Loudspeakers

Magico’s proprietary Elliptical Symmetry Crossover (ESXO) includes capacitors, inductors and resistors made by Mundorf EB GmbH. As usual, a single set of 4mm cable terminals is fitted, so bi-wiring/bi-amping is not supported
Hello, Squire
Strip things back to voices and ‘real’ instruments with Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s eponymous album [Warner Records 5054197893995], and it’s impressive the way these speakers open up the big dense mix of ‘I’m So Bored’, delivering it with bags of texture and speed. Meanwhile the simpler ‘Mother Nature’s Song’ has that ‘sitting in the studio’ impact and detail. The sound is redolent of The Beatles and George Martin, which I’m sure was part of the intention.
Talking of studio ambience, Mike Scott’s piano demo version of ‘The Whole Of The Moon’, from The Waterboys’ 1985 box-set [Chrysalis ENCLB5 0810098504638], is a wonderfully evocative recording. Once Scott asks for the drums to be taken out, it’s just voice and piano in a lively, reverberant space, and all the more exciting for that – especially with the superb resolution these speakers deliver.
With the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra’s recording of Beethoven’s Ninth under Keri-Lynn Wilson [Deutsche Grammophon 4866011], the S3 2023 gave full weight to the massed forces when required, but also showcased a delicate touch, making the sound of the soloists and choir truly thrilling. The former were imaged beautifully, while the choir, set back in the soundstage, wrapped around them to spine-tingling effect.
Cinematic Sparkle
This attention to detail played a major part in conjuring up the big, blowsy vintage sound of the John Wilson Orchestra on Rodgers & Hammerstein At The Movies [Warner Classics 3193012]. The ‘Carousel’ waltz had bags of sparkle, serious bass in the middle section, and that sense of propulsion of the titular, spinning fairground ride. The sound was super-crisp but with that era-appropriate vintage feel, these latest Magico S3s making it both satisfying and hugely enjoyable.
The demanding Dallas Winds/Jerry Junkin recording of the march from ‘1941’ [John Williams At The Movies; Reference Recordings RR-142SACD] is a test these speakers pass with flying colours, right down to the rattle of the snares and dynamic punch of the bass drum, set in a broad, deep soundstage. Yet switch to the location ‘field recordings’ of Billy Bragg and Joe Henry’s Shine A Light album [Cooking Vinyl COOKCD623], and the S3 2023 delivers just what you’d expect.
Born in the USA The sound is a long way off studio perfection, having been captured using a minimalist rig on the pair’s travels on 'The Great American Railroad', but the immediacy shines through as does the sense of things going on around the duo as they perform, conveyed excellently by the revealing nature of the speakers. And that’s what this re-imagined version of the Magico S3 does so well, drawing the listener into the music almost without any sense that it’s happening, and rewarding close attention with a fabulously detailed, but above all totally involving, presentation.
Hi-Fi News Verdict
Magico’s S3 2023 lives up to its manufacturer’s name with a sound as vivid as it is refined, and as compelling as it is analytical. The finish is immaculate, and the construction as solid as you’d expect, and while these may only be ‘mid-range’ in the catalogue, there’s nothing middling about their performance. Drive them with an amplifier commensurate with their capabilities, and prepare to be enthralled.
Sound Quality: 90%