Suncoast Audio, Magico M6, Luxman, Avid, Doshi Audio, Audioquest, Critical Mass – FLAX 2020

February 20, 2020

Suncoast Audio hosts Magico M6, Luxman, Avid, Doshi Audio, Audioquest, Critical Mass at the Florida Audio Show.

Suncoast Audio of Sarasota, Florida brought out “the big guns” at the Florida Audio Expo. I could just be referring to the Magico M6 loudspeakers or the Magico QSUB 18 subwoofers which push 600-lbs a piece. Or I could be referring to the Luxman M-900u monoblock amplifiers pushing each stereo channel.

To be less vague, “the big guns” in this instance are the sonic personality of the products they’ve chosen to exhibit music with. The Magico M-series loudspeakers have a rare ability to present the exact character of their upstream electronics, sometimes doing so to a fault. If the associated electronics exhibit such a dry temperament, pack a canteen. In the case of the Florida Audio Expo, Suncoast Audio made the right decision to attach these exacting loudspeakers to some expertly designed electronics, which exhibit music with all color and tone quality intact. Everything the Doshi Audio V3.0 Tape Stage had to communicate came through crystal clear as its signal passed through the Luxman monoblocks and on to the Magico speakers.

The Doshi Audio V3.0 Tape Stage was being fed by a custom Studer 810 reel-to-reel machine that was rebuilt by Soren Wittrup. The Doshi Audio V3.0 Tape Stage is a reflection of the resurgence among analog tape and audiophiles’ need for the highest quality tape preamplifier. It is a fully functioning unit developed for the high-end audiophile and professional audio engineer alike. The V3.0 tape stage features a differential input head amplifier with adjustable gain, loading, low frequency EA, and level controls.

The tape head amplifier has a servo output stage that can be switched from Class A to Class A/B to cater to different tastes. The EQ section provides for adjustable EQ for NAB/IEC and AES (30ips) playback. It’s also low impedance and completely passive so that dynamics and phase relationships are preserved. A transformer balanced output is available as an upgrade.

by Eric Franklin Shook

Magico

M6 Loudspeakers – $172,000 pr USD

QSUB 18 Subwoofer (x2) – $36,000 ea USD

Luxman

C-900u Control Amplifier – $14,995 USD

M-900u Monoblock Amplifiers (x2) – $14,995 ea USD

D-08u SACD Player/DAC – $14,995 USD

Avid

Acutus Classic Turntable – $17,999 pr USD

SME 5 Tonearm – $5,500 USD

Pulsare II, Phono Stage – $7.499 USD