Musical Fidelity A5 vs Primare I30

[admin_exported]

Hi all forum members.

Can some of you tell me the sonic difference between the 2 integrated amplifiers?

Which one is the better for classical music and operas?

Which speaker ProAc Studio 140 or PMC GB1i for each of the amplifiers?

regards

kvp

 

[Thaiman]

Hi

A5 will give you more soundstage and dynamic that needed for classical music but the Primare is warmer, smoother and very very natural. Very close call!

Both speakers will work superbly with both electronics.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply Thaiman.

As far as I know MF A5 integrated has built in phono stage and I guess a new is available for less that 1100 UK pounds these days.

Primare I30 is without phonostage and as far as I know priced around 1600 UK pounds

My listening room is 6 by 6 meters so I guess the reasonable solution is MF A5 integrated and may be ProAc Studio 140.

Where do I find the best deal for amp and speakers?

Regards

kvp

 

[Thaiman]

There should be some ex-demo A5 left out there. Anyone?

(Ebay obviously the most common market as long as you be careful)

I sold my for £750 so should be some more bargain out there.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="kvp"]Where do I find the best deal for amp and speakers?

[/quote]
Hey mate, whatever you decide do keep us posted on this.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Personally, I'd go A5 + GB1i or, if the budget would stretch, FB1i. The bigger speakers would be much better suited to the large room you have.

 

[John Duncan]

And I'd go the Primare, with same speakers - they're very similar to my mind, but the Primare's prettier

Fairly sure you could get both for more or less the same price exdem or s/h.

 

[Anonymous]

Can't comment on the I30, but compared the A5 to the Pre30 and A30 combo.........the primare edged it for me.......smoother, slicker and more refined sound........aesthetically pleasing too

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"]they're very similar to my mind[/quote]

I disagree with that John my old mate

The MF is has more of everything, certainly in the bass department. Primare is easier to listening to being very well balanced with creamy midrange but somehow it left me wanting (a bit) more!

I always thought if WHF&V did review on the A5 it would have been product of the year!

ps.....I suppose being a rocker doesn't give me a good postition to judge the primare though.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Thaiman"]ps.....I suppose being a rocker doesn't give me a good postition to judge the
primare though.[/quote]Maybe that's why I found them to be quite alike, I suppose - my taste's moved towards the more subdued now. Don't play my Dio albums as much as I used to........

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="Thaiman"]ps.....I suppose being a rocker doesn't give me a good postition to judge the
primare though.[/quote]Maybe that's why I found them to be quite alike, I suppose - my taste's moved towards the more subdued now. Don't play my Dio albums as much as I used to........

[/quote]

.........my Poison cd sounds great

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Sam Srivastava"][quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="Thaiman"]ps.....I suppose being a rocker doesn't give me a good postition to judge the
primare though.[/quote]Maybe that's why I found them to be quite alike, I suppose - my taste's moved towards the more subdued now. Don't play my Dio albums as much as I used to........

[/quote]

.........my Poison cd sounds great [/quote]

Looks up "oxymoron" in dictionary.......

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="Sam Srivastava"][quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="Thaiman"]ps.....I suppose being a rocker doesn't give me a good postition to judge the
primare though.[/quote]Maybe that's why I found them to be quite alike, I suppose - my taste's moved towards the more subdued now. Don't play my Dio albums as much as I used to........

[/quote]

.........my Poison cd sounds great [/quote]

Looks up "oxymoron" in dictionary.......

[/quote]

................."nothin' but a hobnob, how can i resist"........

 

[Anonymous]

Tried the Primare I30 with the PMC GB1s and FB1s this morning, the GBs being the older variant and the FBs the newer. What can I say, the FB1s did it for me. The bass extension is exactly what I'm aiming to achieve and is worth every penny if you can find the space. The GBs were great but didn't shock me in the same way. The tweaks that have been applied seem to open the speakers up a little in terms of the mid and treble. The latter was a little brighter. With the Kandy CDP I would place this system in the bright camp, but nowhere near the Cyrus level.

It would be a no-brainer for me had I not auditioned a single-ended valve amp on Sonus Faber Concerto Domus speakers at the weekend. Much smoother but still full of verve and punch and a considerably more natural sound. Now I need to rewrite my auditioning plan to consider tube amps!! Wonder what one would be like on the FB1s...