Magico Q7

asiufy · Jun 17, 2014

mep said:
There is a price to be paid (as in tradeoffs) for all of the different methods of designing and building speakers. "Sealed box bass" (acoustic suspension by another name) is high-pressure bass meaning that every time you have a rarefaction of the speaker cone you are pressurizing the inside of the speaker cabinet with no place for the pressure to escape except where it tries to leak back through the speaker cone. You also pay a price in efficiency of the speaker which then requires amplifiers with high output power to be used. In other words, there is no free lunch and there is no single 'right way' to design and build a speaker.

Yes, that's the theory. But recently, some manufacturers were somehow able to overcome a lot of these obstacles. EA's MM3 has incredible bass, tweakable too, but they're helped by the internal power amp. YG's earlier models indeed suffered from the "monster amp required" malaise, but the recent models are far more efficient. And of course, the Magicos (post Q5) are quite efficient, sometimes more so than ported speakers at the same price range.

mep, have you heard any of these recent sealed box designs?

alexandre

mep · Jun 17, 2014

I have heard most of the YG speakers under show conditions and I have heard the Q1s as well.

asiufy · Jun 17, 2014

Cool. I take it you still prefer ported bass, then?

alexandre

mep · Jun 17, 2014

asiufy said:
Cool. I take it you still prefer ported bass, then?

alexandre

I never said that or meant to infer that. All I was trying to say that it's not a given that one type of design is necessarily superior to all others. They are all imperfect and they all have their tradeoffs. Of course not everyone feels that way. Irving M. Fried believed that transmission lines were the holy grail, followed by horns, ported/vented speakers, and dragging up the rear were acoustic suspension designs. Irving would almost froth at the mouth when discussing acoustic suspension speakers. He abhorred them. As for me, I keep my ears open and buy what I like.

I thought that when I heard the Q1 speakers at RMAF 2012 they sounded really, really good. Other people didn't think so highly of them. Contrary to some people's opinions, I never would have put the EA MicroOne speakers in the same league as the Q1 although some were trying to say the MIcroOne's were actually better.

MylesBAstor · Jun 17, 2014

asiufy said:
Yes, that's the theory. But recently, some manufacturers were somehow able to overcome a lot of these obstacles. EA's MM3 has incredible bass, tweakable too, but they're helped by the internal power amp. YG's earlier models indeed suffered from the "monster amp required" malaise, but the recent models are far more efficient. And of course, the Magicos (post Q5) are quite efficient, sometimes more so than ported speakers at the same price range.

mep, have you heard any of these recent sealed box designs?

alexandre

The issue as I understand it is coming up with a driver that can deal with the energy and heat disapation required for a sealed design. Many drivers would melt or fuse.

LL21 · Jun 17, 2014

asiufy said:
Humm... I don't know... If he considered any other speaker to be anywhere close to a Q7, he wouldn't have been so bold on the Q7 review. As it is, from his written word only, the Q7 stands alone.

But then, as Keith said, his review should be taken at face value only, and a true, personal assessment of each product is in order, to determine what works best for each system.

As for me, as it was mentioned in the S3's thread, I'm spoiled by sealed box bass, so I don't think I could live with ported designs anymore...

alexandre

Hi Alexandre,

To be fair to Robert Harley, I don't think he wanted to make such a strong opinion on the Arrakis 2 (particularly at that level of performance) when he did not have the chance to bring them home and drive them in his system and in his house. He basically visited someone else's setup and opined it is the best sound he has ever heard. I suspect it probably still is...but that is not just the Arrakis...it's Andy Payor's room and system.

So in terms of the Q7...which he DID have in his system for some time, I think his review stated it is the best speaker he has ever reviewed. And I did not get the sense he could consider that he had reviewed the Arrakis 2 properly. That is the takeaway I got from reading his articles/reviews on both speakers and also communicating with him separately.

mep · Jun 17, 2014

MylesBAstor said:
The issue as I understand it is coming up with a driver that can deal with the energy and heat disapation required for a sealed design. Many drivers would melt or fuse.

Sealed designs have been around for a very long time. I think Edgar Villchur came up with the acoustic suspension design in 1954.

asiufy · Jun 17, 2014

mep said:
I never said that or meant to infer that. All I was trying to say that it's not a given that one type of design is necessarily superior to all others. They are all imperfect and they all have their tradeoffs. Of course not everyone feels that way. Irving M. Fried believed that transmission lines were the holy grail, followed by horns, ported/vented speakers, and dragging up the rear were acoustic suspension designs. Irving would almost froth at the mouth when discussing acoustic suspension speakers. He abhorred them. As for me, I keep my ears open and buy what I like.

I thought that when I heard the Q1 speakers at RMAD 2012 they sounded really, really good. Other people didn't think so highly of them. Contrary to some people's opinions, I never would have put the EA MicroOne speakers in the same league as the Q1 although some were trying to say the MIcroOne's were actually better.

Hey, it's cool, I just thought you'd have a preference. I believe it's OK to have a preference, no?

I didn't say one design is superior either, just that I'm spoiled by sealed box bass, which is a preference (mine). I know full well how dangerous it is to claim one thing to be superior to another on the internet

And I agree with your assessment of the two bookshelf speakers... Both excellent, btw, each in their price category.

alexandre

mep · Jun 17, 2014

I guess I better have a preference for ported speakers since I bought a pair of Nola KOs. I just wish they would get here.

MylesBAstor · Jun 17, 2014

mep said:
I guess I better have a preference for ported speakers since I bought a pair of Nola KOs. I just wish they would get here.

I can feel the impatience all the way to NY.

mep · Jun 17, 2014

MylesBAstor said:
I can feel the impatience all the way to NY.

I have been trying hard not to bug Carl. I know he has been busy doing shows and waiting for the new tweeters to arrive. I just never dreamed that when I ordered them in March I would be wondering if I would have them by the end of the summer. We are now in the middle of June and it won't be long before summer is over.

puroagave · Jun 17, 2014

mep said:
I have been trying hard not to bug Carl. I know he has been busy doing shows and waiting for the new tweeters to arrive. I just never dreamed that when I ordered them in March I would be wondering if I would have them by the end of the summer. We are now in the middle of June and it won't be long before summer is over.

the ref 75 sounds real nice on the new Sasha 2, just sayin'

CKKeung · Jul 29, 2014

Dear All Q7 owners,

A friend of mine is biamping his Q7 with two pairs of AudioValve Challenger 400 mono poweramps. This AudioValve model has 4Ohm and 8Ohm speakerwire terminals.

It's said that Q7 is essentially a 4 Ohm speaker. Shall the speakerwires connect to the 4 Ohm terminals?

Many thanks!

JackD201 · Jul 30, 2014

Roysen · Aug 29, 2014

Geshi said:
I read with great interest about the reviews by both Robert Harley and Jeff Fritz on the Magico Q7 and the Rockport Arrakis. Judging by the dates of their reviews, it seems like both of them prefer the Q7. Also, the Arrakis they reviewed might not be the latest version. I wonder what their views will be in a direct shootout.
Our member here, Roysen, bought the Q7, decided to sell them (apparently to buy the Arrakis2) and finally did a u-turn to keep them for the time being.
Another member, Stereo, raved about the Q7s.
Any thoughts on these 2 speakers?

The U-turn would be to keep the Q7 and buy the Arrakis in addition to the Tidal La Assoluta.

EspenL · Aug 30, 2014

Roysen said:
The U-turn would be to keep the Q7 and buy the Arrakis in addition to the Tidal La Assoluta.

Hi Roysen
Are you thinking about trying Q SUB sometimes with your Q7 ?

LL21 · Aug 30, 2014

Espen inge Larsen said:
Hi Roysen
Are you thinking about trying Q SUB sometimes with your Q7 ?

I think that is an excellent call. Excellent. I would love to hear that combo with Zanden and Gryphon electronics.

Roysen · Sep 13, 2014

Espen inge Larsen said:
Hi Roysen
Are you thinking about trying Q SUB sometimes with your Q7 ?

We will wait and see.

andromedaaudio · Oct 26, 2014

Hello roysen i saw they were up for sale , no luck with the Q 7 , did you give them a fair chance ?
I thought they were exxcelent when i heard them , although they could have been a little more bass rich in the room where i heard them

MadFloyd · Oct 26, 2014

andromedaaudio said:
Hello roysen i saw they were up for sale , no luck with the Q 7 , did you give them a fair chance ?
I thought they were exxcelent when i heard them , although they could have been a little more bass rich in the room where i heard them

Where are they listed for sale? Not here nor Audiogon...

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