Maggie versus Magico

Hi Dave,
I know what you mean. I had similar with mine. You get the impression that the Maggie is free and full. Some recordings were vibrant and amazing to listen to.

At the time I had some very strange dynamic issues where sometimes they were alive and at other times they would seem to be withdrawn or distant. It was very annoying, as I knew how good they could be. It turned out to be more about the amp and electricity quality I was getting. So I did all the filtering and separate mains for the system which helped and kept performance more uniform. Then I got into the internal cabling and replacing the original crossover with Alphacore inductors and many types of capacitors, bypassing the fuse over the TWT. All this transformed the Maggie (and Apogee).

A good sub does help underpin and fill the room. I used Audio physics Minos subs at the time. They were great and were the only subs fast enough to blend with both the Magnepan and the Apogees.

In the end I went to the AG Trio with its 110db/watt sensitivity. Which to be honest can do all that the Magnepan 3.6r and updated Apogee divas can do plus complete dynamic freedom. They are less fussy about placement too.

To keep to the thread though, I think the magico is a very impressive speaker and a modern sounding box speaker. It is clean, extended and uncolored. I have always loved planars, so a part of me will always be biased towards them. But if you do not have the space for an 3.6r or 20.1 and have the extra money, then a Magico is no slouch. But look at the speakers available at that sort of price. Many serious ones.

Loved and lived with the MG20.1 for 3yrs, maximized them with appropriate ancillaries best I could. Driven them with ARC REF3 partnered with the ARC REF600mkIII / Jadis JA200 to try extract the maximum dynamics they can dish out. But as Chadeffect puts it quite accurately, they at times with certain music materials (Hugh Masakela-Burmeister Test Disc, Sheffield Drum Tracks) felt slightly withdrawn and distant, rather boring (less jump factor) compared to the better designed modern dynamic speakers. Thus, in some ways not as involving or live sounding.

Hence, my 3yr stint with the Strads and ending up with the Mini2 mid last year ('08). To these ears, the Magico's had that freed-up boxless sound, coherency and musicality one yearns from a full range planar or stats. As well, their neutrally balanced tonality, startling speed, excellent dynamic swings (that often belies their size), transparency and imaging capabilities completes the package beautifully. Imo, putting price factor aside, they are truly one strong candidate for the best speakers out there today for the smaller to medium sized rooms.

Exactly, the Masgico S5's compared with the new B&W 802 Diamonds and Magnepan 3.7's were eye opening.  I have never heard an openess appear in an enclosed speaker until yesterday.  They are a Magnepan in a sealed extruded aluminum case.  Amazing!!!!!
These speakers do not belong in a small room, whatever brand you decide to purchase.  I did not like the 4000.00 paint cost if you wanted a color/finish option; this was my only disappointment in Magico..  
Going back in 2 weeks to test all 3 side by side same conditions.

Magico Mini II - "Midgets suspended in air"

All Magicos are way overpriced IMO.

6 foot Maggies - Hard to "dial in" to optimal room position.
Once "dialed in" - full size, 3D image, sonic bliss - They are in the room!

Most common problems: room wrong shape, and too large. I like big speakers, fairly small room, sit 10 feet away.

I have owned the 6 footers (MG IIa, IIIa, and 3.6) in 8 different rooms, and listened almost every day, since 1976, with no regrets ever! I do not like the 3.7i, they squashed the xover into the speaker, and reduced the low bass.

The 5 foot long Magnepan ribbon tweeter will "eat for breakfast" any Magico tweeter in terms of sonic purity in the high frequencies! Period!