The Musical Fidelity AMS 35i thread

[matt49]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

 

[iceman16]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

Hi matt49

I know youtube video won't do justice on what the AMS35i is capable of but here is my sample video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qANPLS81c

 

[Macspur]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

Hi matt49

I know youtube video won't do justice on what the AMS35i is capable of but here is my sample video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qANPLS81c

Hi Iceman,

Enjoyed the video thank you.

Is it easy to upload a video to Utube? Wouldn't mind doing it myself.

Mac

 

[Macspur]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

Matt, did you see my earlier post re ex demo unit at Cronos audio?

Mac

 

[iceman16]

Hi Mac

Thanks...Yup it's easy but you need to check the music you will play before uploading due to copyright infringement

 

[matt49]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

Matt, did you see my earlier post re ex demo unit at Cronos audio?

Mac

Yes, thanks for that, Mac.

I'm still in demo mode, and listening to all sorts of random amps, just to get my eye in. Heard the MF M6i this week: not for me! Ditto the Leema Tucana II. Next week it's Lavardin IT. Then Croft pre/power combo. This could take months ...

Matt

 

[Macspur]

Just spoke to my local dealer again (who'd earlier said there was a problem with supply of heatsinks for the AMS35i). He says MF now have the parts and have re-started production. He reckons he'll have 3 in the shop in a fortnight or so.

This is obviously very bad news.

Matt, did you see my earlier post re ex demo unit at Cronos audio?

Mac

Yes, thanks for that, Mac.

I'm still in demo mode, and listening to all sorts of random amps, just to get my eye in. Heard the MF M6i this week: not for me! Ditto the Leema Tucana II. Next week it's Lavardin IT. Then Croft pre/power combo. This could take months ...

Matt

Ah OK.

Please report back on your impressions of the Lavardin and Croft.

Mac

 

[matt49]

On my way home from demoing the AMS35i. Report to follow later.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

On my way home from demoing the AMS35i. Report to follow later.

Matt

I was hoping to hear from you today.

 

[matt49]

I was hoping to hear from you today.

Hello Cno,

As I reported earlier in this thread, the company that makes the heatsinks went out of business. MF now have a new supplier, and my dealer says they've ordered 100 pairs of the new heatsinks, so it looks as though there'll be plenty of AMS35is to go round.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

I was hoping to hear from you today.

Hello Cno,

As I reported earlier in this thread, the company that makes the heatsinks went out of business. MF now have a new supplier, and my dealer says they've ordered 100 pairs of the new heatsinks, so it looks as though there'll be plenty of AMS35is to go round.

Matt

That's good......my commission is safe for the foreseeable then.......... :roll:

 

[matt49]

That's good......my commission is safe for the foreseeable then.......... :roll:

Yes, not sure it'll pay for your dry rot though. :boohoo:

Report to follow later: got to take Mrs 49 and the 49 girls out to dinner.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

That's good......my commission is safe for the foreseeable then.......... :roll:

Yes, not sure it'll pay for your dry rot though. :boohoo:

Report to follow later: got to take Mrs 49 and the 49 girls out to dinner.

:cheers:

Matt

I look forward to seeing if 49 into 35 goes, or not.

 

[matt49]

I look forward to seeing if 49 into 35 goes, or not.

common factor of 7, my favourite number: the 7 pillars of wisdom, the 7 sages, the 7 wonders of the world, Snow Whire and the 7 dwarfs.

 

[iceman16]

Cno.. me and my AMS 35i .are still breathin' ..Not only breathin' but like a dragon !

 

[CnoEvil]

I look forward to seeing if 49 into 35 goes, or not.

common factor of 7, my favourite number: the 7 pillars of wisdom, the 7 sages, the 7 wonders of the world, Snow Whire and the 7 dwarfs.

7 Deadly Sins!

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno.. me and my AMS 35i .are still breathin' ..Not only breathin' but like a dragon !

Ice on Fire, my friend......a spectacular combination!

 

[matt49]

So this afternoon I demoed the AMS35i at my local dealer. A very comfortable demo room, acoustically treated, good coffee. And the dealer is a good guy. When I first mentioned the AMS35i to him a few months ago, he shook his head and sternly advised me that I had to demo a number of cheaper amps first. Good advice, which I've followed. And now, 20 amps later ...

The source was an Audio Research CD5; the speakers were the PMC Fact 8s and B&W 804s (more about those later).

First impressions: instruments seemed tonally true and immensely realistic. Piano (which is very hard for hi-fi to reproduce) was beautifully liquid, but precise too, with clear evidence of the hammer strokes and excellent bass extension. Really a joy to listen to. Strings also had a lovely realism.

The frequency range seems flat through the PMCs (less so through the B&Ws). The top end is wonderfully pure and exact, with no harshness at all. The bottom end is extraordinary: the sheer detail down there, even presenting the patterns of resonance in a kettle drum. The mid-range? Very sweet and true.

So far there wasn’t much between the AMS35i and the Devialet D-Premier, which I raved about on another thread recently. The Devialet is, in a word, perfect (and EDITED clever). It can’t really be faulted. But the AMS35i has, on the basis of my auditions, two significant advantages. Its dynamic range is very wide, and it shifts volume very smartly. It has bucket-loads of oomph, as much as the big Krell 550i I heard a couple of weeks ago. And second, it has a more 3-dimensional soundstage that the Devialet. The music extends further forward and further back.

Another characteristic it shares with other Class A amps (and the Devialet and Accuphase E350) is excellent detail retrieval at low volumes.

There’s one significant downside: volume adjustment with the remote control is a nightmare. It’s either too loud or too quiet. Argh!

Obviously the amp runs very hot. For the current production run the heatsinks have been improved; the fins are now nicely anodised, so there’s no risk of drawing blood on them.

Oh yes, the speakers. The PMCs were fine, actually very good. Nice and neutral up top, perhaps a bit light downstairs. Fortunately I used them first, because when I got on to the B&Ws, I had to switch off after 5 minutes. Horrible sibilance on vocals, nastily bright top end. Ugh.

Matt

 

[Anonymous]

Nice review my dream amp, in the next house

 

[CnoEvil]

First impressions: instruments seemed tonally true and immensely realistic. Piano (which is very hard for hi-fi to reproduce) was beautifully liquid, but precise too, with clear evidence of the hammer strokes and excellent bass extension. Really a joy to listen to. Strings also had a lovely realism.

The frequency range seems flat through the PMCs (less so through the B&Ws). The top end is wonderfully pure and exact, with no harshness at all. The bottom end is extraordinary: the sheer detail down there, even presenting the patterns of resonance in a kettle drum. The mid-range? Very sweet and true.

Matt

Glad you enjoyed it.........and you've used most of the same adjectives to describe the sound that have peppared my posts, when writing about this wonderful amp.

I have also mentioned the contrary volume knob......and, besides the heat / power usage, the only other fault, is that if you have a sub connected to the pre-out, it will send a thump through it when the amp is switched on / off (ie. if the sub isn't switched off first).

B&Ws aren't my favorite speakers; but I've heard that it works well with Fact 8s......just not as well as it does with Kef Refs. :shifty:

One more amp to go, which should make it a tight contest.

 

[plastic penguin]

Have to say I'm envious in some ways. At some point I'd like to hear the MF 35i against a Roksan Caspian Monos, and see how that stacks up with Wilson Benesch or MA Platinum (PL 200s probably).

Have heard the Caspian + WB and would be a great benchmark.

 

[matt49]

Glad you enjoyed it.........and you've used most of the same adjectives to describe the sound that have peppared my posts, when writing about this wonderful amp.

I have also mentioned the contrary volume knob......and, besides the heat / power usage, the only other fault, is that if you have a sub connected to the pre-out, it will send a thump through it when the amp is switched on / off (ie. if the sub isn't switched off first).

B&Ws aren't my favorite speakers; but I've heard that it works well with Fact 8s......just not as well as it does with Kef Refs. :shifty:

One more amp to go, which should make it a tight contest.

It is a wonderful amp. The best I've heard so far, I think. And the sentimentalist in me likes the idea that the AMS35i is made just 3 or 4 miles down the road from me. But let's see what Monday brings with the Accuphase E560.

The Fact 8s were excellent, though I prefer the presentation of the Harbeth Super HL5s: more pleasing up top, in the middle and down below, though perhaps not so neutral.

I plan to demo the AMS35i once more before I decide. I'd like to hear the Pass Labs INT30A again too. Not sure about the Devialet. It was impeccable but somehow not quite as involving as the AMS35i (even though I heard the Dev through the superb Harbeths).

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

It is a wonderful amp. The best I've heard so far, I think. And the sentimentalist in me likes the idea that the AMS35i is made just 3 or 4 miles down the road from me. But let's see what Monday brings with the Accuphase E560.

The Fact 8s were excellent, though I prefer the presentation of the Harbeth Super HL5s: more pleasing up top, in the middle and down below, though perhaps not so neutral.

I plan to demo the AMS35i once more before I decide. I'd like to hear the Pass Labs INT30A again too. Not sure about the Devialet. It was impeccable but somehow not quite as involving as the AMS35i (even though I heard the Dev through the superb Harbeths).

Matt

The final contenders will definitely have to be tested in the same system....and I wouldn't like to predict the winner.

 

[matt49]

The final contenders will definitely have to be tested in the same system....

In theory, yes, but I'm EDITED if I know how I'm going to arrange that. Do you have a magic wand that will get an Accuphase E560, MF AMS35i and Pass Labs INT30A into the same room or even within reach of the same speakers? I know it's right but I just can't see it happening, Cno.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

In theory, yes, but I'm EDITED if I know how I'm going to arrange that. Do you have a magic wand that will get an Accuphase E560, MF AMS35i and Pass Labs INT30A into the same room or even within reach of the same speakers? I know it's right but I just can't see it happening, Cno.

Matt

I was thinking that you would be able to arrange home dems, even if it was with one amp at a time.....you might even be able to mooch some Harbeths for the dems as well. :shifty: