Gary Pearce
High-end US based loudspeaker company Magico have just added the luxury Q1 stand mount to their stable of bomb proof designs, and in doing so have finally retired the venerable MiniII from active duty.
Retailing here in NZ for a not inconsiderable $39,999 (ok, let’s call it $40K) the Q1 utilises what must be the most indestructible speaker enclosure yet designed.
The total antithesis of speakers from companies such as Harbeth or Musical Affairs (these guys use thin cabinet walls to emulate the sound of a musical instrument), the 2 way Q1’s stylish enclosure is completely constructed from aluminium and copper and is heavily braced internally.
The approach kind of reminds me of the utterly overbuilt AAD 7001 monitors I had for review a few years back – they were as I recall ‘hewn from slabs of missile-proof aluminium’. Elegantly put, and Magico have taken a similar route with the Q1’s in the pursuit of the holy grail – a cabinet with no resonance or colouration.
Other specs include the use of a new 7″ Nano-Tec bass/mid driver (cones are actually made from carbon tubes) along with their 1″ MBe-1 beryllium dome tweeter, frequency response is a claimed 32Hz – 50KHz, and all up weight (inc the matching stand) is a back breaking 54kg per speaker.
Magico recommend a minimum amplifier power of 50wpc, but I’m picking they’ll handle serious power (think 250wpc and you’d be getting there) and be much the better sounding for it.
Not for owners of 8wpc SET amps, these Magico Q1’s.
