On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Mike said:
Ian - any first impressions?
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Yup. Did some listening (with Peter Ayer who graciously came down to help). These are VERY early impressions (haven't sampled that much in the way of different music styles yet).

Obviously the speakers need to break in. They are also sitting on casters which puts them higher than they will be on spikes (and from my experience with Alexias this can make a huge difference in low frequencies) and are simply placed where I had my S5's (i.e. no attempt at voicing has been made thus far - other than Peter insisting on a bit of toe-in).


I have to say that the tweeter is really special. I feel like I'm just echoing previous reports, but it's seamless and clean, clean, clean.. The entire frequency spectrum seems seamless. Music is fast, liquid and full of ENERGY. Whether it be a sax, acoustic bass, or a string section, I feel energy like I've never felt before. The bass is DEEP, but taut & snappy (who knows how much this will change with break-in). Soundstage is huge. It's so wonderful to finally have 'big' speakers. Symphonies are outstanding - the closest thing I've heard to the BSO so far. Instruments are so separated and there is lots of depth.


Piano was really telling - again the word 'seamless' comes to mind with oodles of resolution, especially impressive detail in the low frequencies. The size, weight, and presence puts the piano right in the room.


It'll be interesting to see how the sound evolves during break-in. Right now I'd say they are more neutral than the S5's but not cold or analytical. I've yet to play any rock so that will be interesting.
 
Ian, big congrats on scoring these great speakers! I am so jelly!:P

I know it's early still, but does the M Project sound more like a Q series, S series, a blend of the two, or something different altogether?

Again, congrats on this major score!:congrats::congrats:
 
On another site I jokingly said I should buy his S5s for spare parts. I will say if you are even thinking of buying S5s, or similar, this is your chance.
 
madfloyd said:
Yup. Did some listening (with Peter Ayer who graciously came down to help). These are VERY early impressions (haven't sampled that much in the way of different music styles yet).

Obviously the speakers need to break in. They are also sitting on casters which puts them higher than they will be on spikes (and from my experience with Alexias this can make a huge difference in low frequencies) and are simply placed where I had my S5's (i.e. no attempt at voicing has been made thus far - other than Peter insisting on a bit of toe-in).


I have to say that the tweeter is really special. I feel like I'm just echoing previous reports, but it's seamless and clean, clean, clean.. The entire frequency spectrum seems seamless. Music is fast, liquid and full of ENERGY. Whether it be a sax, acoustic bass, or a string section, I feel energy like I've never felt before. The bass is DEEP, but taut & snappy (who knows how much this will change with break-in). Soundstage is huge. It's so wonderful to finally have 'big' speakers. Symphonies are outstanding - the closest thing I've heard to the BSO so far. Instruments are so separated and there is lots of depth.


Piano was really telling - again the word 'seamless' comes to mind with oodles of resolution, especially impressive detail in the low frequencies. The size, weight, and presence puts the piano right in the room.


It'll be interesting to see how the sound evolves during break-in. Right now I'd say they are more neutral than the S5's but not cold or analytical. I've yet to play any rock so that will be interesting.
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congrats Ian! They sound like winners! They sure do look like world class speakers. I can't wait to hear them. Road trip to Boston perhaps? ;)


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A big congratulations, Madfloyd. I remember vividly encouraging you to get these because I knew that it was likely going to be the only way that I would ever be able to hear the M Project in any setting, much less in a good friend's home system. I just never thought you would go through with it. So I jumped at the chance to help you uncrate them and watch the movers lug them into your listening room.


I agree with Madfloyd's initial impressions and will just add a few of my own. I understand that they will need 400 hours or so of break in and that the initial positioning is not yet ideal, but with those caveats, I have to say, hearing these M Projects has been sort of an epiphany for me. Today was the first time that I have heard symphonic music through a stereo system sound remotely like what I have heard at the BSO or the Vienna State Opera. The scale was huge and the sound was completely effortless and natural. Specifically, the sound was ultra coherent, seamless and tonally balanced. All I heard was the music, no system, no boundaries. Dynamics, macro, but especially micro were better than I've heard from any system, including the Q7 and Wilson XLF, both of which were in purpose built super demo rooms.


Madfloyd wrote of energy. I spent four days listening to rehearsals at the Vienna State Opera from the edge of the orchestra pit - full orchestra as well as individual solos. I also listened to cello and piano sonatas in a private living room four weeks ago. I have never heard that sense of pure energy exploding out of a speaker system before. It was startling, very realistic and yet relaxing. Absent was any sense of glare or harshness or discontinuity. Incredible detail, yet absolutely no fatigue. Very clean, smooth, detailed with vanishing levels of distortion, just music. Clean is the one adjective I would use to describe live symphonic music. This is what I heard today.


I should add that from initial impressions, the M Project is voiced to sound more tonally neutral, like the Q series rather than the slight bump and impact in the bass range of the S series. It seems to have a more extended and smoother bass than the S. And the tweeter, which has gotten some attention, is truly extraordinary. It, too, is very smooth and extended, yet one is hardly aware of it, because it does not draw any attention to itself.


My previous two favorite speakers are the Mini 2 and the Q3. Both are extraordinarily coherent and tonally balanced with great dynamics. If set up properly, they can sound very natural and convincing, but compared to the M Project, they just sound small and medium, respectfully. The M sounds HUGE by comparison, with even more resolution. It was an experience I will not soon forget. I can't wait to hear them again after they are more broken in and positioned on their footers.

These impressions are early and based only on listening to acoustic music on vinyl. No digital, pop/rock or amplified music.

Great choice, Madfloyd. What an incredible speaker.
 
Thanks for the write up Peter. Allen (socfan12) and I have been discussing and drooling over Ian's new M Projects all night.

We are going to book our flights once Ian gives us the ok!

I'm so happy for you Ian.

Mike


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Mike, I know Ian's system pretty well now having heard his Sashas, Alexias and S5s, not to mention a myriad of electronics. The S5 was by far the best of that group. I was not prepared for just how much better the M Project is. And his Pass XA160.8 amps seem to be a great match so far.
 
PeterA said:
Mike, I know Ian's system pretty well now having heard his Sashas, Alexias and S5s, not to mention a myriad of electronics. The S5 was by far the best of that group. I was not prepared for just how much better the M Project is. And his Pass XA160.8 amps seem to be a great match so far.
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Peter - that says a lot. They aren't even remotely broken in yet. Can you imagine how good they will get? Scary. Now tell me, how freaking beautiful are they in person? I'm drooling over here....

I bet those 160.8's are indeed an outstanding match.


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Mike said:
Peter - that says a lot. They aren't even remotely broken in yet. Can you imagine how good they will get? Scary. Now tell me, how freaking beautiful are they in person? I'm drooling over here....

I bet those 160.8's are indeed an outstanding match.


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They look great. Of course, I'm partial toward the curved baffle and curved sidewalls of my Mini2, so I'm pretty biased. I like the combination of the Q like baffle with the S series side walls. This is the most elegant looking big speaker I've seen.

I'm really interested in the future direction of Magico speakers. I hope that some of this technology finds its way into smaller, more affordable speakers in the future.
 
PeterA said:
I'm really interested in the future direction of Magico speakers. I hope that some of this technology finds its way into smaller, more affordable speakers in the future.
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That is almost guaranteed. I bet within a year or two it will start appearing. Otherwise, what is the point? Something will have to replace the Q and S series. The competition certainly will not be sitting still.
 
Congratulations!! You share my impressions too! I was lucky to hear the M in Hiversum, Netherlands last month. Much faster, more dynamic and superb resolutiod compared to my old Q5. I can't waith to get my pair :-)
 
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