What are you driving your Magico's with?

Mike

Mike

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As the title says...interested in hearing from Magico owners what they are driving their Magico's with.

I have heard them sound great with Devialet, Vitus, Pass, VAC, McIntosh, Tenor, Spectral, Sim, CAT (oh my God was this good), Soulution and much more.

P.S. anyone who says "Kondo" isn't playing fair!

Second question: if you were thinking of tube amps for Magico's, what would you consider? VTL? CJ? BAT? VAC? ARC? Zesto? Tenor?

I have Magico S1 mk2's and S5 mk2's coming in soon and I'm looking at lots of fun options - obviously Pass and Devialet are up there.
 
Happily enjoying the S3 with Ayre KX-5 Twenty + VX-5 Twenty.


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Did you upgrade your 250's to the SE?


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I am driving my M Pros with Krell MRAs. Very happy with the sound. Lots of power makes the M Pros sing :)
 
I don't own the speakers, but while researching/auditioning the S5 (and the S1 appears to be easier to drive), Pass X series at the lower end would be my first choice. Dagostino at the higher end - and Dart 458s would probably be amazing at the upper echelon :)

I heard the S5s on the big Vacs and was disappointed in a largish dealer room. Just didn't seem to control the big woofers right. The huge CATs should be better (and a sauna!), but I think with the Magicos proclivity for loafing in the 2-3 ohm area in the bass, SS is a safer choice. VTLs might be an interesting however as you can dial-in the feedback on some models which might help with woofer control and tailor to a user's room.

I'll be curious what you find when you get both models!
 
ac473c7d8cdb74cdc8bd94285f3ef905.jpg


Tenor !


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KeithR said:
I don't own the speakers, but while researching/auditioning the S5 (and the S1 appears to be easier to drive), Pass X series at the lower end would be my first choice. Dagostino at the higher end - and Dart 458s would probably be amazing at the upper echelon :)

I heard the S5s on the big Vacs and was disappointed in a largish dealer room. Just didn't seem to control the big woofers right. The huge CATs should be better (and a sauna!), but I think with the Magicos proclivity for loafing in the 2-3 ohm area in the bass, SS is a safer choice. VTLs might be an interesting however as you can dial-in the feedback on some models which might help with woofer control and tailor to a user's room.

I'll be curious what you find when you get both models!
Click to expand...

That's me... just squeaking by on the lower end.
 
Just in the process of doing so
At the moment using a ref75se
And so impressed with this amp
Drives S5 no problem
 
I'm reading some VERY interesting responses. I would love to hear ARC with Magico.

I still can't shake the CAT/S1 mk2 combo from my head. It was truly amazing.
 
Mike said:
I'm reading some VERY interesting responses. I would love to hear ARC with Magico.

I still can't shake the CAT/S1 mk2 combo from my head. It was truly amazing.
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I think you have it right the KT150 tube is an amazing tube
I have heard the ref75 with KT120 many times still a very good amp
But the se version on another level
And for me ARC and Magico work great
 
CAT is one of the best amps I've ever heard and I'm not a tube guy!

Remember the CAT electronics driving the Vivids at least year's Axpona? Insanely good... I almost bought a pair... but of course I'd want the preamp too and have to change cabling to single ended etc.....
 
Mike said:
I'm reading some VERY interesting responses. I would love to hear ARC with Magico.

I still can't shake the CAT/S1 mk2 combo from my head. It was truly amazing.
Click to expand...

Read about the demo, which CAT amps were those again?

I'm eagerly awaiting what they will demo at Highend in Munich.


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i use 2 VAC Phi 200's, bridged--one for each Q3. Highly recommended! Would use NOS tubes though. Makes a BIG difference.

i tried to like a Pass XA30.5, but there was just something not right about that pairing. Dry, lacking bass, sort of "hard" sounding. It wasn't inadequate power b/c even at loud volumes the power meter never moved.

But that may just be me. I've never found a SS amp that I could listen to for hrs without listening fatigue.
 
I concur that Pass and Magico (Q series) don't match. Your description is perfect, and I also agree it's not a power issue...

I have only tried my Q3s with tubes once (with Audiopax 50W monoblocs) and it was indeed very sweet, smooth and non-fatiguing, but still with enough bite and top end so it wasn't dull. Those speakers will indeed fatigue if the amps (and other associated gear) in front of them are not good enough, and even a small cable change will make itself noticeable!

The best SS amp I've heard with the Q3s (and Q7s) was the darTZeel, by far! Since you're nearby, if you want to give it a try on your Q3s, let me know :D



cheers,
alex
 
asiufy said:
I concur that Pass and Magico (Q series) don't match. Your description is perfect, and I also agree it's not a power issue...

I have only tried my Q3s with tubes once (with Audiopax 50W monoblocs) and it was indeed very sweet, smooth and non-fatiguing, but still with enough bite and top end so it wasn't dull. Those speakers will indeed fatigue if the amps (and other associated gear) in front of them are not good enough, and even a small cable change will make itself noticeable!

The best SS amp I've heard with the Q3s (and Q7s) was the darTZeel, by far! Since you're nearby, if you want to give it a try on your Q3s, let me know :D



cheers,
alex
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I agree. Pass-Magico was an awful matchup in my system and I was using XA200.5's so hardly a power issue. Like DTH31 , I have been using Phi200 Monoblocs & a Sig2a on my Q3's . Excellent match though truth be told, I never really warmed to the Magico sound so my Q3's are on the way out . I had tremendous luck with the Lamm M1.2 Reference mono blocs , IMO one of the great amps out there . I had the Sig 2a fronting that system and that was a terrific pairing. The tube stage using a 6DJ8 on a Class A amp is a stroke of genius on Lamm's part. If only Vladimir Lamm produced a remote controlled preamp....same shortcoming as CAT on that front.
 
Agree that the Q3's take work. They are just so transparent. Every change in tubes, cables, etc is readily audible. I rolled a LOT of preamp and amp tubes before I was able to get sound that truly impressed me. But it's been worth the effort!

Dave
 
Dth31 said:
Agree that the Q3's take work. They are just so transparent. Every change in tubes, cables, etc is readily audible. I rolled a LOT of preamp and amp tubes before I was able to get sound that truly impressed me. But it's been worth the effort!

Dave
Click to expand...

One Man's transparency is another Man's frigidity....... I guess I never really warmed to the Magico ruthlessness . Case of respecting them but never loving them. I had and continue to have tremendous luck with the Phi200's using GEC KT88's and TT21's combined with Sylvania Black Plates for the 6SN7's. And BTW, the SE upgrade to the Sig2a is well worth doing , especially if you have a phono stage built-in.
 
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