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Thread: Goodmans Magisters

  1. #11
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

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    I'm Jez.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beobloke View Post
    As you've found really. The treble was harsh and gritty, and the midrange forward and shouty. Even the bass, which sounded promisingly big, smooth and solid without the tweeters turned into a one-note, boxy mess when they were fitted!

    I did briefly consider tweaking them but I'd just bought a pair of B&O Beovox 5000s and so felt I only really needed one pair of old, ugly teak speakers in the house. Plus, the B&Os are quite nice!
    A friend of mine who had both Magnum K's and Magister's, bought new at the time, thought they were bloody awful for the same reasons hence I've been surprised to see them making a resurgence of late.... I think in some ways the lure of the vintage or retro blinds people to areas of genuine progress maybe...
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

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  2. #12
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

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    I'm Geoff.

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    I just passed on a tidy pair of Magnum K's on ebay. They went for £21. Just down the road from me too. I was tempted though!
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #13
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Bacup

    Posts: 502
    I'm Andrew.

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    Your initial reaction is very similar to mine it would seem. I am glad I persevered though as they now sound much better. The thing I would say is that the bass is now like you thought it had the potential to be. The best way I can describe it is nuanced, in fact just the opposite of a one note thump. You cannot describe it as punchy but it is musical and tight. I've just had an email to say my pots and resistors are on their way, so with a bit of luck, this weekend I'll see if I can stop the higher frequencies getting to the bass driver. Sorry I was just writing a response to Adam and two posts got in between.

  4. #14
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: Bacup

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    I'm Andrew.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    A friend of mine who had both Magnum K's and Magister's, bought new at the time, thought they were bloody awful for the same reasons hence I've been surprised to see them making a resurgence of late.... I think in some ways the lure of the vintage or retro blinds people to areas of genuine progress maybe...
    I'm not sure of the lure of vintage, maybe. But most of the rest of my stuff is pretty up to date and I'm a mainly digital listener. I was attracted to a sealed enclosure with a large driver making the bass. I haven't listened to a huge amount of speakers but these sound good to me now.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Oct 2012

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    I'm Jez.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RMutt View Post
    I'm not sure of the lure of vintage, maybe. But most of the rest of my stuff is pretty up to date and I'm a mainly digital listener. I was attracted to a sealed enclosure with a large driver making the bass. I haven't listened to a huge amount of speakers but these sound good to me now.
    You could try Heybrook HB3's.... "only" 10" woofer though...
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jul 2009

    Location: Hampshire, UK

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    I'm Adam.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    A friend of mine who had both Magnum K's and Magister's, bought new at the time, thought they were bloody awful for the same reasons hence I've been surprised to see them making a resurgence of late.... I think in some ways the lure of the vintage or retro blinds people to areas of genuine progress maybe...
    Possibly. I think there's also the 'umbrella effect' where people read about a company's good models and assume that everything the company made was superb.

    Goodmans made some very fine loudspeakers, of that there can be no doubt, but they also made a few stinkers!
    Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.

  7. #17
    Join Date: Oct 2011

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    I'm Andrew.

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    Thanks Jez, I'll put them on my 'possibles' list! Actually something you said earlier I found interesting. The idea of being blind to progress. Speakers have huge range of solutions to a problem. Some designs are so simple, a box and a driver, and others employ huge amounts of technology and research evolution. There are supporters of both but you have to wonder about the progress made when so many favour the simple approach. Harbeth still produce relatively simple and yet well regarded speakers and compete against companies like B and W who use much more technology in their designs.

  8. #18
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

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    I'm Adam.

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    see post number 3 in this thread... I think what was being indicated is with a bit of fettling and replacement mids & tweeters the real potential of those 'big Ugly Boxes' can be unleashed.
    I have personally experienced David Coe's Magisters and I can tell you now they were stunningly good.
    They surpassed a seriously good pair of Wilmslow Audio Prestiges in the bass department and made my Kudos Cardea 2s (£2500)..feel very tame indeed!
    Yes without work and effort they are poor performers, but in the right hands with a few quid thrown at them a very nice performer is revealed.
    "lack of passion is fatal"


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  9. #19
    danilo Guest

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    Have heard / read about the Miles' Magister
    But Not Goodmans

  10. #20
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by danilo View Post
    Have heard / read about the Miles' Magister
    But Not Goodmans
    No. It's not about flying Danilo.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

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