To Jeff Fritz,
You are quickly becoming the guru that people turn to for audio recommendations. You obviously have a good set of ears! I had previously asked you for electronics suggestions for my Focal Maestro Utopias. Well now my wife is saying we need something smaller (and less expensive) for that room. I know you auditioned the Magico S5 in Munich. How do you think they would compare to the Maestros I have? I like the Focals, but they are temperamental as far as electronics and room placement. Your input is much appreciated.
Regards,
PMR
Thanks for the very kind words, but I have no desire to become a guru of any sort. But I can answer your question! The Focals are very nice-sounding, well-designed loudspeakers, but you are correct that they are very large and that room placement can become an issue perhaps because of their size. I had not heard that they are finicky with regards to electronics, but that seems to be your assessment. With the Magico S5s you certainly won’t give up any bass extension, and you will likely gain some resolution in the midband and the highs. I can’t give you an assessment of soundstaging and other characteristics versus the Focals as I only heard the Magicos briefly in Munich. Will they be less finicky with regards to partnering equipment? I really can’t say. But if what you are looking for is a speaker with a smaller footprint than you now have but that can still play big, deep, and is at the same time transparent and resolving, I would highly recommend you give the S5 an audition as soon as your local dealer gets them in. . . . Jeff Fritz
