Magico S5 vs Wilson Alexia

I've heard both in less than ideal settings and only briefly. So you can take
these comments in that context. I've heard the Alexia in three
different systems and all I can say is that I prefer it to the Sasha, but I don't
like it or the S5 nearly as much as I do the Q3.

I listen mostly to classical, some jazz and very little rock. The Q3 is
exceptionally accurate to the source and I loved it with acoustic music. It
needs to be in a great system. The Alexia and S5 have more
"slam" and that may appeal to jazz and rock fans more than to
classical fans. I think the S5 is designed to be a bit warmer with a punchier
bass than the other Q-series Magico speakers.

I also think that the Alexia needs a lot of good clean amplifier power to
control those two bass drivers. I heard them with D'Agostino and Doshi
amps. I'm sure they would sound great with the larger Pass amps.

In general, I prefer the sealed cabinet of Magico speakers to the ported Wilson
design. I agree with the others who wrote that you need to hear both of these
speakers in good settings with your own music over a period of hours or days
and then you will know which is best for you.

Skip both and buy either the Evolution Acoustics MM2 or MM3. Neither of the speakers you mention have the musicality of the EA speaker line. Write Mike Lavigne; check out his MM7's! No better speaker line in my mind; I had been a Wilson owner for years and thought they were the best til I replaced my MAXX 2's for the EA MM2's.

These are 2 entirely different speakers. they are both outstanding in their own right. You should pay to travel to hear them if necessary. I prefer the Alexia as they have more (but still realistic) bass and do a better disappearing act. They simply draw me more into the music. I find Magico to be somewhat clinical. But that's just me. Others will say precisely the opposite and they would not be wrong.

I am not a fan of either I am afraid, but I have heard the Alexia's sound wonderful in one system. I agree that the Magico's sound dry and clinical to me and that is with a variety of amps and ancillaries, including the most expensive system I have heard, with Dartzeel monoblocks. I just did'nt like the sound at all and others in the long demo, did'nt seem to keen either.

Wilson I find, realy need the right partnering amps. I heard the Sashas with a big Krell and it was painful, edgy, dry, screeching treble. Change to an Audio Research Ref 150 and it was just lovely. I believe the Wilson's are traditionally voiced with ARC amps. At the same show there were a pair of Alexia's than Dan D'Agostino's pre and momentum monoblocks. I can not recall ever hearing anything better, detailed, enormous, but scaled sound stage, no harshness at all, just wonderful.

For me, I would'nt spend that kind of cash, as HiFimaniac says, though I would go for Daedalus Ulysses

I don't find the magic in Magico's
pardon the pun
I also find them clinical.