Musical fidelity M1 HPA vs other (< $900) Amps - Page 2

The HD 800 sounds wonderful with the HPA. I've heard the Lehmann BCL and Burson HA-160 as well with those cans and the hpa + hd 800 combo proved to synergize the best. With the Lehmann, the sound was a bit too neutral for my taste. Clean and "hi-fi" sounding but lacked musicality. The Burson was similar in a lot of ways but more aggressive, I didn't like this combo. 

M1 hpa gave the HD 800 a very nice, spacious soundstage. Nice black "space" in the sound, very hi-fi sounding but with musicality. Slightly warm, absolutely not bright. Easy on the ears :)

Cheers.

MF's class a series of products all have that signature sound - hifi + musical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cifani090 

Im not sure that this will run any of the mentioned.

 

M1 hpa runs two LCD-2s at the same time with zero difficulty. Cheers 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lan647 

M1 hpa runs two LCD-2s at the same time with zero difficulty. Cheers 

Yep. The audio store that I demo'd the LCD-2 at used the M1 HPA to drive them -- and it drove them with authority. Not sure where the poster is coming from with those claims. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Questhate 

 

Yep. The audio store that I demo'd the LCD-2 at used the M1 HPA to drive them -- and it drove them with authority. Not sure where the poster is coming from with those claims. 

I think M1 HPA is the best solid state amp under 1k actually (of the ones I've heard) :) Good lookin' too!

I have the M1 Hpa & have try the HD800, LCD-2 and LCd-3 and it's never run out of steam.

Best features of M1HPA = Tight and very deep bass. Had good extended high yet zero sibilance. Good for all genre. have a very Good attack as well. Sometimes it sound like the Stepdance desktop version, with better bass extension.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiowood 

I have the M1 Hpa & have try the HD800, LCD-2 and LCd-3 and it's never run out of steam.

 

Best features of M1HPA = Tight and very deep bass. Had good extended high yet zero sibilance. Good for all genre. have a very Good attack as well. Sometimes it sound like the Stepdance desktop version, with better bass extension.

 

 

IME it has an unusually large and airy soundstage aswell, with a nice "black" space all over it. 

  I read a review by steve guttenberg about this amp and he commented that he preferred it to his burson ha-160 amp.I have not heard the hp1a amp yet but I have owned a burson ha-160 amp for some time and after viewing the inner workings of the hp1a amp in a previously closed thread I try not to be prejudgemental about a component but after seeing that photograph and after viewing the inner workings of my ha-160 it is hard to believe his preference for the musical fidelity.The inner workings of the burson appear to be much more substantial and I am even more sceptical about his judgement in light of the sparsely populated circuit board in the hp1a amp.And that board also has a dac included.It would appear at least to me that musical fidelity is making a ton of money selling its amp in light of its sparcely populated circuit board at least when you compare it to the burson ha-160 amp.One look at the bursons inner workings and the solidity of the amplifier case you can see where burson puts its money.One look at the inner workings of the musical fidelity and the case work which is nowhere near as well built as the burson i wonder what the profit margin is for the musical fidelity people is at least on the hp1a amp?

 I have grado, akg, and audeze lcd2 rev2 phones and the burson sounds great with all of them.One thing though the stepped attenuator is sometimes an issue due to its very steep volume ramp up which can be problematic on some recordings making it very difficult to find the correct volume for listening.It is very frustrating at times but I am ok with it in light of the amps very reasonable price which is amazing considering the amps build quality.I have a ray samuels raptor otl amp as well and I have to say that over all that  the burson is the best amp I own.