Sonus Faber Aida vs Magico Q5

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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I've never been a fan of "The Sonus Faber" speaker from a looks perspective. But I've heard it sounds terrific. I personally love the look of the Aida. It's both gorgeous and unique looking. Easier to drive too. :)

Actually The Sonus Faber is the same 92db, 4 ohm load as Aida. I drove them with the XA100.5 for a month or so and the power needle never moved.
 

georgemg

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Feb 11, 2013
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For some years I had an SF guarniere, fantastic for strings, very balanced, and the manual showed how a work of art was constructed, and in the end a photo showing that number 2 was at the violin museum in Cremona, the color was a ambar, but not everything is perfect, some SF guarniere had a defect that was only noticed over the years, a small wave of turbidity in laquer, however the color of SF aida in Munichen was not a good choice, in my opinion white does not match the history of SF. I do not know about Aida , but my Sf guarniere was not easy to drive, I used with gamut D200mk3 ( 200 watts).

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DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
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Hi George, I see that when you owned Guarneri's, that you also used Nordost cabling. I think Nordost and Guarneri's are a great match. Which Nordost were you using?...BTW, it looks like you also were using another cable to maybe drive the bass, is that correct?
I do agree that Guarneri's like a little 'stick' upstream; although they also seem to have no problem with my tube amp, which is just 65 watts/ch. However, my ss amp at 250 watts/ch has to work a little to drive them. I guess that's the difference between tube watts and ss watts, LOL:confused:.
I see after your Guarneri's that you went on to Tidal's, an interesting choice. I'm too in love with my Guarneri's to consider a change. I have heard about a few of the older G's having the lacquer problem you mention, although I have never seen this for myself. As far as I know, SF is no longer going to the same extreme's of construction as they were with the GH cabinets. Probably no longer cost effective.:)
 

Roysen

New Member
Aug 6, 2011
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It will depend on the amplifier. I would consider the Magico with an Ypsilon Aelius or the Aida with a Kronzilla DXL or Dan'D monoblocker.

Or the Wilson Alexia with either of the above amps.

Really, Peter?

Are you confident the Ypsilon Aelius will be able to drive the Q5 to perfection? My friend is in conversations with Ypsilon in regards to building a special version of the Aelius with twice as powerful PSU and twice the output power to drive a pair of Q5.

All the best,
Roysen
 

georgemg

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2013
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Hi DaveyF

I used some cables with guaniere, these photo show Nordost red dawn (tweeter) kimber 3033 ( woofer), then I used one silver cable, can not remember the name (paragon?), the interconecter was siltech forbes lake, I thought they were more transparent with silver cables, my SF guarniere had this fade in laquer, I tried some amplifiers, as audiopax SET 30 watts, AR VT100 mk2, I think the sensitivity was 87.5 db, but the inpedance curve was not SET friendly, maybe one PP amplifier would be better, but I preferred the gamut instead of AR VT100 mk2 . When then decided to sell the SF guarniere, and bought merlin vsm MXE that I still have, this is a great speaker with tubes, now I am using tidal piano diacera with audiopax maggiore amplifier, but this is special amplifier, a SET with 100 watts, it would be a great experience to use it with SF guarniere, I have a friend that use audiopax maggiore with SF stradivarius.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Hi George, I see that when you owned Guarneri's, that you also used Nordost cabling. I think Nordost and Guarneri's are a great match. Which Nordost were you using?...BTW, it looks like you also were using another cable to maybe drive the bass, is that correct?
I do agree that Guarneri's like a little 'stick' upstream; although they also seem to have no problem with my tube amp, which is just 65 watts/ch. However, my ss amp at 250 watts/ch has to work a little to drive them. I guess that's the difference between tube watts and ss watts, LOL:confused:.
I see after your Guarneri's that you went on to Tidal's, an interesting choice. I'm too in love with my Guarneri's to consider a change. I have heard about a few of the older G's having the lacquer problem you mention, although I have never seen this for myself. As far as I know, SF is no longer going to the same extreme's of construction as they were with the GH cabinets. Probably no longer cost effective.:)

Davey, have you come across one of the earlier generations of Guarneris...the one with 6 layers of ebony in the speakers (vs 5 layers i think)? I am told they sound better. Just curious...they stopped adding the extra layer of ebony a few years after commencing release...so presumably this would be a Guarneri from 1994-1997+/-?
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Metro DC

Peter Breuninger

[Industry Expert] Member Sponsor
Jul 20, 2010
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The Ypsilon drives the MBL 101E MKii, so I would assume it will drive the Magico.

Really, Peter?

Are you confident the Ypsilon Aelius will be able to drive the Q5 to perfection? My friend is in conversations with Ypsilon in regards to building a special version of the Aelius with twice as powerful PSU and twice the output power to drive a pair of Q5.

All the best,
Roysen
 

georgemg

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2013
56
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Brasil
The best SF sound I've heard was actually at RMAF about 3-4yr. ago in a larger suite in the upper tower. Wish I knew which one it was.

Hi Bruce

I was there, and made this foto:


af1.jpg
 

Orb

New Member
Sep 8, 2010
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Davey, have you come across one of the earlier generations of Guarneris...the one with 6 layers of ebony in the speakers (vs 5 layers i think)? I am told they sound better. Just curious...they stopped adding the extra layer of ebony a few years after commencing release...so presumably this would be a Guarneri from 1994-1997+/-?

Hey that is interesting, I have one of the Palladio models and thought the only difference was maple so in theory should sound identical and yet it does sound subjectively better than the model they are based upon and this seems rather strange to me as I thought internally they were identical, shame it is maple sigh rofl.
Wonder if one of the differences is possibly number of layers?
Cheers
Orb
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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Hi Bruce

I was there, and made this foto:

These are the Elipsa. Although I have read great things about them my dealer told me that they were not very successful - their price was too close to the Amati Anniversario and people preferred to buy this last speaker.
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
These are the Elipsa. Although I have read great things about them my dealer told me that they were not very successful - their price was too close to the Amati Anniversario and people preferred to buy this last speaker.

Too bad.... sounded great to me!
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
-- Bruce, could the Sonus Faber Aida, and the Magico Q5 be in your future?
...For sound exploration. ...At your own place.

I'd certainly entertain SF..... Magico... I'd have to change out my amps as well..
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Hey that is interesting, I have one of the Palladio models and thought the only difference was maple so in theory should sound identical and yet it does sound subjectively better than the model they are based upon and this seems rather strange to me as I thought internally they were identical, shame it is maple sigh rofl.
Wonder if one of the differences is possibly number of layers?
Cheers
Orb

Rumor (or legend) has it that the very oldest of the SF Guarneris had an even more pure tonality than even the general Guarneris. I am not sure if i believe it or not...but that is what i have read. Perhaps more Ebony and an extra layer stiffened the cabinet a bit more and thus the tone came thru better? Who knows? All theory til one of us actually hears one.
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
6,129
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La Jolla, Calif USA
Davey, have you come across one of the earlier generations of Guarneris...the one with 6 layers of ebony in the speakers (vs 5 layers i think)? I am told they sound better. Just curious...they stopped adding the extra layer of ebony a few years after commencing release...so presumably this would be a Guarneri from 1994-1997+/-?

Hi Lloyd, to answer your question, I have heard the older version GH with the extra layer of ebony. Unfortunately, at the time, the ancillary gear wasn't up to the standard of the GH's and so in this instance they didn't sound that great. As we all know, in this hobby the sound will only be as good as the weakest link in the chain, and on that day, coming to a conclusion regarding the speakers was not possible.
OTOH, I would be VERY VERY surprised IF the older model could beat the sound I am getting from my newer model GH.

BTW, as I have posted on several other occasions, I much prefer the original GH's to the newer Memento's and even in most ways to the new Evolution's.
One of the more interesting observations on the web about the GH's, is that Franco himself probably never knew initially how great the GH's could sound, since he apparently listened and designed them utilizing the Sf Musica integrated amp:eek:
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Hi Lloyd, to answer your question, I have heard the older version GH with the extra layer of ebony. Unfortunately, at the time, the ancillary gear wasn't up to the standard of the GH's and so in this instance they didn't sound that great. As we all know, in this hobby the sound will only be as good as the weakest link in the chain, and on that day, coming to a conclusion regarding the speakers was not possible.
OTOH, I would be VERY VERY surprised IF the older model could beat the sound I am getting from my newer model GH.

BTW, as I have posted on several other occasions, I much prefer the original GH's to the newer Memento's and even in most ways to the new Evolution's.
One of the more interesting observations on the web about the GH's, is that Franco himself probably never knew initially how great the GH's could sound, since he apparently listened and designed them utilizing the Sf Musica integrated amp:eek:

Thanks, Davey - good to know...very interesting. sometimes, stuff is just legend that gets spread round and round. In any event, i also prefer the 'original GH's to the newer models, even though i very much respect their design targets for those and where i think they have succeeded in what it appears they were focused on delivery.

As for amps, i also believe from the original 1994 review by Martin Colloms which i still have...or from someone else's review...he also used Berning which should sound pretty great from what i have been told with the GHs.
 

georgemg

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2013
56
3
313
Brasil
This room showed an interesting combination: magico Q (3(?) the specification shows almost the same inpedance curve of Q5 but has a better sensitivity, Trhax amplifier from Bulgary, monobloc 70 watts , very well built, and qaulia a fantastic construction, looks more one gem but very expensive, honestly I could not have an opinion of sound quality , because I was impressed with the Thrax.

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