The Musical Fidelity AMS 35i thread

[CnoEvil]

Harumph, I was hoping for an executive position. Treasurer? I hear there's some commission sloshing about.

You are welcome to half of everything I get. :cheer:

 

[Ben K.]

Here is how I worked it out some time back (hopefully correct), but you need to know your own tariff.

1000W = 1 Unit @ 20p / hr (?)

414*W (35i) = 8.28p / hr (* this was measured in an Australian mag as opposed to MF's 330W spec)

10 Hrs use every week = 82.8p / wk

52 Wks = £43 / year.

Nb. Prices may have gone up, but if you plumb in your unit price, you can work it out.

Doesnt sound too bad at all thanks.

Does the 35i have a HT bypass or do you have to use a switch box?

 

[CnoEvil]

Does the 35i have a HT bypass or do you have to use a switch box?

It doesn't have a bypass, I'm afraid.

 

[Ben K.]

How is yours integrated with your av system?

 

[CnoEvil]

How is yours integrated with your av system?

.....through the pre-outs of the AVR600.

 

[Ben K.]

Oh right I suppose its no different really as long as you return the volume to the same place each time.

 

[toyota man]

How is yours integrated with your av system?

.....through the pre-outs of the AVR600.

What no ht bypass has the world gone mad ? or is it only me . the HT bypass is such a good way of intergrating home theatre and music cuts down on speakers to

 

[matt49]

So the AMS35i is due to arrive tomorrow, and I'm picking up a pair of Harbeth Super HL5s that I'll have on loan until Monday.

This evening I had the all-important conversation with Mrs49. I prepared her for the hulking appearance and the heat output of the AMS35i, as well as the boxy looks of the Harbeths, emphasizing of course that the AMS35i is a great deal, and the Harbeths are only on loan. Very good result: we don't use that room enough, she said, and if it makes you happy ...

 

[toyota man]

So the AMS35i is due to arrive tomorrow, and I'm picking up a pair of Harbeth Super HL5s that I'll have on loan until Monday.

This evening I had the all-important conversation with Mrs49. I prepared her for the hulking appearance and the heat output of the AMS35i, as well as the boxy looks of the Harbeths, emphasizing of course that the AMS35i is a great deal, and the Harbeths are only on loan. Very good result: we don't use that room enough, she said, and if it makes you happy ...

Hi Matt49 I hope you enjoy your session with the ams 35i and the Harbeths keep us up to date if you can pull your self away from the music

 

[Ben K.]

Exciting times! Mrs K. Doesn't mind having all my equipment in the lounge she just isn't too keen on how much it costs. Going to have to plan my next upgrade very carefully to get it past her :?

 

[CnoEvil]

Very good result: we don't use that room enough, she said, and if it makes you happy ...

It will cost you in the long run......but you know that. :shifty:

 

[CnoEvil]

So the AMS35i is due to arrive tomorrow, and I'm picking up a pair of Harbeth Super HL5s that I'll have on loan until Monday.

This evening I had the all-important conversation with Mrs49. I prepared her for the hulking appearance and the heat output of the AMS35i, as well as the boxy looks of the Harbeths, emphasizing of course that the AMS35i is a great deal, and the Harbeths are only on loan. Very good result: we don't use that room enough, she said, and if it makes you happy ...

Have you got have a source to do them justice?

 

[matt49]

Have you got have a source to do them justice?

As you may recall from other threads, I'm keen on Sonos's GUI and networking, so I've been pimping my Sonos kit with a view ultimately to seeing how well it can perform in comparison with, say, a Linn Majik DS. At first I'll be using a Sonos ZP90 (Fidelity Audio LII mod) and Audiolab MDAC (Lakewest LII 'Tyco' mod) -- at least once the MDAC gets back from the Czech Republic in a couple of days. (Until then, it'll be the ZP90 plus Sonlink.) The ZP90 and unmodded MDAC have been very detailed, expansive and noise-free in my study system and through my Grados. The modded MDAC is apparently quite a bit better and can hold its own against very high-end DACs. The question is whether I could do even better with e.g. a Linn streamer. I suspect not, but will give it a go in the autumn.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[Ben K.]

I know it's expensive but wouldn't a linn akurate ds do more justice to this level of kit?

 

[matt49]

I know it's expensive but wouldn't a linn akurate ds do more justice to this level of kit?

Ben,

you may be right, and it'll be interesting to find out what sort of a difference can be heard between sources in this system. I used the Majik as an example because Cno has one playing through his AMS35i.

Matt

 

[Ben K.]

Has anyone heard the ams CD player? It's crazy money at 7k but it would be nice to hear it and see how it sounds :dance:

 

[CnoEvil]

Have you got have a source to do them justice?

As you may recall from other threads, I'm keen on Sonos's GUI and networking, so I've been pimping my Sonos kit with a view ultimately to seeing how well it can perform in comparison with, say, a Linn Majik DS. At first I'll be using a Sonos ZP90 (Fidelity Audio LII mod) and Audiolab MDAC (Lakewest LII 'Tyco' mod) -- at least once the MDAC gets back from the Czech Republic in a couple of days. (Until then, it'll be the ZP90 plus Sonlink.) The ZP90 and unmodded MDAC have been very detailed, expansive and noise-free in my study system and through my Grados. The modded MDAC is apparently quite a bit better and can hold its own against very high-end DACs. The question is whether I could do even better with e.g. a Linn streamer. I suspect not, but will give it a go in the autumn.

:cheers:

Matt

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.........I was wondering if your MDAC would be back in time for the home dem.

FWIW. The MDS is as good as a highend CDP, so can easily live in a system of that quality......but the ADS/1 is still a good step up. It will be interesting how the MDS compares to the modded DAC.

 

[Macspur]

Has anyone heard the ams CD player? It's crazy money at 7k but it would be nice to hear it and see how it sounds :dance:

Afraid not, but whenever you're in the market for a CDP try the EMC1UP... Iceman here on the forum has one with his 35I and loves it.

Mac

 

[matt49]

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.........I was wondering if your MDAC would be back in time for the home dem.

FWIW. The MDS is as good as a highend CDP, so can easily live in a system of that quality......but the ADS/1 is still a good step up. It will be interesting how the MDS compares to the modded DAC.

Ah, sorry, Cno.

Anyway, the AMS35i has arrived, and the first bit of good news is that it works (and looks as good as new). I played it for 5 mins through some old KEF iQ4s and it seems absolutely fine. I've just picked up the Harbeths and will set them up as soon as daughter 1 and her friend have finished playing on the Wii.

I'm home this evening, so will have time for a good long session.

Matt

 

[Macspur]

Glad it's in good shape, thought it would be, AE don't usually send out duff gear. looking forward to your impressions Matt.

Mac

 

[drummerman]

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.........I was wondering if your MDAC would be back in time for the home dem.

FWIW. The MDS is as good as a highend CDP, so can easily live in a system of that quality......but the ADS/1 is still a good step up. It will be interesting how the MDS compares to the modded DAC.

Ah, sorry, Cno.

Anyway, the AMS35i has arrived, and the first bit of good news is that it works (and looks as good as new). I played it for 5 mins through some old KEF iQ4s and it seems absolutely fine. I've just picked up the Harbeths and will set them up as soon as daughter 1 and her friend have finished playing on the Wii.

I'm home this evening, so will have time for a good long session.

Matt

That is a lovely system. I am looking forward to your impressions.

I remember having seen Jaxwire on youtube with some Harbeths. Imho it was the best sounding set-up of his many posted. I can't remember the amplifier but I think it was a either a NAD or Perreaux, probably not to dissimilar to yours.

regards

 

[CnoEvil]

Ah, sorry, Cno.

Anyway, the AMS35i has arrived, and the first bit of good news is that it works (and looks as good as new). I played it for 5 mins through some old KEF iQ4s and it seems absolutely fine. I've just picked up the Harbeths and will set them up as soon as daughter 1 and her friend have finished playing on the Wii.

I'm home this evening, so will have time for a good long session.

Matt

I've never heard of IQ4s.....XQ4s ?

I look forward to what you think....do you have a concrete floor, or is it suspended?

 

[matt49]

I've never heard of IQ4s.....XQ4s ?

I look forward to what you think....do you have a concrete floor, or is it suspended?

Sorry, iQ5s. Not a very good speaker, though they were well thought of as cheap floorstanders go when I bought them 13 years ago. Still, out they go at long last.

The floor is suspended. Not good, I know. But we had half-inch thick oak boards laid on top of the original floor, so it's a fairly substantial suspended floor.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

Sorry, iQ5s. Not a very good speaker, though they were well thought of as cheap floorstanders go when I bought them 13 years ago. Still, out they go at long last.

The floor is suspended. Not good, I know. But we had half-inch thick oak boards laid on top of the original floor, so it's a fairly substantial suspended floor.

Matt

I always thought the IQ5s were a little overrated....they didn't have much bass.....but whatever they do have, will be brought out.

Long term, you should try Granite under the stands. If you haven't already done so, fill your stands with sand or rice and put Blu-tak under your speakers......both of which should make a good difference. Sorry if I'm" teaching my Granny to suck eggs," or if I've mentioned it before...it's hard to keep up with an old model brain.

 

[matt49]

Thanks for your comments, Mac, drummerman, and Cno.

I've had a pretty enjoyable evening with the AMS35i and Super HL5s, though I think my head wasn't in exactly the right place. (I mean mentally, of course -- physically it's fine, still attached to the top of my spine.) Knowing that Mrs49 was sitting in the next room working through a couple of hundred e-mails, as she must of an evening, slightly cramped my style. In one way this is a good sign. The dynamics of the AMS35i/Super HL5 pairing are excellent; tracks that start quiet can get really quite feisty all of a sudden. So I had to be a bit careful with the volume.

Anyway, the following -- admittedly very provisional -- thoughts are more analytical than enthusiastic.

No doubt both the amp and speakers are excellent, indeed outstanding. My feeling is that the synergy is good too, though it may not be perfect. I may decide to stick with the AMS35i and find a better speaker match, or stick with the Harbeths and do likewise. There’s a way to go yet.

One consistent theme is that part of the upper middle range is rather forward. I suspect this may be the Harbeths. They do vocals brilliantly, like no other speaker I’ve heard. I did a couple of spins of Allegri's Miserere (Tallis Scholars, Gimell): transcendently beautiful, airy, pure, and with such a sense of the space where it was recorded. But there’s a part of the upper vocal range that’s too prominent.

Second criticism: slightly mucky top end and transients. I suspect this is down to the source, although it might be a function of room acoustics. But probably the former, so not to be blamed on the amp and speakers. I might try to cadge a decent DAC from my local dealer on Friday, since my modded MDAC won't be back till Tuesday. (And by then I'll probably still be half deaf anyway, as we're seeing Springsteen on Sunday.)

I fiddled with speaker placement quite a bit, toeing in/out and moving back and forward to/from the rear wall. Strangely it didn’t seem to make much difference. The bass was pretty consistent (in a good way), and the soundstage was always excellent. This, I think, is a virtue of the Harbeths, which seem to be failry tolerant of placement.

This is all provisional. I plan to do another long session tomorrow evening and all day Friday. Plenty of listening to come.

Matt