Magico M9 >>>>Fulfillment

[sujay]

Now, that’s an excellent interview, Ron! I could sense some serious prep work go behind it. A lot of people tend to wing these interviews and they therefore tend to be shallow. That’s not the case here. Really enjoyed it.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Now, that’s an excellent interview, Ron! I could sense some serious prep work go behind it. A lot of people tend to wing these interviews and they therefore tend to be shallow. That’s not the case here. Really enjoyed it.

Thank you for the kind words! I have deliberately evolved these audio show interviews to approach the same length and depth as the Masters & Makers Zoom interviews.

 

[PeterA]

Ron I noticed you asked him three questions pertaining to some of your personal preferences regarding speaker designs: midrange tweeter midrange driver arrangement, mixing two different amps in biwire configuration and four tower speaker systems with sub stacks. He graciously dismissed each scenario explaining well why Magico does not pursue any of them. I commend you for asking those questions and I appreciate his responses.

His response to your questions about tube amps was also pretty interesting. I wonder if he cares about his designs being flexible enough for a broad amplifier choice. And he seemed to dismiss another Magico horn design. I would have enjoyed a few follow up questions on those topics.

Does his reasoning make sense to you and could you share with us your listening impressions of this very ambitious system?

Thanks for doing the interview. Well done.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron I noticed you asked him three questions pertaining to some of your personal preferences regarding speaker designs: midrange tweeter midrange driver arrangement, mixing two different amps in biwire configuration and four tower speaker systems with sub stacks.

I totally understand why you think these are my personal preferences. I definitely talk about them frequently.

I actually don't know that they are my personal preferences. In other words I would rather have one simple left channel speaker and one simple right channel speaker and a stereo amp or a pair of monos that give me the sonic effect of the four tower system and mixed amps. Since I have not heard that that is possible, I reach for other things which are the complications you referred to. I'm writing this just to point out that I don't consider the complexity good or desirable per se. The complexity is an unfortunate side effect of what I am trying to achieve sonically.

One of my favorite systems (nearby Ali) is horn speakers + basshorns + subwoofers = a six piece system.

He graciously dismissed each scenario explaining well why Magico does not pursue any of them.

Yes, he was very patient with my questions and took each of them seriously.

I commend you for asking those questions

Thank you.

and I appreciate his responses.

I did too!

His response to your questions about tube amps was also pretty interesting. I wonder if he cares about his designs being flexible enough for a broad amplifier choice. And he seemed to dismiss another Magico horn design. I would have enjoyed a few follow up questions on those topics.

I agree. There are things I wish I felt I had had time to follow up on. Even with zero "foreplay" (hat tip to Jim Yager) and getting immediately into substantive questions I feel like 25 minutes is getting close to the upper limit of what makes sense in a busy audio show context.

Does his reasoning make sense to you

I'm not a speaker designer, so I am unqualified to comment on Alon's answers. I really do consider myself to be a traditional journalist when I conduct these interviews.

As you see I literally never answer my own questions -- as many other YouTube people do. My personal opinions and subjective preferences inform my questions, but I like to believe that I keep my personal opinions to myself in these interviews.

I have in my head the notion that D'Appolito with two midrange drivers gives me the sense of greater believability due to the greater midrange driver surface area, but I have no idea if this is objectively or even subjectively correct. Maybe it's as simple as that I like the Rockport Arrakis, so I naively think to myself "Oh, gee - I must like M-T-M."

Honestly, what I thought to myself when Alon answered that D'Appolito question is that "I wish Andy Payor were here to reply."

and could you share with us your listening impressions of this very ambitious system?

I didn't listen very long, four tracks I think. Jonathan Valin arrived shortly after I finished the interview with Alon, and I did not want to overstay my welcome.

I think the system is as resolving as I have ever heard. It is extremely full range. I thought it sounded great. I really don't know what the critics are talking about.

Thanks for doing the interview. Well done.

Thank you!

 

[Zuman]

I think the system is as resolving as I have ever heard. It is extremely full range. I thought it sounded great. I really don't know what the critics are talking about.

I agree. I probably spent 40 minutes listening. I will say that the system didn't sound very "HiFi," so perhaps that was a little disconcerting to some. There were none of the usual ultra-def exaggerations.
I've noted before that I don't hear much vertical soundstage differentiation in real-life live performance situations, and I didn't hear much from this system, either. Perhaps it's my ears, or perhaps it's just the way things are and some other systems exaggerate it?

 

[sbo6]

Thanks Ron, good interview. Nice to hear a designer talk true tech and share innovations implemented similar to Lawrence Dickie's level of information. Not afraid to share, unlike some other brands that hide tech specifics, hiding behind marketing BS. ;-)

 

[surfing_dude]

Is there any WBF interview with Laurence Dickie?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Is there any WBF interview with Laurence Dickie?

No; I have never met him.

 

[MadFloyd]

What a great interview... informative and entertaining, thank you, Ron and Alon!

 

[Ron Resnick]

What a great interview... informative and entertaining, thank you, Ron and Alon!

Thank you!

 

[surfing_dude]

No; I have never met him.

It’s a shame. He is really a nice person and always happy to answer questions. Hope you meet him someday

 

[jbrrp1]

I’ve been taking the medicine for years — maybe I got the placebo’ cause it ain't getting better!

I believe the only cure......is more COWbell!

 

[Bobvin]

I believe the only cure......is more COWbell!

Judging from your signature, maybe more cowbell isn’t the solution afterall!

 

[SeagoatLeo]

I totally understand why you think these are my personal preferences. I definitely talk about them frequently.

I actually don't know that they are my personal preferences. In other words I would rather have one simple left channel speaker and one simple right channel speaker and a stereo amp or a pair of monos that give me the sonic effect of the four tower system and mixed amps. Since I have not heard that that is possible, I reach for other things which are the complications you referred to. I'm writing this just to point out that I don't consider the complexity good or desirable per se. The complexity is an unfortunate side effect of what I am trying to achieve sonically.

One of my favorite systems (nearby Ali) is horn speakers + basshorns + subwoofers = a six piece system.


Yes, he was very patient with my questions and took each of them seriously.


Thank you.


I did too!


I agree. There are things I wish I felt I had had time to follow up on. Even with zero "foreplay" (hat tip to Jim Yager) and getting immediately into substantive questions I feel like 25 minutes is getting close to the upper limit of what makes sense in a busy audio show context.


I'm not a speaker designer, so I am unqualified to comment on Alon's answers. I really do consider myself to be a traditional journalist when I conduct these interviews.

As you see I literally never answer my own questions -- as many other YouTube people do. My personal opinions and subjective preferences inform my questions, but I like to believe that I keep my personal opinions to myself in these interviews.

I have in my head the notion that D'Appolito with two midrange drivers gives me the sense of greater believability due to the greater midrange driver surface area, but I have no idea if this is objectively or even subjectively correct. Maybe it's as simple as that I like the Rockport Arrakis, so I naively think to myself "Oh, gee - I must like M-T-M."

Honestly, what I thought to myself when Alon answered that D'Appolito question is that "I wish Andy Payor were here to reply."


I didn't listen very long, four tracks I think. Jonathan Valin arrived shortly after I finished the interview with Alon, and I did not want to overstay my welcome.

I think the system is as resolving as I have ever heard. It is extremely full range. I thought it sounded great. I really don't know what the critics are talking about.


Thank you!

While I have been a fan of D'Appolito speaker designs, having owned two, I find that the mid-range surface area cannot be physically too small or constrained in frequency response in a floor standing speaker. My Von Schweikert speakers are like the Rockport but with more drivers and a good sized, medium wide-band mid-range driver (VS9 SE MK2). The great dispersion amplifies the realism of recordings in all directions and the soundstage/imaging are quite realistic as well. I like the Rockport speakers generally due to their voicing similar to the Von Schweikerts. Don't like 18+ Magicos I've heard as well as older Wilsons and B&Ws. They're not my flavor.