Musical Fidelity

Read so many recommendations for this brand over the years. How does the older models compare with new? My only experience with MF was the A300, a huge outhouse outhouse of an amp from the mid-late 90s. It packs around 200 watts per channel, and I thought it sounded... disappointing.

Are the newer models different in tonal presentation?
 

WishTree

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plastic penguin said:
Read so many recommendations for this brand over the years. How does the older models compare with new? My only experience with MF was the A300, a huge outhouse outhouse of an amp from the mid-late 90s. It packs around 200 watts per channel, and I thought it sounded... disappointing.

Are the newer models different in tonal presentation?

For me the M-series was a real disappoint. Both M6i and M3i especially with B&W CM series speakers as well as Dynaudio Excite range. I am following an other thread with interest where the AMS series is highly acclaimed.

In case your are intersted in the AMS series, here is the link

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/new-amplifier-my-long-journey
 

toyota man

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not much help I know as I havent listened to earley mf gear I must say I realy love my m6i a massive improvement over my audiolab 8000a + 8000px in everyway sound stage, control,bass, even at low volumes I can enjoy my music, my speakers could with an up grade mission 752s as I have heard much better hooked up to my m6i:)
 
Have to say the A300 with the RS6s and Arcam CDP sounded very warm and woolly, which was suprising given my speakers are very lively and open.

Yet, over recent months, the M3i and M6i gets an awful lot 'thumbs up' from many users. Certainly the new 'M' series looks quite nice.

BTW, I actually borrowed it from those nice chaps at Unilet about 3-4 years ago, during my 'PP' (pestering period).
 

CnoEvil

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Over the years, MF have released a hotch-potch of brilliant but also very mediocre products. They changed models (and technical approach) like most people change their underwear. This got them a poor reputation, as their products were rendered obsolete almost immediately after purchase.

Antony Michaelson is a musician (clarinetist) as well as an audiophile, which means most of his products have an innate musicality. They seem to have put a lot more effort into the current range, which has been received with much acclaim (imo. rightly so) and will hopefully be around for a little longer.

The pinnacle of this range is the AMS (Antony Michaelson Signature).
 
CnoEvil said:
Over the years, MF have released a hotch-potch of brilliant but also very mediocre products. They changed models (and technical approach) like most people change their underwear. This got them a poor reputation, as their products were rendered obsolete almost immediately after purchase.

Antony Michaelson is a musician (clarinetist) as well as an audiophile, which means most of his products have an innate musicality. They seem to have put a lot more effort into the current range, which has been received with much acclaim (imo. rightly so) and will hopefully be around for a little longer.

The pinnacle of this range is the AMS (Antony Michaelson Signature).

One aasumes that the premium models (AMS) comes with a premium price tag.
 

CnoEvil

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plastic penguin said:
One aasumes that the premium models (AMS) comes with a premium price tag.

Premium (ish) price tag - whatever that is, Premium Sound and Premium build quality.

Talking about the 35i, some people (not looking anywhere in particular) will never get passed the price (for a mere 35W), as they see money spent in other areas of life, giving more pleasure (nothing wrong with that).....nobody bats an eye if £30k is spent on a car for example, or £200 per week is blown on drink/fags, or £2k/year for a golf membership.

For me personally, it gives good "performance value", as I've preferred it to amps costing several times as much. So far, anyone on here that's heard it, has been mesmerized.
 
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Anonymous

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i owned the a300 and used it with a xray and gr10 and loved it iwould not call it warm and wooly it had a deep punchy and controlled bass i think its one of the best vfm amps i have owned definately better than any of their new products
 

CnoEvil

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Diamond Joe said:
CnoEvil said:
.....nobody bats an eye if £30k is spent on a car for example

Ummm, I beg to differ Sir! :?

Ah well; you know what I'm getting at, so feel free to insert an appropriate figure. ;)

IMO. There are a lot more people with £30k cars, than £30k worth of Hi-Fi. :p

BTW. Your name looks expensive! :shifty:
 
edd said:
i owned the a300 and used it with a xray and gr10 and loved it iwould not call it warm and wooly it had a deep punchy and controlled bass i think its one of the best vfm amps i have owned definately better than any of their new products

To my ears it sounded very lush - albeit the bass was deep, and it was very good at low volumes. That was then (and now) one of the main pre-requisite when looking at amps, one reason Unilet suggested this amp, due to its 200 watt output.

For some reason, in direct comparison to my Arcam, the MF just didn't gel.

I've always said that I know THE sound when I hear it, certainly the A300 did not achieve that.
 

Diamond Joe

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CnoEvil said:
Ah well; you know what I'm getting at, so feel free to insert an appropriate figure. ;) IMO. There are a lot more people with £30k cars, than £30k worth of Hi-Fi. :p BTW. Your name looks expensive! :shifty:

Good point, I doubt many people have a HiFi worth more than their car.

An expensive looking name you say... nothing but a smokesreen ;)
 

busb

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I heard an M6i last year driving a pair of SF Cremonas with a Nain CDP. I then heard a Nain Spernait & lastly, a Primare I32. Someone said lush - I'd not argue with that description, though coloured might be more accurate (to my ears anyway). The M6i just sounded too laid back for my tastes. The Supernait sounded very different: great dynamics & neutral - pretty damn good, in fact. The Primare did everything the Naim did but with huge amounts of extra detail.
 

Shanka

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Hi,

When I was looking at amps I had a couple of demos with M6i which I know many here love but I found it very smooth, I think I referred to it as creamy, didn't suit my listening tastes but I know people who have A5 pre/power set ups who love them.

What are anyones thoughts on the A3 integrated, how would it compare to Arcam Alpha 9 for example ?
 

shooter

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Theres a nice A1000 on e-bay at the moment. A really nice Class A with dark presentation, though the seller doesnt have the paperwork to back up his claims
smiley-frown.gif
 

El Hefe

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A1 series - goood

Elektra series - baaaaaddd

X series (tubular) - very gooooooddd

X series (shoe box) - gooooooddd

Trivista and Nuvista - wwwwoooooowww

M series - veeeeeerrryyyy goooooddd
 

Roby

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El Hefe said:
A1 series - goood

Elektra series - baaaaaddd

X series (tubular) - very gooooooddd

X series (shoe box) - gooooooddd

Trivista and Nuvista - wwwwoooooowww

M series - veeeeeerrryyyy goooooddd

AMS : !!!!!!!no coment!!!!!
 

Kevin Stephens

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El Hefe
You've started something now. Where do you think the A3.5/A5 series sit in the ranking? (thinking of amp upgrade to M6i and maybe new speakers, or alternatively a sub to support GS10s if warrented)
 

El Hefe

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Kevin,

To me the M3 and M6 are direct replacements of A3.5 and A5. Similar characteristics in sound but the M series I feel have the extra edge of a more open and bold presentation. But to follow my 'ranking' format:

A 3.5 and A5 series - very goooooddd
 

toyota man

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Hi all I realy love my m6i it has made me listen to all my music all over again and to search for new music it made a bigger difference than my new cdp and I am not sure if I am going to add a mf power amp or a m6 500i or a ams after new speakers of coursce so I think I am a mf convert :cheers:
 

Pooh Bear

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I love my A100 for its "analogue" sound. I used to have a Audiolab 8000A which was very harsh with Digital but the A100 has tamed it beautifully.

It blew a Bridge Rectifier a couple of years ago but I repared it myself and it still sings.

It does get very hot of course and is not very efficient but who cares.

Deep Purple Rules OK!

Rega Planar 3, Kenwood DP-X9010 CD deck, Musical Fidelity Digilog, Musical Fidelity A100 (Class A) driving LS7's. etc, etc
 

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