I just bid farewell to my Magico S5 mk 2 today ... this is the first time of my life, when I'm selling something with regret !
There is a saying, that an audiophile has two happiest days in his life: when he buys a new gear, and when he finally sells it. The S5 mk 2 are so brilliant, that I'm wondering all the time, what I'm doing. Why sell something which sounds trully spectacular. Yes, I know the M3s are better. I have heard them twice, but not in my room. I just cannot imagine, how my system can sound any better that what I have now !
Lampizator Golden Gate + Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated + Magcio S5 mk 2 = pure musical bliss
I just bid farewell to my Magico S5 mk 2 today ... this is the first time of my life, when I'm selling something with regret !
There is a saying, that an audiophile has two happiest days in his life: when he buys a new gear, and when he finally sells it. The S5 mk 2 are so brilliant, that I'm wondering all the time, what I'm doing. Why sell something which sounds trully spectacular. Yes, I know the M3s are better. I have heard them twice, but not in my room. I just cannot imagine, how my system can sound any better that what I have now !
Lampizator Golden Gate + Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated + Magcio S5 mk 2 = pure musical bliss
You were using an integrated? What happened to the MSB M202's?
I'm pretty sure it can go heat to head with any separates in $50k price range. Yes, it is better than MSB monos. As you know, the M202 are big, class-A amp, with a classic class-A kind of sound - big and opulent, a bit rounded round the edges and which errs on the warm side of neutral. It is not the fastest amp around - meaning it is not Soulution or Spectral fast. It's fluent and natural sounding.
The Momentum Integrated doesn't sacrify any of the MSB midrage magic, but adds a level of transparency and articulation which makes the sound even more palpable and believable.
I like the MSB M202s a lot. Last year - when I still had my Magico S5 mk1 - I have tried he highly regarded, $49.000 Vitus SM-011 monos. The danish monos were a little bit better - also on the warm side of neutral but just a bit more transparent - but at the time I didn't feel the 5-10% upgrade was worth the big price delta. I had chosen to upgrade the speakers instead.
Now (on my S5 mk 2) the difference between the MSB and D'Agostion was much bigger and in my view - worth the price differential.
That Momentum integrated is indeed special. We've just shown that integrated in the LAOC meeting (with YG Haileys), and it filled a huge ballroom with music. Deceptively powerful for the size.
But to be honest, Adam's MSB is amp is two generations behind. MSB has significantly stepped up their game with the new 204 monos. You just have to check the amount of "best of show" they get with their own rooms, where they pair the monos with the MSB SELECT DAC and YG Sonjas (a truly fantastic combination, that all together costs about the same as a pair of speakers from other brands).
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