Magico M3 v Gryphon Trident II v YG Sonja 2.2

[AJR]

AJR, have you talked to Magico owners or better yet visited their homes in Singapore? If not I would urge you to speak with Alvin or Cecil to request they connect you to local Magico owners – before you commit to the purchase. Beyond the loudspeakers bass, you need to be confident about the Magico / Gryphon synergy. By meeting Magico M3 and M-Project owners you get insight into their choices of amplification [one of them swears by a tube amplifier; another swears by Soulution] and their thoughts on the necessity (or otherwise) to supplement the Magico’s bass by purchasing Q sub(s).

great idea. Thanks.

[AJR]

To wrap this up: I love my S3 mk2s. With my Gryphon amps I get crunch with my rock/grunge (so long as I am on low or medium Class A Bias) and what I consider to be amazing sound for all other genres. My only question at this stage is this: does the M3 deliver bass at least as deep as the S3 mk2s? I know that all other sounds are a big step up. I plan to get subs eventually, but would prefer to decide on speakers without subs being necessary.

[Adyc]

To wrap this up: I love my S3 mk2s. With my Gryphon amps I get crunch with my rock/grunge (so long as I am on low or medium Class A Bias) and what I consider to be amazing sound for all other genres. My only question at this stage is this: does the M3 deliver bass at least as deep as the S3 mk2s? I know that all other sounds are a big step up. I plan to get subs eventually, but would prefer to decide on speakers without subs being necessary.

Your Singapore dealer should be able to answer the bass question. Can I ask which sub are you going to get? Q sub?

[AJR]

I am agnostic re subs. Naturally predisposed to Magico (so Q-sub) but REL seems like a viable (and cheaper) alternative. Do you have any view on this? And I need two, right?

[Adyc]

I am agnostic re subs. Naturally predisposed to Magico (so Q-sub) but REL seems like a viable (and cheaper) alternative. Do you have any view on this? And I need two, right?

Qsub offers much more flexibility in terms of parameters. I would also suggest to consider JL Audio F112.

[AJR]

You have these?

[kzhtoo]

I got good results using JL F113v2 with my S3.

[Mike]

I got good results using JL F113v2 with my S3.

Agreed. Highly recommend the JL Audio over REL for Magico. YMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KeithR]

Funny, i'm quite the opposite. I think the new tweeter is super natural, while the older one was hot on certain music and required careful amplifier matching.

If you are considering YG Acoustics, I would honestly buy a pair of demo Sonja 1.2 over a new pair of Sonja 2.2. I heard the Sonja 2.2 in two different systems and I didn’t like the new silk dome tweeter with the aluminum bracing. It may have a higher power handling capacity before breakup but the old silk dome tweeter in the Sonja 1.2 is much smoother sounding and more pleasing to the ears in my honest opinion. It may also have something to do with changes in the crossover frequency with the new tweeter.

Ken

[KeithR]

I know that all other sounds are a big step up. I plan to get subs eventually, but would prefer to decide on speakers without subs being necessary.

I agree that any $70k speaker system shouldn't need subs.

[Alpinist]

Funny, i'm quite the opposite. I think the new tweeter is super natural, while the older one was hot on certain music and required careful amplifier matching.

Keith,

At what volume levels were you playing? Hard to imagine the original silk dome sounding hot unless it was being pushed to very high volume levels. I listened to the 1.2 and 2.2 on Audionet and MSB monoblocks.

Ken

[Elberoth]

I agree that any $70k speaker system shouldn't need subs.

M3 is not a full range speaker (that goes flat to 20Hz). Want a super deep bass ? - fork out for the bigger M6.

M3 is a reference class speaker for small and medium sized rooms.

Sure, there are plenty $70k speakers which could be called full range, but none of them will match the mid and treble purity and resolution of the M3. To each his own.

[Alpinist]

Hi AJR,

Can I ask you a couple questions? Have you been happy with the sound of your Magico S3 MK2‘s? Do you wish you had gone with another brand instead?

If the answer is yes to the first question and no to the second, then why wouldn’t you be thrilled with the sound of the Magico M3, which sound significantly better than the S3 Mk2 in every way? They are the most logical upgrade path from where you are right now.

P.S. - I am not a Magico owner nor do I have a dog in this hunt.

Best,
Ken

[Jim Smith]

M3 is not a full range speaker (that goes flat to 20Hz). Want a super deep bass ? - fork out for the bigger M6.

M3 is a reference class speaker for small and medium sized rooms.

His room is medium.

Adding subs in this case is not about super deep bass. It's about increased presence & spatial quality.

[AJR]

Hi Ken,

More than happy with my S3 mk2s, including the bass, and the Magico brand, and agree that the M3 is the logical upgrade path. As long as the M3’s bass is at least as low as the S3 mk2, then the M3 tops my shortlist. I will start trying to actually listen to these different options soon.

Cheers

Andrew

[Adyc]

His room is medium.

Adding subs in this case is not about super deep bass. It's about increased presence & spatial quality.

Is it a general statement or specific advice to owners of M3?

[AJR]

Mike (and anyone else who knows both speakers) - do the M3s go as low as the S3 mk2s? Specs say yes but what is your experience?

[Mike]

Mike (and anyone else who knows both speakers) - do the M3s go as low as the S3 mk2s? Specs say yes but what is your experience?

Yes. Definitely. They also can play in a much larger room and fill it. But they’re also happy in a smaller room too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AJR]

Good enough for me

Will still try to audition them all but M3s are the front-runner.

[AJR]

My Magico dealer has offered me an insanely generous trade-in on my S3 mk2s too (for M3s with M-pods). It is so good I doubt he will make anything at all on the re-sale. Takes away the stress and time of me re-selling them. A good dealer is so valuable!

[Mike]

My Magico dealer has offered me an insanely generous trade-in on my S3 mk2s too (for M3s with M-pods). It is so good I doubt he will make anything at all on the re-sale. Takes away the stress and time of me re-selling them. A good dealer is so valuable!

So true! Congrats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FDPDK]

My Magico dealer has offered me an insanely generous trade-in on my S3 mk2s too (for M3s with M-pods). It is so good I doubt he will make anything at all on the re-sale. Takes away the stress and time of me re-selling them. A good dealer is so valuable!

Very true , and congratulations with your new speakers

[Alpinist]

My Magico dealer has offered me an insanely generous trade-in on my S3 mk2s too (for M3s with M-pods). It is so good I doubt he will make anything at all on the re-sale. Takes away the stress and time of me re-selling them. A good dealer is so valuable!

Congrats Andrew! I think you will be over the moon with your choice.

Enjoy,
Ken

[Adyc]

My Magico dealer has offered me an insanely generous trade-in on my S3 mk2s too (for M3s with M-pods). It is so good I doubt he will make anything at all on the re-sale. Takes away the stress and time of me re-selling them. A good dealer is so valuable!

Let us know how M3 sounds in your room.

[AJR]

I must have given the wrong impression - I haven’t committed yet! I am still recovering from the Gryphon and MSB purchases.

Am hoping to hear them and also the YGs. Doubt I will be able to hear the Tridents.

But I think we all know where this is heading!

[brodricj]

@AJR So I guess you aren't interested in my Q3's then...

[gtl]

Isn't the Vivid G1 Spirit worth a look? The Singapore dealer is pretty good.

[heihei]

One thing I'd consider is the volume you want to play music at. When I was searching, I found the sealed box designs (Magico, YG) needed to be played at a decent volume with plenty of power behind them to come alive. Below that they became flat / lifeless. If you're happy with every listening session being flat-out then no problem, but if not, then worth considering.

To my mind, Magico and YG are cut from the same cloth (FWIW I prefer YG), so it may be worth throwing in a different design into the mix to test the above point re: volume. Vivids should def be on your list - the bass is stunning for rock music, esp on the Spirit. I ended up with Wilson Benesch Resolutions + Torus - they are stunning speakers for all the reasons Roy G outlines, and in the UK at least, look very good value compared to non-UK produced speakers (which include Vivid).

[Mike]

Here in the U.S., Vivid has fallen off the map. They decided to terminate their U.S. Distributor about a year ago and go in a completely different direction (working with home designers, home decorators, CI guys, etc.). It’s most certainly not a direction I would have gone with.

[Jim Smith]

IMO, the G1 Spirit is probably the best current "Cone & Dome" loudspeaker that I have voiced to a room in the past 10 years or so. In that respect, it's also significantly beyond the performance of the lower Vivid models.

However - aside from their appearance - there is a real question of their ultimate staying power with the direction they seem to be taking with their marketing.

It's enough of a conundrum that I would have to have plentiful spare funds around that I could use in case the worst happens.

[Adyc]

IMO, the G1 Spirit is probably the best current "Cone & Dome" loudspeaker that I have voiced to a room in the past 10 years or so. In that respect, it's also significantly beyond the performance of the lower Vivid models.

However - aside from their appearance - there is a real question of their ultimate staying power with the direction they seem to be taking with their marketing.

It's enough of a conundrum that I would have to have plentiful spare funds around that I could use in case the worst happens.

In your opinion, G1S is better than M3?

[Jim Smith]

In your opinion, G1S is better than M3?

On an absolute basis - aside from the concerns noted in my previous post - I would say yes, with the proviso that the room is large enough. It's not a speaker for a middle-to-small room, where the M3 would reign supreme. Also would not place other Vivid models above M3.

I state this not as some incontrovertible fact, but merely my opinion.

[gtl]

Listening to my Vivid G3 now. Absolutely love it still. The G1S at my dealer's place was noticeably better. But I do agree on the room size requirement. If you have the space, I would think its hard to beat.

[nicoff]

Short wall. AT LEAST 31 inches from the middle of the speaker to the side wall. 40-42 inches is better,

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike, I noticed that MBL recommends that the distance between the speakers (on center) not exceed 3.5 meters (roughly 11'-6"). Do you feel that to be the case?
If that is true, in a room with a front wall that is 20 feet long, then the minimum distance to the side wall would be about 51 inches. Thats because in a large room the controlling dimension would become the distance center-to-center between speakers as opposed to distance to side wall?

[Mike]

Yes. I agree with that. Min distance to side wall is 31 inches from middle of Speaker to wall.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[still-one]

The Wilson Alexia II has been getting almost universally strong reviews. I'd check this one out. Rockport is also a very strong brand but unsure of availability in Singapore.

Get with Ron Ong at Coherence Audio. As I remember they are a Rockport dealer. Ron is a great guy. While there check out the MBL's.

[LVB]

Always thought the bass was wacky on the big Vivids; I don’t buy the “they need a big room” argument, these speakers need to work in a room, in a house, not a ballroom (They had bass issues in Munich as well, where the rooms are big). It’s merely a problematic design, that is all. Midrange is beautiful, but highs are raspy.

[Jim Smith]

Always thought the bass was wacky on the big Vivids; I don’t buy the “they need a big room” argument, these speakers need to work in a room, in a house, not a ballroom (They had bass issues in Munich as well, where the rooms are big). It’s merely a problematic design, that is all. Midrange is beautiful, but highs are raspy.

...whatever...

[LVB]

...whatever...

https://www.stereophile.com/content/...r-measurements

Look at the measurements, almost 15 db more output below 150Hz (in-room, but what start with a 5 db boost anechoic can get out of control in-room in a compromised design). Interesting, you can also see the tweeter "less then optimal” performance.

[Mike]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/...r-measurements

Look at the measurements, almost 15 db more output below 150Hz (in-room, but what start with a 5 db boost anechoic can get out of control in-room in a compromised design). Interesting, you can also see the tweeter "less then optimal” performance.

The G3 S2 was even too much in a 19 x 25. I heard the G1 in a small room at Axpona and it sounded like 12 cheap subwoofers were in the room. They need a very big room or a lot of patience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mordante]

His room is medium.

Adding subs in this case is not about super deep bass. It's about increased presence & spatial quality.

What is considered a small, medium or big room? Small I would say is 3*4meters, medim anything up to 6*8meters large would be above that.