[MCM4]

Two of them, actually

I ordered these Magicos early January. The M4 end of January (it should arrive in another 3 weeks or so). So the lead time was very similar.

Break in time is quite a bit longer on the speakers - up to 400 hours for optimum performance. And yet, right out of the box, I am in heaven with this set. For years, I have searched out a set of full range speakers I could afford that also delivered the sound I wanted. From the first minute of the first song I auditioned in January, Pull Me Under by Dream Theater, I knew I found them. Speakers are so subjective, but Magico delivers what I like. I was so blown away I also auditioned the S5, and was willing to make the stretch. But I honestly preferred these lower cost A5s, and that is a wonderful thing.

[rustyrotors]

Sweet! I've been an audiophile for many years. What's your front end gear. Pics?

[Battin4th]

Congrats on that purchase. Been an audiophile all my life and had some pretty pricey equipment over the years but nothing quite as nice as those. Currently surviving on soundbar/sub system. But I'm getting the itch again...

Those the speaker cables behind there? They look like climbing ropes. lol. What's the rest of your rig look like?

[Battin4th]

Originally Posted by rustyrotors

Sweet! I've been an audiophile for many years. What's your front end gear. Pics?

Ha. Great minds...

[andrewmr]

I've been lusting after a set of S5's....one day.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by MCM4

But I honestly preferred these lower cost A5s, and that is a wonderful thing.

Nice gear! I'm in my 65th year of JBL ownership (and 51st of BMW ownership), currently using these in my main system:



Yes, that's an 18-inch woofer.

I'd also like to know the rest of your system. "Lower-cost" is quite the relative term, especially when it come to Magico!

[MCM4]

Originally Posted by rustyrotors

Sweet! I've been an audiophile for many years. What's your front end gear. Pics?

It is a passion I have enjoyed since a very young age, and one that never goes away. I am running a Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800 integrated amp that I quite adore. My CD collection is stored on an MF Encore, which is also a streaming device, but I stick with my music mostly. I have a Panasonic UB9000 for CD playback as well.

Originally Posted by Battin4th

Congrats on that purchase. Been an audiophile all my life and had some pretty pricey equipment over the years but nothing quite as nice as those. Currently surviving on soundbar/sub system. But I'm getting the itch again...

Those the speaker cables behind there? They look like climbing ropes. lol. What's the rest of your rig look like?

So easy to get re-hooked. Modern speaker cables are probably next for me, once the speakers are broken in I am upgrading cables next.

Originally Posted by andrewmr

I've been lusting after a set of S5's....one day.

Impressive set. This may sound crazy, but they were too heavy on bass for me. I love the cabinets and color options, but I truly prefer the musicality of the A5. A rare instance where I can save a significant amount and get something I prefer. But depending on your tastes, the S5 might be what you want!

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Nice gear! I'm in my 65th year of JBL ownership (and 51st of BMW ownership), currently using these in my main system:



Yes, that's an 18-inch woofer.

I'd also like to know the rest of your system. "Lower-cost" is quite the relative term, especially when it come to Magico!

JBL makes some great speakers, and they have always performed well for my preferred music, hard rock / metal. I really listen to everything from Christian to country, but set me up with some Maiden, Dio, Priest, and I am going nowhere.

For the past 8 years or so, I had a pair of B&W CM10. Made in China. When I bought them, I extensively auditioned them against the 802 Diamonds (D3 series). I am an architect by day, and gravitate towards polarizing designs. The 802s are so gorgeous to me. But at the time, I could not hear the substantial higher cost difference. How badly I wanted to. When B&W recently released the new 800 D4 series, I decided to again try them out and gave an extensive listen, but again was far from convinced. I heard others from Focal and Sonus Faber, Rockport, etc. I was running an 18" Velodyne for my low end, but wanted to get away from a sub for my music only room (no surround there for me, just 2 channel). I committed to a new set of full range floor standers, and when I heard the Magicos, it was game over for me.

[gtr2M3]

Great choice, congrats!

I tell myself, at least speakers don’t depreciate like cars, don’t need fuel, insurance or tires so they’re a good thing to buy lol

Recently added a pair of Paradigm Persona9H to my main floor and 3x MartinLogan 40XW for behind the screen in my theater, been an a/v nut since high school

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MCM4

It is a passion I have enjoyed since a very young age, and one that never goes away. I am running a Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800 integrated amp that I quite adore. My CD collection is stored on an MF Encore, which is also a streaming device, but I stick with my music mostly. I have a Panasonic UB9000 for CD playback as well.




So easy to get re-hooked. Modern speaker cables are probably next for me, once the speakers are broken in I am upgrading cables next.



Impressive set. This may sound crazy, but they were too heavy on bass for me. I love the cabinets and color options, but I truly prefer the musicality of the A5. A rare instance where I can save a significant amount and get something I prefer. But depending on your tastes, the S5 might be what you want!



JBL makes some great speakers, and they have always performed well for my preferred music, hard rock / metal. I really listen to everything from Christian to country, but set me up with some Maiden, Dio, Priest, and I am going nowhere.

For the past 8 years or so, I had a pair of B&W CM10. Made in China. When I bought them, I extensively auditioned them against the 802 Diamonds (D3 series). I am an architect by day, and gravitate towards polarizing designs. The 802s are so gorgeous to me. But at the time, I could not hear the substantial higher cost difference. How badly I wanted to. When B&W recently released the new 800 D4 series, I decided to again try them out and gave an extensive listen, but again was far from convinced. I heard others from Focal and Sonus Faber, Rockport, etc. I was running an 18" Velodyne for my low end, but wanted to get away from a sub for my music only room (no surround there for me, just 2 channel). I committed to a new set of full range floor standers, and when I heard the Magicos, it was game over for me.

Been running B&W N804's, HTM-1, and N805's for years. Haven't had the urge to change them out. I have a dedicated A/V room and everything is dialed in for the N804's/HTM-1. The only thing I wish I had done was get another N804 instead of using the HTM-1 for my center. The system was built around music first. Movies was secondary. With that said, I'm running a Velodyne HGS15II and a DD18 in this room. I'm of the opinion, a well set up sub will enhance any system for a number of reasons centered around placement and efficiency. People that have heard my system have commented on how effortless and smooth everything sounds. They also don't notice the subs at all, as it should be, just extended tight bass.

I did make a mistake in listening to a set of Monitor Audio speakers my Meridian Audio dealer was breaking in. If there was a speaker that would make me consider replacing my B&Ws, that would be it as of right now.

[MCM4]

Originally Posted by gtr2M3

Great choice, congrats!

I tell myself, at least speakers don’t depreciate like cars, don’t need fuel, insurance or tires so they’re a good thing to buy lol

Recently added a pair of Paradigm Persona9H to my main floor and 3x MartinLogan 40XW for behind the screen in my theater, been an a/v nut since high school

Sounds like some solid gear. I owned some Paradigm back in the day.

I got a decent discount on my set, and since ordering, the MSRP went up 2k. Like anything else, if you love it and don't plan to sell, then the cost is worth it.

[MCM4]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

Been running B&W N804's, HTM-1, and N805's for years. Haven't had the urge to change them out. I have a dedicated A/V room and everything is dialed in for the N804's/HTM-1. The only thing I wish I had done was get another N804 instead of using the HTM-1 for my center. The system was built around music first. Movies was secondary. With that said, I'm running a Velodyne HGS15II and a DD18 in this room. I'm of the opinion, a well set up sub will enhance any system for a number of reasons centered around placement and efficiency. People that have heard my system have commented on how effortless and smooth everything sounds. They also don't notice the subs at all, as it should be, just extended tight bass.

I did make a mistake in listening to a set of Monitor Audio speakers my Meridian Audio dealer was breaking in. If there was a speaker that would make me consider replacing my B&Ws, that would be it as of right now.

Monitor Audio makes a solid speaker.

I thought about adding 1-2 JL Audio 10" subs instead of getting new towers, but I am all about a proper full range speaker for my 2 channel room. These A5s have (3) 9" cones each; I need nothing more. Deep reproduction without any boominess. My Velodyne HGS18 can shake the whole house, but it is not needed for music. I do hope to soon set up a secondary surround area for the kids, and will get the sub back online for movies.

[rustyrotors]

[QUOTE=MCM4;29116932]It is a passion I have enjoyed since a very young age, and one that never goes away. I am running a Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800 integrated amp that I quite adore. My CD collection is stored on an MF Encore, which is also a streaming device, but I stick with my music mostly. I have a Panasonic UB9000 for CD playback as well.


Nice! A few years ago I almost purchased the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800 but got a Pass Labs Int-60 instead. I use with Spatial Audio (wait for it) M4 Turbo S speakers. Yes that's really the model name. Sony SCD-XA5400ES CD player, Rega P8 Turntable and some other expensive stuff...

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MCM4

Monitor Audio makes a solid speaker.

I thought about adding 1-2 JL Audio 10" subs instead of getting new towers, but I am all about a proper full range speaker for my 2 channel room. These A5s have (3) 9" cones each; I need nothing more. Deep reproduction without any boominess. My Velodyne HGS18 can shake the whole house, but it is not needed for music. I do hope to soon set up a secondary surround area for the kids, and will get the sub back online for movies.

The thing with using subs is that you can place them in a location in your room where it's optimal for bass performance. Many times this is not where your mains would normally go. The other thing is using a sub is applying the principles of bi-amping without actually going all out. Cutting out the lower frequencies reduces the strain your amp needs to drive the full frequency range through your mains. But you probably already know this.

The 4 N804's and HTM-1 I have in my main listening room are all crossed over at 80 Hz with a high pass filter. My subs handle frequencies below 80 Hz. I actually decided to run a somewhat unique setup where my HGS15II handles frequencies from 80 to 40 Hz and my DD18 picks up at 40 and goes all the way down. As convoluted as it sounds (pun intended), this setup works very well. All the speakers integrate seamlessly with each other.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Nice gear! I'm in my 65th year of JBL ownership (and 51st of BMW ownership), currently using these in my main system:



Yes, that's an 18-inch woofer.

I'd also like to know the rest of your system. "Lower-cost" is quite the relative term, especially when it come to Magico!

Not to derail the topic back to BMWs , but I have a question: Do you still have your 1964 700 Sport Cabriolet? I've heard of them but never actually seen one. By some accounts, that car saved BMWs financial butt back in the 60s. If that's the case, we should all salute your magnificant and rare piece of BMW legacy.

Getting back to speakers, you say you've been listening to JBL all these years. My best friend growing up got a job at JBL when he got out of the service. His boss was some sort of executive and we got invited to his home for a listening party on his JBL Paragon system. The music of choice was the newly released Blood, Sweat & Tears album. At the time, the Paragon was something really special. It probably doesn't stand up to today's technology, but I remember that being a pretty special night. I had never heard anything that perfect before.

[zx10guy]

I had gone over to a friend's house one time to hangout. Found out her husband is the President of a pretty well known speaker brand. I'll leave out the brand as you'll see why. During the audition, all I could think of was....meh. Not sure if it was how the speakers were set up. Don't think it's the source equipment as the amp was a Mark Levinson....can't remember what he was using as a pre/pro.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Not to derail the topic back to BMWs , but I have a question: Do you still have your 1964 700 Sport Cabriolet? I've heard of them but never actually seen one. By some accounts, that car saved BMWs financial butt back in the 60s. If that's the case, we should all salute your magnificant and rare piece of BMW legacy.

Getting back to speakers, you say you've been listening to JBL all these years. My best friend growing up got a job at JBL when he got out of the service. His boss was some sort of executive and we got invited to his home for a listening party on his JBL Paragon system. The music of choice was the newly released Blood, Sweat & Tears album. At the time, the Paragon was something really special. It probably doesn't stand up to today's technology, but I remember that being a pretty special night. I had never heard anything that perfect before.

I actually have three 700 Convertibles. One I travelled to California to buy decades ago and was disappointed in the condition versus the description and shoved it into a shed. The next was purported to be the finest unrestored one in existence, according to BMW. I planned a trip to see it and document it to help with the restoration of my first one. Instead, I bought it. And it came with a parts car. That makes three. The convertible is the rarest of the bunch, other than the RS, and it was really the coupe and sedan that saved BMW from being merged with Mercedes as a glorified body manufacturer when Quandt was shown the design and the correct finances were brought forth, compelling Quandt to become majority share holder and derail the board's plan to bury the company under false pretense of impending bankruptcy.

The Paragon was very special and a beautiful piece of furniture. Growing up in St. Louis—which turned out to be a hot-bed for JBLs back in the '50s—I heard several of them. Not as remarkable sounding as many other of its JBL contemporaries, and certainly can't hold a candle to the sound from later JBLs, nonetheless they are iconic and command a lot of money today. But "a lot of money" is, again, a relative term when the thread contains Magicos.

I own maybe 20 BMWs (six of them convertibles, and six of them motorcycles) and even more JBLs—simply because I enjoy all of them for what they do, and I appreciate their evolution and history.

[Murf the Surf]

This is a dangerous hobby/obsession. I have been playing with it for about 50 years now. Started of small, with what I could afford, moved to used tube amps and then upgraded every few years. I gave my son my Synthesis Seamus Tube amp and my set of Klipsch Forte's when I upgraded to my current set up of McIntosh MA7900 and Tannoy Kensington GR.....I do love this set up.

[gtr2M3]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

This is a dangerous hobby/obsession. I have been playing with it for about 50 years now. Started of small, with what I could afford, moved to used tube amps and then upgraded every few years. I gave my son my Synthesis Seamus Tube amp and my set of Klipsch Forte's when I upgraded to my current set up of McIntosh MA7900 and Tannoy Kensington GR.....I do love this set up.

Your room looks like it’d be great for acoustics with all the uneven, non parallel surfaces

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

I actually have three 700 Convertibles. One I travelled to California to buy decades ago and was disappointed in the condition versus the description and shoved it into a shed. The next was purported to be the finest unrestored one in existence, according to BMW. I planned a trip to see it and document it to help with the restoration of my first one. Instead, I bought it. And it came with a parts car. That makes three. The convertible is the rarest of the bunch, other than the RS, and it was really the coupe and sedan that saved BMW from being merged with Mercedes as a glorified body manufacturer when Quandt was shown the design and the correct finances were brought forth, compelling Quandt to become majority share holder and derail the board's plan to bury the company under false pretense of impending bankruptcy.

The Paragon was very special and a beautiful piece of furniture. Growing up in St. Louis—which turned out to be a hot-bed for JBLs back in the '50s—I heard several of them. Not as remarkable sounding as many other of its JBL contemporaries, and certainly can't hold a candle to the sound from later JBLs, nonetheless they are iconic and command a lot of money today. But "a lot of money" is, again, a relative term when the thread contains Magicos.

I own maybe 20 BMWs (six of them convertibles, and six of them motorcycles) and even more JBLs—simply because I enjoy all of them for what they do, and I appreciate their evolution and history.

Great story. That's what I love about this forum. Somebody has a really cool classic and rare BMW and when I comment, they say something like, "I've got three of them."! That's awesome.

It's pretty amazing about the role your car played in the future or demise of BMW.

Way back when, my dad had a couple of Borgwards. You may remember those. He loved that car. When they went bankrupt, my dad always said it was financial shenanigans from the other German car companies that drove them out of business. He vowed never to buy German again. He said they were jealous and worried about the innovation of Borgward. I just thought my dad was blowing smoke but I read later that maybe it was partly true.

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by gtr2M3

Your room looks like it’d be great for acoustics with all the uneven, non parallel surfaces

It's pretty good, the logs actually seem to be better for acoustics than you might think. I don't have the room set up perfectly for listening, but it's set up in a way that my wife likes ecstatically so it works out.

[Nuckle]

I just looked up those A5's. Holy shit! Congrats man!

[MCM4]

Originally Posted by Nuckle

I just looked up those A5's. Holy shit! Congrats man!

Thank you :-) Audio really is very subjective, and we all like different things. But when I heard these Magicos for the first time, I knew they were made for me.