MF and MA system...what happened??? .

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I just put together a new system a couple weeks ago. All was well, but then something changed.The system consists of a Clearaudio Concept TT, Musical Fidelity A5.5 CD player, Musical Fidelity A5 Integrated amp, Monitor Audio RX8 speakers, XLO Ultra 6 speaker cable, XLO Reference II interconnects, and Acoustic Zen Gargantua power cables. All pieces are used, except the speakers, and all are in good working order.

The sound was absolutely fantastic, almost euphoric, until yesterday. Previously, the music was very full, well imaged, fantastic detail, deep wide sound stage, great bottom end, and the vocals were as if I could reach out and touch the singer. The other night, I was listening at a spirited volume, about 11:00 o'clock on the dial, and all seemed well. The next day, I went for a listen, and the sound changed. Most everything else was still there, but the bass seems to have decreased substantially and the holographic imaging seems to have flattened out just a little. The change has affected both sources, CD and vinyl, so I assume it's not the sources at fault. And I have read somewhere before that an A5 Int. amp lost it's low frequency ooomph, so I'm thinking it's the amp causing the changes. I was contemplating the Musical Fidelity fine tuning service to see if it brings the life back to the music. But it's been hard to find any real reviews/results on MF's fine tuning service for the A5 Int.

So I ask, does anyone have any ideas as to what may have changed??

I had run the system several hours for a break in period to begin with, although, only the speakers were un-used. I just want the sound back that I had I the first place!! What's happened? Is the amp at fault? Do the speakers loose bottom end when they break in?........Help!!
 
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Anonymous

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Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).
 
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Anonymous

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I have a RS8 AV system, I found that they took around 200 hours running in before they settled down and sounded there best.

On your system I would consider buying a balanced mains transformer to feed your supply through, it will make a massive difference and effect the depth and detail and noise floor on your music.

http://www.airlinktransformers.com/transformer/cbs2000-conditioned-balanced-power-supply.asp
 

Gerrardasnails

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Sep 6, 2007
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AlanNorak:
Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

Come on then, what speakers do you have? And while we are at it, amp, source, cables? I'm sure there are lot of posters that are waiting for the messiah to speak.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
AlanNorak:
Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

The biggest load of tosh I have read in ages! more than likely just a wind up so we should leave it there.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
brittondave:AlanNorak:
Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

The biggest load of tosh I have read in ages! more than likely just a wind up so we should leave it there.

I suspect a Troll post!
 
Gerrardasnails:AlanNorak:

Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

Come on then, what speakers do you have? And while we are at it, amp, source, cables? I'm sure there are lot of posters that are waiting for the messiah to speak.

Gerrard - let him have his 30 secs of fame. Never heard so much tripe!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Gerrard- Nice comeback
emotion-5.gif


I do think it has to be a wind-up OR that they just simply dont know what they're talking about!!!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
brittondave:brittondave:AlanNorak:
Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

The biggest load of tosh I have read in ages! more than likely just a wind up so we should leave it there.

I suspect a Troll post!

which is working a treat!
 

The_Lhc

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Oct 16, 2008
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brittondave:brittondave:brittondave:AlanNorak:
Although I'm not the world's biggest MF fan (and I hate MA speakers - cheaply made, sold for more than they're worth) bear in mind that ALL hifi benefits from being left ON at ALL times to sound at it's best. Naturally using Class A amplification will result in high leccy bills, but the system will thank you for it.

The other point I have to make is the electricity supply, the mains will be much better late at night compared to day time. Most people who know about hifi electronics will tell you that noise nd vibration are evils to be avoided, well at night time there will be few TVs/cookers/washing machines/ traffic (even the supply lines don't like being shaken up!) to ruin the incoming mains.

Try listening at night again to verify and if it proves to be the case try a GOOD mains block that reconstructs the mains supply (like the ones PS Audio do- not the horrible ones that just passively throttle the mains, you know who you are Mr Isotek and Andrews!).

Oh and try listening to some different speakers somewhere MA isn't sold (after you've given them at least a 3 weeks running though).

The biggest load of tosh I have read in ages! more than likely just a wind up so we should leave it there.

I suspect a Troll post!

which is working a treat!

No, if he was a troll (or a decent one), he'd have followed it up with some additional comments.

Besides, he's not the first (or even second) member of these fora to state that their system sounds better late at night. I might be doing him a disservice but I think one of them was IDC.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
As I said, the system had been sounding wonderful at first, all was good. But then after a night of high level listening, it changed. I did check the speakers, first thing, they are fine. As for mains power, the system is on it's own dedicated 20 amp breaker with hospital grade outlets, and new power cabling from the outlet to the breaker box. And where I live, we don't experience power fluctuations through out the day. So listening at a certain time of day, or conditioning the power will make no difference here. And again, it sounded amazing to begin with.

I am going to take Craig M.'s advice and give a shout to MF and see what they say. But I'm still rather stressed at this point. I had the sound I wanted, but then it left me :(
 

Clare Newsome

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shawnlh:
As I said, the system had been sounding wonderful at first, all was good. But then after a night of high level listening, it changed. I did check the speakers, first thing, they are fine. As for mains power, the system is on it's own dedicated 20 amp breaker with hospital grade outlets, and new power cabling from the outlet to the breaker box. And where I live, we don't experience power fluctuations through out the day. So listening at a certain time of day, or conditioning the power will make no difference here. And again, it sounded amazing to begin with.

I am going to take Craig M.'s advice and give a shout to MF and see what they say. But I'm still rather stressed at this point. I had the sound I wanted, but then it left me :(

Just an off-the-wall suggestion, but .... are YOU the element that's changed? May seem like an odd question, but it only takes a cold or ear infection (for example) to change the way we hear/perceive sound. The best systems in the world can sound nothing special when you've got a cold!
 

The_Lhc

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Oct 16, 2008
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Clare Newsome:shawnlh:
As I said, the system had been sounding wonderful at first, all was good. But then after a night of high level listening, it changed. I did check the speakers, first thing, they are fine. As for mains power, the system is on it's own dedicated 20 amp breaker with hospital grade outlets, and new power cabling from the outlet to the breaker box. And where I live, we don't experience power fluctuations through out the day. So listening at a certain time of day, or conditioning the power will make no difference here. And again, it sounded amazing to begin with.

I am going to take Craig M.'s advice and give a shout to MF and see what they say. But I'm still rather stressed at this point. I had the sound I wanted, but then it left me :(

Just an off-the-wall suggestion, but .... are YOU the element that's changed? May seem like an odd question, but it only takes a cold or ear infection (for example) to change the way we hear/perceive sound. The best systems in the world can sound nothing special when you've got a cold!

Especially if high-level listening means LOUD...
 
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Anonymous

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No, no cold or ear infection that I'm aware of. And my high level listening, I wouldn't say is "loud, just a bit above normal levels. Like I said earlier, about 11:00 o'clock on the volume dial.
 

proffski

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It will pass, happens to me sometimes and I reckon it is physiological. Surprisingly a dose of a decent single malt does the trick. The glass obviously treated by Peter Belt's Ju Ju Flop!
emotion-5.gif
 
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Anonymous

Guest
shawnlh:No, no cold or ear infection that I'm aware of. And my high level listening, I wouldn't say is "loud, just a bit above normal levels. Like I said earlier, about 11:00 o'clock on the volume dial.

That's acceptable with the MF A5 amp as it has 250Watts of power. I
used to play my GS60s at 12oclock when I had them a long time ago and
the amp never flinched.

Sounds like your taking the right action
by ringing MF - if the sound has changed dramatically (i.e. you have lost a substantial part of your low frequency) then it might be
something internal on the amp. As Claire mention, things like slight imaging changes etc can simply be the mind. Try putting some heavy bass songs on and seeing what happens. You will know if its lost its bass output then or not.

Never experienced anything like this so
please keep us all updated.
 

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