Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearl Edition - help with amp selection needed.

[Mikowhy]

Hi,

I have acquired those speakers quite a while ago and during the auditioning the guy had it hooked up to the Deonon mini tower. The speakers sounded insanely good! The quality of the top and the amount of bass! Everything was so balanced and I just could not believe how good those speakers are!

So I instantly bought them thinking that they will sound beautiful like with my rotel 930AX as my bedroom setup.

Now this is where I was wrong... I hooked them up and the top was sharp and bass was lacking mids were ok... It drives me crazy as I fall in love with those speakers during the auditioning so To be sure I have tested them with my other amps.

I have tested them with Yamaha M4/C4 combo, Pioneer A400, Sansui AU101, rotel 820AX, Teac AH500i and I had no match!

Most of the amps made top sound very sharp and bottom lacking. I think that the Sansui was closest to the sound I have heared during the auditioning but I think that due to low wattage the bottom response time felt bit sluggish (if this make any sense 😛).

So I was just wondering if any one used those speakers with connection to denon amps? I'm thinking about PM250/PM350 and can tell me how they sound with them?

Also maybe someone have some other amp recommendations?

Finally I wanted to double check. I have heard that the MS20i Pearl are designed by Robin Marshall and share many features with Epos ES11. Is this correct?

Did anyone who own Epos ES11 ever compered them to MS20i Pearl side by side? This could be very interesting as the sound I've have heared during the auditioning were amazing!!! So who knows we might have here a poor man Epos ES11 🙂.

 

[Al ears]

Nice speakers, I've just purchased a pair for my brothers system.

It is nice to see which amps you have tried them with and its pointing in one direction left to go at the moment (and by that I mean buy British, at least British designed).

It would help if you could let us know what your budget might be.

Cannot help too much regarding similarities with the Epos apart from the fact that they were both early eighties designs and might indeed have some similarities, although not too sure why this is relevent here.

 

[drummerman]

Very good speakers. I bought mine new/old stock a few years ago. I have used them with many different systems from Roksan, Arcam, Cyrus, Rega and more but the single best combination was with a Naim system including the XS amplifier so that would be my advise.

I have now given them to a friend because of a shortage of space together with an old Denon Receiver which I had hanging around for years (non AVR but an amplifier/tuner). The model escapes me but I can find out if necessary. I also had a Denon PMA 355UK but the Denon receiver seemed to match better for some reason.

The two sound wonderful. Subjectively rich, sweet and good rythm.

regards

PS. Just saw your question re. R/Marshall.

Yes the speakers were of his design.

 

[plastic penguin]

I seem to remember Chebby loved his Pearls with Naim Nait 5i.

Ah, just seen this.

 

[Mikowhy]

Hi thanks for the input guys!

Budget wise I was thinking to spend something arround 80-100£ So I think that Naim is not an option 🙁. I would love to have one of them one day!

I was wonderring if the old Cyrrus One would do the trick? I've seen one for sale on local gumtree. I'm waiting for the guy to repply if he minds takinf my speakers and cd player with me for the auditioning!

I'll update you guys as soon as I manage to hear them together!

 

[Mikowhy]

So I've tried it with the cyrus one and... nothing, again sounded flat! This is just insane!

Now I'm binding on two denons pma250se and 350se. I'm quite determined to get the Denon so the auctipons are finishing in few days from now, I'll update the thread as soon as I'll get it!

By the way this is bit frustrating but also funny, how big difference the amp selection can do! I always know that there is a difference between the amps and that it is quite audiable, but I swear I never know it can be so big!

 

[fr0g]

I bought some way back when at a silly price. They were £60 new and were in my opinion, better than speakers that were £300 (that I dem'd at the time).

I used them to great effect with an Arcam Alpha 7.

They also sounded great with an old Cambridge Audio A500?

So I would recommend both the above brands.

 

[Mikowhy]

So long story short, I've hookedthem up to denon pm350 and they sing again!

My god! Finally 🙂

So if any one wonders... Denon is the answer 🙂