Musical Fidelity A1008 integrated amp
TroyD
Posts: 13,077
Ok, so I've had this in the rig for a few weeks now.....so I'll post some of my thoughts.
LOVE IT.
I've been intrigued by integrated amps for quite some time for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is that I've heard F1's rig on more than a couple of visits and have always been enamored of the MF sound. So when I got serious about going to an integrated for the sake of simplicity, MF was on the short list. That said, I don't quite have the wedge for a KW and the Tri-Vista is not something you so a lot either....so, when I came across the A1008, I was intrigued. Very.
Like the Tri-Vista and the KW500, it has a tube front end, separate power supply and all the bells/whistles to include MM/MC phono stage, USB connectivity (that I haven't used nor am likely to). Asthetically, very similar to the KW...a little smaller and no illuminated feet. Damn.
Sound? Frikkin' awesome. Bass in spades. Detail. Musical.....enter your superlatives at will. The things that grabbed my immediate attention was the bass. Depth and control from the Quads that I really didn't think they were capable of. Second was the rock solid imaging and sound stage. Wide and deep. Overall presentation is more forward than I'm perhaps used to. Highs are extended and clean. I think that they lack the open/airy sound of my previous all tube rig but extension and definition is better. The phono stage is very competent...again, I think it lacks some of the air and sparkle of my Dodd phono stage but the bass is significantly better. On the whole, I prefer listening through the Dodd but I also don't feel unsatisfied listening to the MF phono stage. My only other quibble is the remote. On a unit that cost 5k new....really? Functional, yes but cheap.
If you like the MF house sound, the A1008 delivers in spades and with all the add'l features (phono stage, DAC...) it's a no brainer. Great amp....I can't see this leaving the fold unless I win the lottery.
BTW, I am listening to Mighty Sam McClain with no pants, spanking it like a red **** monkey.
BDT
LOVE IT.
I've been intrigued by integrated amps for quite some time for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is that I've heard F1's rig on more than a couple of visits and have always been enamored of the MF sound. So when I got serious about going to an integrated for the sake of simplicity, MF was on the short list. That said, I don't quite have the wedge for a KW and the Tri-Vista is not something you so a lot either....so, when I came across the A1008, I was intrigued. Very.
Like the Tri-Vista and the KW500, it has a tube front end, separate power supply and all the bells/whistles to include MM/MC phono stage, USB connectivity (that I haven't used nor am likely to). Asthetically, very similar to the KW...a little smaller and no illuminated feet. Damn.
Sound? Frikkin' awesome. Bass in spades. Detail. Musical.....enter your superlatives at will. The things that grabbed my immediate attention was the bass. Depth and control from the Quads that I really didn't think they were capable of. Second was the rock solid imaging and sound stage. Wide and deep. Overall presentation is more forward than I'm perhaps used to. Highs are extended and clean. I think that they lack the open/airy sound of my previous all tube rig but extension and definition is better. The phono stage is very competent...again, I think it lacks some of the air and sparkle of my Dodd phono stage but the bass is significantly better. On the whole, I prefer listening through the Dodd but I also don't feel unsatisfied listening to the MF phono stage. My only other quibble is the remote. On a unit that cost 5k new....really? Functional, yes but cheap.
If you like the MF house sound, the A1008 delivers in spades and with all the add'l features (phono stage, DAC...) it's a no brainer. Great amp....I can't see this leaving the fold unless I win the lottery.
BTW, I am listening to Mighty Sam McClain with no pants, spanking it like a red **** monkey.
BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
Comments
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Nice write up........yuk
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Say it!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."
President of Club Polk -
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Thanks for sharing - great write up.
While my A5 doesn't have a tube front end - the sonics are close to what you describe - esp the bass control and soundstaging.
Is it a 'keeper'? :cheesygrin:
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
Pics or it didnt happen......"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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EndersShadow wrote: »Pics or it didnt happen......
What??? No please no pics NO PICS!!!!Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
Can you elaborate some more on the sound. Some reviewers are claiming a slight disconnect between the lower bass and mids. I'm thinking that's more an associated gear issue than the amp itself. You experience any of that ? Does the low end draw too much attention to itself ?HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
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
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Tony, no, that's not my experience....I get a very seamless transition. Off the top of my head, I can only surmise that it's a garbage in-garbage out issue. I would say that the MF is not going to put any band aids on any upstream issues....I don't know, but with the Quads, that's not my experience.
Again, the only thing I'd nitpick is that the top end lacks some of the open/airy sound that I've had with an all tube rig but with the dramatic improvement in bass and control.....it's a very appealing tradeoff.
Pics forthcoming...
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
Nice review. Dying to hear this unit. Everything I've read, "everything" is "positive"! And you don't often see that!
Enjoy!
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
Hey bud! I'm glad you are liking it. You may have forgotten but I have a MF amp in my rig. It's not a Tri-Vista or a KW but for a lowly [on the totem pole of MF gear] amplifier, Wow. It just makes my rig shine. After an easy 40 or so amps in and out of the rig, the MF AC3R "made" the final sound I was looking for. In my initial review, I had stated that it was the "most linear amplifier I had ever heard in my rig". I said that back then and I will state it again today. It's just a wonderful amplifier that pairs well with what other gear/accessories I have in the rig.
I remember sitting down at your dining room table just chatting the day away with you and TLW and you had mentioned that you had your eyes set on this piece. Enjoy brother. I know I am.....and have.
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
Well, some things don't change. I made this mistake during the initial review. It is an A3cr, not a AC3R. DOH!
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
The MF house sound certainly is addicting.....and certainly musical as their name suggests. A powerful integrated that's musical and has a dac....whats not to like.
Troy, any further comments on the dac section of this bad boy ?HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
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
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I don't care if powered by tube, transistor, or hamsters in rotating cages, most MF amps allow an old Martin D28 to sound like an old Martin D28! 'Nuff said!
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H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
mf a1008 ,connected to monitor audio pl 100 with ma gold subwoofer.
huge dynamic with detail sound. but poor remote .
