Magico Q7

andromedaaudio

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microstrip

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http://www.stereophile.com/content/magico-q5-loudspeaker-measurements

Q 5 against maxx 3 , maxx 3 is a bit flatter but if you start from 400 hz the Q 5 is very flat also

Sorry, but IMHO neither Q5 nor the Maxx3 are flat. The on-axis graph of the Q5 has an 8 dB bass boost and a regular rise of 5 dB between 2 and 10 kHz. I have read that in part the bass boost is due to the measurement method. And the argument "if you start" does not apply - the FR must be considered as an whole. I really do not understand how Magico created the fame of being flat - as far as I have seen even the Q1 has some strong tailoring in FR!

Sometimes these comments look like the children joke that the crocodile and the giraffe have long necks, with the exception of the crocodile.
 

microstrip

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andromedaaudio

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As I said before ,i dont take measurements under 300 hz very seriously incl that of the Q 5 or any speaker as most of the bass measurements are somewhat simulated , to be sure they should be done in an anechoic chamber , but being flat in a chamber doesnt mean good bass in the living room
 

LL21

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asiufy

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The Q7 are great speakers - I listened to them twice, one of the times it was playing really good.

However there is a disappointing aspect in it - the 94 dB/W rating can be misleading, as its users are saying it needs really large power - many hundreds of watts seem the minimum. I can imagine that any one betting on a speaker for medium power tubes will be disappointed and will soon look for a XLF or similar.

That has NOT been my experience. My 108 drove them better than Soulution's big 7-series monoblocks. And that was in a fairly big room.

Personally, I'd hate myself much more if I had paid $200k for a Wilson or even $120k for an Aida...

Oh, and Jeff Fritz measured a Q7 in his room (not anechoic or open space like JA's). Pretty flat, IIRC.

alexandre
 

mep

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The Solution amp is not a high-powered amp. Having lots of great sounding power is a good thing in my book.
 

asiufy

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Really?

Power: Bridged-Mode1 × 430W @ 8 ?
1 × 860W @ 4 ?
1 × 1'560W @ 2 ?


Not powerful? Really?
I do agree that lots of power is usually better, but, at least with the Q7, around 100W was plenty.


alexandre
 

Andre Marc

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The Solution amp is not a high-powered amp. Having lots of great sounding power is a good thing in my book.

Huge over generalization and strictly a preference.

I could also generalize that the higher power the amp, the more output stages, the more circuitry, the worse it sounds.

And this HAS been my experience in many cases, certainly not all. For me, "high powered" means 150 to 250 wpc.

Anything more is just a you know what measuring contest.
 

mep

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Really?

Power: Bridged-Mode1 × 430W @ 8 ?
1 × 860W @ 4 ?
1 × 1'560W @ 2 ?


Not powerful? Really?
I do agree that lots of power is usually better, but, at least with the Q7, around 100W was plenty.


alexandre

Sorry-I was strictly referring to the Solution 710 which is 130 watts at 8 ohms. But wait a minute, maybe we are talking about the same amp because you listed power in bridged mode.
 

microstrip

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That has NOT been my experience. My 108 drove them better than Soulution's big 7-series monoblocks. And that was in a fairly big room.

Personally, I'd hate myself much more if I had paid $200k for a Wilson or even $120k for an Aida...

Oh, and Jeff Fritz measured a Q7 in his room (not anechoic or open space like JA's). Pretty flat, IIRC.

alexandre

Alexandre,

The NH108B is not exactly a low power amplifier - it is a dual mono block in one box and it is rated at 200W per channel at 4 ohms. I have one in my room and it sounds quite good in the Aida's. :)

Once we get a certain level, personnel preference is the most important aspect. I know know yours, you can imagine my current one. I think that I could happily live with any of the three speakers we are referring to - the Aida, the XLF or the Q7. But I would choose different systems for each of them. But my dream speaker (we all have audio fantasies) is now unobtainium - the TheSonusFaber.

BTW, room responses only allow us to congratulate the room owner for his great room and/or positioning skills. Many speaker designers tailor the response of their speakers to sound flat in room, even implying that are non flat in anechoic measurements.
 

microstrip

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Sorry-I was strictly referring to the Solution 710 which is 130 watts at 8 ohms. But wait a minute, maybe we are talking about the same amp because you listed power in bridged mode.

Even in stereo mode the Soulution 710 is quite powerful - see specs : Maximum output power, both channels driven, 20Hz–20kHz, at <0.1% THD: 130Wpc into 8 ohms (21.1dBW), 260Wpc into 4 ohms (21.1dBW), 440Wpc into 2 ohms (20.4dBW). Maximum current output: 60A peak per channel.

It is a smaller cousin of your Krell ;) - see the 60A peak specification. It is perfect for low impedance speakers - unfortunately we do not have the impedance plot of the Q7.
 

caesar

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It is possible that the sound that the average audio enthusiast seeks is very different from that of certain reviewers. We all have our own idea of what a great speaker should sound like and a reviewers "Best" might sound un-involving once you get it in your own home. If I was interested in a speaker at this price point I would have flown in for a listen before ordering.

That is a great point. I made the same point back in post # 42, a great post, I may humbly add.
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?5297-Magico-Q7&p=81989&viewfull=1#post81989

But it seems like a "fly-in" listening experience is inadequate. You fly in, hear the transparency and resolution, and think you have finally achieved nirvana. But just as with a woman or man you may want to marry, the reality is that one has to live with a speaker for just a bit to really know...
 

caesar

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To be clear, I think Magico makes very very impressive speakers. I have nothing bad to say about the Q7.

Like many other things in life it is a rich toy for a rich boy. :D

I think the Q series is clearly a leap forward in speaker design.


Andre, no doubt. But only for those who like that type of sound.
 

caesar

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These are indeed heartbreaking stories. Dreams shattered, college funds depleted...... I suggest we set up a WBF Q7's victims fund. Donations are welcome. Now collecting old cables for silent auction.


Dude, this is freaking hilarious!!!!

But with all great humor, there is a truth that always comes out. The reality here is that these speakers are large, expensive, and very heavy. As a result. potential customers frequently don't audition them in their homes. Instead, they rely on shows and dealer visits, which last a single handful of hours at most. So people frequently rely on the audio press. But many in the audio press are both biased and incompetent to properly evaluate products, focusing on the positive while ignoring the negative.

And yes, there are some who are the fortunate result of a lucky sperm/ egg union, and to them money is no object. But the majority of folks who purchase these have worked very hard for many, many years, frequently delaying gratification to save money so they do not become a burden on anyone. And then they make a bad decision...focusing on the positive comments while ignoring to investigate the negatives...
 

caesar

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Did Magico and Stereophile magazine get a divorce ?


I think that Stereophile awarded the Q5 Product of the Year. However, Fremer's review of that speaker was about a year earlier.

It would be great to have Stereophile evaluate the Q7, if Alon Wolf has the cojones to send them in. Yes, we all know that review would be positive. But if one reads between the lines, some truth could come out.
 

caesar

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Alexandre,

The NH108B is not exactly a low power amplifier - it is a dual mono block in one box and it is rated at 200W per channel at 4 ohms. I have one in my room and it sounds quite good in the Aida's. :)

Once we get a certain level, personnel preference is the most important aspect. I know know yours, you can imagine my current one. I think that I could happily live with any of the three speakers we are referring to - the Aida, the XLF or the Q7. But I would choose different systems for each of them. But my dream speaker (we all have audio fantasies) is now unobtainium - the TheSonusFaber.

Microstrip, what amps would you run the TheSonusFaber with?
 

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