Magico S5 vs KEF Blade 2 vs TAD Evo One vs YG Kipod II Sig w/pwr bass

Hey guys - wanted to update you. I got the BAT VK32SE and my PS Audio P10 Conditioner from Fedex and have had a chance to install and listen a bit and these adds allow me to see right away where and how they fit or don't fit.. 

Like I said I am learning and working toward building my new system re-fit and figuring it out on the fly. I know I am going to make mistakes because most all my buys are without listening first. I know not ideal but also most items I am buying are used so that is sort of the price of this approach. Saves a ton of money but I also don't get to try in my own system first but also buying used and properly allows me to re-flip the items that are not the fits I am looking for.

This said here we go.

I know it is very early but right out of the gate the BAT is not for me. Great preamp and nice and warm and sounds great but these Magico speakers are so transparent and so resolving that they crave - require and demand nothing but the most transparent and neutral components in the chain.

The BAT just provides a bit too much in terms of moving away from neutrality. 

I now understand why all you guys want components that are dead neutral. I never got that before but I sure do now. Clear as day!

Once your system gets to a level of transparency where every little change really is highlighted and effects the whole you want everything else that is added to not take from that.

The BAT is sweet and has great bass and sounds great but I have been running my Bricasti direct and realize just how much more I appreciate that sound vs what a tube preamp offers.

Maybe another tube preamp that is more neutral would be more to my liking but I am on the transparency train now and its hard to add anything that doesn't help scrub that window clean and make it as clean and as pure as possible where the BAT added too much tint to that window. A pleasant hue of tint but I tint none the same and many of you told me this and I want the glass in that window as pure and as pristine as i can get it and would love help and feedback from you guys.

Many of you called this but it was important for me to try a decent tube to get that doubt out of my mind and sort of flush my brain of that idea. Sure tubes can add so much that is desired but in my situation the trade off's where too steep of a price for me and one I am not willing to pay.

What do you guys think?

I am thinking Solid State preamp. Ayre K-1xe or maybe a Mark Levingson 326s. I would love a Pass XP20 but none out there used and the XP30 way too much money and the XP10 might now be able to outdo my Bricasti direct. Decisions / decisions. 

Also, the PS Audio P10 is fantastic. I love it and it was a nice add on the neutrality and transparency front so happy about that. 

I am batting 500 liking 1 out 2 of my last changes/adds.

Also, on my new focused path of neutrality and transparency I am making another speaker cable change. I know a couple weeks is very quick for these changes but in light of what I have learned it makes sense to me.

I switched from HiDiamond D8 to Cardas Clear Reflection speaker cables. My main reason at the time was my speakers with the former cables were incredibly bright and I wasn't happy with my speakers and this cable change and the added break was very helpful to fix this.

The bottom line is the HiDiamonds and the Magico's were not a good match so I pulled the trigger and made the change. I went to warmer and richer cable which was a nice change but the cable is a warmer and richer cable. I want neutrality and transparency so I today pulled the trigger on a cable change.

I sold my Cardas Clear Reflection speaker cables for the same price I paid for them so no financial pain there but they did help me learn more about my speakers and my preferences as it relates to these speakers. Also, what drove this is my ideal cable came available so I pulled the trigger. These were more money than the Cardas CF cables. Not a ton more and but a few hundreds more not crazy expensive considering the buy sell road i take but I am hoping this will be a nice change because these are a more higher end cable and well thought of cable and are known to work great with Magico's

Kubula-Sosna Emotion 2.5 meter Speaker Cables. I am hoping these are great. I am hoping these and a solid state preamp rather than a tube preamp will get me closer to where I want to go. Both changes are chasing that neutrality and transparency goal. There is always the fear of going too far the other way so that is why rather than a Nordost or a silver cable I went with the Kubula-Sosna Emotion as they are known to be a musical cable yet quite transparent.


I think my guiding goals are now transparent, musical and neutral and in this order is this is what will drive all my future decisions and not sure I could own this so confidently without my trial error process of trying on this BAT tube preamp.

What do you guys think? 

Any good SS preamp idea's?

Any of you guys here these speaker cables I just bought?

Thanks as always for all the help. 

I just started a thread asking about these 2-preamps but you guys have been with me on my system re-fit and wanted to see if any of you guys had feedback on these preamps:

Esoteric C03 preamp or Mark Levinson 326S preamp

ANY FEEDBACK - THOUGHTS - IDEAS would be so appreciated.

I had the 326S.  It is a very good preamp that I enjoyed while I had it and at its price it will likely be hard to beat.  The things to be aware of is that it's a little bit darker/colored (which will likely go well with your treble brightness issues) and not the last word in transparency, but nothing that I would consider a major issue that would keep me from recommending it.  Ultimately,  I replaced it with the Ayre KX-R which was almost double the price but addressed the shortcomings of the 326S and then some but erred the other way in terms of treble which while more open was also strident.

Thanks - I’m a little worried that it is a bit dark but you are comparing to a great pre - do you think it will be a good amount darker vs from my Bricasti direct? I’m of giving a bit here to get more there if the sum of the parts are net gain? Would think it basically being the same price as Bricasti could be a nice ad and again ok with a little color but my Magico’s are breaking in nicely and combined with my Kubala-Sosna Emotion Speaker Cables there is NO MORE high frequency problems. I’m actually blown away by how good these Magico’s. I honestly didn’t think I’d get to where i am so I’m super happy in that regard but want that last link. That Preamp and pull it all together - to drive those dynamics and stretch that image wide and deep and provide some more air. I want that air and want to make sure it’s not dark or closed in deny that air. Heck that’s why we want SS preamps for the precision, air, dynamics, transparency and more focused imaging and deeper look into the music. Now I’m not comparing to a KXR but vs Bricasti direct. Do you think it can pull this off. A little color added in is just fine with me if it can pull the rest off. 
Thanks 

I have 3 preamps, Pass X0.2, AR ref5, and BAT VK51se.  I have 4 amplifiers.  I have a pair of Lamm ML1.1 mono blocks, a pair of Pass XA60.8 mono blocks, and M2 and J2 First Watt amps.  I use Cardas wire exclusively.  I have an Esoteric K-01 and an Esoteric SA-50  sacd/cd players, a Brooklyn DAC, and an Aries streamer.  Over the years I have had several speakers, including Thiel 2.7s, Quad ES, Martin Logan Aeon, Magnepan 1.7.  Last year I purchased a pair of YG Carmels and I fell in love with them, so I sold the Thiels and the Quads.  I then picked up a pair of Kipod II signature speakers, which have a passive woofer.
I have purchased nearly all my equipment used.  I have gotten great deals and have had no problems with the equipment.  
My room is also about 20x20 with a 15 foot cathedral ceiling.  
I should add that I have always used an amplified subwoofer, set where it basically just provides the low "rumble" of the venue where the recording was made.  
After 15+ years as an Audio Enthusiast, I can finally say that I have  found my speakers.
The Carmels are in a bedroom (12x12x8) and they provide  wonderful music that is very articulate and musical, even at low volume.  They are paired with the BAT VK51 and either one of the First Watt amps.
I should add that I was hooked on the sound of the Quads and the Magnepans until I discovered the YG speakers.  
I have found that with the YG speakers  I can have the beautiful midrange of the planar speakers and gain the dynamics and "slam" you get with cones, both with my solid state and tube amps.  The Kipod II signatures are driven equally well with both sets of monoblocks.  I use the AR Reference 5 preamp with the Kipod II, but I may switch to the solid state Pass X0.2 to experiment.  I have used the Pass preamp with the Carmel speakers and First Watt amps and the sound was as excellent.
 Like the Carmels, the Kipods  maintain all of there characteristic sound at levels that are pretty much "background" listening, which my wife really likes.  They will also rock the house and play symphonies at higher volume with a wonderful sounstage and big dynamic contrasts. There is "zero" distortion and a black background at all sound levels.
Oh, by the way, I listen to classical music primarily, especially symphonies, but I am also a 1950s and 60s aging lover of rock.
I will admit I have never heard any of the other speakers on the list of speakers across this site.
I would also like to say that in my experience with Class A power you do not have to have 200+watt amps.  The 60 watt Pass and 90 watt Lamm are plenty of power for the Kipod II.  My preamp has 100 points of gain (18 db I believe) and I seldom go above 30 and typically listen at 10 or 20.
Happy hunting, but most of all enjoy the music.