MF 1 - Naim 0

However, there are far more 'Closet M/F knockers' than outed ones

 

here's another mf knocker...I had an a1001, I loved the LOOKS when I saw it in a shop in london...huge, loads of transformers, unliftable...I can lift em now tho...with my android strength!
Trouble is, found one going secondhand, it was DIRE...morbidly dull, a pioneer a400 whipped it, no joke...AND it had the cheapest jamcon korean whatever capacitors you can imagine....yes it may not make a difference, I am not really a components person, but I do like those coke can size caps. and big old carbon resistors...
this was like a ferrari on the outside with ford parts on the inside..I would expect more at the price..some nice elnas...if ken ishi can do it, so can they...
style over substance, definately...like the pop music of hifi bitz..glitzy with no deeper meaning, bring em out ten a penny, like a mcdonalds apple pie....mouth watering, hasn't seen a real apple, and somehow you are less than satisfied, valves make them sound dead..

 

I had a quick shiftie at the Hifi Choice site again - wished I hadn't. They're STILL ignoring their inmates and putting those flippin' useless popup ads that NO-ONE reads (GOD - why does ANYONE put popup ads on any more - NO-ONE EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER reads them!!! phew!!!) - oh, and the forum is still fairly stagnant...

MF - hmm, well, I'd like their "Frog" (The CDT) simply as it looks really cool. Also their Elektra range from 1995 wasn't that bad either - my mate used to have the E600 amp and CD with MS25i speakers and it could actually do PRaT AND other things besides. They started going downhill with the X range I reckon.

 

Ah Merlin,

You've just hit the nail on the head dude. I see nothing wrong with their approach at all. That's the kind of audition I am most likely to perform myself as it gives me a wider spread of options or musical presentations to listen to. A bit like my investment strategy.

FWIW, a while back I had both the Naim CDX and Meridian 508.24 on home audition. Very good but different presentations - I ended up preferring the sound of the Naim CDX (shame they don't make the new CDX2 in silver just like the new Meridian G Series). Amplification was Graaf (valves). Similarly if I were using Naim amplification, I would not use a Naim front end but something like the MF Nuvista 3D. It's just my preference. It's one thing to speculate or theorize about the sound of a certain system we have not heard, (as in this case) perhaps based on certain prejudices, but in my opinion, synergy triumphs every time regardless of the mix of components. If the synergy is good, you will hear the results and if it is bad, you will also hear the results. Ah, the joys of being an 'individual' and a music lover as opposed to being an audiophile.




Enjoy the music,

Lawrie

 

Back in the distant past, when I was selling MF, it was widely alledged that the review samples used the same circuitry but different components to the retail product. Seem's things haven't changed

Wouldn't it be more interesting to see reviews of MF kit bought on the high street rather than the glowing testimonials to the "Factory Specials". This kind of thing is fairly common place, and another reason not to believe reviews.

 

Hi

I remember hearing/reading about this. I think one of the amps was the MF B1 which had very good reviews. Someone noticed that another sample didn't sound as good & when they looked inside saw the components were different.

This sort of thing could be wide spread as it is easy to do. How many reviewers look inside the equipment? Also how do the technical reviewers know if the sample they are testing is representative of what the customer gets.


SCIDB

 

Dean,

what they should do IMO, is to go and buy the kit from a dealer, test and audition thoroughly and report their findings, good or bad. trouble is, where would they get their advertising revenue from?

Maybe an independent internet site with professional reviews paid for purely by subscription would be impartial. Ok it's just a dream!

 

Well, Ken Kessler likes MF, so it must be good. He also hates Naim, and he likes, wait for it, Wharfdale. Has he got a Scooby Doo what he's talking about? Nope

I apologise in advance if I've upset any K.K fans.

Marco.

 

Actually Marco, he probably has more knowledge in his little finger than this whole forum has put together, but of course he doesn't like Naim.

Try not to get knowledge and preference mixed up. At least KK knows what a CDS2 sounds like. I doubt you can honestly say the same about a McIntosh MC2200 or a Pathos TT.

 

Well, it's his job to have great knowledge of hi-fi, that's what he gets paid for after all. That doesn't stop me being entitled to question some of his recommendations, does it?

FYI, I like the way he writes, as I admire people with strong opinions who aren't afraid to say what they think, but his obsession with all things American, and his major hang-up about the Linn/Naim thing, gets a bit wearing at times. He does, however, like almost everything Italian, which gets kudos from me.

Marco.

 

Quite right Graham! But then it seems that people who prefer the wham-bam-thank-you-man style of musical presentation have also inevitably had the loudest voices. I'm sure there are more people who also appreciate subtlety, genuine passion and lyricism in their music making but are probably afraid to speak out for being set upon by the apparent mass of polorised opinion.

Not that I'm suggesting I'm an MF fan, but speaking as someone who prefers a balanced rather than a polorised approach.

MF has changed its house sound somewhat in the past decade, but my fave piece of MF kit was the Typhoon monobloc power amps partnered with its matching pre amp. How this little amp combo could be described as sleep inducing I'm not sure.

 

Hardly just questioning some of his recommendations there were we

You might need to be able to offer alternatives to his opinions to question them. As you say in another thread, the only reviewer you rate is PM. Might explain why your views are almost direct copies of his published observations might it not

I can understand why you admire people who have a mind of their own.

 

OH CRAP!!! I forgot to say the same guy owned that combo first (with a Panasonic ghettoblaster in between) - yeah, that and those Cyrus' or Kef Q30s and your old CDP990 (Mr Slippy) was a pretty damn rockin' system - seem to remember stuff like Queen kicked arse on it - I'd love to know how that rig would handle The Darkness....

 

Merlin, you're on exceptional form I must say. Keep up the fine work.

-- Ian

 

Merlin,

do I take it you used to be a dealer? Why did you stop and, if you don't mind me asking, are you still involved with the industry?

Have you found a company so far whose 'house sound' you can stand to listen to for any length of time? It's clear you don't get on with Naim gear. What is unclear to me is if there are any components out there that would ever leave you content.

I'm just trying to put your posts in perspective for me. If you said "I'm a Krell man ..." (you're very obviously not) "... and I can't stand Naim" I could see where you're coming from. If you said "the current state of music reproduction as a whole leaves me dissatisfied, and one of the many companies whose gear I've found wanting is Naim" I could also see your point.

So far, I think I have read only posts from you (I certainly haven't read all of them) where you say that such and such company's products suffer from more-or-less-severe faults. What do you like?

 

I don't get it!

Where is this cynicism that keeps being pointed at MF???

Yes the kit looks good (IMO) but I don't find it to be at the expense of performance!

Have I missed something?

 

Markus, I agree entirely with your last post. Merlin constantly comes across as if he has some kind of hidden agenda, he harangues Naim users, and, with me, seeks to be confrontational at any opportunity.

He also conveniently ignores your questions.

Marco.

 

I think his agenda is quite open, not hidden. He don't like the kit

does seem to like pointing it out though.....

 

at least kk writes entertaining, unlike martin colon...

very true scidb....the review of the a1001 said it had 2x10000uf caps for resevoir/smoothing...the one I had was 2x6800, probably wouldn't notice, but makes you wonder??

poss did start going down after the x-series...prior, baron tim de parvicini had a colossal input....says it all really,...

 

Mo,

As an ex-owner I feel fully justified in saying what I think about MF kit (which I bought on the back of a glowing review ) The penny dropped when I had a home dem of the dpa amps I subsequently purchased. I realised what I had been missing all those years.

Regarding component quality, the P180 +CRPS that I had was utter shite, tons of those Jamicon caps and very cheap op amps as well. I must admit I felt a bit let down when I opened up the case for the first time.

I am much older and wiser now.