Should I Compare Magico Loudspeakers To PS Audio?

[@jaysaudiolab]

Tell me WHY I SHOULD DO THIS comparison in the comment section below.

[@trucchuong1726]

@jaysaudiolab I would really want to know if it's totally worth it to spend extra $$$ (a bit, double, or even triple) for better sound and build quality. Thanks again for your time Jay!

[@makjamasbi6137]

Do it Jay

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Ran Bookshelfs several years

[@markcirzan]

I don't plan on purchasing either brand but would like to better understand the comparison of price vs performance vs price. You could also do a video on a high quality streamer, dac amp such as Boulder 866 vs midrange such as Atoll sda200. Thanks

[@36karpatoruski]

Yes! Please do it. Your very detailed descriptions of the comparative sound quality would be of enormous benefit to those interested in the FR5 price point, in how they perform. Not to mention it will be a ton of fun!

[@PMC7027]

Please do the comparison. There are many people who have High End aspirations but not High End budgets. Knowing how close the PS Audio is to the Magico would certainly help people decide how to spend their limited funds. Spending $6000 less on speakers makes that money available to spend on components or cables. I enjoy your videos very much; keep up the great work. - Dave

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks for watching.

[@PMC7027]

@@jaysaudiolab You're welcome. - Dave

[@quant2011]

for sure, 6 grand buys us great R2R dac or technics direct drive turntable and class A tube amp, not the super high end, but veeery decent one

[@Eric-z6f]

@quant2011 - There’s countless brands where you can do better than a Technics turntable if you’re looking at investing 6K on a system

[@quant2011]

@@Eric-z6f such as?

[@thomassannito3528]

I enjoy these comparisons. I would like to see your panel of friends and you do a high end stand mount shootout with all the top brands

[@jaysaudiolab]

That’s a good idea

[@Carl-bd1rf]

I dare you to do a blind listening test. 😜

[@wendellhenderson7413]

You should compare them not head to head but just in contrast to show the difference in price performance for 10 grand I’m going another route

[@iluvsweaterpuppets9166]

Yes I’d like to see you do a comparison honestly. It’s not necessarily about cost but what you can fit into a given space! It doesn’t matter if you have Wilson chronosonic , Focal Grande Utopia money if you don’t have actual space to dedicate to them.

[@sanjayladi]

Yes This is an opportune time as you have both speakers ready and waiting.

[@stockmarketman]

forget the viewers, we watch you for YOUR opinion. I trust your golden ears due to all the experience with high end gear. Some viewers only have Apple earbuds as their high end gear. DO IT.

[@williambracken1447]

This might help people to better understand the subjective topic of diminishing returns, and as stated above what certain price ranges can get you.

[@williambracken1447]

Reason 2: The arousal of many audiophile nerds.

[@EricDSalisbury]

Your comment about two different price points makes a lot of sense Jay. The price points suggest two different classes or tiers of products. That considered, I would be interested in understanding the approach of each manufacturer as far as their crafting of a bookshelf speaker, not so much in terms of which one is better overall as much as what the character of one is like. How do the house sounds differ, and what might the best use case for each speaker be? What type of listener may prefer one speaker over the other, and what pairings may be more ideal as far as subs, tubes, class A amplification, rooms and treatments, etc.? I’m thinking this may not need to be a dedicated video, perhaps just something you can mention in another video talking about the Magico bookshelf speaker or something like that.

[@IceMuppet]

Because you can and it will be most entertaining like everything else you do, thank you.

[@ivanfilatov7913]

Please do it, because it's very interesting to see how different, " better" they are against each other. Because sometimes, expensive doesn't mean it's better.

[@svenhebinck7191]

The comparison would be great. Especially to highlight the advantages of higher quality aluminum construction of the cabinet, better drive units, superior crossover, better quality binding posts. Also gives you the opportunity to explain the difference between tweeter designs and how beryllium tweeters have different sonic qualities to AMT /planar magnetic. It allows you to explain that to get these design choices, it requires more investment because they are more expensive to make and design properly. Great content !

[@davorcoha7806]

PLEASE, do it, compare it!! Small pocket hi fi enthusiast need true.

[@vendelius]

Your 'Job' is to enlighten and educate we the watchers... Thanks for the honest words

[@audioeeze8396]

Yes Jay! I think with everything that you have done up to this point with your channel, it's a great idea. Thank you for your honesty. Looking forward to hear the comparison.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Stay tuned!

[@MrEvhel83]

I would like to see a review. And also it would be cool if you compared other high end stand mount's in the 8000 - 20000 usd category.

[@trucchuong1726]

Yes, please! Thanks Jay.

[@reybalderas1367]

Do the comparison please. 9k is attainable and I would like to know the tonal balance, dynamics, etc I comparison. It’s rare to hear a review like this.

[@mrpmj00]

I've been in the hobby since 2000. I love my GoldenEar BRX with the AMT ribbon tweeter based on the heil. So I upgraded to the PS Audio FR5 with planar ribbon tweeter. (I also love the Wisdom Audio P4m with planar tweeter) I also have 2 sealed 1200-1500 watts subwoofers with 2 bass radiators. source=Apple Music lossless quality

[@carlesjuliavallmajo3812]

i love to see this comparison because there is a lot of brands , less expensive or very expensive , and the price doesn t not always make justice to the quality / sound, so thanks for your evaluation !

[@manuelnunes3535]

If you have reservations about making a video at least highlight the differences between the two Why make a difference? Because you were so impressed by PS audio I am curious on what a &10k speaker can do above and beyond a $3k speaker

[@manuelnunes3535]

Correction: Why make a video?

[@nathan518]

I'm always going to demo a speaker before buying it. Seeing comparisons online is still helpful since it helps me know which speakers to put on my "To Demo" list. It doesn't matter if the speaker prices are vastly different as long as they're within a range that I can afford. The important thing is understanding how they sound relative to other speakers so I can get a better sense of which one suits my preferences more.

[@angelgarcia2559]

Jay sigo tu canal, muy buena labor, sí a la comparativa!

[@j.m.harris4202]

Jay, you have Big enough shoulders handle the Nay Sayers! Do whatever you deem is Best for your Channel! Do It!💯💪

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@MagicMaus29]

Now that we know that the form factor plays a crucial role in the reproduction of the sound image, it would be interesting to test, to what extent this bookshelf concept can be improved and exploited. Or at what point the concept no longer offers any added value and switching to a larger speaker is worthwhile, or even unavoidable.

[@amankarwa1305]

Please do the comparison. If anything, it will help us understand what one gets by spending more, in the stand-mount category

[@darrenanderson2014]

For sure, it would be an interesting comparison.

[@davidparsons6517]

1st of all you have them. 2nd For me I really enjoy your evaluation and what you are looking for between the two. I have ended up tweaking my system on some of these reviews. And really had no interest to buy either speaker. But I did learn something!! Now it’s up to you Jay.

[@paladin3798]

Jay, while you are at it. do the B&W 805 4D Black......always watch your vids

[@louisperlman8030]

Magico has more pride of ownership, some people will pay for that even if the dreaded Law of Diminishing Returns applies. I’m also curious to know what the A1’s bass extension is. The Wilson Audio Tune Tots only go down to 60hz.

[@jaysaudiolab]

That’s a good point.

[@VincentvanRooij-j9n]

@@louisperlman8030 35Hz, based on Magico's specs, that is. In real life its more capable in the bass than you'd expect.

[@Expedition18]

Also if anything you could explain about your service of doing setup, burn in, room corrections etc. Not the details just what you have to offer. Thanks for the great content and well produced videos. 👍

[@jaysaudiolab]

Noted!

[@VincentvanRooij-j9n]

T.b.h. I fully agree with you that these are completely different price brackets. And I love and own Magico myself and am mightily impressed by the A1. However, I am very curious about your findings nonetheless, keeping in mind the big price difference. This doesn't really help, does it..? 😂

[@jaysaudiolab]

😂

[@Expedition18]

Yeah would love to know if 3x price is 3x better sound!

[@jaysaudiolab]

It doesn't work that way.

[@jazzlouise]

I don't think it's about reviewing one aginst another. I would expect the Magico to be "better". Whatever better means. I am more interested in the tonal character of each and other attributes such as imaging, instrument placement, depth, soundstage, treble, midrange and bass etc. Also, a comment on what type of person would be drawn to each speaker. Is it a more analytical speaker or perhaps a more romantic presentation where equipment matching would be important and perhaps relative value which you already had some thoughts on. Some folks would would pay triple the price for a 10% gain but I think that needs to pointed out. Just my two cents.

[@jaysaudiolab]

I agree, the tonal character of each is important!

[@hannibalisatthegates]

Jay, Paul McGowan regularly and publicly claims that his PS Audio products match or exceed the performance of similar products costing many times more than their counterparts from other brands. Is Paul a delusional old man whose products are priced just where they should be, or is he a matter-of-fact sage, selling diamonds in the rough? I want to know!!!

[@Robert-id9jx]

Yes please. I would like to see a few different high end stand mounts get reviewed. I have a pair of Fyne Audio F1-8 stand mounts and would like to know how they compare to other speakers of that size. Thanks for your efforts.

[@net_news]

absolutely YES!!

[@jaakanshorter]

It would not really be a comparison of price but of speaker design. The tweeters alone are so different and that will make the comparison more interesting.

[@hindagsxr]

There were few good materials for me to compare PS with A1. But. In small speakers the cost of good cabling is relatively low. Good capacitors are certainly expensive. For me the fight between the A1 tweeter and PS audio is interesting. This can be compared without entering the zone of whether the price justifies the cost. The whole thing is as you said. A1 definitely has more expensive materials. Whether the price of A1 is justified in relation to the sound of A1 is another matter. You can describe the differences in sound without defining which is better. But I think this discussion is risky. :)

[@Kukkema]

I just enjoy that you are reviewing bookshelves because I don’t have a lot of room. Price is not important ✌🏼

[@Derffee]

It would be nice for you to do a comparison to see what differences they are in Sound quality and sound staging

[@socratesliriano9852]

You need to do this because you will get more likes and subscribers. With these videos, you got looking and waiting for the next video. But please be fair and truthful. What I get from this is to see if cheaper speakers outperform the more expensive ones even if I'm not buying them. The bottom line it's entertaining. No one is really doing this, especially with the ultra high-end. Do your thing, Jay!

[@nileshbarai4999]

Jay, I would like to know how these two speakers differ. For example, which one is more musical, which one is more analytical. Is the Magico better in every area or does the PS Audio have areas (like, Imagining, Pin Point position of things in the sound stage, Tonality, Texture, Layering, Sound Stage Width and Height and Depth, Warmer/Cooler presentation, better Bass weight, Bass to Mid/High balance, Bass Texture, better mids, better highs) that perform better. Is there specific genre of music that sound better on PS Audio vs the Magico. We know there is a big price difference, but audiophiles love comparisons, pure and simple.

[@Rachel-t9y]

all I can say about those Baby Magicos is "WOW !!!!"

[@timkneer9880]

It would ultimately be a disservice to customers looking for a high-end speaker in the PS Audio price range. A better comparison would be the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 for less money or the Sonus Faber Lumina V Amator Floorstanding Speakers for the same money.

[@louv4437]

Yea please do think it would be cool to see if you think the price increase is worth it, I’m sure it will be based on my feeling on Magico but I bet others don’t. Jay don’t listen to the haters accusing of things they are dumb

[@Lobo243]

Jay ..i really like your videos and your passion 👊

[@Eric-q9n]

Not a fan of PS Audio products, but I must admit I would be interested in seeing this comparison. If you decide to do it, I’ll keep my eyes peeled. Thanks Jay!

[@theflyingdutchman7127]

hi Jay I would like to hear and experience the comparison between these two speakers. that is part of our beautiful hobby. so if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to have this batle.

[@mrsmokalotapotamus6530]

Yes plz! I'm wanting the FR5's and am interested how they stack up.

[@EagleCrestVineyards]

Jay, you are among the select few who can authentically experience and accurately relate the musical experiences you put together. If for no other reason than to experience the sound of each speaker (at their best in your reference system) for yourself- but surely it willl generate clicks among a broader viewership that might not otherwise watch you in the ultra hifi world.

[@jmhodge12755]

It would be interesting to see if there are any Sonic differences between the two does the magico regardless of the price have any Sonic edge over the FR5s is there any Sonic games or differences between the two thanks for all your hard work Jay

[@glenncurry3041]

Now this is what we are here for! You made many comments about how just going stand mount offered some listening advantages to you because of your room. The FR5's are making the rounds. Lots of reviews. And yes yours being from a very different angle. The others are more it's just another good to great offering in the market they are always in. You are in a more unique position of then asking is it stand mount regardless of price? Or is it SP Aspen regardless of design limitations? And actually an interesting test to expand the spectrum would be to test an even cheaper stand mount. That would cover all the bases.

[@peterdelgreco903]

Yes please and than go the other direction with the Klipsch RP 600M II It would be fun to hear an honest review of the low price, middle and high

[@philmu1983]

Hi Jay, perhaps would you get a higher PS audio speakers model nearer the price point of Magico monitor to compare their house sounds? Of cause the Magico bookshelf would lose out in bass when PS audio higher models are full range, but the motion in this comparison would be more in line to reveal their sonic differences at a similar price point with a caveat that is handicapped bass. Your results would attract audience wishing to know which speaker's sound quality they are after.

[@Michael-oj6rt]

I agree with the previous comment about the comparison with respect to similar space, so yes, these seem similar enough for a stand mount comparison so that the value of each can be illustrated.

[@AdrianJFabre]

Plenty of people who might opt for the new PS Audio offering could also stretch their budget to consider a used Magico. Furthermore, the types of differences noted could help others in the market for a much higher end speaker understand what the Magico design philosophy brings to the table.

[@carlosmier4380]

When having you compare vs lower end equipment, you provide us an insight that otherwise most of us could not be able to grasp. The lower end equipment we may know, the ultra high end probably not. So in doing this, you provide us a reference point that we can use to better understand what you describe. Thanks for the work, Jay. The channel is making a turn into a greater audience and this is good for the hobby as well. Ultra high end, yes, other good stuff, yes as well. 🙂

[@kennyyoung4477]

hey jay , say we had a budget of for example 15k, would you spend 10k on a speaker and 5k on the front end or buy a 4k speaker and 11k on a front end, which is better? my 2 cents :p

[@JingoLoBa57]

Yes it will be a good test of your biases 😉 Can you identify the differences esp the tweeters…

[@yannick930]

It's always fun to watch comparisons, specially "crazy" ones. I feel like videos like that should be behind a paywall. For paid subscribers. Nobody else can put affordable speakers on ultra high end electronics. A serie called searching for the giant killer, is there such a thing? Many affordable speakers vs a reference like the magico.

[@tomdebeck8150]

Which of these 2 speakers have a better, more even sweet spot?

[@benjamincouillard5906]

I'd be interested! Even if the budget is not in the same league for both, it would be interesting to know your opinion about them in let's say a $20k system. Do you think the PS Audio would take the lead by freeing up money for the other components or the Magico would be the winner even on lesser components. Thanks!

[@tggonzales7971]

Maybe some Wilson Audio Tune Tots? Sonus faber Guarneri G5? B&W 805 D4? TAD Compact Reference One? The trade off in the bass response compared to full size speakers is a given, but having a small room doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice sound quality.

[@De132an]

31K, good luck to you in future audio sales.

[@MrMightymind]

Jay, I’m really interested in the “law of diminishing returns”, especially at this price point. It’s a yes from me! Do it for science!!!

[@Eric-z6f]

Price doesn’t always mean any given product is better. We know this. Gear performance can be predicated upon the associated gear. It’s possible that someone can afford the Magico’s and not want to pay that much for speakers if they can be happy with a less expensive option I can afford more expensive amps but happy with what I own. Bi-amping two amps (same model) and they’re 5K each. In this case, could go with either the PS Audio or Magico. Current speakers are 6K

[@hishamhussein4282]

I think you should. I can just (barely) afford the Magico speakers and I am actually looking to buy bookshelf speakers within the next few weeks. It would really be great to see what the difference (if any) there is between $3500 vs $9500. Is it worth saving $6000 to use on other parts of my system??? For you (and us too), the benefit might be seeing what the law of diminishing returns is for "reasonably" priced audio equipment.

[@robbase-f6x]

highly recommend you go to an audio an listen with your own ears even if it costs you a grand to go to the show ,.,,,, you will be amazed how speakers don't always sound how you think they will

[@allardvanderstarre]

by any means: do a video about the magico, what are its strengths, weaknesssess and in what rooms does it works....

[@quma001]

I’d be curious to know what’s possible with such a compact design. Is PS Audio already at 90% with a reasonably affordable speaker, or are we in a different league when spending 10k?

[@geminijinxies7258]

It's always fun to compare stuff and in this case I think it'll get plenty of views!

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bello/Magnifico.🙏✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️👑

[@tubefreeeasy]

Do you have a professional microphone setup to allow your viewers to listen with optimal audible integrity?

[@jaysaudiolab]

Nope this is KZbin

[@mpp9964]

Jay - it’s about the fact that a considerably lesser price speaker can outperform a considerably more expensive one. Price tag isn’t always an indicator of better, and based on what we’ve heard of the PS audio so far I think that has a good chance of an upset.

[@Nefty_]

YES do it, because to me it makes sense it is the logical way. The FR5 were very good for the price, in your system that nobody else has on YT, and I really wonder what these magicos would bring!!

[@thierryrainteau9384]

In the context of whether a potential buyer should wait and save more money to buy the magico rather than spending the 3.5k what will he get vs what he foregoes by not buying the FR15

[@rangerrecon]

The comparison is needed. I struggle with the concept of a two-way bookshelf speaker paid costing almost $10k. Obviously this is a time consuming task, especially if you had the opportunity to bring in some people for blind testing like you did with the speaker wire. Obviously, the people buying the $10k pair are expecting superior performance between the two, but even if it is true (and I hope it would be), does it justify the price difference? Is it only an incremental difference? Or is there more of a difference than someone might expect between two pairs of bookshelf speakers? Oviously it is very subjective, but if someone hears the FR5s and believes that they are good, and then hear the Magico and hear a significant difference, then that is very impressive as I would only expect an small incremental increase. Or, maybe because of the components (e.g. the FR5's ribbon tweeter), people may gravitate to the sound of the FR5s. As for the narratives, people will always come up with crap to spread. You've seen plenty of that in the past, but if you're not going to have these as your day-to-day speakers (and who would with those glorious Q7's sitting there), then why not compare the two and say, "Hey - for me, I think speaker X is the better value". At the end of the day, I think that is the more important issue - which one is the better value, considering the significant cost difference. I mean, let's face it, both of these speakers are in a price range where someone could easily go with a nice pairs of floorstanding speakers, so they need to deliver impressive performance.

[@abdulmokta48]

I side the woofer has double 1.5inch magnets, for this price it's should be 2.5inch dual and 1 crossover sharing 3 drivers is cheap, should have 3 separate for each drivers.

[@dannyrichie9743]

People love head to head comparisons. It is fun, it is informative, and most of all, people want to know what product offers the biggest value for the money. I (my company) specialize in designing bang for the buck performance based products. So I see this audience all the time. Even as you get into the higher price points. People want to know where the value is.

[@ThePerfeckted]

Do the comparo for cliks and giggles. It's great you are now doing side by side comparo starting with your $$$$ electronics. What is more interesting about these speakers specifically is because they are "pedestrian" in price. But going in this type of path may lead you to a SECOND channel dedicated just for these situation. What made me clik on your channel is because I get content on products I could never afford in my lifetime. Just wanted to see if the "grass was actually greener". I vote yes Jay!🤩

[@DrBroncanuus]

the comparison would provide a valuable insight into the Audio world...

[@TheBTG88]

The comparison would just show what high end users know already - but don’t always acknowledge- that the cost benefit curve becomes very thin as price points increase.

[@robertb5640]

Well, I have the wilson audio duette, which costed more than both of those combined, and they don't even make it anymore, sadly. That would have been a perfect speaker to use for a comparison, and the tune tots are a totally different direction. I don't understand why they did that, but it is what it is. I would like to see your opinion on the two because it is an interesting topic for those who don't have the room for a large speaker.

[@harisjaved1379]

I think the adrenal 1528s will probably blow both of these away. I do love magico stuff though! I have the budget to buy all three but I do love value for the money. I have magico s7 in my 2 channel setup and I love them because they sound good, got them on a good price, and they were my end goal for a while. But I am thinking about replacing our HT speakers with adrenal 1528 stuff. But it’s too much work to take everything out and the kef R meta series is serving well for our HT needs.

[@nickgreg8068]

The review I’d really be interested in watching is a review on the B&W 801 D4’s. I’m pretty certain that video would get you many thousands of views, a lot of the well produced 800 series videos do get thousands of views. With those amps and set up you have you be able to show and tell us how the 801’s can really perform. I heard from my HiFi store that B&W recently purchased a pair Apex mono’s to help them produce their next generation of speakers, I heard they said no other amplifier gripped the drivers in the same way. I’m guessing B&W is not a speaker you’d be interested in reviewing? My set up is a pair of 801 D4’s, a pair of Audiolab 8300MB’s a Michi P5 preamplifier and a WIIM Ultra. I know it’s not in the same league as what interested in. I basically spent my entire budget on the speakers, but these little amps have really surprised me, the beefy punchy sound they can create in combination with the 801’s is breathtaking with no real struggle or strain. Most of the HIFi shops thought I was nuts pairing £36,000 speakers with £700 each mono’s. Come to think of it that would also be an amazing video, you could go the other way and review the Audiolab 8300MB’s with your Magico’s, honestly I think you’d be surprised how well they’d sound. Also I think you’d be reaching out to much larger demographic and gain many more subscribers and likes, people love those type of hifi videos. If you look at Pursuit perfect system on KZbin and see how many views Terry got with the B&W 800 series speakers it’s hundreds of thousands. Videos mixing ultra high end with budget friendly is fun it also keeps the dream alive for many of us, I’m not saying do it all the time but every now and then would be fantastic just as you have recently. Anyway thanks for all your videos.

[@MegaM563]

Im curious for the comparison, my passive aggressive 250lbs self-taught audiophile guru!

[@silsworld4736]

A comparison is always useful. The more you can compare the better able you are to make a good long term buying decision. So help those that need it For my taste I prefer a dome and cone combination more than a ribbon or Amt driver. To me it is a more natural blend.

[@tractioncontroloff9796]

I would love to see High End bookshelf speakers compared to more common Midfi bookshelves. Most viewers have experience with Midfi offerings and would like to know how their equipment compares. 🤘🏻💪🏼

[@peterw2714]

Jay sometimes speakers can fight above their weight class and I think people would love to see if these $3500 PS audio speakers can hold up to these $9500 Magicos. I am one who could afford either speaker.

[@gregoryeiding5395]

Simple - for knowledge. It’s not about which is better. It’s about understanding differences and what going to the next price level means. What does that next level get you?

[@ewhite5381]

Think about it like this. If the PS can go head to head with the Magico - I'm sure it won't that clear cut anyway (pros and cons). Someone who is on a budget could save using PS and spend it on better electronics. A video like this helps people allocate thier limited resources better. Hard sell here, but could you do a video that uses a mid tier intergrated amp to drive both (Hegel), then compare when driven by $$$$$. See if they both scale up similarly. I appreciate how much work that would be though.

[@davidster1704]

Yes please do a comparison.

[@skip1835]

imo, who can afford what isn't part of the equation at all - - we should be able to assume the Magico's should be over all better - - but are they? And if they are overall better is the price difference justified? Those are the type of questions I'd love to see discussed.

[@michaeldina1103]

I think people want to know if the FR5 punches above its price point. It is kinda unique in the market right now in terms of its design. What other loudspeaker model has a planar magnetic tweeter and a passive radiator?

[@Arizonacomet]

So much to explore here

[@stevenburdick424]

Please compare the sound of Tweeter differences.

[@markhunstone2747]

You know we want it! Stop teasing! 😂

[@ckdamoneking9622]

Jay, your comments really help for those like me who are here to really find out about quality products. So, your videos really do help. We (wife and I) enjoy all the videos, they come with truth and also allow us to see what is out there. Really appreciate your work man!💯🙌🏾

[@jaysaudiolab]

I appreciate that!