speaker/combo. The highlight of the demo was [obviously] with analog, when an apparent Q5 owner proclaimed 'So this is what it's supposed to sound like' - indeed, the sense of being there and level of realism was just thrilling. Big (perhaps huge) sound from a small speaker. Suggest a serious listen. Sounds nothing like the anemic V3.

ack · May 15, 2011

Addendum... Phono was the Nagra VPS; Alon Wolf was much more pleasant and down to earth - really enjoyed this part - can now discuss speaker limitations in his own designs... nice and realistic. Just got an email from another attendee who appears to also be thrilled, especially with the analog demo. I find it quite a bit pathetic that in this day and age: a) we still partly (or mostly?) demo with and judge the "high end" based on redbook CD, because of its obvious proliferation; b) the venerable LP is still our best source; c) hi rez digital has not proliferated yet. I think there is something seriously wrong with this picture.

More: it seems to me the Q3 isn't as damped as the Q5 based on my knuckle test - a bit less "deadness", I thought, but I am not sure. Magico did say the Q5 offers lower mechanical noise floor...

mep · May 15, 2011

Ack-Be preprared to take some flack. I haven't been to any of the 4,000 shows that are held each year to demo new/old gear, but I do read the 100,000 show reports that are generated by the ever-increasing multitudes of reviewers that attend said shows. If the 100,000 show reports that I read each year are accurate, analog has never completely faded out from being used to demo gear. Ever since the TP came along, now it's hip to use R2R to demo your gear with because not only does it sound outstanding, it looks cool too. It appears from what I have read that analog in the form of both R2R and LPs are widely being used at shows to demo gear with.

And finally, the LP is not our best source. It's a damn good source, but not the best. That award has to go to tape. I do wish the digital boys would get their act together and agree on a hi-rez standard. There are so many differrent choices of sampling frequencies and bit rates that you need a swiss army knife DAC in order to play them all back. The average consumer doesn't even know all of this stuff exists. They just buy whatever they can download from ITunes or Amazon and we know that's not even hi-rez.

ack · May 15, 2011

Yes tape COULD be the best if you upgrade their electronics, but I didn't include it because so very few own R2R; frankly, it's statistically insignificant. You don't need to take everything everyone says quite so literally...

mep · May 15, 2011

I disagree with the first part of your statement and I don't understand the basis for your last sentence. Take any stock pro R2R and play back a high quality 15 ips 2 track tape and it will sound better than the LP version of the recording. I won't argue that upgrading the electronics gives the potential for even better sound, but you don't have to do that in order to hear the superiority of tape. You made a blanket statement that isn't true and I'm just peeling the blanket off so you can see what's under it.

Who are all the people that I'm taking everything they say so literally? Sounds like you have me confused with someone else.

ack · May 15, 2011

Congratulations. You peeled the blanket off!

RUR · May 15, 2011

Peter, how has this affected your "short list"? I've not heard the Q3, only the Q5 - and that under sub-optimal conditions.

/Ken

Steve Williams · May 15, 2011

Peter

what is MSRP of the Q3

RUR · May 15, 2011

$34K last I checked, Steve.

Steve Williams · May 15, 2011

and the Q5 is $55K?

Is he still making the M5 and M6

MadFloyd · May 15, 2011

ack said:
First impressions... a thrilling speaker, though based mostly on unfamiliar material, apart from RR hi rez. Unfortunately, the source material and electronics (dcs Scarlatti redbook & Berkeley Alpha hi-rez, Spectral preamp, Boulder amps, Basis/Clearaudio top of the line cartridge analog) were different than last year's Q5 demo (all Spectral), so I can't offer comparisons, but I felt the Q5s (which I've also heard a number of times since) are the slightly better speaker/combo. The highlight of the demo was [obviously] with analog, when an apparent Q5 owner proclaimed 'So this is what it's supposed to sound like' - indeed, the sense of being there and level of realism was just thrilling. Big (perhaps huge) sound from a small speaker. Suggest a serious listen. Sounds nothing like the anemic V3.

I agree with all of this - it was a great demo (I started an Audiogon thread), but I should point out that I was the person who made that proclaimation "So this is how it supposed to sound", but am I not a Q5 owner. I said that because I owned the Jennifer Warnes FBR LP that was being played and never heard it sound so real.

MadFloyd · May 15, 2011

I heard yesterday that the Q5 is now at $60k; it is expected that the Q3 will go up to $40k at some point (perhaps by end of year).

caesar · May 15, 2011

ack said:
First impressions... a thrilling speaker, though based mostly on unfamiliar material, apart from RR hi rez. Unfortunately, the source material and electronics (dcs Scarlatti redbook & Berkeley Alpha hi-rez, Spectral preamp, Boulder amps, Basis/Clearaudio top of the line cartridge analog) were different than last year's Q5 demo (all Spectral), so I can't offer comparisons, but I felt the Q5s (which I've also heard a number of times since) are the slightly better speaker/combo. The highlight of the demo was [obviously] with analog, when an apparent Q5 owner proclaimed 'So this is what it's supposed to sound like' - indeed, the sense of being there and level of realism was just thrilling. Big (perhaps huge) sound from a small speaker. Suggest a serious listen. Sounds nothing like the anemic V3.

Ack, great little write-up! Too bad they didn't let you listen your own music, as sometimes they do. How big was the crowd? Also, any particular reason why the upstream electronics were a mix of Spectral and Boulder vs. going with just one brand "straight-up"?

caesar · May 15, 2011

Ack, another question: did Wolf say this was the same speaker as the Q5, but for a smaller room, or a different speaker altogether?

ack · May 15, 2011

@Steve: yes, $60K for the Q5, $34K for the Q3; they no longer make the M6 as far as I know, questionable about the M5, but it's still listed as a product on the web site. The aluminum platform plus nano tech drivers seems to work extremely well for them.

@MadFloyd: delighted to indirectly meet you - I was the mystery man at the corner who wouldn't rotate

and speak much.Too bad you don't own the Q5, but maybe you can buy this one! I think the smaller crowd at 12 got the best demo.

@caesar: our crowd was only 6 people - perfect size. Usually such controlled demos don't play what you want; not a problem, anyone can go back and listen at their own pace. The electronics were chosen to add "flesh", as I was later told; don't know what this means. Goodwins is reading this thread, so perhaps they can explain, or PM me and I'll convey. Wolf did say the Q5 was the slightly better speaker, but he never called the Q3 a smaller Q5 for a smaller room. If nothing else, the demo room is huge (30x20x11 we were told), and unlike the V3 which can't fill it, this one can with no problem whatsoever. I would say the Q3 gives up a little bottom end tightness, pitch definition and extension (Wolf claimed 10 Hz or so) over the Q5, for $26K less - basically, a few additional good cycles in the bottom octave can be had for a lot more money; and perhaps the crossover is not so elaborate or expensive - don't know, time will tell. It feels like the 30K range is the new battle ground for super speakers, if such exist.

@rur: It shot right up to the top of my list; but I will still compare it with the Summit X, at some point.

@all: suggest you read MadFloyd's thread on a'gon - the analog piece with the drums has and will have many talking. It shows how extremely realistic this speaker can sound with the right material. But beware - this is partly because that piece was extremely close-miked and at high gain, therefore it has a certain unrealistic impression factor built into it... And as MadFloyd said, it was cut direct-to-disc - wonder why some, like Sheffield, would want to bypass the tape! (only kidding mep).

caesar · May 15, 2011

ack said:
@Steve: yes, $60K for the Q5, $34K for the Q3; they no longer make the M6 as far as I know, questionable about the M5, but it's still listed as a product on the web site. The aluminum platform plus nano tech drivers seems to work extremely well for them.

@caesar: our crowd was only 6 people - perfect size. Usually such controlled demos don't play what you want; not a problem, anyone can go back and listen at their own pace. The electronics were chosen to add "flesh", as I was later told; don't know what this means. Goodwins is reading this thread, so perhaps they can explain, or PM me and I'll convey. Wolf did say the Q5 was the slightly better speaker, but he never called the Q3 a smaller Q5 for a smaller room. If nothing else, the demo room is huge (30x20x11 we were told), and unlike the V3 which can't fill it, this one can with no problem whatsoever. I would say the Q3 gives up a little bottom end tightness, pitch definition and extension (Wolf claimed 10 Hz or so) over the Q5, for $26K less - basically, a few additional good cycles in the bottom octave can be had for a lot more money; and perhaps the crossover is not so elaborate or expensive - don't know, time will tell. It feels like the 30K range is the new battle ground for super speakers, if such exist.

The M5 will probably be showing on the Magico site until all the dealer demos are sold, as few people spending that coin will not stretch for the Q5 over a used M5. If you look at audiogon, there are usually 2 or 3 dealers trying to dump their M5's. The m5 prices are in the mid to upper $40's range. I wonder if the Q3's are better than the M5's. If not, if the Q3 price goes up to $40K,the used M5's will be a good deal in comparison, and I see some Q3 potential buyers reaching out and getting the used m5's.

The speaker manufacturers, cheer-led by the audio "press", have sure gotten the audiophiles conditioned that a great speaker should cost as much as a nice, shiny, German sports sedan...

ack · May 16, 2011

This is the Charlie Byrd 45-rpm direct-to-disc LP with that incredible, frightening drum solo they played: http://www.discogs.com/Charlie-Byrd-Direct-Disc-Recording/release/1266615

I have ordered mine. It reminded me of the power of the o-Daiko drums on the Kodo Sheffield CD.

Attending the Magico Q3 premier...

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