Magico S5 Mk2 speakers
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[Deleted User]
Posts: 342
Hi folks,
I thought i'd post a short review of the new Magico S5 Mk2 speakers which I have on order in beautiful M-coat titanium. My pair are due to ship some time in March, so can't wait!
I previously owned a pair of S5 Mk1's which are very good speakers in their own right. The S5's have deep, tight, accurate bass, smooth midrange with nice tone, timbre & textural shadings, and a fast, smooth & resolving tweeter; qualities which are not always associated with BE domes. There is a touch of warmth, and the S5's have a slightly laid back presentation (in comparison to the Q3). Basically they are well balanced and coherent speakers. I describe them as "great allrounders".
But as good as the S5's are, the S5 Mk2 is a completely different animal. In fact, the only carry over components from the S5 are the extruded aluminium side panels & speaker binding posts. Everything else is new. Much of the technology found in the Mk2 has filtered down from the M project speakers, which was first adapted to the S7.
So what's new? The Mk2's 10" bass drivers use a lighter aluminium cone which was made possible by the hybrid carbon Nanotube/Nanographene dust cap which is 20% lighter & 300% stiffer than the previous model. Behind the driver cone, it's basically all-Q series technology with MUCH bigger & more powerful magnets. I attached a photo below showing a comparison between an S5 & S7's bass drivers (which are virtually identical to the S5 Mk2). Apparently you could lift an S5 bass driver with one hand, but it takes two hands to lift the new bass unit!
The new model also benefits from the copper woofer coupling system first used in the S7 which has a much higher damping factor than the previous aluminium mounting. In fact, the copper O-rings were so wildly successful they are being trickled "up" to other models (see photo below).
The new 6" midrange uses a hybrid carbon Nanotube/Nanographene cone which again is 20% lighter & 300% stiffer than the previous model. The underhung neodymium base motor system uses two extra-large magnets which provide an ultra-stabilized magnetic field which improves accuracy and dynamics. The midrange also benefits from a similar computer-modelled polycarbonate enclosure to the S3. Marketing hype doesn't always match reality, but having heard the S3 and S7, my ears tell me that thing works a treat! Midrange clarity is definately improved & the sound stage really opens up.
The S5 Mk2 also features a new 1" tweeter with a diamond-coated beryllium diaphragm, shorter voice coil, and slightly modified motor system compared to the tweeter used in the S5. The new BE diaphragm has a five-micron thick layer of diamond applied using a very difficult process. Alon said they broke 10 tools trying to design it! The new drivers also allowed the breakup point to be moved beyond the bandpass, which enabled Magico to remove the crossover's electrical traps necessary for controlling driver breakup, thereby simplifying the crossover & improving resolution.
Apropos which, Alon used some very nice caps in the critical position; the new Mundorf Mcap Supreme Evo Silver/Gold in Oil caps. Internal wiring has been improved & has been changed from Mundorf solid-core wire to 10 gauge stranded wire sourced from Japan wound in different geometries for (+) and (-).
The cabinet has also been revised & features a heavy machined 3D convex-shaped top plate to minimize enclosure diffraction and break-up vertical standing waves (similar to the M Pro). There is also a heavier bottom plate featuring 4-point outrigger feet like the S7 which lowers the center of gravity & increases overall stability, resulting in a lower noise floor and increased dynamics according to Magico.
Taken as a whole, and drawing on my experience from hearing the S7, the S5 Mk2 should be a BIG step up from original S5. And with the advent of the S7, I think this model will become the sweet spot in Magico's range actually. Looking forward to sharing my 1st impressions soon!
Cheers,
Bodhi
S5 Mk2 in stunning pearl white finish
Copper woofer coupling system fitted to an S7 cabinet
This photo shows the dramatic difference between the S7's bass driver (left) vs the older S5 (right)
I thought i'd post a short review of the new Magico S5 Mk2 speakers which I have on order in beautiful M-coat titanium. My pair are due to ship some time in March, so can't wait!
I previously owned a pair of S5 Mk1's which are very good speakers in their own right. The S5's have deep, tight, accurate bass, smooth midrange with nice tone, timbre & textural shadings, and a fast, smooth & resolving tweeter; qualities which are not always associated with BE domes. There is a touch of warmth, and the S5's have a slightly laid back presentation (in comparison to the Q3). Basically they are well balanced and coherent speakers. I describe them as "great allrounders".
But as good as the S5's are, the S5 Mk2 is a completely different animal. In fact, the only carry over components from the S5 are the extruded aluminium side panels & speaker binding posts. Everything else is new. Much of the technology found in the Mk2 has filtered down from the M project speakers, which was first adapted to the S7.
So what's new? The Mk2's 10" bass drivers use a lighter aluminium cone which was made possible by the hybrid carbon Nanotube/Nanographene dust cap which is 20% lighter & 300% stiffer than the previous model. Behind the driver cone, it's basically all-Q series technology with MUCH bigger & more powerful magnets. I attached a photo below showing a comparison between an S5 & S7's bass drivers (which are virtually identical to the S5 Mk2). Apparently you could lift an S5 bass driver with one hand, but it takes two hands to lift the new bass unit!
The new model also benefits from the copper woofer coupling system first used in the S7 which has a much higher damping factor than the previous aluminium mounting. In fact, the copper O-rings were so wildly successful they are being trickled "up" to other models (see photo below).
The new 6" midrange uses a hybrid carbon Nanotube/Nanographene cone which again is 20% lighter & 300% stiffer than the previous model. The underhung neodymium base motor system uses two extra-large magnets which provide an ultra-stabilized magnetic field which improves accuracy and dynamics. The midrange also benefits from a similar computer-modelled polycarbonate enclosure to the S3. Marketing hype doesn't always match reality, but having heard the S3 and S7, my ears tell me that thing works a treat! Midrange clarity is definately improved & the sound stage really opens up.
The S5 Mk2 also features a new 1" tweeter with a diamond-coated beryllium diaphragm, shorter voice coil, and slightly modified motor system compared to the tweeter used in the S5. The new BE diaphragm has a five-micron thick layer of diamond applied using a very difficult process. Alon said they broke 10 tools trying to design it! The new drivers also allowed the breakup point to be moved beyond the bandpass, which enabled Magico to remove the crossover's electrical traps necessary for controlling driver breakup, thereby simplifying the crossover & improving resolution.
Apropos which, Alon used some very nice caps in the critical position; the new Mundorf Mcap Supreme Evo Silver/Gold in Oil caps. Internal wiring has been improved & has been changed from Mundorf solid-core wire to 10 gauge stranded wire sourced from Japan wound in different geometries for (+) and (-).
The cabinet has also been revised & features a heavy machined 3D convex-shaped top plate to minimize enclosure diffraction and break-up vertical standing waves (similar to the M Pro). There is also a heavier bottom plate featuring 4-point outrigger feet like the S7 which lowers the center of gravity & increases overall stability, resulting in a lower noise floor and increased dynamics according to Magico.
Taken as a whole, and drawing on my experience from hearing the S7, the S5 Mk2 should be a BIG step up from original S5. And with the advent of the S7, I think this model will become the sweet spot in Magico's range actually. Looking forward to sharing my 1st impressions soon!
Cheers,
Bodhi
S5 Mk2 in stunning pearl white finish
Copper woofer coupling system fitted to an S7 cabinet
This photo shows the dramatic difference between the S7's bass driver (left) vs the older S5 (right)
Post edited by [Deleted User] on
Comments
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I'd like to hear them.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Myself included! Before I pulled the trigger on the S5 Mk2's, I had the opportunity to hear the S7's in a treated room with Vitus gear & was impressed. And with each new model, Magico seem to improve and refine the overall design.I'd like to hear them. -
Congrats man! Big gear there!!Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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Thanks a lot Joey! Yeah, at 220lbs they are gorillas for sure.Congrats man! Big gear there!!
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I've got a question, and this may sound stupid. I have always seemed to be down to speakers where the tweeter is at ear level when I sit, like my SRS 2's. This speaker is only 48" high and my listening chair is going to place me a little above that tweeter, I think. Do they "aim" for lack of a better word, the tweeter to disperse it's sound up to the ear? Wouldn't that affect the overall balance of the speaker? Do I just need to get lower sitting chairs if I go with a more modern speaker some day? LOL2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
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The S5's, like most other point source speakers are designed to place the tweeter at, or very near ear level. I understand Magico take the former approach. WIth that said, Magico's latest generation of dimaond-coated BE tweeters have ultra-wide dispersion. Fyi, my friend has low seats in his listening room. When I heard his S7's the tweeter was above ear level, though I still found the image height and coherency very good considering the speakers were still running in at the time. I did my test of gradually lifting up out of the seat to see if I could hear an improvement & found the sound stage remained rock solid and coherent. Image height was not a problem. I think the more important factors are; a/ toeing the speakers in evenly based on the God seat, b/ measuring the distance to the rear wall & c/ levelling the speakers in relation to the listening position (I use a round spirit level & laser to achieve this).I've got a question, and this may sound stupid. I have always seemed to be down to speakers where the tweeter is at ear level when I sit, like my SRS 2's. This speaker is only 48" high and my listening chair is going to place me a little above that tweeter, I think. Do they "aim" for lack of a better word, the tweeter to disperse it's sound up to the ear? Wouldn't that affect the overall balance of the speaker? Do I just need to get lower sitting chairs if I go with a more modern speaker some day? LOL
The above steps are probably over-kill for the latest Magicos as they have exceptional sound staging and imaging for a point source speaker. Every speaker is different. I suggest trying my experiment of raising yourself up and down in relation to the tweeter during the music & see if that improves the sound staging. Many speakers have adjustable feet which allows the tweeter to be 'aimed'. Have fun seeing what works for you!Post edited by [Deleted User] on -
I noticed that these reference level speakers, the tweeter height to ear height is usually incongruent. Usually tweeter is higher. The point at which the sound hits the ear is usually a point in which all drivers converge their respective sound waves.
Which is why when stereophile does FR measurements, the graphs might look weird.
I'll post some examples later when I'm off my phone.
Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Tell me about it bro
I got Rockport Aviors coming in at 360lb per crate and 220 lb net nakedMagico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Not wanting to get too much into a technical discussion about speaker setup here, though with my old S5 Mk1's & me (6' 1") sitting in my average height sofa, the tweeters were roughly at ear level sitting dead level with some toe-in. With that said, the S7's which I heard recently sounded less critical with setup and offered some of the same qualities as a traditional line source.I noticed that these reference level speakers, the tweeter height to ear height is usually incongruent. Usually tweeter is higher. The point at which the sound hits the ear is usually a point in which all drivers converge their respective sound waves.
Which is why when stereophile does FR measurements, the graphs might look weird.
I'll post some examples later when I'm off my phone.
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Congrats on your Aviors Joey! They are very nice sounding & beautifully engineered speakers. -
Not wanting to get too much into a technical discussion about speaker setup here, though with my old S5 Mk1's & me (6' 1") sitting in my average height sofa, the tweeters were roughly at ear level sitting dead level with some toe-in. With that said, the S7's which I heard recently sounded less critical with setup and offered some of the same qualities as a traditional line source.I noticed that these reference level speakers, the tweeter height to ear height is usually incongruent. Usually tweeter is higher. The point at which the sound hits the ear is usually a point in which all drivers converge their respective sound waves.
Which is why when stereophile does FR measurements, the graphs might look weird.
I'll post some examples later when I'm off my phone.
Yeah it depends on the manufacturer and execution. An example BW 802d3, Sonus faber Liliums.... Tweeter at 47".
Average ear height at seated is 37".Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Congrats on your Aviors Joey! They are very nice sounding & beautifully engineered speakers.
Thanks bro
I look forward to your posts about magicoMagico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
The S5 Mk2's are 48" high like xsmi's SRS 2's. Looking at photos of the S5 Mk2, the tweeter height appears to be around 37" high.Yeah it depends on the manufacturer and execution. An example BW 802d3, Sonus faber Liliums.... Tweeter at 47".
Average ear height at seated is 37".
The main issue with the B&W 802D2/D3 is its hot tweeter. I also found the 802 D2's tweeter 'beamy'. -
The S5 Mk2's are 48" high like xsmi's SRS 2's. Looking at photos of the S5 Mk2, the tweeter height appears to be around 37" high.Yeah it depends on the manufacturer and execution. An example BW 802d3, Sonus faber Liliums.... Tweeter at 47".
Average ear height at seated is 37".
The main issue with the B&W 802D2/D3 is its hot tweeter. I also found the 802 D2's tweeter 'beamy'.
That's ok.
I like the D2 and the D3 even moreso.
My post was with regards to tweeter height, not so much opinion on sound.
All I am saying is that it depends on the execution and the intent of the designer. Tweeter height does not necessarily mean ear height.Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
My KEF Blade have the uniQ driver slightly above ear level.
What kind of gear will you be driving the Magico's with? -
Thanks for the info guys.2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
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Metal boxes and frames, I have to admit I don't have a lot of hands on experience with metal boxes. How are they vs. wood?B&W CM9Classé Sigma
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Sorry for the off-topic remark. Agreed with your comment. Some speakers like the Vandersteen Model 7 need to be aimed directly at the listener's ears due to their small sweet spot (and indeed Vandersteen provide a laser calibration tool to assist in the setup process), whilst other speakers like the classic Infinity Renaissance 90's (and i'd include the Magico S7) have a wide sweet spot and excellent off-axis performance, and thus are less critical with room placement.That's ok.
I like the D2 and the D3 even moreso.
My post was with regards to tweeter height, not so much opinion on sound.
All I am saying is that it depends on the execution and the intent of the designer. Tweeter height does not necessarily mean ear height.
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I'll be initially running them with my Vitus SIA-025 integrated in class A mode & Vitus SCD-025 Mk2 cdp. The small Vitus was able to control my older S5's surprisingly well operating mostly in Kl.A. However the Mk2's are 1db more efficient, so i'd expect the amp will provide even more grip.polkfarmboy wrote: »What kind of gear will you be driving the Magico's with?
I plan on adding a Vitus SL-102 preamp later this year & running my SIA-025 as a power amp for a while before upgrading to the new Vitus SS-025 amp next year. The SIA-025 has a menu option to defeat the preamp section which is cool. The SS-025 is a high-biased Kl.A/B amp based on the SM-011 mono's (which are based on the MP series). It is doing 320W Kl.A/B and 15W KL.A which doubles down @4 ohms. So a really powerful amp.
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There are some very good examples of wood cabinets (Tidal, Gauder & Avalon come to mind). I haven't heard Tidal or Gauder, but have heard several Avalon models. Avalon through their refined internal bracing, faceted cabinets & design features to reduce diffraction are remarkably effective at producing coherent sounding speakers with a wide sweet spot. Wood is cheaper to work with than aluminium, but generally requires heavier internal bracing, thus reducing cabinet volume.Metal boxes and frames, I have to admit I don't have a lot of hands on experience with metal boxes. How are they vs. wood?
One word to describe aluminium would be "quiet". Used in sufficient thickness with tight manufacturing tolerances, it is very effective at reducing cabinet vibration. Though generally not as effective as a mixture of composite carbon fiber & aluminium (as employed in the M Pro & by Wilson Benesch). That combo provides an ideal balance between ridigity and damping, though expensive.
Aluminium cabinets do need some help to control standing waves & resonance however. To address those issues, Magico use a curved cabinet, 3D convex-shaped top plate, heavy bottom plate + outrigger feet, copper O-rings, as well as 5-layer damping mats on the cabinet walls & a computer-modelled polycarbonate enclosure that controls the backwave from the midrange & tweeter.
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I'll be initially running them with my Vitus SIA-025 integrated in class A mode & Vitus SCD-025 Mk2 cdp. The small Vitus was able to control my older S5's surprisingly well operating mostly in Kl.A. However the Mk2's are 1db more efficient, so i'd expect the amp will provide even more grip.polkfarmboy wrote: »What kind of gear will you be driving the Magico's with?
I plan on adding a Vitus SL-102 preamp later this year & running my SIA-025 as a power amp for a while before upgrading to the new Vitus SS-025 amp next year. The SIA-025 has a menu option to defeat the preamp section which is cool. The SS-025 is a high-biased Kl.A/B amp based on the SM-011 mono's (which are based on the MP series). It is doing 320W Kl.A/B and 15W KL.A which doubles down @4 ohms. So a really powerful amp.
How are those vitus gear? I can see they are next level gear
Drool worthy from my endMagico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Just read this review on your vitus.
One of the most entertaining.
Love the middle finger.
Awesome man. Congrats on that
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2012/12/20/mini-review-vitus-audio-sia-025-integrated-amplifier/Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
That's a good description Joey. The SIA-025's preamplifier stage is adapted from the SL-102 and uses the same gain stages & one single "buffer" module, whilst the output stage is drawn from the older SM-010 mono's.How are those vitus gear? I can see they are next level gear
Drool worthy from my end
The SS-025 power amp OTOH is based on the SM-011 mono's as I mentioned. It is a much newer circuit design & includes 'Intelligent Class A bias' found in the SM-011 mono's which maintains optimal thermal conditions for the output stage at all times (a key to VA's pure, liquid sound). It is also a high biased Kl.A/B amp as opposed to the SIA-025 which is switchable between 25watts Kl.A and Kl.A/B mode. And being a power amp, there is room to accommodate a larger bank of filtering caps which provides a range of benefits incl: greater speed, lower harmonic noise & improved dynamics and transient response. I attached a photo below fyi.
The SL-102 preamp is a much more comprehensive preamp than the one found in the SIA-025 & has a linear, relay-based linear volume control with 117 1db steps compared to the SIA-025 which has a simplified non-linear volume control with 99 steps. The SL-102 uses a modular design (and thus is easily upgradeable as new upgrade modules become available). Indeed, VA have upgraded several of the modules in the SL-102 since it was first introduced. And obviously having two dedicated power supplies gives the SL more drive/oomph. So, very good.
Vitus SS-025
Vitus SL-102
Post edited by [Deleted User] on -
Impressive man.
Would love to hear or own one some day but I'm afraid that's definitely a little on the costly sideMagico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Thanks Joey. Likewise congrats on your very nice system! The CAM600 mono's are an excellent match with the 802's, and having some tubes upstream should help tame that tweeter.Just read this review on your vitus.
One of the most entertaining.
Love the middle finger.
Awesome man. Congrats on that
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2012/12/20/mini-review-vitus-audio-sia-025-integrated-amplifier/
Yeah I like reading Part Time Audiophile. He is straight up and honest with his reviews. The SIA-025 is a very musical sounding amp with a strong psu. It sounds great operating in class A. That amp replaced a Boulder 1060/1010 combo.
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Thanks, yes there will be a lot of coin tied up in those pieces. However the SIA-025 is still a great package & has a very musical class A sound. Fyi, the SIA had a mid-life upgrade recently & now puts out 150 watts Kl.A/B @8 ohms with a lot of current, doubling down @4 ohms. And that is measured in 'true RMS', so worth checking outImpressive man.
Would love to hear or own one some day but I'm afraid that's definitely a little on the costly side
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I'll be initially running them with my Vitus SIA-025 integrated in class A mode & Vitus SCD-025 Mk2 cdp. The small Vitus was able to control my older S5's surprisingly well operating mostly in Kl.A. However the Mk2's are 1db more efficient, so i'd expect the amp will provide even more grip.
Wow ... $27k integrated!!! Congrats on your new Magico
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Thanks Joey. Likewise congrats on your very nice system! The CAM600 mono's are an excellent match with the 802's, and having some tubes upstream should help tame that tweeter.Just read this review on your vitus.
One of the most entertaining.
Love the middle finger.
Awesome man. Congrats on that
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2012/12/20/mini-review-vitus-audio-sia-025-integrated-amplifier/
Yeah I like reading Part Time Audiophile. He is straight up and honest with his reviews. The SIA-025 is a very musical sounding amp with a strong psu. It sounds great operating in class A. That amp replaced a Boulder 1060/1010 combo.
Thanks man, the Classe will stick with bowers for the foreseeable future.
The Boulder 2060 will go with the Rockport Avior
Interesting how he replaced s Boulder 1060. The 2060 is a totally different beast than the 1060 so I would love to compar and contrast somedayMagico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound -
Thanks very much BrianWow ... $27k integrated!!! Congrats on your new Magico
. Imho the SIA-025 is the best ss Class A integrated amp in the world. It should sing sweetly with the S5 Mk2's..
Post edited by [Deleted User] on
