Magico's 2023 S3 MkII loudspeaker takes advantage of the San Francisco Bay-based company's new state-of-the-art R&D capabilities alongside knowledge distilled and technological advances gained in the development of the flagship M9, which costs almost £1,000,000 per pair.

We are told that Magico set out to redesign the S3 loudspeaker to achieve audible improvements in every parameter. This resulted in a new enclosure, drivers and coupling system, making the S3 MkII entirely re-engineered and, apparently, accomplishing far more than the initial design brief.

The new enclosure is constructed of four extruded aluminium panels ranging in thickness from 1/2- to 2-inches. Each panel, including the front baffle, is machined to take on an overall edgeless-shaped perimeter, states Magico. The Californian company adds that the massive machined top plate is curved and has an upward pitch to minimise enclosure diffraction and break up vertical standing waves.

Meanwhile, the thicker baseplate incorporates a newly designed three-point outrigger system and foot design that lowers the speaker's centre of gravity. We're told that, as well as increasing overall stability, it also results in a lower noise floor and increased dynamics.

Magico says this new 44- x 12- x 17-inch (HxWxD) enclosure is 30% quieter than its predecessor. Furthermore, there are new chassis profiles for the S3 MkII's midrange and bass drivers. Here airflow has been maximised while minimising any unwanted resonant modes thanks to exacting stiffness and damping properties.

NEW S3 DRIVERS

Having a technically brilliant cabinet is pointless without equally high-spec drivers. Thankfully, Magico starts by borrowing key elements of the M9 tweeter platform for the newly designed S3 high-frequency unit, which features Magico's 28mm diamond-coated beryllium diaphragm.

The keen-eyed will have noticed that the new MB5FP tweeter has increased from 26mm to 28mm. We are informed that this has been achieved by leveraging beryllium's physical properties without gaining extra weight. The manufacturer adds that this, combined with a neodymium-based motor system, a new acoustically improved back chamber, and a customised shape to integrate into the curved front baffle, gives this bragging rights to “the lowest distortion measurements possible today from a high-frequency transducer.”

Meanwhile, the Gen 8 5-inch pure midrange driver features an advanced cone material formed of a honeycomb aluminium core sandwiched with outer and inner layers of graphene and carbon fibre. This boasts wider dispersion characteristics and results in greater midrange transparency, says the brand.

The cone is supported by a custom basket assembly and “innovative” foam surround, which is said to help achieve ideal cone/surround integration, faster settling time, and impressively low distortion.

Finally, an all-new underhung neodymium-based motor system uses two extra-large magnets to facilitate a super-stabilised magnetic field and a pure copper pole cap that minimises eddy currents and maximises efficiency.

Rounding things off is a pair of Gen 8 9-inch bass drivers that benefit from “an enhanced version” of Magico's Graphene Nano-Tec cone. Again, graphene has been used to take advantage of its tensile strength. Here the new cone is formed using a honeycomb aluminium core sandwiched by outer and inner layers of CF Graphene. This is said to combine to achieve the highest possible stiffness-to-weight ratio, ideal damping properties, and extremely low distortion.

The new bass unit incorporates oversized components, including a 5-inch pure Titanium voice coil and a large copper cap with 1/2” of linear excursion.

The super-stabilised magnetic field enables the S3 to reproduce superior low bass output (112dB @ 50Hz measured at 1 meter).

Together the new technologies result in a claimed 24 Hz-50 kHz frequency response, 88dB sensitivity and 4 Ohm impedance.

Two different levels of finish are available for Magico's S3 MkII. M-Cast is a textured powder coat finish, and M-Coat is a premium, high-gloss paint finish. M-Cast colour options include black, pewter, silver and bronze. M-Coat colour options include black, titanium, pearl white, orange, blue and candy red.

UK RRPs for M-Cast and M-Coat finish options are £56,998 and £66,000 per pair, respectively, and the S3 MkII will start shipping in Q1 2023.

Visit Magico for more information