To Hans Wetzel,
I saw you had the Sonus Faber Venere S [loudspeaker in for review] when you reviewed Magico’s S1 Mk.II. How did they compare? I actually have heard the Sonus Faber Olympica III, which I was considering and looking for alternative contenders. I am looking for imaging and soundstaging like Verity Audio’s speakers. (Yes, I know price difference, but . . . ) Which do you consider better at disappearing, the Magico or Sonus Faber? My system is a California Audio Labs CD player, Conrad-Johnson Premier 14 valve preamp, and Perreaux solid-state power amp with 250Wpc, which is a New Zealand-built class-A design. Room size is 30 square meters, mostly [listen to] jazz and female vocal, but also love electronic music like Photek, Groove Armada, etc. Current speaker is the Vandersteen Model 3A Signature; it doesn’t disappear and not so much separation between instruments and voices. Appreciate your help and advice for alternative speakers to consider -- Magico is top of the budget price. Thanks very much.
Best regards,
Nigel Murphy
Indonesia
This is pretty straightforward. Of the two loudspeakers that you mention, the S1 Mk.II will definitely give you more delineated imaging and broader soundstaging. A pair should have no problem “disappearing” in your room. They won’t offer a ton of bass, however, and I wouldn’t recommend cranking them super loud -- a pair of Venere Ses would be the better option in those respects. You might also consider Focal’s Sopra No2 and KEF’s Reference 1 or Reference 3, each of which is a three-way design that will offer more bass when you’re blasting electronic music. While a very good speaker in its own right, the Venere S isn’t quite up to the level of the Magico you inquire about, or the Focal or KEFs that I mention. However, it’s also priced much lower.
While you didn’t specifically ask about this, I’d highly suggest taking a listen to a modern CD player and A-B it with your CAL CD player. CAL definitely made great equipment back in the day. In fact, both of my brothers owned CAL CD players way back when. But digital-to-analog conversion has advanced in leaps and bounds since the early 1990s, and I think you’d be pleasantly surprised how much more detail you’ll hear from your CD collection with a newer player. You might even find that your Vandersteens will have a new lease on life! . . . Hans Wetzel
