A few hours with the M7's

[Mike]

I've had a few weeks to think and rethink my time listening to both the S5s and M7s and the impressions they made on me and my system. My gut tells me the only way I can elevate my current system is to bring in the Pink Faun Scion. But, that is a pretty big jump in my financial investment. I started to think what in my system could help finance such a but purchase. I do have the HiFI Rose 150b, Roon Nucleus One, Gigafoil v4 filter and a pair of SVS 1000 Pro subs. So, I started to take some picture of each piece. Having the SVS subs out of their box I thought I'd hook them up one more time just to play with them once more before I put them up for sale.

View attachment 35033
I remembered that Magico recommended subs be set at around 50 hz. After playing with the subs volume and setup on the SVS app which allows one to set each sub with three sub settings and switching them between settings I think I have them dialed in.
And these are not leaving my system. The Pink Faun can wait. These little SVS subs bring out much more of what I heard from the S5s and well not so much the M7s. But, just a much more control in the lower mid bass and impact from each instruments. Just a more musical experience that I heard with the bigger Magico speakers.

Adding subs is a great step! I really like the tube looking SVS subs. Rance added them to his system and wow! Big improvement.

I can always send you a Pink Faun Scion to try when you’re ready. We have custom made flight cases with laser cut foam, so they travel well. We have quite a few Pink Faun dealers now and more coming on every day, so do check first with anyone you’ve worked with in the past.

 

[Michaels HiFi]

“If you are looking for an analytical "hifi" sound, then I don't think you'll like the Scion. If you prefer musical and organic, it's wonderful.”

I have no idea what that means in the real world. Sounds like an AI statement.

But, thanks for the input!?

Thanks Darrel - but I don't need AI to tell me how to think nor describe what I hear. Sorry if it was above your understanding.

Best of luck with your journey.

 

[Darrel]

Adding subs is a great step! I really like the tube looking SVS subs. Rance added them to his system and wow! Big improvement.

I can always send you a Pink Faun Scion to try when you’re ready. We have custom made flight cases with laser cut foam, so they travel well. We have quite a few Pink Faun dealers now and more coming on every day, so do check first with anyone you’ve worked with in the past.

Thanks for the great information on Pink Faun. If I go with the Scion it will be next year.

When SVS was just a start up I had two of their 20-39 passive subs that I ran with a Carver Cube amp. They are hard to beat for the money. I pulled them out of the system when I got the S3's. I didn't think they matched well. I guess it was more of a snob thing at the time. But, putting them back in with no expectations turned into quite a surprise.

 

[Kingrex]

I've had a few weeks to think and rethink my time listening to both the S5s and M7s and the impressions they made on me and my system. My gut tells me the only way I can elevate my current system is to bring in the Pink Faun Scion. But, that is a pretty big jump in my financial investment. I started to think what in my system could help finance such a but purchase. I do have the HiFI Rose 150b, Roon Nucleus One, Gigafoil v4 filter and a pair of SVS 1000 Pro subs. So, I started to take some picture of each piece. Having the SVS subs out of their box I thought I'd hook them up one more time just to play with them once more before I put them up for sale.

View attachment 35033
I remembered that Magico recommended subs be set at around 50 hz. After playing with the subs volume and setup on the SVS app which allows one to set each sub with three sub settings and switching them between settings I think I have them dialed in.
And these are not leaving my system. The Pink Faun can wait. These little SVS subs bring out much more of what I heard from the S5s and well not so much the M7s. But, just a much more control in the lower mid bass and impact from each instruments. Just a more musical experience that I heard with the bigger Magico speakers.

Glad you found a little boost in performance. I am a advocate of correct sub use myself. I was at the reviewers Mo's house listening to his Wilson V and he had the new Wilson subs. I asked he turn them off and on. What I noted was on, I was just enjoying the music when the subs were on. When off, I went into analyze mode and was listening to the stereo. Back on and I was into enjoying the music again. It was not any sort of large change. The Wilson is already a low reaching speaker. A little completeness filled in.

I have never heard a large Magico. I heard M3 with subs in NY. Driven by Boulder. In a room in a room. Decent room. Good stereo. What struck me most was the guy liked to listen in the dark. When the lights came back on, I was surprised to see the speakers so close. They sounded 10 feet further back in the room. Very good scale for a small speaker. You don't need to change speakers. Your scaled appropriately for the space they are in.

Didn't you tell me you have hundreds of records???????? Why not a basic TT.

I think on the phone we discussed your getting a new server. I was concerned a $30K server paired with a less than $10K DAC would be a miss match. Sort of. More a, would you be getting from the Sever what the server had to offer if the DAC was not up to the task. I have seen many threads go around on what is more important. The server or the DAC. Both are important. What might be more important is synergy. And how your going to couple them together. I have seen so many threads talk about AES is better than USB. If I were in the market, I would want to try a couple DAC like a Lampizator or a Playback or Rockna or some other, as well as a server or 2. Figure out what combination lifts the whole in a way you want the sound to lift.

 

[Darrel]

Hi again Rex. I think the benefits i'm hearing with the subs may come from their low power output. These are only 325 watts each. And they just add enough mid to low bass as to give them more of what the S5s do. Now, the S5 bring more to the listening than just mid to low bass output. But, for my room and system. I'm hearing as you say a more musical listening experience.

"Didn't you tell me you have hundreds of records???????? Why not a basic TT."

I do have a Thoren TT. But, when I decided to get back to my roots of audio playback. I decided that the first half of my life was listening to vinyl and tape. And this part is going to digital streaming.

As far as the server/streamer step. I've alway wondered why a computer and streamer weren't a integrated piece. We started with computers that gave us streaming or storage. And then companies started to move to more boxes with or without separate dedicated power supplies. Dedicated servers and separate streamers. I guess they feel more boxes more cables more power conditioners more filters and more money. The Pink Faun caught my eye because it handles the Roon core computer duties and streamer services in one box. Of course at a noticeable price. As far as my LAiV DAC and their uDDC reclocker. I think they perform at level that might surprise you. Any decision on the Scion will have to be taken next year.

If your in the neighborhood drop by again and have a listen.

 

[Kingrex]

As far as the server/streamer step. I've alway wondered why a computer and streamer weren't a integrated piece. We started with computers that gave us streaming or storage. And then companies started to move to more boxes with or without separate dedicated power supplies. Dedicated servers and separate streamers. I guess they feel more boxes more cables more power conditioners more filters and more money. The Pink Faun caught my eye because it handles the Roon core computer duties and it streamer services in one box. Of course at a noticeable price. As far as my LAiV DAC and their uDDC reclocker. I think they perform at level that might surprise you. Any decision on the Scion will have to be taken next year.

If your in the neighborhood drop by again and have a listen.

I would not advocate for a separste server and streamer. I hadn't really thought of that as a path. I though all good servers had build in streaming??????
FWIW I know people that have the Taiko server with built in DAC and have ditched DAC that cost more than the Scion.

My belief is you have to look at digital as a system. The modem, router, switches, filters, servers and DAC need to be considered as a whole. Not individual parts. It should be thought out as a comprehensive plan.