TAD CR-1 ?

Vhiner,

I went to demo a pair of Wilson Alexia a couple of months ago. I really liked them. The dealer also happened to have Q3's there next to the Alexia. My friend and I asked if we could hear them as well. Let me tell you, and I don't know what it was, but the Q3 sounded like there was a blanket thrown over them. We were really surprised because I thought they'd be bright, if anything. Needless to say I ruled out the Q3, the Alexia are however on top of my list along with a few others. I now realize that system pairing (amp and preamp) are of paramount importance when choosing speakers. I know of some Sophia and Sasha setups that are supposed to sound amazing (I forget what electronics are being used). When I hear them, I will know. Magico S1 and S5 were also recommended to me.

One thing I need to say, at no time do I find my TADs tweeter fatiguing. My system can be on 10-12 hours a day and I never want to turn it off. It's that good.

Thanks, Joe.

David,

You are welcome. Let us know what you decide, or if you have any other questions.

Joe, thanks for the anecdote. It's nice to know what regular listeners have to say as opposed to only reading "the reviews." I have been told that the Magico's work best with big, overbuilt solid state amps. Based upon what you're saying tubes might exacerbate the color. I'm a Thiel CS3.7 man and I might not be able to be satisfied with a speaker with such a distinct signature. That's why the TAD's sound attractive to me.

I don't have enough experience with the Magico Q series, just the Q3 that one time. I am interested in hearing the S1/S5 for fun. For my taste, I need tubes and/or warm solid state on my TADs. That's my personal preference only. I believe all the speakers you or I have mentioned have a distinctive sound that you really need to hear to be satisfied you've picked the right one. It has taken me a long time to appreciate what I have. Everything is a bit of a compromise and you have to pick your favorite traits that satisfy you.