Magico S3 (2023) Listening Impressions

NekoAudio

New member
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Messages
455
Location
San Jose, CA
I just got back from visiting the Magico headquarters to listen to the new S3 loudspeaker. As soon as music starting playing I thought to myself this is an incredible speaker. It quickly became obvious that it is not just an improved iteration of the previous S3 MkII. In fact, I don't think you should consider it part of the current S- line. It would be better to consider this the first model in a new S- line. Calling it the S3 Mk3 would be a disservice. It is just that good.

Still, as the obvious comparison is to the S3 MkII, that's what I will use to describe it. The midrange and bass is clearly more detailed and faster, with more subtle content being reproduced more accurately. The tweeter was very smooth. Overall everything sounded very, very detailed and clear. A lot better than the S3 MkII in detail and clarity. The soundstage was also excellent, and I was able to place individual musicians in a symphony.

There was one track where for a while I wasn't sure if I was hearing the musician breathing or if it was my own breathing, or Alon standing right behind me. But it was actually coming from the speakers and just sounded so realistic, present, and was there in addition to the music.

The new technology used is detailed on Magico's website, but there were some things in particular I noticed. Despite the larger dimensions, the new S3 still seems short or squat, and not that large in person. The internal volume is on par with the S3 MkII. The new midrange and woofer surrounds are a kind of dark grey foam instead of the black rubber that's been used on all the other speakers. How dark and how bright the foam is differs based on the light (see photos). Foam has a reputation for deteriorating quickly but this is a new kind that is specified to last decades.

I firmly believe the new enclosure design and construction, and new vibration absorbing feet, is a large improvement over the previous build with SPODs. The S-series has always been great in those areas, but the new S3 is better in every way with respect to enclosure vibrations.

[I don't know how to post image thumbnails that will open larger when you click on them, so instead you can find large photos on my Imgur Magico S3 (2023) album.]
 
Fantastic report! Thank you. Can’t wait to get my pair. People that missed out on our trade-in/trade-up program will be seriously kicking themselves.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Did you compare the S3 mk2 and the new mk3 at the Magico factory?
 
Thank you for sharing, S3's were always good spot in Magico line, giving so much performance for there cost, however the new version is real bump in price - hopefully performance will at list be equal to the price increase.
I'll have to wait few more months to discover the differences between my current S3MK2 in compared with the new version.
 
Did you compare the S3 mk2 and the new mk3 at the Magico factory?

I’m fairly familiar with the S3 MkII, having had them here for a long time and also recently listening to them at someone else’s place. Plus we still have the S5 MkII and S1 MkII here.

Thank you for sharing, S3's were always good spot in Magico line, giving so much performance for there cost, however the new version is real bump in price - hopefully performance will at list be equal to the price increase.

You’re welcome. It’s always nice if things can cost less, but I think you will find the improvements to be well worth it.
 
Any thoughts on how they compare to the "M" series?

I’m fairly familiar with the S3 MkII, having had them here for a long time and also recently listening to them at someone else’s place. Plus we still have the S5 MkII and S1 MkII here.



You’re welcome. It’s always nice if things can cost less, but I think you will find the improvements to be well worth it.
 
Neko,
Thank your informative early impressions of the New S3s. Two questions:
1. What was the component chain used the drive the new speakers in the demo?
2. Other than speed/detail, in this venue was it possible to further characterize the new speakers' bass vs. your recollections of the S3 MkII or the A5?
 
Any thoughts on how they compare to the "M" series?

Yeah...I think it's actually going to become a point of consideration for people: going with an S3 or an M2. Particularly with the price difference. I usually listen to the M2, but obviously with different electronics and in a different room. Whereas before I would easily say the M2 is better in every way than the S3 MkII, I have a feeling the S3 might have better detail retrieval than the M2 while the M2 might still sound more "pure". I'll feel more confident about that assessment once I can hear them side-by-side in the same room with the same electronics. But at the moment I don't know yet which one I'll end up wanting in my primary listening setup. So on one hand that's inconclusive, but on the other hand it shows how good the new S3 is.

1. What was the component chain used the drive the new speakers in the demo?
2. Other than speed/detail, in this venue was it possible to further characterize the new speakers' bass vs. your recollections of the S3 MkII?

1. I believe it was the MSB Select DAC, Pilium Alexander preamp, and Pilium Hercules amplifiers.

2. I guess you're asking about low frequency extension? Adding SPODs to the S3 MkII noticeably improves the low end compared to the S3 MkII with stock spikes, making the frequency response remain flatter as it goes lower. The new S3 has built-in SPOD-like feet, and I thought the frequency extension was comparable to the S3 MkII with SPODs.
 
Hi Neko, I have read your reports with interest. I own the S1 MkII and have tried the S3 MkII in my system. Since you know the S1 MkII and S3 MkII well, I wonder, is the S3 2023 just as expressive, lively, open, and transparent? Or is it perhaps warmer and sweeter? How is the treble? Just as open as that of the S1 or is it darker, more like the S3? I am kind of hoping for more of the Q-series' purity and neutrality and less of the S1's roundness.
 
Hi Neko, I have read your reports with interest. I own the S1 MkII and have tried the S3 MkII in my system. Since you know the S1 MkII and S3 MkII well, I wonder, is the S3 2023 just as expressive, lively, open, and transparent? Or is it perhaps warmer and sweeter? How is the treble? Just as open as that of the S1 or is it darker, more like the S3? I am kind of hoping for more of the Q-series' purity and neutrality and less of the S1's roundness.

Hi. Hopefully I have understood your questions, and my answers will be helpful. Sorry I just got back to the forum today and didn't see your post earlier.

I found the new S3 to be more transparent and I suppose expressive is a synonym for detailed and clear with good dynamic response? In which case I would say the new S3 improves on the S3 MkII in all of those areas. Someone else just posted about hearing the S3 at AXPONA and remarking how close they sound to the M-series. I agree that the improvements have made it a much more relevant comparison instead of a clean-cut answer. In that respect it may have more of what you're describing as the Q-series purity over the S-series roundness.

I'm hesitant to remark on lively, open, or sweeter because I'm not sure those adjectives necessarily mean the same thing to both of us. And I think those adjectives can just as often be a reflection of the electronics you are using. I would not describe the new S3 as warmer sounding. The treble, actually the entire range of reproduction, is outstanding. You mention finding the S3 MkII to sound darker than the S1 MkII but I'm mentally translating that into the S3 having greater bass extension than the S1, or possibly different room interactions because of the lower extension. As I don't find the S3 MkII to be darker than the S1 MkII in the way I would normally use that adjective.

In general, I think the new S3 is a significant upgrade over the current S-series speakers. If I was you, I wouldn't hesitate to go from your S1 MkII to the new S3 unless you need the more near-field listening experience of a bookshelf-like speaker or are worried about the bass extension due to neighbors, room acoustics, or something like that.
 
Hi Neko, thank you very much, that's all very useful information! I hope to hear the speakers in Munich and will decide thereafter.
 
I purchased a pair of S3 MkII second-hand while still owning the S1 MkII with the full intention of upgrading. Upon comparison, I loved the S3's bass but found its midrange mildly synthetic/colored even if it was crisper and clearer than that of the S1s. Also, I found the S3 to sound less spacious in the depth plane, less organic, more static, and less free-breathing, so I decided to stick with the S1s. But the itch never went away;-)

Now, with the S3 2023, I am well-seduced to give it another shot. I suspect/hope that the removal of the plastic basket behind the midrange will make the midrange sound more in line with the clean purity of the Q5 that I know very well and like a lot, even if they can err on the overly clean side if not matched carefully.
 
Heard the S3s in Munich and they sounded fantastic. For an in-depth description, see the report I wrote on hifi-advice (sorry, turns out I am not allowed to post a link...)
 
Heard the S3s in Munich and they sounded fantastic. For an in-depth description, see the report I wrote on hifi-advice (sorry, turns out I am not allowed to post a link...)

Thanks. Just need 10 posts before you can post a link.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
I think it's a new product.

The MOC reviews of the new S3 are nice but a bit difficult to interpret considering that the speakers were being driven by maybe 10X their price in electronics, plus the new subs - hardly the system they'd find at my home.
 
We've been blindsided by the S-sub Mk2 news. Usually Magico gives us a few social media teasers when they have a new product about to be released. We had no insight on the new subwoofer. I wonder if there is an upgrade path for S-sub Mk1 owners?
 
Back
Top