Magico S5 vs Wilson Alexia

[PeterA]

I have heard the Q3, (and Q1 and Q5) multiple times. But I have never A/B them with Alexia's. I did A/B them with the S5/S1 at Goodwins. I found the Q series to be very sterile and not emotionally involving.

Fascinating comment. Caesar was right when he wrote this forum should be renamed "What's your taste forum?"

 

[ack]

I am puzzled too by your description, mbovaird, of the Rockport sound (and similarly of the Magico Q's). If anything else, the tweeter output is intentionally toned down, to give the overall darker color some people like, and be able to listen to them all day long - just compare with Magico using a very similar beryllium tweeter. Truly puzzled, but it what it is.

 

[mbovaird]

I am puzzled too by your description, mbovaird, of the Rockport sound (and similarly of the Magico Q's). If anything else, the tweeter output is intentionally toned down, to give the overall darker color some people like, and be able to listen to them all day long - just compare with Magico using a very similar beryllium tweeter. Truly puzzled, but it what it is.

There was something about the Rockports that made them sound very aggressive to me, very forward. I wasn't alone at any of my auditions and we all felt the same way. It is quite possible that all the times I heard them, it just wasn't ideal.

As for the Magico Q series - if it was so good, why is Magico abandoning the Q5? They know its not as good as the S5, but they just aren't saying.

Sorry...just my view. Sometimes, the less expensive products sound better. Its not always about money.

 

[PeterA]

There was something about the Rockports that made them sound very aggressive to me, very forward. I wasn't alone at any of my auditions and we all felt the same way. It is quite possible that all the times I heard them, it just wasn't ideal.

As for the Magico Q series - if it was so good, why is Magico abandoning the Q5? They know its not as good as the S5, but they just aren't saying.

Sorry...just my view. Sometimes, the less expensive products sound better. Its not always about money.

Abandoning the Q5? That's interesting. Is this decision published somewhere? And do you know if they are simply dropping the model or revising it with a Q5.5? I happen to prefer the Q3 to the Q5 and it is easier to drive also.

 

[ack]

They know its not as good as the S5, but they just aren't saying.

Sorry...just my view. Sometimes, the less expensive products sound better. Its not always about money.

Wow, yet another astounding comment; the Q5 is not as good as the S5. I have to admit, we all hear differently, but I didn't realize to this extent. Just truly puzzled by all of your comments now... Truly speechless about what you think wrt Rockports and Magicos. But I now have good context for all of your comments.

 

[mbovaird]

Wow, yet another astounding comment; the Q5 is not as good as the S5.

To my ears - absolutely.

I'm not sure what model is replacing the Q5 - if any. When this information becomes announced formally - I'll check back on this thread.

Regarding Rockport/Q5 - my comments are simply my opinion - and quite frankly - that's worth what you just paid for it! If people love their Q5's and Rockports - I say rock on. I know the Alexia's aren't for everyone, but I am thrilled with mine. In my room and to my ears, they better all their predecessors in my system - Aida's, Strads, Raidho D3's, etc.

 

[ack]

Yeah, I totally hear you; and frankly all this strengthens my own views on the Alexia.

 

[Frank750]

Yeah, I totally hear you; and frankly all this strengthens my own views on the Alexia.

The one component of an audio system where a review or someone's opinion mean little or nothing to me is a speaker. Between the room, electronics, cables, ancillaries and personal taste, I don't know why anyone would put any stock in a speaker review or someone's opinion. That is not said to offend anyone in particular, it's all a matter of personal taste as we see time and time again in each speaker thread.

 

[mbovaird]

The one component of an audio system where a review or someone's opinion mean little or nothing to me is a speaker. Between the room, electronics, cables, ancillaries and personal taste, I don't know why anyone would put any stock in a speaker review or someone's opinion. That is not said to offend anyone in particular, it's all a matter of personal taste as we see time and time again in each speaker thread.

Frank - I agree. Tour RMAF or attend any dealer demo with three or four of your closest audiophile friends and just watch what speaker each of them gravitates toward. I bet there will be significant differences. I also believe it has to do with someone's age or perhaps more specifically, their hearing capabilities. If someone has high frequency hearing loss, they may prefer a brighter, more forward sounding speaker. If someone has tinnitus, they may gravitate more toward a speaker that is rolled off.

There is no absolute right or wrong.

 

[microstrip]

The one component of an audio system where a review or someone's opinion mean little or nothing to me is a speaker. Between the room, electronics, cables, ancillaries and personal taste, I don't know why anyone would put any stock in a speaker review or someone's opinion. That is not said to offend anyone in particular, it's all a matter of personal taste as we see time and time again in each speaker thread.

I was hoping that my opinion on the TheSonusFaber meant a lot to happy owners ...

 

[Frank750]

I was hoping that my opinion on the TheSonusFaber meant a lot to happy owners ...

What I meant to say was the only opinion worth listening to is your's

 

[PeterA]

I'm not sure what model is replacing the Q5 - if any. When this information becomes announced formally - I'll check back on this thread.

mbovaird, I'm confused. Is this also just your opinion, or do you have information about the demise of the Q5? Surely the S5 is selling better than the Q5, but do the folks at Magico also think the S5 actually sounds better than the Q5?

That would be huge news if a company comes out with a less expensive line of products that they feel outperforms the more expensive line. My local dealer told me that in the opinion of their sales staff, the S1 is not as good as the Q1 and the S5 is not as good as the Q3, but the S1 gets closer than does the S5. The Q5 may be out of favor because of its cost and its inefficiency. The dealer told me that the Q is built to fewer restrictions and is really what Alon Wolf thinks is his best effort while the S represents a better value and is built with more consideration to cost.

 

[mbovaird]

mbovaird, I'm confused. Is this also just your opinion, or do you have information about the demise of the Q5? Surely the S5 is selling better than the Q5, but do the folks at Magico also think the S5 actually sounds better than the Q5?

That would be huge news if a company comes out with a less expensive line of products that they feel outperforms the more expensive line. My local dealer told me that in the opinion of their sales staff, the S1 is not as good as the Q1 and the S5 is not as good as the Q3, but the S1 gets closer than does the S5. The Q5 may be out of favor because of its cost and its inefficiency. The dealer told me that the Q is built to fewer restrictions and is really what Alon Wolf thinks is his best effort while the S represents a better value and is built with more consideration to cost.

I've been told by more than one reliable source the Q5 will be phased out. I'll check back here after the Munich show...

 

[jap]

That would be huge news if a company comes out with a less expensive line of products that they feel outperforms the more expensive line.

Magico replaced the $89K M5 with the $60K (when it was introduced) Q5 and JV promptly said:

"I can sum up this difference rather quickly—the Qs were and are substantially lower in distortion and substantially higher in resolution than the Ms."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/magico-q5-loudspeaker-tas-214/

 

[PeterA]

Magico replaced the $89K M5 with the $60K (when it was introduced) Q5 and JV promptly said:

"I can sum up this difference rather quickly—the Qs were and are substantially lower in distortion and substantially higher in resolution than the Ms."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/magico-q5-loudspeaker-tas-214/

Very true, and the Q1 cost less than the Mini2 at its final price of $32K. However, these were replacements, not two separate lines being sold simultaneously. The S5 was not introduced as a replacement for the Q5 and marketed as a better sounding product, as far as I know. The Q5 and S5 are both current products which are marketed at different customers.

Now I may be wrong, if you are suggesting that Magico thinks internally that the S5 sounds better than the Q5 and that the S5 is meant as a replacement for the Q5. I just have not seen any evidence of this in the form of marketing or dealership opinions. If the Q5 is discontinued, my guess is that it is because it is not selling well for two reasons: high price and the difficult load, not because it does not sound as good as the S5.

 

[Bruce B]

If the Q5 is discontinued, my guess is that it is because it is not selling well for two reasons: high price and the difficult load, not because it does not sound as good as the S5.

Every time I've heard the S5, it sounded better than the Q5. I'd pick the S5 over the Q5 any day!

 

[jap]

Very true, and the Q1 cost less than the Mini2 at its final price of $32K. However, these were replacements, not two separate lines being sold simultaneously. The S5 was not introduced as a replacement for the Q5 and marketed as a better sounding product, as far as I know. The Q5 and S5 are both current products which are marketed at different customers.

Now I may be wrong, if you are suggesting that Magico thinks internally that the S5 sounds better than the Q5 and that the S5 is meant as a replacement for the Q5. I just have not seen any evidence of this in the form of marketing or dealership opinions. If the Q5 is discontinued, my guess is that it is because it is not selling well for two reasons: high price and the difficult load, not because it does not sound as good as the S5.

I don't think the S5 is meant to be a replacement for Q5.

I think it's very clear that the S5 was introduced to compete with the WA Sasha, Wilson's best selling speaker.

Since WA has now introduced the Sasha Series 2, it seems the S5 has been very successful at that price point.

The M5 was still a current product when the Q5 was introduced, and I sure dealers with M5s in stock weren't pleased.

I think you're right about the reasons the Q5 might be discontinued.

Personally, I don't care for the S series looks, and would love to see a Q2.

 

[LL21]

I will say, dealers I have spoken to often speak about how wonderful the S5 sounds. They also add they like the greater detail, neutrality and more extreme performance of the q5. Personally, I instinctively felt I would prefer to listen to the S5s all day than the Q5s, having heard them in the same room, with electronics I have listened to a fair amount.

Then, I just read Martin Colloms review of the S5...he wrote its the best measuring speaker he has ever reviewed. And then went on to say he felt he had not necessarily found the full measure of the speaker it was so good. I think Magico may have the ball out of the park with a speaker that hits the technical merits and the level of tonal balance, bass weight and detail...organic-ish (for a Magico) but apparently never sacrificing their extreme commitment to linearity.

 

[PeterA]

Personally, I don't care for the S series looks, and would love to see a Q2.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about a Q2. I prefer the Q aesthetic also. What do you think the design would look like? I'd like to see an internal chamber for the midrange driver (like in the S3 and Q7 models), perhaps three drivers like the V2, but a three way design with one larger woofer or two smaller woofers and an efficiency of around 93+dB.

But I agree with those who think there may be no room for a Q2, especially with the S5 and the new S3 getting such great reviews.

I can also imagine a future line with the extruded curved cabinet walls of the S combined with the curved baffle of the Q, superior crossover parts and a separate internal chamber for the midrange. I'm also wondering with all of the positive discussion of Stillpoints under Wilson speakers if similar footers to the Qpods will make it to the lower models.

 

[asiufy]

It only makes sense for the Q5 to be phased out, a new model to be introduced shortly after. It was the first all-aluminum Magico speaker, with old(er) drivers, and also highly inefficient. Magico advanced considerably since the Q5 introduction, so a Q5 mk2 makes a lot of sense.

alexandre