FLUX M-Field Class-A MOSFET headphone amplifier.

[Slackaveli]

Yeah, I agree, that lil thing is special for that price. I havent heard the FT1 Pros but a lot of people seem to love it for sure.

Since I cancelled my Tungsten order Ive been eyeing ZMF, too. If I could afford it or catch the right used deal I'd love Caldera. Buying an RTX 5090 next week though so Im going to be broke for a couple months on that one lol.

 

[betula]

leanness on the bass combine with that emphasis on the upper mids/lower treble it's just absolutely intolerable to my ears.

I suspect this might be something else in your system. This description is not how I perceive the Cyan 2.

 

[Erick Muller]

I suspect this might be something else in your system. This description is not how I perceive the Cyan 2.

I might try today but I'm dreading the idea of taking out the Cyan 2, moving everything in system to try it out again and finding out that my impressions haven't change.

 

[Rattle]

What exactly happened with all the tungsten orders ? Did people tire of waiting or did they stop producing them ?

Picked up a used M Field from a kind fellow here and I absolutely love it. Great tonality and timbre while being highly detailed and technical. No listening fatigue whatsoever.

 

[betula]

What exactly happened with all the tungsten orders ? Did people tire of waiting or did they stop producing them?

It was all explained in the Tungsten thread recently. Someone shared Ryan's email. Basically, multiple reasons delayed a one-man production team, but the main cause is they did not expect this many orders. After a while they cut back on orders and now hope that in the upcoming months production will slowly speed up a bit.

 

[smallcaps]

I’m running Tungsten DS out of monoblocked M-Fields. Besides my opinion of the entire ordering process with Mimic (spoiler: it sucked), the pairing sounds good.

 

[slsmaster]

Hi Guys,

I need some advice. Upgraded from a Cyan 2 to May LVL2 as a friend of mine sold it to me for a very good price. Been using the Cyan 2 with an V200 and an Euforia.

I since have sold the Euforia as it doesn’t work with my also newly acquired Caldera that well.

I since have been thinking what a good SS amp for my May would be. Headphones will be Caldera and Verite Open.

Would M-Field or Mentor be a good match?

Also been eyeballing the Aegis, but that would require hunting some NOS tubes, which can be quite tiresome and expensive…

Happy to hear your thoughts!

 

[Infoseeker]

For my dual-mono M-FIELD setup, the Dangerous Convert 2 DAC is still the unicorn setup that fits best for this amp.

Happens to got perfect syneegy for this. Have not lost momentum after so much time now and tryingbother DACs..

 

[NateHig]

Here are my impressions from comparing the M-Field to the Prelude using my HE1000se and the Unveiled. As mentioned, I visited a local audio store on Tuesday to compare the Prelude and the Unveiled to my M-Field and HEKse. Both are Class A MOSFET-based amps, so I was expecting a similar 'musical' presentation, just in a slightly different package - perhaps a more refined and upgraded version given the 2x price difference. By the way, the M-Field was mostly cold during the tests, so it was a little unfair.

OK, in short - the Prelude is not an upgrade, in my opinion. I even have doubts it's a sidegrade unless you're really after a tube-like sound. It’s definitely warmer, slightly bassier, and has much more rolled-off highs. The bass is thicker, warmer, and more 'dynamic driver-like.' It pushes the mids forward but has less control over them, which was quite noticeable with the HEKU, as they already have fuller and more direct mids on their own. Their mids sounded more linear and cleaner on the M-Field. The treble is rolled off and much calmer on the Prelude. While I didn't mind it with the HEKse, it felt too tamed with the HEKU. Tracks like Private Investigations by Dire Straits didn’t pierce at all - and they should, as they're super sharply produced.

Overall, the Prelude definitely colors the sound, leaning more toward the typical Hifiman egg-shaped headphone presentation, with recessed mids, sharper treble, and an overall bright-ish tuning. However, the HEK Unveiled don't sound like this, and they performed much better on my M-Field. The same goes for my HEKse, though they seemed less affected by the amplifier’s character, whereas the HEKU absorbed it to a greater extent.

The M-Field is more neutral and technical. I’d say it hits the sweet spot, it's well balanced, which became clear when I started comparing them.

I'd recommend the Prelude to those looking for a tube-like sound in a Class A amp, or for those using a bright/lifeless DAC, such as a Sabre-based Topping, and/or bright headphones. For my preferences, it strayed too far from neutrality, whereas the M-Field maintained a balance. And - synergy or not - I consider it to be a better amp of the two.

For context, the DAC used in this audition was the Questyle CMA, which is a Sabre d/s.

I bought the Prelude off of Head-fi Marketplace for $1500, little more expensive in price than a brand-new M-Field, it's my highlight purchase of the year so far, love the aesthetic and sound of this amp. Though I would love to have demoed the M-Field, I wish I have the M-Field at home just to compare the two. If anyone here lives in NYC and is interested in a trade please let me know, I can consider to trade my Prelude to your M-Field

 

[227qed]

I’m surprised to see such little content out there about this amp given all the praise. I’m definitely interested in given the apparent technical capabilities and warm, rich nature. Sounds like this should be similar to the wells Milo, which is another on my potential-buy list, has anybody A/B’d these two?

Also, for those of you with experience with this and the S17 Pro, is this a significant upgrade from there in your opinion?

I will be using a musician Pegasus dac which I find to be much more incisive and detailed than the modi multibit I was using prior. I’m hoping to regain some of the warmth and fullness to the sound that I lost with that change while retaining the better technical capabilities. I’m finding the new DAC to be rather fatiguing at times, seems like the m-field is likely one of the best out there for mellowing and smoothing out the overall sound, is that correct?

I’m currently using a Jot2, fully balanced, xlr out for reference. If anyone can comment on the bass delivery of the m-field vs Jot2, I’d find it most helpful! I’ve read some reports of the Jot2 having even stronger bass than the MJ3, which has me me slightly hesitant, as powerful bass is one of the most important traits I am looking for.

Thanks for any insights!

 

[SmartCheetah]

Also, for those of you with experience with this and the S17 Pro, is this a significant upgrade from there in your opinion?

It is. I made a comparison post either in this thread or the S17 Pro's thread if you're looking for more details. Found it.

seems like the m-field is likely one of the best out there for mellowing and smoothing out the overall sound, is that correct?

Yes and no. Smooth? Sure. Mellow? Not in the way it's often used in audio. It's MOSFET-based, so it has a warmish tint, but it's still highly technical. Clarity and resolution are superb - definitely better than the Aune S17 Pro.

 

[227qed]

It is. I made a comparison post either in this thread or the S17 Pro's thread if you're looking for more details. Found it.


Yes and no. Smooth? Sure. Mellow? Not in the way it's often used in audio. It's MOSFET-based, so it has a warmish tint, but it's still highly technical. Clarity and resolution are superb - definitely better than the Aune S17 Pro.

Wow that’s high praise! I’m sold. Just need to save up a bit more. The price gap between this and the S17 pro evo is not that a huge deal for me, but I appreciate good bang/buck. I think the m-field should have everything I’m looking for in an upgrade from my Jot2 though. It will be nice to avoid the FOMO as well. Looking forward to putting this amp hunt to an end. Appreciate the feedback. @Ichos has been very helpful as well with feedback on the vioelectric stuff I’ve been cross shopping as well.

 

[SmartCheetah]

I appreciate good bang/buck

Who doesn’t! I recently had a chance to compare the M-Field with the Prelude, which costs twice as much, and I preferred the Flux. Both are MOSFET-based, but the Prelude is warmer and more tube-like. It has more emphasized mids (though less refined), stronger, softer bass, and rolled-off highs. I found the M-Field more balanced. The Prelude might work with bright headphones and DACs.

 

[227qed]

Who doesn’t! I recently had a chance to compare the M-Field with the Prelude, which costs twice as much, and I preferred the Flux. Both are MOSFET-based, but the Prelude is warmer and more tube-like. It has more emphasized mids (though less refined), stronger, softer bass, and rolled-off highs. I found the M-Field more balanced. The Prelude might work with bright headphones and DACs.

That’s great feedback! I think I’d enjoy that prelude quite a bit but it’s more than I’d like to spend on a single unit.

I’m more or less set on the m-field at this point, but the black ice Aries also seems extremely appealing to me. Wave theory reviews says the amp portion of that thing is right there with the performance of the mj3 and v222, with a dac that’s in the level of the Hugo two. Coupled with all the tone controls and sound stage expander, I’m pretty intrigued by it.

Probably going to be next to impossible to find someone whose compared the amp portion of the m field to the amp portion of that, but generally speaking, but have most people found the m-field to be technically superior to the mj3 and v222? That’s the impression I’m getting, which would probably put it a bit higher than the amp in the Aries. If that is the case, then I’m probably okay to skip the Aries and get that better amp performance, though that might make my new dac the weak link again (musician Pegasus.

Tough choices!

 

[Erick Muller]

That’s great feedback! I think I’d enjoy that prelude quite a bit but it’s more than I’d like to spend on a single unit.

I’m more or less set on the m-field at this point, but the black ice Aries also seems extremely appealing to me. Wave theory reviews says the amp portion of that thing is right there with the performance of the mj3 and v222, with a dac that’s in the level of the Hugo two. Coupled with all the tone controls and sound stage expander, I’m pretty intrigued by it.

Probably going to be next to impossible to find someone whose compared the amp portion of the m field to the amp portion of that, but generally speaking, but have most people found the m-field to be technically superior to the mj3 and v222? That’s the impression I’m getting, which would probably put it a bit higher than the amp in the Aries. If that is the case, then I’m probably okay to skip the Aries and get that better amp performance, though that might make my new dac the weak link again (musician Pegasus.

Tough choices!

If you like to play around and customize the sound of your headphones without having to rely on PEQs and DSP on a PC, the Aries is going to provide exactly that and also tubes so that also opens up the possibility of tube rolling and even more customization.

My only experience with tubes has been with my TA-84 and still one of my go to's is this little OTL tube amp with my modded HD6XX, it's absolutely amazing!!!!