Maggie versus Magico

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they at times with certain music materials (Hugh Masakela-Burmeister Test Disc, Sheffield Drum Tracks) felt slightly withdrawn and distant, rather boring (less jump factor) compared to the better designed modern dynamic speakers.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!

Magico or not, the comparison of a smallish (i.e. 2-way) floor standing speaker or bookshelf to a full panel speaker is stretched (pardon the pun), imo. These do not sound remotely similar, except for the potential for both to have extreme cleanness. In so many respects they are dissimilar that I would consider it a fruitless pursuit to attempt to recreate what the panel does by using a dynamic speaker, or vice versa. As an owner of both types of speakers neither has a lock on the attributes the other possesses. Both can bring stunning "openness" and a very distinctly clean sound, but that's about it as far as being able to mimic the other.