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I'd be curious how they compare to 3100's on stands in the middle of nice room.

There are some advantages to small speakers and comparing a full range 8000 vs mini monitors is apples and oranges.
I've heard the Mini (both versions) in NYC and other locations as well as the V3, M5 and Ultimates (the Ultimates are something to behold, never mind listen to!!!)

I would have to say that the Mini is a spectacularly built speaker offering performance quite a notch above the D3100's (as they should)

The Magico range offers extremely high levels of performance throughout the range, but their Treble forward characteristic is something that will appeal to many but not as much to me, as I prefer a more "balanced" approach that does not emphasize any particular performance aspect

Do the Magico's sound different to the Meridian range??..........Yes and by quite some way

Could I happily live with a Pair of Mini's or V3's??...........Definitely

Are Any of the Magico's (including the Ultimates) "Vastly Superior" to the Meridian range??..........Definitely Not (unless Treble and Upper Mid performance on certain Vocals and Instruments is the most primary concern)

As I've said before, it is the comments on "Vast Superiority"; or that Upsampling adds to or sounds worse than non-Upsampled and the other, generally negative initial comments from our new member that I took exception to

At this end of the spectrum, there can be major sound DIFFERENCES or CHARACTERISTICS, but taken as an overall Performance Package, there are only Subtle "Advantages" or "Disadvantages" between the various approaches of different manufacturers and we are each free to select the Characteristic Performance Set that appeals most to us. Dictating that our choice is the only correct one for everyone else (and then indicating everyone else must be deluded or technically challenged), is not something that should have its place here IMHO

Perhaps if the more tempered approach recently taken on by our new member had been there from the outset, then there may have been less issues

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