Magico has announced the launch of the S2 loudspeaker. The manufacturer’s design objective was ambitious: create the most compact three-way S Series loudspeaker ever, with a size-to-performance ratio never achieved before.
Following the success of the S3 and S5, the S2 builds on the strengths of its larger siblings while adding its own design flare and unique capabilities. Engineered to excel at providing an exalted level of sound quality in a compact-yet-substantial extruded enclosure, the new Magico S2 offers unprecedented performance for a speaker that can fit almost anywhere, claims the manufacturer.
A new form factor: the S2
The S2 is a three-way, four-driver loudspeaker engineered to punch way above its 132-pound weight in all areas of sonic performance.
A Polytec Laser Vibrometer was used to measure the vibration of the S2’s cabinet panels during development. This, along with the latest simulated 3D modeling, gave Magico the ability to address potential resonance early in the design process as opposed to using a band-aid approach afterward.
The result is the S2’s compact cabinet, crafted entirely from extruded aluminum, a design that minimises diffraction and maximises strength.
The enclosure is built around the largest single-piece extrusion Magico has yet produced. Its full-length vertical brace is integral to the S2’s extruded cabinet, yielding increased rigidity and stiffness, while also enabling optimal damping strategies.
This advancement, along with Magico’s tried-and-true S Series enclosure technology, meant that engineers were able to verify that the S2 exceeded the target results set for it: the enclosure will not add colouration to music.
Magico’s driver technology
Driver technology is key to all Magico loudspeakers. The engineering team spends countless hours in research and development to create the highest-performing drive units available today. The S2 is yet another example of these efforts.
Magico’s high-precision Klippel Near-Field Scanner was used to optimise the acoustic output of the S2’s four drive units through the use of multiple acoustic measurements of the 3D sphere around the speaker. This gave Magico data that allowed a push toward the perfect acoustic performance both on- and off-axis. The manufacturer claims the S2’s drive units cohere flawlessly.
Like the S3 and S5 before it, the S2 benefits from the Gen 8 Nano-Tec driver cone, which consists of an aluminum-honeycomb core sandwiched by graphene-reinforced carbon-fibre skins. The cone’s core structure—possible only with recently developed manufacturing techniques—allows lower thickness, lighter weight, and more effective damping. The result has reportedly pushed distortion lower than ever before.
In addition to vastly improved cone construction, Magico has invested three years on a new generation of driver chassis. With the S2, Magico introduces the first 7in driver that uses this advancement. The third-generation chassis structure improves on both mechanical and acoustical parameters, like much-improved force distribution, a better suspension design, and a dual-post configuration that equalises dynamic tensile wire forces.
The new chassis is said to achieve an ideal combination of stiffness and damping while allowing minimal acoustic contribution by reducing modes and maximising air flow.
The driver complement
The S2’s midrange is 5in in diameter and is equipped with a 75mm voice coil. This unit has a Gen 8 Nano-Tec cone and is built into a third-generation chassis. The S2’s midrange uses a neodymium-based motor system with two extra-large magnets to yield a super-stabilised magnetic field in a 16mm air gap.
This high-efficiency midrange sports a full copper cap and a pure titanium voice coil (no fibreglass tape is needed, which would create unneeded damping). All told, the S2’s midrange sets a new benchmark of measured performance in both the frequency and time domains for a driver its size. The result is the most expressive midband reproduction available today, claims the manufacturer.
Bass in the S2 is provided by a pair of newly developed 7in woofers. This driver has a 3in voice coil with a Gen 8 Nano-Tec cone built into a third-generation chassis. The S2 produces accurate, undistorted low frequencies with a maximum SPL of 109dB at 55Hz measured at 1 metre. The bass response belies its size, producing undistorted, powerful low frequencies.
The S2’s sophisticated 28mm tweeter is based on the flagship M9’s, and uses a diamond coated beryllium diaphragm. A neodymium-based motor system reportedly yields the lowest distortion possible today along with impressive power handling, even compared to previous S Series speakers. The S2’s upper frequencies—extending to 50kHz—are detailed yet subtle and reveal highs that are revelatory in information retrieval.
Elliptical Symmetry Crossover
The S2’s three-way Elliptical Symmetry Crossover (ESXO) is a topology of rare distinction, says Magico. The crossover is implemented with an acoustical-target 24dB-slope using a Linkwitz-Riley filter.
Maximum frequency and phase linearity is accomplished, while keeping intermodulation distortion to vanishing levels. The S2 uses a full complement of state-of-the-art components from Mundorf of Germany, including M-Resist Ultra foil resistors, which deliver greater power handling, increased transparency, and more sonic liquidity than previous components. New is the copper foil paper coil, which improves the noise floor by reducing microphonic effects. The result of the S2’s ESXO crossover is superior coherence from the speaker’s four drive units.
Finish and footers
The three-footer support system uses constrained-layer damping and premium materials for greatly enhanced sonic performance.
The new Magico S2 begins shipping in Q2 2025 (via Absolute Sounds in the UK) and is available in 12 colour options.
There are two finish levels with six curated colours in each: ‘Softec’ with a UK RRP of £41,500 per pair, and ‘High Gloss’ with a UK RRP of £49,998 per pair (inc. VAT).