Magico, like any other speaker, has their ardent followers. They do make highly accurate speaker, however I have never been able to warm up to them just like many other folks. I need to be emotionally attached to my music and there are very few for me that can do that. I'm not talking about euphonic distortion either as that grates on my from the first note.
Most of the speakers that have done it for me in all price classes have been first order crossovers and phase/time aligned speakers. They are accurate, clean, but most get the the soul of the music for ME. Folks don't need to agree with me and I'm not putting down anyone else's speakers as we all hear and want different things. I had listened to thousands of speakers that have been set up correctly and used with outstanding electronics. Many of them in the 100k plus range, but very few have grabbed me and made me sit and listen all day. There have been a few recently that I have really loved and only a couple haven't been first order crossovers, but they have all been time and phase correct.
I agree with all of you who say you can't tell much at a show. I can tell if the bones are there, but only if I listen in the proper seat with tweeters at the right level. It's not fair to any manufacturer to have posters go to shows and listen standing up or in the doorway or the back of the room and then go on boards and trash their products or even say anything about them. If a product gets best in show, there usually is a reason for it and the reviewers get to hear them without folks in the room and set up their best (or as best you can in a hotel room or two). This has been one of my pet peeves for years. As most know, I now have switched over to Vandersteen speakers as they move me. The whole line does at every price point. I wasn't even going to give them a sniff until a dealer in NJ made me listen to them even though I went into his store to purchase another line of speakers he carries. I heard both and also a third companies speakers. Once I heard the Vandy's, I was in heaven. I was moved, but the soundstage was better than my Proac's as was the detail and everything else I loved listening to. The all Tidal system is pretty darn great too. Very expensive, but honest in it's presentation and it's sold by a wonderful man in PA who loves his music and does a great job.
I remember driving down to New Haven, CT (20 minutes away) and hearing the first set up of the Cello gear at the factory (my ex was one of Mark's attorney's as I got to hear the gear when Tom was demoing it for a few before release). It was so different from anything else I had heard from anyone. I really liked it a lot back in the day. Mark never designed things, but he was such a master salesman. Temperamental to say the least, but he knew how to move gear.
