Magico S5

[Nightlord]

My point was that I didn't see anything new about them. Also, why the O&G use opamps, instead of discrete components? Also, bridging a mono amp to get a stereo, doesn't that affect SQ, damping, etc?
Ah, do they use negative feedback?

What does 'new' have to do with 'best'? If the best ever amp was made in (stabbing at a number) 1974, that would be what we used, right?

I have no idea, I'm not involved in it, nor do I own one. Send them a mail, perhaps?

 

[asiufy]

Sorry, I was just curious about what these brands bring to the table, that'd be different from, say, Hegel.

So you don't know what makes them better than a Hegel, they just are, correct?


alexandre

 

[Nightlord]

they just are, correct?

Remove the comma and you've got the idea.

 

[asiufy]

Thanks.
For reference, are there any other brands of amplifiers, swedish or not, that you appreciate?


alexandre

 

[Nightlord]

Thanks.
For reference, are there any other brands of amplifiers, swedish or not, that you appreciate?

Bryston 14B-SST after the legacy components was removed from it is the current reference.

I'm running Rotel 1090 and a few NAD 208 myself - don't have the money for the more expensive ones (yet).

 

[stereo]

Just saw Sircom's review of S5 in Hifi+. His description of the speaker sound is spot on.
S5 review by Alon Sircom

 

[PeterA]

Nice review of the S5 though I would have liked to read a description of how it differs from the V3 which it replaces. I'm also curious about how it differs from the Q3. The review makes it seem as though it is slightly more forgiving than the Q3 with exaggerated bass impact and warmth, perhaps not having quite as neutral a tonal balance.

The curved aluminum sides and back make me wonder what an all-aluminum replacement for the Mini 2 could have looked and sounded like - a stand mounted, curved sided, all black aluminum Mini 3, Mini S, or Mini Q. The idea of a curved enclosure with a curved front baffle (combining the S and Q) is also kind of interesting.

 

[stereo]

nice pic! they look massive on this pic!!
I just hope they are not trying to play them in this position

 

[pelo911]

Hi

i went to CES 2014 show
the room i liked the most was Magico with Vitus and Magico S3

someone i know emailed me yesterday:
"listened to the Magico S1 & S5. You may not want to believe it but both speakers are superior (sound way better) than your Focal Maestro Utopia. The Magico sound is much different (more natural) and more accurate than the Focal. It's not even close.

You should sell your Focal's and buy Magico's."


what do you think?
someone here had a chance to hear the Maestro and Magico?

 

[asiufy]

Hi

i went to CES 2014 show
the room i liked the most was Magico with Vitus and Magico S3

someone i know emailed me yesterday:
"listened to the Magico S1 & S5. You may not want to believe it but both speakers are superior (sound way better) than your Focal Maestro Utopia. The Magico sound is much different (more natural) and more accurate than the Focal. It's not even close.

You should sell your Focal's and buy Magico's."


what do you think?
someone here had a chance to hear the Maestro and Magico?

I agree, not even close. I reckon even the S1 would be superior in most situations.


alexandre

 

[microstrip]

Hi

i went to CES 2014 show
the room i liked the most was Magico with Vitus and Magico S3

someone i know emailed me yesterday:
"listened to the Magico S1 & S5. You may not want to believe it but both speakers are superior (sound way better) than your Focal Maestro Utopia. The Magico sound is much different (more natural) and more accurate than the Focal. It's not even close.

You should sell your Focal's and buy Magico's."


what do you think?
someone here had a chance to hear the Maestro and Magico?

Pelo911,

IMHO this type of short comment is absurd. How can some one give such an absolute statement? Has he lived with both speakers a few months?

BTW, if you want to read nice things about Focal speakers do not ask about them in a Magico thread - can I suggest a french audio forum?

 

[pelo911]

Pelo911,

IMHO this type of short comment is absurd. How can some one give such an absolute statement? Has he lived with both speakers a few months?

BTW, if you want to read nice things about Focal speakers do not ask about them in a Magico thread - can I suggest a french audio forum?

i went to a Dealer that have Maestro and Magico
and hear them both

 

[pelo911]

the Maestro , i never saw them on any recommended list :

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php...enu/384-what-i-d-buy-loudspeakers-over-15-000

 

[LL21]

Hi

i went to CES 2014 show
the room i liked the most was Magico with Vitus and Magico S3

someone i know emailed me yesterday:
"listened to the Magico S1 & S5. You may not want to believe it but both speakers are superior (sound way better) than your Focal Maestro Utopia. The Magico sound is much different (more natural) and more accurate than the Focal. It's not even close.

You should sell your Focal's and buy Magico's."


what do you think?
someone here had a chance to hear the Maestro and Magico?

I have heard the Maestros and Grandes, S5s and S1s...all in the same room at various points in the last few months. The electronics change but not by much...typically D'Agostino, ARC or Constellation and always TA Ref cables and 90% Metronome Kalista and 10% ARC CD. I have been listening here for 10 years. The S5 is a great speaker for sure...I feel for its price, it is more attractive to me than the S1 at its price. In fact, in addition to being an excellent speaker on an absolute basis, what makes it particularly attractive is its performance-price in comparison with many other speakers at that price.

But does one sell Maestros and go buy a Magico S5? Despite how good the S5s are (particularly for the money), not convinced about that at all...but then again, my average 'hold period' for audio is about 7 years. I have flipped thru a few things more quickly than that recently (3-4 years)...but mainly it was 'cashless' upgrades (Strad to X1) or once-in-a-long-time opportunity upgrades within the same family (CJ to CJ, Gryphon to Gryphon).

Your Maestro's are excellent speakers, well conceived and by a company with a longstanding reputation in building cones that service many other manufacturers. You can get a lot of beautiful music out of them, and unless you enjoy trading, or can do a smart economic deal here (where you trade for the S5s plus a number of other items you've really wanted or something)...I would not be in such a rush (personally and for my own ears).

Be curious to know what you think when you hear the S5s.

 

[microstrip]

the Maestro , i never saw them on any recommended list :

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php...enu/384-what-i-d-buy-loudspeakers-over-15-000

Pelo911,

IMHO, internet recommended lists just show who are the owners current friends. They just recommend from those they test ...

I see you (or your Maestro's) are needing some support:

http://www.audio.de/testbericht/focal-maestro-utopia-be-im-test-1358232.html

http://www.audiovideohd.fr/actualites/8313-Focal-Maestro-Utopia.html

http://www.hifinews.co.uk/news/article/focal-maestro-utopia-pound;30000/9490

And if you want an user opinion on big Focals you should ask our member Albert Porter who owns the Grande Utopia EM! But remember you will be the one who lives with speakers and must take the decision.

 

[pelo911]

I have heard the Maestros and Grandes, S5s and S1s...all in the same room at various points in the last few months. The electronics change but not by much...typically D'Agostino, ARC or Constellation and always TA Ref cables and 90% Metronome Kalista and 10% ARC CD. I have been listening here for 10 years. The S5 is a great speaker for sure...I feel for its price, it is more attractive to me than the S1 at its price. In fact, in addition to being an excellent speaker on an absolute basis, what makes it particularly attractive is its performance-price in comparison with many other speakers at that price.

But does one sell Maestros and go buy a Magico S5? Despite how good the S5s are (particularly for the money), not convinced about that at all...but then again, my average 'hold period' for audio is about 7 years. I have flipped thru a few things more quickly than that recently (3-4 years)...but mainly it was 'cashless' upgrades (Strad to X1) or once-in-a-long-time opportunity upgrades within the same family (CJ to CJ, Gryphon to Gryphon).

Your Maestro's are excellent speakers, well conceived and by a company with a longstanding reputation in building cones that service many other manufacturers. You can get a lot of beautiful music out of them, and unless you enjoy trading, or can do a smart economic deal here (where you trade for the S5s plus a number of other items you've really wanted or something)...I would not be in such a rush (personally and for my own ears).

Be curious to know what you think when you hear the S5s.

i like the design of Focal much more then Magico

the problem i have with the Maestro:
i replaced my Electra 1038 with the Maestro (few month ago)
i use the same system that i used with the Electra:
Pass Lab x350.5 amp
Pass Lab Xp10 pre
Luxman DA-06 DAC
wireworld platinum usb cable
Cardas Clear and Tara Labs the one speaker cables
Tara Labs 0.8 XLR interconnect
regular PC

I’m using only the computer to play music.
stock AC cable , no AC conditiner/tweaks

http://www.music-line.biz/cms/fileadmin/focal/tests/test_diablomaestro_stereo.pdf

the Maestro have a "hole" around 100hz , they drop to 1.7 ohms
Focal dealer told me they harder to drive then Stella and Grande because compare to them , Maestro using two big 13" driver with no electro magnet like the big brothers.
i'm having hard time to find an amp that can go that low and stay stable and match to Focal.
thought about Vitus SM-101 , but i'm not sure the 100W can handle it.

 

[LL21]

i like the design of Focal much more then Magico

the problem i have with the Maestro:
i replaced my Electra 1038 with the Maestro (few month ago)
i use the same system that i used with the Electra:
Pass Lab x350.5 amp
Pass Lab Xp10 pre
Luxman DA-06 DAC
wireworld platinum usb cable
Cardas Clear and Tara Labs the one speaker cables
Tara Labs 0.8 XLR interconnect
regular PC

I’m using only the computer to play music.
stock AC cable , no AC conditiner/tweaks

http://www.music-line.biz/cms/fileadmin/focal/tests/test_diablomaestro_stereo.pdf

the Maestro have a "hole" around 100hz , they drop to 1.7 ohms
Focal dealer told me they harder to drive then Stella and Grande because compare to them , Maestro using two big 13" driver with no electro magnet like the big brothers.
i'm having hard time to find an amp that can go that low and stay stable and match to Focal.
thought about Vitus SM-101 , but i'm not sure the 100W can handle it.

Interesting...I think the Vitus would be probably near the top of the list for use with your speakers...as purely a personal choice. And they are BEASTS in the power (and more importantly here) the current category. Hans Ole seems to like massively overbuilding his units where their 'specs' (ie, 50 watts, 100 watts) always seem by all accounts to be shockingly more powerful than people initially expect them to sound.

If you can get a hold of a Vitus, I would be very very interested to know what you think. I love Gryphon personally, but I am aware they are next to impossible to find in the US.

 

[Jazzhead]

Hans Ole voiced his first small amp the SS-010 with the Focal Utopia Micro Be , I had the very pairing , musically very expressive it was too . He till recent used the Utopia Grande as his personal speakers , only after CES changing to the Q7's , so it's swings and roundabouts

 

[pelo911]

Hans Ole voiced his first small amp the SS-010 with the Focal Utopia Be , I had the very pairing , musically very expressive it was too . He till recent used the Utopia Grande as his personal speakers , only after CES changing to the Q7's , so it's swings and roundabouts

i emailed Hans from Vitus
he know all Focal models very well

i heard Magico will stop using Vitus on Audio Shows , i'm not sure why

some here compare the Q3 and the S5?
i red that Q3 lack of Bass.

 

[asiufy]

i emailed Hans from Vitus
he know all Focal models very well

i heard Magico will stop using Vitus on Audio Shows , i'm not sure why

some here compare the Q3 and the S5?
i red that Q3 lack of Bass.

Didn't they just start using Vitus at CES? Well...

The -3dB point for the Q3 is 26Hz, while the S5 is 22Hz.
The Q3 has 3 7" woofers, while the S5 has only 2 but 10" woofers.
Since specs aren't everything, yes, the S5 has, subjectively, "more bass". To my ears, that's a conscious project decision, as there are more drivers on the S5, made of different materials, so they sound different, with different excursion characterstics.
But no, IMHO, the Q3 doesn't lack bass.


alexandre