[FredA]

Just got M3. In pictures, it's huge. But you got see it in person to fully understand how huge it it. The on/off switch on the front panel is over an inch wide.

The box in which it came took some serious beating: it had holes in it! Kingwa has to make it tougher cause as it is, it can't be re-used.

The front corner of the chassis have scrapping damage underneath, so not obvious at first glance The customs probably made that.

Otherwise, the amp is fine and is already as enjoyable as my nc500 with just over one hour of playing time. Not as good with dynamics but with smoother top end, not quite as resolved highs. for now, but smoother. The mid bass and mid range on the other hand have better control and detail. The class-d has better lower bass control. For now.

So i am pretty confident it will be more competent than my class-d within a month, maybe much less than that. When really cold the amp sounded rather dull but still smooth. And it is silent with no glitches turning it on. The soft start circuit does a splendid job.

 

[DACLadder]

@FredA Congrats Fred! What a timely review yesterday!

 

[FredA]

@FredA Congrats Fred! What a timely review yesterday!

Yes it was. Thanks.

The m3 is still not as good at bringing all the fine details out as the class d does. Playing Oscar Peterson Tenderly, the nc500 has the pole. For now. I think it will take weeks before the m3 gets to 98-99% of its potential. The nc500 module integration by Nord Acoustic makes for a great amp. The m3 already sounds quite more analog and easier on the ears. The depth is already surprisingly good. Very promising. And soon i will have a diy acss to link it to the m1. So it should improve transparency.

I also received the Acusilicons... They wil stay on the ice for a while.

 

[FredA]

On the album Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson trio, the M3 beats my nc500.. The mids and bass are splendid and compared to the class-d, the m3 sounds liquid. Just an awesome rendition.

 

[FredA]

On Jazz at the pawnshop, the m3 is still on top but concedes ultimate res. to the class-d. For now. But the m3 has better timbres and sounds just liquid and natural. Quite more liquid. I bought myself what soon should be a splendid amp it seems. It's so good with timbres and with how liquid it is.

 

[PLGA]

Hello Fred
I have the R8 (fed by the Gustard U16 with the W4S USB Reclocker with LPS) and the Audio-gd Master 1 powering the Nord NC500 with Rev D boards and Sparkos Op Amps
Ive found the Sparkos "much" more analog and liquid than the Sonic Imagery Op Amps and with the Rev D boards the sound is incredible.
Wich version of Nord NC500 do you have?
I think it would a nice to compare the Audio-gd M3 vs the Nord NC500 with Rev D boards and Sparkos Op Amps.
I also think that the Nord is more dependant on the AC Power Supply and cables. I changed the XLR cables and the sound got much better. I will now try a DC Blocker as I think it will improve it further.
Regards

 

[FredA]

Hi.

I have the rev. C,.or in any case the one just before the latest. I prefer the Sparkos over the SI. And i prefer a chinese opamp from ebay over both, but the Sparkos is the most organic/analog.

At some point, i transplanted the boards and wires to heavier but smaller chinese enclosures. I had to change the layout. It it possible that my Nords do not sound as good in those enclosures. Also i changed other thing like the main switch (there is only one in my version), speaker terminals (using cmc now) and ac socket as well the ac hookup wire.

So in the end, the things i am sure about are, whatever the enclosure and the opamps, with still plenty of burning to do:

1. The M3 sounds more liquid
2.. The M3 has better timbres
3.. The Nords are more dynamic, have more rythm
4. The Nords are slighty more resolved
5. The m3 have better mid and lower mid
6. The bass is pretty much equal now.

With the Sparkos, the Nords are more like the M3, more analog but still do not match the timbres and liquid character of It.

It's not that the Nords are not smooth, there are very much so. The m3 is just one of the most liquid amp I have ever heard,. If not the most one. So it induces not fatigue whatsoever and it sounds absolutely natural. I must also add that it is also more neutral than the Nords with the Sparkos. With the chinese opamps, neutrality is a tie.

 

[PLGA]

Hello Fred,
I've had also the Rev C board with Sparkos and I've found the Rev D to be more analog and fluid, may be not as much as the M3, I dont know, but if you have the chance to try it out, I would suggest to do it.

Thank you for your valuable and constant feedback!

 

[JaMo]

Just got M3. In pictures, it's huge. But you got see it in person to fully understand how huge it it. The on/off switch on the front panel is over an inch wide.

The box in which it came took some serious beating: it had holes in it! Kingwa has to make it tougher cause as it is, it can't be re-used.

The front corner of the chassis have scrapping damage underneath, so not obvious at first glance The customs probably made that.

Otherwise, the amp is fine and is already as enjoyable as my nc500 with just over one hour of playing time. Not as good with dynamics but with smoother top end, not quite as resolved highs. for now, but smoother. The mid bass and mid range on the other hand have better control and detail. The class-d has better lower bass control. For now.

So i am pretty confident it will be more competent than my class-d within a month, maybe much less than that. When really cold the amp sounded rather dull but still smooth. And it is silent with no glitches turning it on. The soft start circuit does a splendid job.

Hi Fred,
Congratulations to the new owning of the updated Master 3. As You know. I am very pleased with my Master amps. I remember they took quite some time to mature and open up. You will have pleasant future listening experience even if You like it already.. From memory I think it was about 6 weeks to the real blossom of the amp. I have the older M3 and I have no complains what so ever.
/Jan

 

[FredA]

Hi Fred,
Congratulations to the new owning of the updated Master 3. As You know. I am very pleased with my Master amps. I remember they took quite some time to mature and open up. You will have pleasant future listening experience even if You like it already.. From memory I think it was about 6 weeks to the real blossom of the amp. I have the older M3 and I no complains what so ever.
/Jan

Thanks.

The M3 sounds surprisingly good for how little burn it has received. It’s very enjoyable with dynamic recordings already. It looks like the start of a long love story.

 

[FredA]

I was an idiot last night, the difference with dynamics and some with smoothness came from the fact i was listening to nos2 without my knowing. Nos2 is much smoother than os8, but not as dynamic. The differences between the Nords and the M3 are much smaller than i thought, the switch between the two modes makes more of a difference than swapping the amps. For now. The m3 is still smoother, not so much so, and as dynamic. For the rest, i will have to wait to make a statement.

 

[FredA]

So again some observations, M3 vs nc500:

- M3 has more stable imaging, in fact it’s perfect with this regard, and depth is excellent, read better
- M3 defininity smoother but leaner at this stage, i expect the mid range to be more forward eventually.
- the timbre are different, they definitely are richer, but instruments don’t sound as crisp, but quite close


Eveything else is pretty much the same as far as i can tell so far. Also, i can hear the M3 fluctuate slowly. So i will wait before making more observations.

 

[FredA]

Well just one more: the m3 has a subjectively blacker background, even though on paper it should not. Very counterintuitive

 

[bunkbail]

I prefer the Sparkos over the SI. And i prefer a chinese opamp from ebay over both, but the Sparkos is the most organic/analog.

Which Chinese opamp did you buy?

 

[FredA]

Not from that exact vendor but should be these:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Dual-Di...531987275?hash=item3fafc6e54b&redirect=mobile

I even posted a review, see at the bottom.

The m3 has improved during the night. It is getting better with ambiances and the mid seems to have more presence.