Musical Fidelity A308 vs...

jdjohn
jdjohn Posts: 2,987
There's an MF A308 for sale close to me. How would it compare to my current main rig of a Peachtree Audio novaPre hybrid and McCormack DNA-125? Primary speakers are SDA-2B and Infinity RSIIIa (I swap these two pair in-and-out). TIA for any input!
"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
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Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited June 2017
    one my favs that 308 and a more classic MF sound. Your PT and McCormack though should be as warm as the 308, but I would feel the McCormack has better bass while the 308 might give your presentation a bit bigger soundstage. 308 has that classic British sound to it, if you know that sound.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Thanks for the feedback, Tony. While I've got your attention, how about compared to a C.E.C. Classic Tube 53???
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    The A308 is very lush and musically engaging. I loved mine. I haven't heard any of the gear you are comparing it to, but I really don't think you would be disappointed putting it up against most other similarly priced gear, and a lot of that above it.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    hochpt21 wrote: »
    The A308 is very lush and musically engaging. I loved mine. I haven't heard any of the gear you are comparing it to, but I really don't think you would be disappointed putting it up against most other similarly priced gear, and a lot of that above it.
    Good info, thanks very much. Btw, I tried a Dared SL-2000A in my system, but there was a grounding/hum issue that couldn't be resolved. I liked it otherwise.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    The Dared/Krell combination doesn't better the A308, but helps the speakers I have achieve closer to the more detailed forward sound I was looking for.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    hochpt21 wrote: »
    The Dared/Krell combination doesn't better the A308, but helps the speakers I have achieve closer to the more detailed forward sound I was looking for.
    Sometimes it's all about synergy.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    jdjohn wrote: »
    hochpt21 wrote: »
    The Dared/Krell combination doesn't better the A308, but helps the speakers I have achieve closer to the more detailed forward sound I was looking for.
    Sometimes it's all about synergy.

    Yep....and no experience with the other piece you mentioned so I can't comment on that comparison.

    Grab it and do your own evaluations. The 308's are still a hot commodity so you should have no problem re-selling if it doesn't float your boat.
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    jdjohn wrote: »
    hochpt21 wrote: »
    The A308 is very lush and musically engaging. I loved mine. I haven't heard any of the gear you are comparing it to, but I really don't think you would be disappointed putting it up against most other similarly priced gear, and a lot of that above it.
    Good info, thanks very much. Btw, I tried a Dared SL-2000A in my system, but there was a grounding/hum issue that couldn't be resolved. I liked it otherwise.

    I had the problem with my Dared Sl2000 (not Paul's but my 2nd Dared) and it was only a tube problem...some tubes we too micro-phony and others had a hum.
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    My decision became a lot easier...the listing is gone now.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,066
    jdjohn,
    If you are talking about the listing in Nashville, he sold that A-308 on Audiogon two weeks ago. He listed it one day and sold it the next. I was planning to contact him and it was sold. I noticed he left the CL ad up after it was sold.

    I am in Marietta GA and was interested in it.
    Harry
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"


    Harry / Marietta GA
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Yep, that was the one. It was a good price for that unit, so not surprising it sold so quickly on Audiogon. Thanks for letting me know.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    jdjohn wrote: »
    Yep, that was the one. It was a good price for that unit, so not surprising it sold so quickly on Audiogon. Thanks for letting me know.

    Yeah, like I said, they are still hot commodities. Built like a tank from the day MF built everything like that. Jump on one next time you see it for a good price, I highly doubt you'd be disappointed.
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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    I have been running a MF A308 MIT Shotgun S3 SDA 2B combination for about 10 years now. There seems to be great synergy with these components in my opinion.
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    I have been running a MF A308 MIT Shotgun S3 SDA 2B combination for about 10 years now. There seems to be great synergy with these components in my opinion.

    Eh...synergy is over rated. :p Sell the man yours and shake things up for yourself. You might find a Tri vista or A1008 up your alley.
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Sony 4k BRP
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    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

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    lsi 9's
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    There's no doubt that Musical Fidelity gear, Polk SDA speakers and MIT cables are proven to be an excellent match.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    tonyb wrote: »
    Eh...synergy is over rated. :p Sell the man yours and shake things up for yourself. You might find a Tri vista or A1008 up your alley.
    Then I'd have to buy a DAC! My PT has a DAC built in...and a tube. Sorry Tony...the moment has passed :(
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon