Downgrade to Phantom

[IanG-UK]

I'd also suggest that my experience in favouring the Phantoms, having used Expert 800/Magicos, might be a more comfortable experience than had I only used Phantoms and then later tried Expert 800/Magicos. 

Would you elaborate on that please? I have a date to audition the Phantom and also Magico next week.

Hi deviousalet

I've clarified my previous post since it could be read that I thought Phantom was better than 800/Magico, which I think it is not.

What we each listen for will be different, beyond the fundamental things like a good degree of neutrality and space recreation.

There is also, in my opinion, other non-aural factors which impact us in different ways. For example, I like equipment to be minimal and speakers to be small, so that the visual distractions are minimised. Whereas there are some who like a room full of McIntosh.

The Phantom is as minimal as it gets; and you cannot play around with it at all - no configurator, no subwoofer - just a music selector and a volume control. 

As for the sound, the 800s and Magico Q1s, fed from a MacBook, give (in my opinion) a slightly more complete and relaxing sound than the Phantom, fed from a MacBook. In my way of explaining things, it means the brain has less to do in fully enjoying the sound - as though one was at the live musical event. One is more easily immersed.

You may listen differently, so that may not help!

From a value perspective, £7.5k on the Phantom system versus £70k on the 800/Magico system just makes one think.