[Articnoise]

   
I personally don't think I would like it to be more neutral than this
 
What changes did you guys hear in the burn in process? 

The depth in the sound stage gets a bit deeper, the overall sound a bit fuller, may be one can say that the sound becomes more refined and organic. The initial little, little bit of roughness and some of the nice sparkle in the high treble disappear after like 100-150 hour (if that’s good or not depends on preference and your other gear).

 

[dguitarnut]

I've received my M9 yesterday. it has 23 h of burn in. It is absolutely fascinating. I've never heard an amplifier more transparent than this one. I have to gather my words to describe it. Review coming soon. I still have to do some more burn in, but now I don't understand the people saying it is warm. It is extremely neutral and transparent. This is Class A so it is relaxed but relaxed in a good way, playing the music effortlessly. 


Another thing that was a huge surprise was the fact that it looks much better in real life than in the pictures I have seen. The case is sturdy and has a very nice and good looking finish. The materials are very thick and it is overall very well built. 

I found it very neutral and transparent coming from the soloist which is not a slouch. It's so nice to be able to run two hps at once and play around with the balanced versus unbalanced combinations. And occasionally I listen to whole songs even! Lol
Best of all is the beastie of the remote that's included. Makes life a lot easier when you are in your Lazy-boy chair sipping on craft India Pale Ales and catching up on the day on your laptop.
:

 

[SteveM324]

   
Just effortless is the good word to describe the Master 9. Maybe it´s because the Master 9 is so neutral it pairs so well with a so engaging DAC as the Auralic Vega (I like the Vega more with ithe Master 9 than with the AMP DP777 not upgraded). And I like it more with the LCD-X than with the HD800 which i sold. I don´t regret that I chose the Master 9 and not the Taurus by the way (even if I didn´t listen to the Taurus).

 
I agree with you that the Master 9 and LCD-X are an excellent combination.  It's even better with a great aftermarket cable for the X.  I see that you have the Toxic Silver Widow and I'm sure that would be a great match.  I have the balanced Double Helix Complement 2.  The DHC Complement 2 cable really is a game changer for the X.  Right now, the LCD-X is my favorite headphone with the M9.  When I listen to this combo, I can forget about the equipment and just listen and enjoy.  Enjoying the music, that's what it's all about.

 

[rsbrsvp]

   
I agree with you that the Master 9 and LCD-X are an excellent combination.  It's even better with a great aftermarket cable for the X.  I see that you have the Toxic Silver Widow and I'm sure that would be a great match.  I have the balanced Double Helix Complement 2.  The DHC Complement 2 cable really is a game changer for the X.  Right now, the LCD-X is my favorite headphone with the M9.  When I listen to this combo, I can forget about the equipment and just listen and enjoy.  Enjoying the music, that's what it's all about.

You seemed to indicate in many posts that the M9 HE-6 duo was something really special.   Are you saying the M9 LCD-X is better- or is it just your current favorite but when your mood changes you may say the HE-6 is your favorite?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

I found it very neutral and transparent coming from the soloist which is not a slouch. It's so nice to be able to run two hps at once and play around with the balanced versus unbalanced combinations. And occasionally I listen to whole songs even! Lol
Best of all is the beastie of the remote that's included. Makes life a lot easier when you are in your Lazy-boy chair sipping on craft India Pale Ales and catching up on the day on your laptop.
:

Hmm... After 80 h, M9 got warmer. How did you find M9 compared to Soloist?
 

   
The depth in the sound stage gets a bit deeper, the overall sound a bit fuller, may be one can say that the sound becomes more refined and organic. The initial little, little bit of roughness and some of the nice sparkle in the high treble disappear after like 100-150 hour (if that’s good or not depends on preference and your other gear).
 

Thank you for the info Articnoise!

 

[dguitarnut]

The M-9 compared to the Soloist in my opinion has a little more detail and presence specially when you crank it loud which is to be expected considering the power difference. The Soloist is an awesome amp and would have been my end game till I got the power starved HE-6 hp.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  The M-9 compared to the Soloist in my opinion has a little more detail and presence specially when you crank it loud which is to be expected considering the power difference. The Soloist is an awesome amp and would have been my end game till I got the power starved HE-6 hp.

I find M9 to be more laid back than Soloist, and the bass even if deeper on M9(single ended output for now), not as punchy as with soloist. 

Indeed M9 is a lot cleaner, more transparent and with more details, but sometimes too laid back. Still burning it in.

 

[jsgraha]

I find M9 to be more laid back than Soloist, and the bass even if deeper on M9(single ended output for now), not as punchy as with soloist. 


Indeed M9 is a lot cleaner, more transparent and with more details, but sometimes too laid back. Still burning it in.

Do you use MSB analog as a source?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Do you use MSB analog as a source?

Yes, you are right. 

 

[nigeljames]

I wonder if the M9 is designed to be more laid back than the M6/M8 because my M6 is far from being laid back.
 
Or does the M9 come across as laid back due to being warmer sounding than the M6/M8?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  I wonder if the M9 is designed to be more laid back than the M6/M8 because my M6 is far from being laid back.
 
Or does the M9 come across as laid back due to being warmer sounding than the M6/M8?

Never listened to m6/m8. However, I am comparing it to Decware Taboo MK3(tube amp) and Burson Conductor. Even if not in the same league with m9 in terms of transparency and details, both Taboo and Soloist are more energetic, with more attack in the sound. However, I am still burning in M9. It has ~100H for now. 

Did anybody try the single ended output vs the balanced one? 

 

[nigeljames]

  Never listened to m6/m8. However, I am comparing it to Decware Taboo MK3(tube amp) and Burson Conductor. Even if not in the same league with m9 in terms of transparency and details, both Taboo and Soloist are more energetic, with more attack in the sound. However, I am still burning in M9. It has ~100H for now. 

Did anybody try the single ended output vs the balanced one? 

 
It's strange that you feel the Burson is more energetic and with more attack because I found the opposite, compared to the M6, when I had a Conductor for a 1 week trial last year.
 
However I do use mine via ACSS and found in comparison to XLR (never mind RCA) that the sound was more dynamic and controlled. Although cables were different so they may have had an effect as well.
 
Nice to know the M9 (so I assume the M6 as well) has greater transparency and detail than the Taboo because it as always been an amp I have curious about. You may of saved me some money there

 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

   
It's strange that you feel the Burson is more energetic and with more attack because I found the opposite, compared to the M6, when I had a Conductor for a 1 week trial last year.
 
However I do use mine via ACSS and found in comparison to XLR (never mind RCA) that the sound was more dynamic and controlled. Although cables were different so they may have had an effect as well.
 
Nice to know the M9 (so I assume the M6 as well) has greater transparency and detail than the Taboo because it as always been an amp I have curious about. You may of saved me some money there

 

 
Ah...good point. Analog dac isn't fully balanced (just 2 dacs, instead of 4) and I have only tried the RCA input from M9. You may have a point. Will try the XLR inputs as well. 
 
M9 has greated transparency than taboo overall, but Taboo has somethings that I love as well, in this setup at least : the chords have greater extension and body, the sound is more energetic, forward and fuller, bass is punchier, etc. Will do a review on M9 soon after I consider I am sure on my findings and setup matching and a comparison to taboo as well.

 

[Articnoise]

  I find M9 to be more laid back than Soloist, and the bass even if deeper on M9(single ended output for now), not as punchy as with soloist. 

Indeed M9 is a lot cleaner, more transparent and with more details, but sometimes too laid back. Still burning it in.

I had the Soloist and the M9 at the same time and didn’t have the same result as you, in fact I had the opposite. IMO the M9 is more extend in both the bas and treble, more transparent, more organic sounding, it’s also much more dynamic and have a fuller sound then my Soloist with both the LCD 3 and Hifiman HE 500. The Soloist is IMO more laid back both in soundstage and dynamic and yes the 9 is fuller/warmer in my system. I have only used the 9 with ACSS cable and balanced. ACSS to the Master 7 (and Offramp 5) and balanced to Hegel HD 20 (and AP+PP). The dynamic didn’t change with burn in what I could detect.

 

[Articnoise]

Dan I see that you have an AG500 Power Regenerator. Sometimes this kind of gear can have negative affect on the dynamics on some amp. Not saying that’s the case here, but I would have tried it without if I had the same experience as you.