✅ 🛒 *amzn.to/2S4HVCf**, **bit.ly/M5si* ★ *QOTD: What other product line have you experimented with in order to find that “sweet spot” for yourself and what made you ultimately land on “the one”?* ★ *🎵+ 🎥 + PRODUCTS SHOWN☝️CLICK “SHOW MORE” in the description* ★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
Headphones. You should see the graveyard of cans at my house. It’s embarrassing. After many iterations and much wasted money I have “invested” in a pair of Shure SE846’s. Not the most expensive IEM’s but not cheap either, however, they’re worth every penny for me. Your review of the Sony XM4’s made me re-enter the over-the-ear camp but I used AirMiles rewards to get those for free so that’s a win-win all around.
Hi Andrew! Great review...thank you very much! 👍🏻 I am looking to put together one of the "classic" combos - M6Si paired with Focal Aria 948s. The NAD Masters M33 sure looks "Yummy!" - but not sure if it will be able to drive the Focals with the same authority as the M6Si 🤔🤔
Great review. I have spent 3 months researching integrated amp options and you helped me close in on a winner. In the end it was between the M5si and the M6si with the winner being the M6si since I liked the addition of a balanced input. Upgraded from a Rotel RX-1052 and I'm really loving my choice even right out of the box. Thank you for the help and keep it up!
Who does this Andrew Robinson think that he is that he can be, at once charming and informative, witty, yet self-deprecating. By far, the best review of any stereo product that I've ever enjoyed, whether in person or online. Well done, you! I've just purchased an M5si, after an email from Heinz Lichtenegger. He highly recommends it, as well.
@@simonkenny8924 I cannot speak highly enough about this musical fidelity and it is gorgeous and has somebody far more knowledgeable than I says it makes your system sing
Influenced by your review on YT, I replaced my M3si with a silver M5si and I'm delighted. Thanks to you, I have a beautiful amplifier and my house is filled with wonderful sound.🥰
I had the M6si for an audition home in my system, with the end result sound out of a pair of Spendor A4. I absolutely loved the M6si for the tonal quality and the size of the projected sound stage either side of my speakers. However I really felt the power output was wasted on me and as much as I would have loved to keep it, I decide upon the more cost effective M5si…
Thank God you came to THAT conclusion! I looked all over UA-cam and the web for reviews for the M5SI, found just a few, but decided to buy it anyway, this morning. Then came this review, the same day😅
Hello Andrew, I recently bought the M6si to pair with a pair of Focal 1038Be, a Rega Planar 6 turntable with a Soundsmilth Carmen MKII ES moving iron cartridge, with cables by Cardas Clear Reflection. Long story short, divorce, sold all of my HT equipment, moved from a house with a dedicated HT room to a loft apartment with space for only analog and listening to music. I do not miss the HT. The M6si drives those speakers with such ease and the bass that is coming through is amazing. Most music listened to is Vocals, Jazz, Classical, and Classic Rock. The vocals are amazing. I was not impressed with the phono stage on the M6si so I added a KC Vibe phono stage which made a HUGE difference. Amazing sound. I'm streaming through a BlueSound Node 2i that is connected directly to the Internet (my music is on Amazon). I totally agree, the remote is horrible, but I hardly use it as I don't find it very responsive as well. I like to turn that heavy dial to achieve the proper volume. BTW, I've never pushed the volume more than 1/3 the way and this is in a loft that is 32'long x12'wide x 16'high. Love your reviews and your passion to achieve a wonderful listening experience. Thank you.
@@joshuabrain9751 Since I stream through Amazon, I use the BlueSound Node 2i; however, it's best to be directly wired to the router, otherwise it drops a lot over wifi. It has it's own DAC.
I’ve been searching for a powerful yet affordable analog amplifier for awhile now. Your video really helped me make my decision. I just bought the M5 after 3 months of looking. Keep up the great work!!
Andrew, Thank you very much for this and your earlier video this past spring on the Musical Fidelity M3si and M8xi. It was that earlier video that directed me toward the brand. When I eventually made my purchase this fall, I went with the M6si and paired it with KEF R7s. I could not be happier with my decision. Thank you so very much for this and your previous review. These amps really are something special and fit my tastes perfectly. I can't recommend this line highly enough.
Thank you for being here - I spent a year testing stereo components while stationed with the US Marine Corps in Okinawa from 1976 - 77 where I ended up with a Pioneer SX 1050 Receiver, a TEAC double cassette player, now retired, JBL65 speakers and when I returned to the states I purchased a Bang and Olufsen Beogram 2400 turn table. Since then I have added a TEAC X-10 reel to reel and a Marantz CD player. My pioneer receiver is screwing up so badly I am no longer able to tolerate it. Either channel might at any moment drop out, lose power, fade quickly away; when I turn the balance to that channel/speaker and crank the volume I get static and then a break through, the sound returns to normal but at any moment this might reoccur on that channel or the other. I took the receiver to my tech guy and he could not reproduce the problem. When I brought it home and reconnected everything the problem disappeared for a month and then came back as bad or worse than before. I am going to watch your videos to help me learn about what is available in stereo equipment today, before I make any purchase. Might I trouble you for a citation of a video to begin? Sorry to be so long winded, I think I needed to vent...
Check youre speaker relays, speaker select switches, source select switches- also noisy transistors in the front end of the offending channel - you can try and induce the fault through selectively heating or freezing the transistors individually. (can of "freeze") So these are the transistors that for the differential amp or ones around them that I have seen go noisy in the past and cause this kind of thing.
I'm keeping my Kenwood KA-109 (1990) integrated amp. Works great. Phono preamp. Bluetooth added. Running four KLH speakers and an 80w sub. Current cost $0.00. Old doesn't mean obsolete or dead. Wish I still had that old Phase Linear 400 from the 70's. That was a monster. AR speakers. Killer setup.
Thanks for the review - surprisingly few in depth looks at Musical Fidelity products floating around out there, but it's a brand I've always been fond of, based on previous encounters. This actually prompted me to take a second look at the M6si, which I had mentally crossed off my list because it 'only' had 1 balanced input (i switched most of my stuff over to balanced a while back), but with supply chain issues and my budget, this was literally the only amp that was a) a clear improvement over my previous, b) within my budget ($2-3.5k USD) and c) actually in stock in Singapore. I was tempted by the NAD M33, Anthem STR and Hegel 190 - but those were more expensive and crammed all the streaming/usb dac/bluetooth features in the amp whereas I personally prefer to keep my sources seperate. Needless to say, I am very happy with my choice - although I slightly wish my budget could have stretched to afford the limited M6si Chrome Edition which purportedly has improved selected components for better audio - then again, with a new toddler running around, that mirror finish probably wouldn't last too long :P I absolutely agree that the MF does a great job adding a level of realism or even vibrancy to acoustic instruments - my first test disc was some Rodrigo y Gabriela and it did indeed "slap" :) Good amount of bass, detail, texture and very dynamic. Fresh out of the box, I'm getting a bit more sibilance than with my prior amp and the soundstage is a bit muddled, but that may be due to a mismatch in power cords as I was testing with the upgrade cable I was using previously (need to order in a new one to match my power conditioner), but overall very happy and I think this will stick around my home for a good few years :) It does run pretty hot though!
To answer the QOTD, I'm not so much sure for me it was experimenting with a product line as it was doing some reading and just taking a chance on one. Over the years I've had a couple Yamahas, a couple Denons, a Marantz and a Harmon Kardon. Nothing seemed to really it home for me. Ended up doing some reading and bought a Dayton Audio HTA100BT and haven't looked back. Only 50wpc but pairs great with both my Elac B6.2 bookshelves and my old Pioneer GS-301WA2 floor standing speakers. Sounds alive, fills the space, but never seems too overpowering. Have a great afternoon. Always enjoy and look forward to your videos.
M5si arrived today, paired with Dali Oberon 7s, and Rega P2. The latter components were really brought to life; amazing detail and endless power (like very much ALOT of power 😯). I would agree that any flaws a source may have are noticeable, the M5 is very true to its signal and does make it obvious other integrated amps often not as much. I am glad MF kept the M5 mission specific as a power integrated that owners can pair with the evolving inputs on our own. Great review!
Congrats! Personally, I went for the Roksan Blak instead as I have a history with their amps. But, there is no doubt the M5si is much more value for money at its price point. If I were to do it again, I probably would have given the M5si's big brother the M6si a better look. At 220W into 8 ohms, it can drive a lot of speakers. Again, specs wise it can't be beat at its price point, it would be all down to the sound difference.
Hi Cheung, cool to hear you listened to them side by side. Could you tell what is different in terms of sound? I am not interested in the extra power itself, but if the sound characteristic changes from the m2 to the m3 to the m5 that may be all the reason one needs to prefer one over the other. I for one like what I hear in this review about the m5, but if the m3 gives the same sound at less power I'm ok with that, given the sensitivity of my speakers. More often then not, along with the power comes a (slight) change in sound. Is that the case here?
@@HerrFinsternis The difference in power will give you some headroom. The differences are subtle. For me it was about the build quality. The sound is about the same. Felt like the M5si had slightly better control over the speakers. I was listening to a pair of Sonus Faber Sonneto I.
@@jfloop77 No I was able to get another amp that was on my shortlist (Marantz PM8006) with a 35% discount. Figured I could always resell it without a loss, but I've been really happy with it and ended up pairing it with the nd8006 to get all forms analogue and digital of input you could possibly want, except for hdmi. I mainly listen to cd and vinyl, but the streamer and/or bluetooth is really handy for when you have people over and want something running in the background. I paired it with the Wharfedale Linton's, which many people would advice against because your stacking warm on warm on warm. But I own a lot of bad recordings that need some smoothing over and this setup gives me that whilst still giving detail and a bit of punch to more modern songs and especially higher quality vinyl (from days past). The build in tone controls are set to accommodate my living room and I highly recommend an amp that has them. I now have a sound that doesn't annoy me whatsoever, whatever I play, so I can just focus on the music 😊
Even though I'm done my hunt for now, still enjoy watching your reviews! Forte III and A-S2200 in the house and wow a big step up from what I was using before.
Hi, I own the M5SI and it's amazing. But i have a question - there is no way to turn the amp on using the remote? I love everything about the amp except this! Its so annoying having to get up and press the button with my finger. Is there any way around this? Thanks in advance.
:) I couldn't belive how bad remote they have. If you find out how to fix it .. please share.. PS. I use Yamaha reciver to power on and off.. But I would like to do it without reciver! :)
andrew, i cant tell you how valuable your reviews have been as i put together my 2 channel (vinyl centric) system. admittedly new to the mid fi scene and it is a bit of a challenge to navigate! your sober, descriptive, balanced insight has been invaluable. so glad i found your channel!! thx
Having owned and used many musical fidelity products from the 1980,s I have never experienced a bad product, anybody wanting to build a good quality hifi system, could do a lot worse than choose a musical fidelity item.
I'm using an Musical Fidelity M5si with a pair of Acoustic Energy AE309 Floor standing speakers and I love the sound. I find their is great detail and the mids and bass are just right. Looking at replacing my old Denon CD player with Musical Fidelity CD Player next.
I know, it’s 3 years later, but on the other hand it just proves how lasting and relevant your reviews are 😊…. I am buying either the M3 or M5, but after watching your M3 review, then watching the M5 video, it seems like you are reluctantly recommending the M5 over the M3. If they sound the same (roughly) and I get more juice with the M5, simple decision. Is there something else that I’m missing?
I've had M2si (which they say is essentially the same as m3si power wise) for some time now and have upgraded to M5si recently. I have speakers that are not the most sensitive and the difference is substantial in my case making m5si upgrade really worthwile.
@@MrTmilovan Hi! I’m thinking of doing the same (have an m2si driving Lintons and Kef Ls50metas, thinking of upgrading to an M5si) How big is your room? and do you use external dac or phono? I have a project s2 and. schiit modi 3+. Just wondering if those on the MF are worth using
@@MrTmilovan I'm glad to have found your reply. I currently have the M2si and am considering the M6si because my source (DAC) is balanced and I like the idea of the dual-mono topology. In thinking about the difference you are hearing between your M2si and your M5si, do you feel like it is mostly due to the additional output power or are you hearing better separation or tonal differences? Thanks.
Good review. If I'd auditioned the Musical Fidelity, I might not have the amp I now love. The Schiit Ragnok 2 integrated is a charmer. So neutral, transparent and engaging that I lost my desire to keep looking for other amplification. The only limitation is the power at 60WPC. That said, Schiit makes a 100WPC AB amplifier for $700 that I could couple to the preamp via the pre-outs. That would put the Schiit amp, preamp combination at $2200 and would put it within 10% the Musical Fidelity price unless you add in a good interconnect, then we are looking at 20%. As long as we are talking about quality Brit products, I have been very impressed with my Audiolab 6000 CDT transport. Solid, reliable and does an excellent job.
In terms of specs vs price point as an integrated amp, I think it will be hard to beat the M5si. The caveat being as Andrew was trying to say is whether you are after a best sounding integrated amp at this price point or a trendy all-in-one streaming integrated amp which is what a lot of people seem to want these days? Personally, I am more old school and I value sound quality over the jazzy looks of an all-in-one streaming amp with a colourful screen on its front panel more. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying these streaming amps don't sound good, in fact many of them sound reasonably good, but typically they just don't sound quite as good as a quality integrated amp. So, for me I would rather run a separate streamer to my amp. The only thing I would say about the M5si is that I think the sweet spot at least in my eyes is one model up the M6si. It is slightly more expensive at around US$3K, but it is also considerably more powerful at 220W into 8 ohms. When I was looking for an amp within this particular price point, I actually ended up going for the Roksan Blak purely because I've had a history with Roksan amps before and I do enjoy their dynamic, punchy and sweet house sound. But, to be honest with you, I still don't know whether I picked the right amp as at least on paper the M6si is much more bang for the buck. It is a good bit cheaper than the Roksan, but comes with an additional 70W. So, if you are on a budget at this price point, I think you will have to audition the M6si at least. Or if you feel 150W is already plenty for your system, then try out the M5si or both.
Recently I've been coming back to RATM, both the self-titled and Evil Empire each have amazing production in their own way. The debut sounds super slick while Evil Empire sounds like four guys jamming in a room.
I like your last statement. "The only person that has to like your system is you". I'm glad I don't have ears that requires more refined equipment that cost a lot of money. Ha. My Sony av receiver serves me fine. Enjoy these videos even if I won't buy most of the tech reviewed. Thumbs up!
Yep, I'm striving for a live/realistic human vocalist. ---- I've just bought the Musical Fidelity M6s prx amplifier (230 wpc) to replace my Parasound 2125v2 (I'll repurpose it to power my movies surround L/R and take that load off of my Arcam AVR5 receiver in a 7.4.4 setup). My weight requirement is < 50 lbs. I was gonna get an integrated Musical Fidelity M6si (my requirement is a Home Theater bypass and L/R balance) but it didn't have a L/R balance; but my Parasound 2100 preamp does. streaming source=Apple Music lossless
For anyone considering this, I have a 20+ year old MF A300 integrated. It's worked flawlessly in all of that time. Beyond watts, these are high current amplifiers that can deliver massive dynamic peaks. As Andrew mentioned, they can be a little dry and unforgiving in the top end especially. On a great recording that can mean a lot of 'air' and sparkle but it can make poor source material almost unlistenable. People with bright or metal dome tweeter owners be warned!
Any thought on how the built-in phono stage in the M5si/M3si would compare to an entry level standalone unit (I.e. Schiit Mani) if using mm cartridge? Thanks
I bought the ATC SXM 7s as my utimate affordable small bookshelf speaker for my Elex-r. Guess what ? The amplifier is struggling and treble seems to treble ( well double!) itself and become somewhat harsh. However the SXM,s do show excellent reception with the right power. I know of MF because my son-in-law has the original Pre and Power amps and CD player played thru Proac floorstanders. Wonderful. Watching your excellent presentation on You Tube of the M5si, I realize that that is the amp I should have bought - slightly better clarity and power at just about an affordable cost. I have found a dealer that will buy my Elex-r which will bring down the cost of the Msi significantly. My problem with electronics is that I live on an island which uses US voltage, so I effectively have to buy US side, where the prices are higher and in some cases now with the weak pound double. Only very few brands of amplifiers are dual voltage. John D.K.
@andrew .. Love your videos. I would say you made me care about listening to music the way it is supposed to, ie. am in the rabbit hole.I feel now I have to setup a proper system and re-listen all of my favorite music as I do not think i did any justice to some of that art :) Building my first system based on good sales out there in the holiday season. Not going too crazy as i am still a NOOB. Receiver: Denon x-4500h L-R: JBL Studio 530s Center: Infinity RC -263 On the look out for a single or dual sub now to complete a 3.1 OR 3.2 setup for now. Will eventually get a proper floor standing set to complete a dual surround and stereo setup once i move onto a bigger space and once i understand what I like a bit more in terms of sound. Keep doing what you are doing. I think youtube lacks quality audio content like yours. A small recommendation would be if you could show some of these features that you are talking about and voice over them. P.S: If you or any one have recommendations on the subs to complete that above setup, totally appreciated. 60-40% music to movie ratio.
I would like to take the opportunity to add in a few comments to the review of this Musical Fidelity amp. I think for the sake of newcomers to HiFi, more so the ones who spend a few years with micro stuff, small class D, only streaming and so on, that a few comments more on Musical Fidelity's history and more over it's house sound, is a good idea. Where do they come from? I mean, what did they do earlier on? The A1, the MA50, the P470, the x-cans etc. driven to a degree in Class A, would go a long way to explain what the brand stands for. Next, I don't know what the setup have been set up to. If for example an amp is new in box, there will always be a certain time of burning in, then it opens up and reveals what it can do. So was this nib or was it allowed to get used to play, and what was the time from off to on, to good music? Or was it not shut down during the test? Also, a more detailed explanation of how it plays or does it have certain preferences, such as big symphony orchestra, or s small jazz band or blues band, or maybe an all rounder? More elaborate on what transients sounds like, how is an attack on a drumskin, how does it handle human male and female voices and so on, would be nice. What is the capacitor size, what brand, what temp limit, how does it sound when playing muted and when playing loud? A bit more on how it handles low impedances etc, would also be nice. How is the room setup for the review, cables and sources (more) so we, the viewers/listeners can get a feeling for the circumstances under which it was being tested etc. How does it handle the line inputs compared to the phono stage. And how does it handle a separate better external phonostage in the understanding of weather it can "grow" in sound and reward upgrades? I am not making critique, but positive critique. Thanks for posting. Kind regards.
Nice review. I do wonder if you have an option comparing the M5 to Cambridge CXA81? As far as new equipment, I have tried a number of DAC’s $1000 and below and settled on the Topping D90. Really commend the service at Apos. No connection.
The CXA81 is no longer in the house so I cannot say for certain how the two compare. Based on memory, I think the CXA81 is a little more lush and smooth around the edges and not as dynamic as the MF, but the CXA81 is still a great amp, the MF is just a little more refined.
Good review Andrew. Would the Kef R3 speaker be a good match for this m5si. I'm trying to upgrade my system and considering these two components to match. TtIA
I went from the AS1000 to and AS3000 recently. Mated with a CDS3000. Levels of accuracy and detail is phenomenal. I've heard stuff on my CD's I didn't even know were there. I agree though that the "bass is light". Speakers I'm using are the NSF901 Soavo 2's. While the bass may be light, it's substantially more controlled and tighter.
Oh... Also to answer the QOTD... I have a simple white Orbit turntable and Audioengine A2+ speakers. Small and simple. Thinking I may need to upgrade down the road when the funds are available, but for now this setup works to spin my beat up old albums from the 70's and 80's. Lol
Excellent work as usual, question, in what category can enter the Hegel H95, I know that you can't rate it or testing..by the way, is in the bright future of you review the kef LS50 meta??
Thoroughly enjoyed that review, guys...spot on. Andrew, I couldn't agree more re: remotes...there is no excuse. Sweet spot experiment would be speakers and I ended up going vintage - two stacked pairs of Meridian M1 active (upper pair inverted). I am clearly in need of help 😂👍. Take care, guys and keep up the excellent work. Thank you.
I bought the m5si and the m3scd about 2 years ago and have paired them with monitor audio gold 200 speakers and a nad 588 turntable ,the sound is stunning through the cd player and the turntable even more now i have upgraded the cartridge to a 2m black .
I use: Marantz SR8015 Doge 10 padc (runs to other amps to get mod #s) SONY TA-A1ES - has good remote ... Sanyo DCA 611 - was the first in collection and now it on does dust collection duty - Yamaha A-S1200SL Technic SUG700 (it is digital) ... now I gotta put this stuff away - tend to use the SONY lots Like your vids. Thanks. Have ordered a Wilsentin(sp?) R8 ...
Well about 20 years ago I got my foot into the audiophile world and got a system that I was pretty. Recently though I decided that I wanted something a little higher up. Started looking at different UA-cam reviewer‘s including yourself, I’m really impressed with your stuff. You”re comments on musical Fidelity along with other peoples has decided me to go ahead and do the M5. I live in a fairly large space I listen to Classical music, jazz And hardly a day goes by without a little Zepplin or Tool. The room tends to be hard lots of glass and hardwood floors. I really enjoy insight into the music but I listen for long hours and so it can’t be fatiguing. If you had to make a short list of speakers to try to suggest to match with the M5 what would you recommend. Certainly I would respect your opinion greatly.
Omg the cheesecake factory reference was so on point , and yes the musical fidelity 5 series is really good, I heard it at Upscale Audio a few years ago . It was open clean with a touch of warmth that made me question to this day why I purchased something more expensive for minimal gain.
I wasn't convinced by M5si's DAC either, so i added RME ADI-2 DAC. Holly snacks, the improvement was bigger than i anticipated! But i must say that i had Arcam iRdac previously and i though that the integrated DAC of Musical Fidelity was doing a silghtly better job.
Very interesting product indeed. Do you plan to review the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 at some point? I'm very excited by it but there's not many reviews... Is it too exotic? I know my room is problematic in many ways, so I'm really curious about the RoomPerfect feature... By the way, I can't wait for the La Scala review :-)
I have the M5i about three years ago. Yesterday use for the first time the USB connection to my iphone . I am positively surprised about the great Quality!!!
@@hubsi5263 I own the m5si also and compared the difference between the internal usb dac with a topping e30, topping d10, ifi zen dac, ifi zen dac signature and the ifi zen one signature dac and couldn't really be bothered with the difference in sound quality, yes those other dacs sounded a bit better, but within reason the internal dac is good enough
Thank you much, for allowing me to check out some new gear. I have some 15 year old equipment that I’m contemplating replacing, (revel m22 speakers, linn classik stereo, and meridian 555 amp. I WANT a Naim 250DR, 282, w/ some Spendor SP100s, but, the price isn’t the cards, nor do i NEED a system that large. Musical fidelity integrated intrigues me as do the Bowers 702s (i have heard the 805 d3’s ~tasty).
Nice review! Still loving my M2si. I use mine as a preamp often with a much more expensive amp and as a preamp it's superb. I have heard that the preamp section in these integrateds are the star of the show that pulls huge amounts of detail and sets the superb tonality. All of their units from the M2si on up use a laser trimmed, resistor based stepped attenuator and that has much to do with the detail retrieval, soundstage and scale. On its own as an integrated it's superb for the price and the way you described the sound of all the three that you reviewed it aligns spot on with what I hear in the M2si. In large part, as you move up the line the basic sound is there throughout but you gain more power and features as you go. Thanks, guys!
you spoke about the m5si not forgiving the poor quality from the audio extractor. Have you seen a mid-fi to hi-fi audio extractor? This brings me to my pet peeve with the industries (Audio and Video). I love my two-channel system and used to love my Dolby systems until I realized the products are not built to last more than three years and that the tech only lasts a year. I can't justify spending $5K a year for each new version of Dolby or HDMI. Can the audio industry let the TV do the video (including switching) and have an outboard processor for Dolby, etc... and leave my pre-amp alone? I have a lot more to say on configurations, but I am sure you have thought of this. I would like to see a video with your thoughts on the subject. Thank you
Finally landed on the Rogue Sphinx v3 and Tannoy Revolution xt8f speakers with Kimber Kable speaker wire. TT is Project Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon 2m blue. TT will be the next piece to upgrade. Almost went with Musical Fidelity but I wanted to play with tubes.
I am looking at this amp or the Rogue Sphinx as well. I also own a pair of LRS speakers. Have you listened to both amps? How did you land on the Rogue amp? Would be so nice to be able to A/B equipment before a big purchase. Looking to upgrade from my Integra surround sound amp for stereo listening with my Maggies.
Can you elaborate the balance setup on the m6si? I have a old dynaudio contour 1.3 bookshelf speakers which need so much juice to drive. Do I need to balance set up? Thanks
AMP Type AB. I literally just did a search to find out before I watched this video. I used ”musical fidelity m5si amp type“ for the search and finally found it in a review.
@@blindpinballer6878 hey thanks. I read that somewhere too but i don't know how reliable that is. Normally brands love bragging about the class of amp their products have but the few reviews i read do not mention it nor does the official website nor is it mentioned by AR in this video review. The thing is its one of the few IA that has 150w at 8ohms and supposedly 220w at 4ohms ( which is not mentioned on the official website again but mentioned by AR in one of the comments) within a reasonable price range. just weird there is such little info about this amp. its like the brand is purposely being vague. i guess i'll go with what little obscure info there is and stop wasting my time. thanks for replying.
Thank you Andrew. Your reviews are greatly detailed and elaborated. I enjoy so many of your reviews. You have a great sense of beauty and delicacy on your videos. Do you think that this musical fidelity m5si is a great match with the fyne audio F502?
If we talking about amps my patch in last yeara was Yamaha rn-602, Nad c326, Onkyo 9130, Onkyo 9150 and after that I've found my sweet spot with Atoll in100se.
My previous system consisted of a Musical Fidelity X-Ray CD player, X-A2 integrated amp, and Tannoy DC6 SE speakers (upgraded from Tannoy Revolution R1s.) I'd had this system since 1999. Time to upgrade though.
100% agree with you Andrew. The M5si is my go to amp :P I don't care about its remote nor its DAC, what it does right is more than enough to do justice to its purchase, period! Thanks for putting out real world reviews with weightage given to strength's & weaknesses in a simple & to the point manner. Cheers!
Look's like a GREAT product. The thing I like the most? I can easily read the labels under all the knobs and switches. So many black audio products use not white, but a dar ochre-colored type which is all but illegible unless you stand there with a flashlight every time you need to use the panel. Ugh. Great review Andrew!
Question: I got 2 turntables with audiophile-grade styli, but Im not a DJ nor do scratching. I just want to be able to continuously listen to music. While I listen to an album, I prep the next one. Do you recommend a DJ mixer with 2-phono input channels or 2 separate dedicated phono preamps? Which do you recommend? I want the best possible sound with a budget of no more than $500.
I've been hoping you would review the m5si, as I had noted it in several other reviews. I've ran a pair of MF M1PWR monoblocks for about 5 years, and loved them. I was wanting to step up from using my AVR as my 2 channel preamp, and your m8xi/m3si review was very helpful. I had decided the m5si was the sweet spot in the range, based on specs and value. When I started looking I found a very gently used m6si for the price of an m5si retail, and decided to take the plunge. I plan to acquire the cambridge CXN v2, which I can use via the xlr inputs. Paired with Monitor Audio Silver 300 towers. Have you ever auditioned Monitor Audios? Love the channel.
This is very much on my short list of integrated amps. After compiling a large (and heavy) separates system, I find myself in a position that requires downsizing. I'm pushing 70, and having recently moved, lifting a 65 lbs (Rogue ST-100) amp was eye opening and revealing. I want quality, but fully understand that achieving parity with my former system is not possible. What I want is quality, listenability, and transportability. This might be it. (I already have a Chord Qutest DAC and Sutherland phono stage, so I don't care what it does or doesn't have)
Question: Have you ever evaluated any McIntosh equipment? And if so, what do you think? I have been using a Crown Straight Line 2 Preamp paired with 2 Crown Powerline 3 Amps that are still performing well for me. And have you ever evaluated any ESS speakers? I have 4 ESS AMT1a units that still sound as good as the day I bought them.
My research from Arcam SA30 -Yamaha AS1200 to Parasound Halo Hint 6. Now I think this is sweat spot budget wise..I finally found my Integrated amp Thanks Andrew
Thanks Andrew, nice informative video. I’ve just ordered the M6si but could you tell me please, at 400mm deep, will it sit okay on my shelf at 360mm or do I need to put a deeper shelf in to my rack?
Hello Andrew this is one of the products Ive has a strong interest in , Im getting back to basics and music listening . O your review comes at a great time thank you . The speakers I have been leaning towards are the Goldenear reference bookshelves . Do you think that would be a good match ?
My biggest mistake: Rotel RA-1592. It took me 3 years to sell it, 3 years in denial 😅 I finally found the Atoll IN300, which goes perfectly with my B&W 603s.
What did you not like about the Rotel? I’m considering it. I currently have the old version of Atoll IN100se, but I want something a little fuller with more body. Also considering the MF M-line.
@@flodvx Thanks for your opinion regarding the Rotel. My room is small so I will for sure avoid it. I like my Atoll but would appreciate a bit more body and authority in the bass department, which is why I’m considering the M5si or M3si. Did you have a chance to compare either to the Atoll?
As one who paid $100 extra for Rogue Audio's 1/4 lb remote that only controls volume and can't even do that precisely, AND as an extremely satisfied M5si owner, I don't agree at all with your complaints that the M5si review is too plebian. Remotes are functional devices and this one functions well.
Hi! I have m3si and dynaudio excite x16. The m3si have problems driving those dyns. No base at all. Should i change speakers or amp? I ve had an arcam solo music and the sound was perfect, especially in the lows.
I was about to pull the trigger on the m3si until I saw your reply. I have a very old NAD 214, 80 watt/ch only, and it has no problem driving my x18 at all, so I'm surprised with your statement. Could it be your placement? My speakers are about 18 inches away from back wall and at least three feet away from walls on each side.
@@dbronx347 the base is nowhere. M3si has sweet highs and a forward midrange but the base is not tight or present. Arcam sa20, naim 5si or exposure 2010s2d are a better choice.
With my Dynaudio Emit, Arcam and Rotel a11 produced bass. Arcam was veiled. Rotel produced sibilance. We went with Rotel, and taming the sibilance with Schiit Loki eq. I want to try the Evoke or Linton with my amp to see if my system will improve or not.
@@gokhanersan8561 arcam is veiled, really bad. Just like you put a shirt on the tweeters. When you go up in the range you must change the amp too. British amps sound dark and sweet, rolled of highs.
@@raikkonenkmi I own the m5si and dynaudio emit 20 (2021 model) and it is a lovely combination, the bass is rich and deep (those emit's easily go down to 34-35 hz in my room), the mids are well defined and the highs are very smooth with lots of detail, I do highly recommend the m5si cause it drove every speaker I paired with it so far with ease!
.... Andrew help me! Which shall I buy???? Musical fidelity M5Si or Technics SU-G700 or Hegel H95 or ????????? .... I really can’t get out to listen to any of them! ....
Hi! Thank you for this great review! May I ask you which Music Fidelity amp will better match the Monitor Audio Silver 200 (6g)? I just bought them and I run them with an old school Technics SU-V300 Mark II. :) Thank you!
Hi Andrew: I purchased an M5si on your recommendation - love it. But in searching for better sound would my system benefit from a separate preamp? Already have a Pro-Ject S2 Ultra phono preamp. Is the power section of the M5si good enough to warrant this? Use a Bluesound Node streamer, Cambridge DacMagic 200M dac (your recommendation) & 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls. Love your videos! Jim.
Man, I've been following you for quite a while now, but I just have to applaud your videography and editing skills. They really stand out! You guys do a phenomenal job! Edit: I laughed my @$$ off at the end! 🤣😅😂
✅ 🛒 *amzn.to/2S4HVCf**, **bit.ly/M5si*
★ *QOTD: What other product line have you experimented with in order to find that “sweet spot” for yourself and what made you ultimately land on “the one”?*
★ *🎵+ 🎥 + PRODUCTS SHOWN☝️CLICK “SHOW MORE” in the description*
★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
Headphones. You should see the graveyard of cans at my house. It’s embarrassing. After many iterations and much wasted money I have “invested” in a pair of Shure SE846’s. Not the most expensive IEM’s but not cheap either, however, they’re worth every penny for me. Your review of the Sony XM4’s made me re-enter the over-the-ear camp but I used AirMiles rewards to get those for free so that’s a win-win all around.
Hi Andrew! Great review...thank you very much! 👍🏻
I am looking to put together one of the "classic" combos - M6Si paired with Focal Aria 948s.
The NAD Masters M33 sure looks "Yummy!" - but not sure if it will be able to drive the Focals with the same authority as the M6Si 🤔🤔
HEGEL, please!
@Diego Armando For full specifications please refer to the Musical Fidelity website.
@@TheLkdude Going to try for 2021,
Great review. I have spent 3 months researching integrated amp options and you helped me close in on a winner. In the end it was between the M5si and the M6si with the winner being the M6si since I liked the addition of a balanced input. Upgraded from a Rotel RX-1052 and I'm really loving my choice even right out of the box. Thank you for the help and keep it up!
Who does this Andrew Robinson think that he is that he can be, at once charming and informative, witty, yet self-deprecating. By far, the best review of any stereo product that I've ever enjoyed, whether in person or online. Well done, you! I've just purchased an M5si, after an email from Heinz Lichtenegger. He highly recommends it, as well.
Hi I was thinking also to purchase the M5si. What do you think of it
@@simonkenny8924 I cannot speak highly enough about this musical fidelity and it is gorgeous and has somebody far more knowledgeable than I says it makes your system sing
@@guydaviddezarn5090 cool I’m saving up I’m lost without my vinyl, and want best amp I can afford cheers
Are you happy with the amp?
Influenced by your review on YT, I replaced my M3si with a silver M5si and I'm delighted. Thanks to you, I have a beautiful amplifier and my house is filled with wonderful sound.🥰
How much better is the M5si? I can get a new M3si for almost half the price of a M5si. It would drive my Wharfedale Lintons. Thx.
I just got my M5. It is awesome. I had an AVR receiver for 25 years. This kills it.
I had the M6si for an audition home in my system, with the end result sound out of a pair of Spendor A4.
I absolutely loved the M6si for the tonal quality and the size of the projected sound stage either side of my speakers. However I really felt the power output was wasted on me and as much as I would have loved to keep it, I decide upon the more cost effective M5si…
Thank God you came to THAT conclusion! I looked all over UA-cam and the web for reviews for the M5SI, found just a few, but decided to buy it anyway, this morning. Then came this review, the same day😅
Hello Andrew,
I recently bought the M6si to pair with a pair of Focal 1038Be, a Rega Planar 6 turntable with a Soundsmilth Carmen MKII ES moving iron cartridge, with cables by Cardas Clear Reflection. Long story short, divorce, sold all of my HT equipment, moved from a house with a dedicated HT room to a loft apartment with space for only analog and listening to music. I do not miss the HT. The M6si drives those speakers with such ease and the bass that is coming through is amazing. Most music listened to is Vocals, Jazz, Classical, and Classic Rock. The vocals are amazing. I was not impressed with the phono stage on the M6si so I added a KC Vibe phono stage which made a HUGE difference. Amazing sound. I'm streaming through a BlueSound Node 2i that is connected directly to the Internet (my music is on Amazon). I totally agree, the remote is horrible, but I hardly use it as I don't find it very responsive as well. I like to turn that heavy dial to achieve the proper volume. BTW, I've never pushed the volume more than 1/3 the way and this is in a loft that is 32'long x12'wide x 16'high. Love your reviews and your passion to achieve a wonderful listening experience. Thank you.
I have the M6si with Focal 1038Be too. Amazing combination. I just need a better DAC now and a streamer and I’ll be set
@@joshuabrain9751 Since I stream through Amazon, I use the BlueSound Node 2i; however, it's best to be directly wired to the router, otherwise it drops a lot over wifi. It has it's own DAC.
I’ve been searching for a powerful yet affordable analog amplifier for awhile now. Your video really helped me make my decision. I just bought the M5 after 3 months of looking.
Keep up the great work!!
Andrew, Thank you very much for this and your earlier video this past spring on the Musical Fidelity M3si and M8xi. It was that earlier video that directed me toward the brand. When I eventually made my purchase this fall, I went with the M6si and paired it with KEF R7s. I could not be happier with my decision. Thank you so very much for this and your previous review. These amps really are something special and fit my tastes perfectly. I can't recommend this line highly enough.
So glad you found it helpful. Happy listening.
Thank you for being here - I spent a year testing stereo components while stationed with the US Marine Corps in Okinawa from 1976 - 77 where I ended up with a Pioneer SX 1050 Receiver, a TEAC double cassette player, now retired, JBL65 speakers and when I returned to the states I purchased a Bang and Olufsen Beogram 2400 turn table. Since then I have added a TEAC X-10 reel to reel and a Marantz CD player. My pioneer receiver is screwing up so badly I am no longer able to tolerate it. Either channel might at any moment drop out, lose power, fade quickly away; when I turn the balance to that channel/speaker and crank the volume I get static and then a break through, the sound returns to normal but at any moment this might reoccur on that channel or the other. I took the receiver to my tech guy and he could not reproduce the problem. When I brought it home and reconnected everything the problem disappeared for a month and then came back as bad or worse than before. I am going to watch your videos to help me learn about what is available in stereo equipment today, before I make any purchase. Might I trouble you for a citation of a video to begin? Sorry to be so long winded, I think I needed to vent...
Check youre speaker relays, speaker select switches, source select switches- also noisy transistors in the front end of the offending channel - you can try and induce the fault through selectively heating or freezing the transistors individually. (can of "freeze") So these are the transistors that for the differential amp or ones around them that I have seen go noisy in the past and cause this kind of thing.
Last week I bought the M5si also because of this review. It's paired with my Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2. It's seems to be a match in heaven.
Thanks, just bought a pair of 702s2 's and was just wondering...
I'm keeping my Kenwood KA-109 (1990) integrated amp. Works great. Phono preamp. Bluetooth added. Running four KLH speakers and an 80w sub. Current cost $0.00. Old doesn't mean obsolete or dead. Wish I still had that old Phase Linear 400 from the 70's. That was a monster. AR speakers. Killer setup.
Thanks for the review - surprisingly few in depth looks at Musical Fidelity products floating around out there, but it's a brand I've always been fond of, based on previous encounters.
This actually prompted me to take a second look at the M6si, which I had mentally crossed off my list because it 'only' had 1 balanced input (i switched most of my stuff over to balanced a while back), but with supply chain issues and my budget, this was literally the only amp that was a) a clear improvement over my previous, b) within my budget ($2-3.5k USD) and c) actually in stock in Singapore. I was tempted by the NAD M33, Anthem STR and Hegel 190 - but those were more expensive and crammed all the streaming/usb dac/bluetooth features in the amp whereas I personally prefer to keep my sources seperate.
Needless to say, I am very happy with my choice - although I slightly wish my budget could have stretched to afford the limited M6si Chrome Edition which purportedly has improved selected components for better audio - then again, with a new toddler running around, that mirror finish probably wouldn't last too long :P
I absolutely agree that the MF does a great job adding a level of realism or even vibrancy to acoustic instruments - my first test disc was some Rodrigo y Gabriela and it did indeed "slap" :) Good amount of bass, detail, texture and very dynamic. Fresh out of the box, I'm getting a bit more sibilance than with my prior amp and the soundstage is a bit muddled, but that may be due to a mismatch in power cords as I was testing with the upgrade cable I was using previously (need to order in a new one to match my power conditioner), but overall very happy and I think this will stick around my home for a good few years :) It does run pretty hot though!
To answer the QOTD, I'm not so much sure for me it was experimenting with a product line as it was doing some reading and just taking a chance on one. Over the years I've had a couple Yamahas, a couple Denons, a Marantz and a Harmon Kardon. Nothing seemed to really it home for me. Ended up doing some reading and bought a Dayton Audio HTA100BT and haven't looked back. Only 50wpc but pairs great with both my Elac B6.2 bookshelves and my old Pioneer GS-301WA2 floor standing speakers. Sounds alive, fills the space, but never seems too overpowering.
Have a great afternoon. Always enjoy and look forward to your videos.
Thank you so much for sharing and for watching! Be well!
You and Darko are fast becoming my favourite audio tech channels
M5si arrived today, paired with Dali Oberon 7s, and Rega P2. The latter components were really brought to life; amazing detail and endless power (like very much ALOT of power 😯). I would agree that any flaws a source may have are noticeable, the M5 is very true to its signal and does make it obvious other integrated amps often not as much.
I am glad MF kept the M5 mission specific as a power integrated that owners can pair with the evolving inputs on our own. Great review!
Just purchased the M5si today. I heard them side by side the M3si. It is definitely worth the top-up. Paired it with an Audiolab 6000N.
Congrats! Personally, I went for the Roksan Blak instead as I have a history with their amps. But, there is no doubt the M5si is much more value for money at its price point. If I were to do it again, I probably would have given the M5si's big brother the M6si a better look. At 220W into 8 ohms, it can drive a lot of speakers. Again, specs wise it can't be beat at its price point, it would be all down to the sound difference.
Hi Cheung, cool to hear you listened to them side by side. Could you tell what is different in terms of sound? I am not interested in the extra power itself, but if the sound characteristic changes from the m2 to the m3 to the m5 that may be all the reason one needs to prefer one over the other.
I for one like what I hear in this review about the m5, but if the m3 gives the same sound at less power I'm ok with that, given the sensitivity of my speakers.
More often then not, along with the power comes a (slight) change in sound. Is that the case here?
@@HerrFinsternis The difference in power will give you some headroom. The differences are subtle. For me it was about the build quality. The sound is about the same. Felt like the M5si had slightly better control over the speakers. I was listening to a pair of Sonus Faber Sonneto I.
@@jfloop77 No I was able to get another amp that was on my shortlist (Marantz PM8006) with a 35% discount. Figured I could always resell it without a loss, but I've been really happy with it and ended up pairing it with the nd8006 to get all forms analogue and digital of input you could possibly want, except for hdmi. I mainly listen to cd and vinyl, but the streamer and/or bluetooth is really handy for when you have people over and want something running in the background.
I paired it with the Wharfedale Linton's, which many people would advice against because your stacking warm on warm on warm. But I own a lot of bad recordings that need some smoothing over and this setup gives me that whilst still giving detail and a bit of punch to more modern songs and especially higher quality vinyl (from days past).
The build in tone controls are set to accommodate my living room and I highly recommend an amp that has them. I now have a sound that doesn't annoy me whatsoever, whatever I play, so I can just focus on the music 😊
Those La Scalas look HUGE in that room.
Even though I'm done my hunt for now, still enjoy watching your reviews! Forte III and A-S2200 in the house and wow a big step up from what I was using before.
I bet that is a GREAT system. Thanks for continuing to watch and support the channel. We really do appreciate you.
Hi, I own the M5SI and it's amazing. But i have a question - there is no way to turn the amp on using the remote? I love everything about the amp except this! Its so annoying having to get up and press the button with my finger. Is there any way around this? Thanks in advance.
:) I couldn't belive how bad remote they have. If you find out how to fix it .. please share.. PS. I use Yamaha reciver to power on and off.. But I would like to do it without reciver! :)
andrew, i cant tell you how valuable your reviews have been as i put together my 2 channel (vinyl centric) system. admittedly new to the mid fi scene and it is a bit of a challenge to navigate! your sober, descriptive, balanced insight has been invaluable. so glad i found your channel!! thx
That ending was 🔥. Great review guys.
Thank you so much. Always appreciate that you watch until the end.
Priceless.
Having owned and used many musical fidelity products from the 1980,s I have never experienced a bad product, anybody wanting to build a good quality hifi system, could do a lot worse than choose a musical fidelity item.
Good to know. I'm just starting with MF, nice to see they've been doin people right for a long time. Appreciate you chiming in!
I'm using an Musical Fidelity M5si with a pair of Acoustic Energy AE309 Floor standing speakers and I love the sound. I find their is great detail and the mids and bass are just right. Looking at replacing my old Denon CD player with Musical Fidelity CD Player next.
I know, it’s 3 years later, but on the other hand it just proves how lasting and relevant your reviews are 😊…. I am buying either the M3 or M5, but after watching your M3 review, then watching the M5 video, it seems like you are reluctantly recommending the M5 over the M3. If they sound the same (roughly) and I get more juice with the M5, simple decision. Is there something else that I’m missing?
I've had M2si (which they say is essentially the same as m3si power wise) for some time now and have upgraded to M5si recently. I have speakers that are not the most sensitive and the difference is substantial in my case making m5si upgrade really worthwile.
@@MrTmilovan Hi! I’m thinking of doing the same (have an m2si driving Lintons and Kef Ls50metas, thinking of upgrading to an M5si)
How big is your room? and do you use external dac or phono? I have a project s2 and. schiit modi 3+. Just wondering if those on the MF are worth using
@@MrTmilovan I'm glad to have found your reply. I currently have the M2si and am considering the M6si because my source (DAC) is balanced and I like the idea of the dual-mono topology. In thinking about the difference you are hearing between your M2si and your M5si, do you feel like it is mostly due to the additional output power or are you hearing better separation or tonal differences? Thanks.
Your reviews are so well thought out and produced. Thanks for all the great content keep it coming.
Thank you so much. Will do.
Good review. If I'd auditioned the Musical Fidelity, I might not have the amp I now love.
The Schiit Ragnok 2 integrated is a charmer. So neutral, transparent and engaging that I lost my desire to keep looking for other amplification. The only limitation is the power at 60WPC. That said, Schiit makes a 100WPC AB amplifier for $700 that I could couple to the preamp via the pre-outs. That would put the Schiit amp, preamp combination at $2200 and would put it within 10% the Musical Fidelity price unless you add in a good interconnect, then we are looking at 20%. As long as we are talking about quality Brit products, I have been very impressed with my Audiolab 6000 CDT transport. Solid, reliable and does an excellent job.
I hear good things about the Schiit Audio amps. I hope to try one or two in 2021. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Andrew, torn between this or the rotel 1592 mk2. Pls advise which would be a better buy. I will be pairing these with the Emotiva T1 towers.
In terms of specs vs price point as an integrated amp, I think it will be hard to beat the M5si. The caveat being as Andrew was trying to say is whether you are after a best sounding integrated amp at this price point or a trendy all-in-one streaming integrated amp which is what a lot of people seem to want these days? Personally, I am more old school and I value sound quality over the jazzy looks of an all-in-one streaming amp with a colourful screen on its front panel more. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying these streaming amps don't sound good, in fact many of them sound reasonably good, but typically they just don't sound quite as good as a quality integrated amp. So, for me I would rather run a separate streamer to my amp.
The only thing I would say about the M5si is that I think the sweet spot at least in my eyes is one model up the M6si. It is slightly more expensive at around US$3K, but it is also considerably more powerful at 220W into 8 ohms. When I was looking for an amp within this particular price point, I actually ended up going for the Roksan Blak purely because I've had a history with Roksan amps before and I do enjoy their dynamic, punchy and sweet house sound. But, to be honest with you, I still don't know whether I picked the right amp as at least on paper the M6si is much more bang for the buck. It is a good bit cheaper than the Roksan, but comes with an additional 70W. So, if you are on a budget at this price point, I think you will have to audition the M6si at least. Or if you feel 150W is already plenty for your system, then try out the M5si or both.
Recently I've been coming back to RATM, both the self-titled and Evil Empire each have amazing production in their own way. The debut sounds super slick while Evil Empire sounds like four guys jamming in a room.
Screw bluetooth, the best advice for any audiophile, great review, thanks.
Thanks for watching until the end.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews luv that ending scene Andrew, made me lol! Oh & how's Kadi?? Miss her in th vids🍻🍸
@@gizzy2403 She'll be coming back here soon. She needs to get her hair did first.
I like your last statement. "The only person that has to like your system is you". I'm glad I don't have ears that requires more refined equipment that cost a lot of money. Ha. My Sony av receiver serves me fine. Enjoy these videos even if I won't buy most of the tech reviewed. Thumbs up!
Yep, I'm striving for a live/realistic human vocalist.
----
I've just bought the Musical Fidelity M6s prx amplifier (230 wpc) to replace my Parasound 2125v2 (I'll repurpose it to power my movies surround L/R and take that load off of my Arcam AVR5 receiver in a 7.4.4 setup). My weight requirement is < 50 lbs.
I was gonna get an integrated Musical Fidelity M6si (my requirement is a Home Theater bypass and L/R balance) but it didn't have a L/R balance; but my Parasound 2100 preamp does.
streaming source=Apple Music lossless
For anyone considering this, I have a 20+ year old MF A300 integrated. It's worked flawlessly in all of that time. Beyond watts, these are high current amplifiers that can deliver massive dynamic peaks. As Andrew mentioned, they can be a little dry and unforgiving in the top end especially. On a great recording that can mean a lot of 'air' and sparkle but it can make poor source material almost unlistenable. People with bright or metal dome tweeter owners be warned!
Any thought on how the built-in phono stage in the M5si/M3si would compare to an entry level standalone unit (I.e. Schiit Mani) if using mm cartridge? Thanks
I bought the ATC SXM 7s as my utimate affordable small bookshelf speaker for my Elex-r. Guess what ? The amplifier is struggling
and treble seems to treble ( well double!) itself and become somewhat harsh. However the SXM,s do show excellent reception with the right power.
I know of MF because my son-in-law has the original Pre and Power amps and CD player played thru Proac floorstanders. Wonderful.
Watching your excellent presentation on You Tube of the M5si, I realize that that is the amp I should have bought - slightly better clarity and power at just about an affordable cost. I have found a dealer that will buy my Elex-r which will bring down the cost of the Msi significantly.
My problem with electronics is that I live on an island which uses US voltage, so I effectively have to buy US side, where the prices are higher and in some cases now with the weak pound double. Only very few brands of amplifiers are dual voltage.
John D.K.
Best Hi-fi review channel on UA-cam. By far. Great, great work Andrew, so thanks to you and your lady for that and best regards from Iran....
@andrew .. Love your videos. I would say you made me care about listening to music the way it is supposed to, ie. am in the rabbit hole.I feel now I have to setup a proper system and re-listen all of my favorite music as I do not think i did any justice to some of that art :)
Building my first system based on good sales out there in the holiday season.
Not going too crazy as i am still a NOOB.
Receiver: Denon x-4500h
L-R: JBL Studio 530s
Center: Infinity RC -263
On the look out for a single or dual sub now to complete a 3.1 OR 3.2 setup for now. Will eventually get a proper floor standing set to complete a dual surround and stereo setup once i move onto a bigger space and once i understand what I like a bit more in terms of sound.
Keep doing what you are doing. I think youtube lacks quality audio content like yours. A small recommendation would be if you could show some of these features that you are talking about and voice over them.
P.S: If you or any one have recommendations on the subs to complete that above setup, totally appreciated. 60-40% music to movie ratio.
I would like to take the opportunity to add in a few comments to the review of this Musical Fidelity amp.
I think for the sake of newcomers to HiFi, more so the ones who spend a few years with micro stuff, small class D, only streaming and so on, that a few comments more on Musical Fidelity's history and more over it's house sound, is a good idea. Where do they come from? I mean, what did they do earlier on? The A1, the MA50, the P470, the x-cans etc. driven to a degree in Class A, would go a long way to explain what the brand stands for.
Next, I don't know what the setup have been set up to. If for example an amp is new in box, there will always be a certain time of burning in, then it opens up and reveals what it can do. So was this nib or was it allowed to get used to play, and what was the time from off to on, to good music? Or was it not shut down during the test?
Also, a more detailed explanation of how it plays or does it have certain preferences, such as big symphony orchestra, or s small jazz band or blues band, or maybe an all rounder? More elaborate on what transients sounds like, how is an attack on a drumskin, how does it handle human male and female voices and so on, would be nice. What is the capacitor size, what brand, what temp limit, how does it sound when playing muted and when playing loud? A bit more on how it handles low impedances etc, would also be nice. How is the room setup for the review, cables and sources (more) so we, the viewers/listeners can get a feeling for the circumstances under which it was being tested etc. How does it handle the line inputs compared to the phono stage. And how does it handle a separate better external phonostage in the understanding of weather it can "grow" in sound and reward upgrades?
I am not making critique, but positive critique.
Thanks for posting.
Kind regards.
Nice review. I do wonder if you have an option comparing the M5 to Cambridge CXA81? As far as new equipment, I have tried a number of DAC’s $1000 and below and settled on the Topping D90. Really commend the service at Apos. No connection.
The CXA81 is no longer in the house so I cannot say for certain how the two compare. Based on memory, I think the CXA81 is a little more lush and smooth around the edges and not as dynamic as the MF, but the CXA81 is still a great amp, the MF is just a little more refined.
@Andrew Robinson Here in Europe, Yamaha 1200 is same price as M5Si. Would that change your purchase decision? as regards to value proposition.
Good review Andrew. Would the Kef R3 speaker be a good match for this m5si. I'm trying to upgrade my system and considering these two components to match. TtIA
I went from the AS1000 to and AS3000 recently. Mated with a CDS3000. Levels of accuracy and detail is phenomenal. I've heard stuff on my CD's I didn't even know were there. I agree though that the "bass is light". Speakers I'm using are the NSF901 Soavo 2's. While the bass may be light, it's substantially more controlled and tighter.
Going with the M6si, reason.. I don't know for sure other than it has a few more bells and whistles.. i.e balanced inputs??
Another fantastic review! Great job as always! Love the look of the M5! Also, I notice a new painting in the background! Very nice! Lol
Oh... Also to answer the QOTD... I have a simple white Orbit turntable and Audioengine A2+ speakers. Small and simple. Thinking I may need to upgrade down the road when the funds are available, but for now this setup works to spin my beat up old albums from the 70's and 80's. Lol
@@brianbrockhoff I love that setup. Only what you need, nothing you don't. 👍
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Lol... Thanks my friend. It is hard not to have gear envy when watching your amazing videos! Lol
Excellent work as usual, question, in what category can enter the Hegel H95, I know that you can't rate it or testing..by the way, is in the bright future of you review the kef LS50 meta??
Thoroughly enjoyed that review, guys...spot on. Andrew, I couldn't agree more re: remotes...there is no excuse. Sweet spot experiment would be speakers and I ended up going vintage - two stacked pairs of Meridian M1 active (upper pair inverted). I am clearly in need of help 😂👍. Take care, guys and keep up the excellent work. Thank you.
I love Meridian speakers! Thanks for watching and thank you for the positivity!
Just bought M5si tried a NAD can't remember what model also tried Yamaha 801. So glad I watched you review and tried Music Fidelity love this amp.
Great review Andrew!! It’s hard to ignore the M5/6Si vs the Technics SU-G700 Considering I have the Klipsch RP-8000F speakers. What are your thoughts?
I bought the m5si and the m3scd about 2 years ago and have paired them with monitor audio gold 200 speakers and a nad 588 turntable ,the sound is stunning through the cd player and the turntable even more now i have upgraded the cartridge to a 2m black .
@Andrew Robinson - when you're forming your impressions, what volume are you usually listening at?
would love to see this compared to a Hegel Amplifier
Hi Andrew, what speakers would you suggest for this amp?
I use:
Marantz SR8015
Doge 10 padc
(runs to other amps to get mod #s)
SONY TA-A1ES - has good remote ...
Sanyo DCA 611 - was the first in collection and now it on does dust collection duty -
Yamaha A-S1200SL
Technic SUG700 (it is digital)
... now I gotta put this stuff away - tend to use the SONY lots
Like your vids. Thanks.
Have ordered a Wilsentin(sp?) R8 ...
Well about 20 years ago I got my foot into the audiophile world and got a system that I was pretty. Recently though I decided that I wanted something a little higher up. Started looking at different UA-cam reviewer‘s including yourself, I’m really impressed with your stuff. You”re comments on musical Fidelity along with other peoples has decided me to go ahead and do the M5. I live in a fairly large space I listen to Classical music, jazz And hardly a day goes by without a little Zepplin or Tool. The room tends to be hard lots of glass and hardwood floors. I really enjoy insight into the music but I listen for long hours and so it can’t be fatiguing. If you had to make a short list of speakers to try to suggest to match with the M5 what would you recommend. Certainly I would respect your opinion greatly.
Can I use this to play CD classical piano mainly with 2 speakers
Omg the cheesecake factory reference was so on point , and yes the musical fidelity 5 series is really good, I heard it at Upscale Audio a few years ago . It was open clean with a touch of warmth that made me question to this day why I purchased something more expensive for minimal gain.
I wasn't convinced by M5si's DAC either, so i added RME ADI-2 DAC. Holly snacks, the improvement was bigger than i anticipated! But i must say that i had Arcam iRdac previously and i though that the integrated DAC of Musical Fidelity was doing a silghtly better job.
Hello Andrew...would be m5si be upgrade from marantz pm 8005?...I have q accpustics 3050i...
Ty
Very interesting product indeed. Do you plan to review the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 at some point? I'm very excited by it but there's not many reviews... Is it too exotic? I know my room is problematic in many ways, so I'm really curious about the RoomPerfect feature...
By the way, I can't wait for the La Scala review :-)
I want to review the Lyngdorf, maybe in 2021 we'll get to. Thanks for watching!
I have the M5i about three years ago. Yesterday use for the first time the USB connection to my iphone . I am positively surprised about the great Quality!!!
so you think the internal DAC is good?
@@hubsi5263 I own the m5si also and compared the difference between the internal usb dac with a topping e30, topping d10, ifi zen dac, ifi zen dac signature and the ifi zen one signature dac and couldn't really be bothered with the difference in sound quality, yes those other dacs sounded a bit better, but within reason the internal dac is good enough
Would love to see you review Exposure amplifiers and compare these to them! 😃
I'll have to look into Exposure amps and get back to you. Appreciate you watching!
Thank you much, for allowing me to check out some new gear. I have some 15 year old equipment that I’m contemplating replacing, (revel m22 speakers, linn classik stereo, and meridian 555 amp. I WANT a Naim 250DR, 282, w/ some Spendor SP100s, but, the price isn’t the cards, nor do i NEED a system that large. Musical fidelity integrated intrigues me as do the Bowers 702s (i have heard the 805 d3’s ~tasty).
Hi Andrew. Thank you for your great work 🎉
Will you choose M5Si over Audiolab 9000a in terms of amplification not connectivity?
Thanks
Nice video, do you think its a good combo with my ATC SCM11?
Nice review! Still loving my M2si. I use mine as a preamp often with a much more expensive amp and as a preamp it's superb. I have heard that the preamp section in these integrateds are the star of the show that pulls huge amounts of detail and sets the superb tonality. All of their units from the M2si on up use a laser trimmed, resistor based stepped attenuator and that has much to do with the detail retrieval, soundstage and scale. On its own as an integrated it's superb for the price and the way you described the sound of all the three that you reviewed it aligns spot on with what I hear in the M2si. In large part, as you move up the line the basic sound is there throughout but you gain more power and features as you go. Thanks, guys!
Thank you so much Sean, appreciate the added insight and perspective!
What would be best pair for Kef Q750 - Audiolab 6000A, Musical Fidelity M3si, or Cambridge Audio CXA81?
you spoke about the m5si not forgiving the poor quality from the audio extractor. Have you seen a mid-fi to hi-fi audio extractor? This brings me to my pet peeve with the industries (Audio and Video). I love my two-channel system and used to love my Dolby systems until I realized the products are not built to last more than three years and that the tech only lasts a year. I can't justify spending $5K a year for each new version of Dolby or HDMI. Can the audio industry let the TV do the video (including switching) and have an outboard processor for Dolby, etc... and leave my pre-amp alone? I have a lot more to say on configurations, but I am sure you have thought of this. I would like to see a video with your thoughts on the subject. Thank you
Andrew whatever happened to your new benchmark the technic su g700 you raved about it like no other.How does it match up with these two ?
Finally landed on the Rogue Sphinx v3 and Tannoy Revolution xt8f speakers with Kimber Kable speaker wire. TT is Project Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon 2m blue. TT will be the next piece to upgrade. Almost went with Musical Fidelity but I wanted to play with tubes.
I am looking at this amp or the Rogue Sphinx as well. I also own a pair of LRS speakers. Have you listened to both amps? How did you land on the Rogue amp? Would be so nice to be able to A/B equipment before a big purchase. Looking to upgrade from my Integra surround sound amp for stereo listening with my Maggies.
Can you elaborate the balance setup on the m6si? I have a old dynaudio contour 1.3 bookshelf speakers which need so much juice to drive. Do I need to balance set up?
Thanks
what class amp is the m5si? can't find it on their official website nor a google search
AMP Type AB. I literally just did a search to find out before I watched this video. I used ”musical fidelity m5si amp type“ for the search and finally found it in a review.
@@blindpinballer6878 hey thanks. I read that somewhere too but i don't know how reliable that is. Normally brands love bragging about the class of amp their products have but the few reviews i read do not mention it nor does the official website nor is it mentioned by AR in this video review. The thing is its one of the few IA that has 150w at 8ohms and supposedly 220w at 4ohms ( which is not mentioned on the official website again but mentioned by AR in one of the comments) within a reasonable price range. just weird there is such little info about this amp. its like the brand is purposely being vague. i guess i'll go with what little obscure info there is and stop wasting my time. thanks for replying.
You deciding to keep this over the Yamaha... wow, what an endorsement if any. Thank you for this video. It was very helpful!
Thank you Andrew. Your reviews are greatly detailed and elaborated. I enjoy so many of your reviews. You have a great sense of beauty and delicacy on your videos. Do you think that this musical fidelity m5si is a great match with the fyne audio F502?
If we talking about amps my patch in last yeara was Yamaha rn-602, Nad c326, Onkyo 9130, Onkyo 9150 and after that I've found my sweet spot with Atoll in100se.
My previous system consisted of a Musical Fidelity X-Ray CD player, X-A2 integrated amp, and Tannoy DC6 SE speakers (upgraded from Tannoy Revolution R1s.) I'd had this system since 1999. Time to upgrade though.
What cables do you use for the loudspeakers? And what rca cables you use?
Andrew, How satisfying is it to turn up the main volume knob? Heft? Weight? Material? Thank you in advance for your time.
Very satisfying.
@Andrew Robinson can you please please do a review of the musical fidelity M6pre and pro?? There is not one decent rewiew on utube...😢
100% agree with you Andrew. The M5si is my go to amp :P I don't care about its remote nor its DAC, what it does right is more than enough to do justice to its purchase, period! Thanks for putting out real world reviews with weightage given to strength's & weaknesses in a simple & to the point manner. Cheers!
Danke!
Thank you!
Look's like a GREAT product. The thing I like the most? I can easily read the labels under all the knobs and switches. So many black audio products use not white, but a dar ochre-colored type which is all but illegible unless you stand there with a flashlight every time you need to use the panel. Ugh. Great review Andrew!
Good point! Thank you for watching!
Question: I got 2 turntables with audiophile-grade styli, but Im not a DJ nor do scratching. I just want to be able to continuously listen to music. While I listen to an album, I prep the next one. Do you recommend a DJ mixer with 2-phono input channels or 2 separate dedicated phono preamps? Which do you recommend? I want the best possible sound with a budget of no more than $500.
I've been hoping you would review the m5si, as I had noted it in several other reviews. I've ran a pair of MF M1PWR monoblocks for about 5 years, and loved them. I was wanting to step up from using my AVR as my 2 channel preamp, and your m8xi/m3si review was very helpful. I had decided the m5si was the sweet spot in the range, based on specs and value. When I started looking I found a very gently used m6si for the price of an m5si retail, and decided to take the plunge. I plan to acquire the cambridge CXN v2, which I can use via the xlr inputs. Paired with Monitor Audio Silver 300 towers. Have you ever auditioned Monitor Audios? Love the channel.
This is very much on my short list of integrated amps. After compiling a large (and heavy) separates system, I find myself in a position that requires downsizing. I'm pushing 70, and having recently moved, lifting a 65 lbs (Rogue ST-100) amp was eye opening and revealing. I want quality, but fully understand that achieving parity with my former system is not possible. What I want is quality, listenability, and transportability. This might be it. (I already have a Chord Qutest DAC and Sutherland phono stage, so I don't care what it does or doesn't have)
Question: Have you ever evaluated any McIntosh equipment? And if so, what do you think? I have been using a Crown Straight Line 2 Preamp paired with 2 Crown Powerline 3 Amps that are still performing well for me. And have you ever evaluated any ESS speakers? I have 4 ESS AMT1a units that still sound as good as the day I bought them.
My research from Arcam SA30 -Yamaha AS1200 to Parasound Halo Hint 6. Now I think this is sweat spot budget wise..I finally found my Integrated amp Thanks Andrew
Hallo, do you know what kind of DAC is integrated and would you recommend it?
Thanks Andrew, nice informative video. I’ve just ordered the M6si but could you tell me please, at 400mm deep, will it sit okay on my shelf at 360mm or do I need to put a deeper shelf in to my rack?
Hello Andrew this is one of the products Ive has a strong interest in , Im getting back to basics and music listening . O your review comes at a great time thank you . The speakers I have been leaning towards are the Goldenear reference bookshelves . Do you think that would be a good match ?
My biggest mistake: Rotel RA-1592. It took me 3 years to sell it, 3 years in denial 😅 I finally found the Atoll IN300, which goes perfectly with my B&W 603s.
What did you not like about the Rotel? I’m considering it. I currently have the old version of Atoll IN100se, but I want something a little fuller with more body. Also considering the MF M-line.
@@77bjornw77 The Rotel had to be very loud to appreciate it. The listening room also had to be large.
@@77bjornw77 I also had the IN100SE, which was a real pleasure to listen to.
@@flodvx Thanks for your opinion regarding the Rotel. My room is small so I will for sure avoid it. I like my Atoll but would appreciate a bit more body and authority in the bass department, which is why I’m considering the M5si or M3si. Did you have a chance to compare either to the Atoll?
Thankyou for this great review.
This amp has been on my top 3 list for some time.
Really loving your work.
Cheers from Australia
As one who paid $100 extra for Rogue Audio's 1/4 lb remote that only controls volume and can't even do that precisely, AND as an extremely satisfied M5si owner, I don't agree at all with your complaints that the M5si review is too plebian. Remotes are functional devices and this one functions well.
Andy what about the technics sug700 ? How does it compare ??
I Demo’d both and ended up with the MF. I was not impressed by the sug700....
Hi! I have m3si and dynaudio excite x16. The m3si have problems driving those dyns. No base at all. Should i change speakers or amp? I ve had an arcam solo music and the sound was perfect, especially in the lows.
I was about to pull the trigger on the m3si until I saw your reply. I have a very old NAD 214, 80 watt/ch only, and it has no problem driving my x18 at all, so I'm surprised with your statement. Could it be your placement? My speakers are about 18 inches away from back wall and at least three feet away from walls on each side.
@@dbronx347 the base is nowhere. M3si has sweet highs and a forward midrange but the base is not tight or present. Arcam sa20, naim 5si or exposure 2010s2d are a better choice.
With my Dynaudio Emit, Arcam and Rotel a11 produced bass. Arcam was veiled. Rotel produced sibilance. We went with Rotel, and taming the sibilance with Schiit Loki eq. I want to try the Evoke or Linton with my amp to see if my system will improve or not.
@@gokhanersan8561 arcam is veiled, really bad. Just like you put a shirt on the tweeters. When you go up in the range you must change the amp too. British amps sound dark and sweet, rolled of highs.
@@raikkonenkmi I own the m5si and dynaudio emit 20 (2021 model) and it is a lovely combination, the bass is rich and deep (those emit's easily go down to 34-35 hz in my room), the mids are well defined and the highs are very smooth with lots of detail, I do highly recommend the m5si cause it drove every speaker I paired with it so far with ease!
.... Andrew help me! Which shall I buy???? Musical fidelity M5Si or Technics SU-G700 or Hegel H95 or ????????? .... I really can’t get out to listen to any of them! ....
Hi! Thank you for this great review! May I ask you which Music Fidelity amp will better match the Monitor Audio Silver 200 (6g)? I just bought them and I run them with an old school Technics SU-V300 Mark II. :) Thank you!
Hi Andrew: I purchased an M5si on your recommendation - love it. But in searching for better sound would my system benefit from a separate preamp? Already have a Pro-Ject S2 Ultra phono preamp. Is the power section of the M5si good enough to warrant this? Use a Bluesound Node streamer, Cambridge DacMagic 200M dac (your recommendation) & 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls. Love your videos! Jim.
Man, I've been following you for quite a while now, but I just have to applaud your videography and editing skills. They really stand out! You guys do a phenomenal job!
Edit: I laughed my @$$ off at the end! 🤣😅😂