musical fidelity M5si question

erniejade

I am not ready to jump yet but, I am thinking of changing some stuff over in my living room ( not the den with the KEF) and taking a good look at musical fidelity M5si or the A5 used. I am talking about a few months down the line. Since the musical fidelity M5si lists it as a dual mono, is it safe to assume it is NOT a common ground? I am thinking of SDA.

Also, anyone know what the difference is between the older A5 and the newer M5si outside of the USB dac?

Thanks in advance

ZLTFUL

It is NOT common ground.

I had the A5CR amplifier and ran it with the 2.3TLs for a bit with a Dreadnought.

I will tell you that there are 3 pieces of gear I wish I had never gotten rid of and am just now reaching the point were I doesn't miss them as much now...
First was the Musical Fidelity A5CR. Absolute beast of an amp and almost tube-like in its presentation.

If the price is right, you can't really go wrong with either of those MF options.

agfrost

Shame you had to sell it, Ryan.

agfrost

...just checked my PM inbox--3 years to the day from when I bought it from you!

ZLTFUL

I am glad you are still loving it Jay. If I didn't have Russ' VTLs, I would be trying to con you back out of it!

erniejade

Thanks all. I wonder if there is a sonic difference between the A5 and the M5si. Web has not been too good with that question.

Gerres26

erniejade wrote: »

Thanks all. I wonder if there is a sonic difference between the A5 and the M5si. Web has not been too good with that question.

Im not sure on the sonic differences between them but I have owned an A5 up until this past Tuesday and it is really excellent. Never had an issue powering my 1.2tls. Very musical but with plenty of grunt. And don't let the pictures online fool you, it is a tank in person. I really didn't plan on getting rid of mine, a trade opportunity on some McCormack gear came up and I took it.

erniejade

Thanks. I appreciate everyone's input. I can get a used A5 for it seems under 1k. M5si for 1500-1600 and since i cannot hear them side by side, i have no idea of its worth the price difference. On a side note, i spotted an M6si for 2k so that throws it in the mix as well. Again. Same questions. Am i gonna hear a $500 - 1k price difference between the units.

tonyb

I've always been interested in MF myself. Heard them on a few occasions now and like what I hear. The main differences I can tell, sound wise, is the newer units have a more refined sound, and the older units have a more weighty sound. That's to my ears so your MMV as always.

erniejade

Thanks Tony. This made it easy for me then. I generally prefer a more weighty sound so older it is!

treitz3

FWIW, if you have followed me along my audio journey, you would know that I have been through a plethora of sub 3.5K amplifiers. Tube, SS, I have enjoyed both. In just about every conceivable hookup combination known to man. After shuffling through an estimated 60-65 some odd amplifiers, there is one that has staying power.

I bought it because at the time, my Anthem1 tube amps started having issues. One right after the other, so I asked Kimmie if I could buy a "spare" amplifier to tide me over (Had already sold all of the others). Someone here at CP had an older MF A3CR SS amplifier at the right price, so I snagged it.

Hooked that "spare" amp up and it has never left my system.

I made a post about it years and years ago here at CP if you are interested in my real world/real time reviews. The one thing that struck me the most about this amplifier is that of all of the amps I had ever heard in my system, this one was the most linear amp I had heard.

There was no overabundance of mid bass, lower registers, high frequencies.....no where on the frequency spectrum was there an over attribute or a deficiency. Just a smooth, very authoritative signal sent to the speakers.

I want to get the KW750 man amp MF but even though I know it will greatly improve the power (which really isn't needed in my system), I am afraid it will change the overall sonic signature and linear frequency curve the A3CR offers.

I say this not to toot my own horn. I say this because I literally stumbled upon this amp and was very pleasantly surprised. I was so impressed, in fact, that it has not ever left my system since. I just wish I had stumbled across it after my 5th or 6th amp purchase.....it would have saved me a boatload of dough.

Again, for what it's worth.

Tom

erniejade

I appreciate the post Tom. Exactly what you are saying is what i keep reading about Musical Fidelity. I remember hearing Paul's 308 on the 705's and the ones they replaced ( i did a polk pony express from MN to WI ) and thought it was darn good.

I have a bid in on a a3.5 right now. There is a musical fidelity nuvista m3 for $2700 but right now that's quite a bit out of my price range. There is also a reasonably priced A5 out there as well but, over the past few days i have read the 308 might be a smoother sounding amp vs the A5. So if i did a 308, it might be a waiting game to find one or find one that's reasonably priced.

tonyb

You want a MF amp with the "cr" designation, choke regulated. They have a different sound than the non versions.

I could be wrong, but the older iterations of the integrateds like the M5, tri-vista, Nu-vista, 308 still had the choke regulated power supply though not carrying that designation on the label. That is what gave them the more weighty sound in my opinion. Plus I thought the soundstage was better on the older units.

I'm not sure what else has changed on the "SI" versions, aside from adding the usb dac and changing the cosmetics, but I'd imagine something has changed in the power supply because the sound is different.

hochpt21

Yes @erniejade we rattled the decorations right off the wall didn’t we.

I do miss my 308 quite a bit. It was a really great piece. I have found great pieces since, and different, but not better.

msg

Paul, was the 308 after the A3CR?

erniejade

Paul I believe had the integrated.