If you’ve spent any time around high-end audio kit you’ll know that some of it is hilariously expensive. But by God, it sounds good.
Some of the most expensive audiophile speakers are by California’s Magico: the company’s flagship M9 floorstanders come in just shy of a million dollars; the M7s are just north of $550,000 and the ‘mid-range’ S3 we heard in 2023 come in at around £60k, $71,330 or AU$106,860, depending on the finish you choose. So by comparison, the new Magico S2 floorstanding speakers are an entry-level bargain: in the UK they cost from £41,500 to £49,998 a pair. That’s roughly $52,990 to $63,840.
So what do you get for around £50k? According to Magico, something amazing. And given their track record – we’ve also heard the same brand’s M7s and can’t save $560k quickly enough – we’re inclined to believe them.
Magico S2 floorstanding speakers: key features
The new Magico S2 floorstanders are three-way, four-driver speakers designed to deliver maximum performance with a minimal footprint; according to Magico you’ll get “unprecedented performance for a speaker that can fit almost anywhere”.
The sealed enclosure is made from Magico’s largest-ever single-piece aluminium extrusion (Magico doesn’t do wooden enclosures) and features a full-length vertical brace that Magico says maximises rigidity, stiffness and damping.
Each speaker has a 8mm pure-beryllium, diamond-coated tweeter, a 12.7cm mid-range driver and twin 18mm bass drivers. The mid and bass drivers have Magico’s Gen 8 Nano-Tec driver cone, which is made from an aluminum honeycomb core with carbon fibre skins; that’s designed to reduce weight and deliver more effective damping.
There are a dozen finishes to choose from, six in a “Softec” finish and six high gloss shades. The Softec finishes have an RRP of £41,500 and High Gloss are £49,998, and are being distributed by Absolute Sounds in the UK. All will be available for shipping in early 2025.