Musical fidelity M6i or Naim Nait xs to drive my B&W 683

I guess it's more of a personal opinion based on limited experience. In fact, I have the A21a (pure A) and the Mystro (AB). The idea was as you suggested, to bring out the Class A for the serious sessions. But I find myself preferring the Mystro more and more. Especially after a cable upgrade. The lower powered Class A has charms, but personally I think I'd want the Masterclass or your AMS 35i before I wouldn't feel I was compromising elsewhere e.g bass control, timing, dynamics, sheer power, broad speaker compatibility. If I won the lottery I'd get one of those amps tomorrow along with suitable hi end speakers! But for normal life I can live without them. There's always live music for the odd special experience!

Both your Sugdens sound great, but for low powered Class A, a good speaker match makes a big difference.

For a complete system under £5k, you could do a lot worse than this:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/audio-syst...

Thanks for the tip, but I'm very happy with my basic system components. For now... 

My Audio Physic speakers are generally OK with 20W+, in fact the previous owner used a valve amp... 

So Roby, what did you get?

M6i, a big bag of CDs and a climbing trip?

It wasn't really meant as a suggested change, rather a follow up on the discussion on how to get a Class A sound for less than £10k (though strictly speaking, the AN is an A/B amp that's heavily biassed in Class  A).

Sugden + AP would be very good indeed.

Which ever he chose, must be enjoying it too much to spare some time to come on here to share.

" src="http://images.cdn.whathifi.com/sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/50/naughty.gif" alt="" width="20" height="16" />

No worries Cno

I'm just looking to make excuses to myself to avoid spending insane amounts of money on these highly addicitve amplifiers 

£2K on another Class A amp or similar might not bring a massive improvement from what I have now and I'd still be wanting more. £3K-ish for, say, an ex-demo Masterclass is still way too much, but temptingly do-able on a credit card, however daft that would be. Thus my idea of £10K for the system (since a real heavyweight Class A amp needs good speakers), which, considering my financial situation, puts the idea safely into la-la land. There's so many other things I could do if I had that amount of spare money. I could even find a dilapidated Victorian mansion and get some 1930s Hungarian PA speakers and be in audio nirvana like Lindsayt.

Phew!

Hello

First I want to tank you all for tha advice, tips an point of vue's you all sharred true my disicion. But I particular Alex & Cno.

So we are almost 6month's later an a lot have changed first of all

The experiance I got from all this. This helped me see clearer in what I want from my music An wich way I was prepared to go.

So about the demo of the M6 combo on BW 803 well personally I find the combo really enyoyable It detailed whitout getting analitical (like the M6 500 made me feel) warm an musical. I really have the feeling you can liten to it all day I found this kind of presentation ralaxing whitout loosing the impact an punch.

The combo have a good grip on those huge speakers. So for me if you prepared to spent that kind of money It's a safer bet than the M6 500i It's just better alrounder in my opinion an way more musical. On the other hand doe's it justify more than dubble the price of an M6i I don't think so but that's somthing you have to make out for your self but if you ask me even if I didn't hear the M6i for a while now (even if I asked the dealer to prepare one, he said he got none.... >) ) There is not really a sound difference the only thing you gain on paper is 60w (an in a test I read it was only 30w), a pono stage an 2 xlr in. But oké I have to say I found the kit also verry Sexy

But than against a AMS whel it's a different storry It was warmer with a more colorfull bass, voice hadan complete othe imbact an precence.... alltrue I had the feeling it was not really more detailed. But emotionaly an musicaly no questions asked tha AMS performed better (hahaha it was expected I guess)

Is it so much better than an M6i "NO" Is it better enough it make's you doubt if you can strech the money, certenly.

Even if a decission was alreddy made on Friday, I needed a little break from all this thinking it true... That one of the reasons I made you gys wait. Sorry

Bought a few cd's listend to my NAD an thought a lot about my choice....is it the right one am I not making a big mistake????

If I buy an AMS an I make a mistake it actualy a biger mistake than if I buy an M6i an it's a mistake....

But Like I said choice was actually made on Friday

So the Verdict is an stays 'AMS'. (even if I know I will provably buy an M6i  some day for my secound set up as I'm kind of felt in love with those 2 amps that why it's so hard....)

So an other thing who kept me occupied this weekend is the battle of the dealers.... (I know what's Alex opinion about this last one an he is provably right, but that aside I'm really strugeling with this one.....)

First Alex's dealer great an great service (better as mine)

He offers me a deal on a new one that's exactly the same as my dealer offered me. so If I buy a new one for shore I will go there.

There is 5weeks order delay on an AMS but He give me any other amp he have in the shop during that period

he is also the one who let me try the AMS in home demo.

Than my dealer Best service for Brussels IMO (but that's not much)

For a new one same price

He is also giving me an amp if I take a new one witch on I don't know but I doubt I can choose

One thing he have a grey ex demo available (I was always prefering the black one now I'm not so shore any more)

cost 12% less than the offer I had on a new one an than I take it home immidiatly

For the question of the home demo he said "you didn't ask, we normaly don't do it for everybody but I would have lent the AMS. But sorry as he refused it to Alex I was not really tempted to ask....

Why Im hesitating is the last demo we had Friday with Alex.

I asked for Diablo's an D40 speakers (He have theme in stock as he showed me) an he put the 803's so that was not what I asked....

I asked for an TT I had really to push but oké He told he had no performence bt he will put a vpi scout II, when we arrived there was no TT. I also asked an M6i but NADA. Normaly I'm heped by the boss but he lett us do the demo alone provably because he didn't want the enoying question about the TT. We hed to switch amps our self, an in the end we where helped by one of the sellers (wich I actualy prefer because I think he is more rational an less pushy an he never breake a product he is not selling down. For me he give way better advice an is way more impartiale.

An one thing I have the feeling he oly took me serious when he was convinced I was prepared to spend that kind of money.

So the only reason I would buy the amp there is the ex demo wich make a big difference in my budget for me. It's grey one an The dealer in Antwerp have a grey performence available for a good price.....

But I still want to go to the Brussels shop, before that I was always well served (I didn't know better), But most of all he have a lot of stuff like the focal's I want to try.

 So I'm kind strugeling with it an buy a new one in Antwerp (even if I have to pay more & wait 5 weeks) anyway an mabe he will take me more seriously when I come for the speakers?

So to end choice is madequestion is:

pay more & wait 5 weeks

Or I pick it up tomorow.

As they are both closed today

I had exactly the same situation with the demo model I was lent. It was silver/grey & they offered it to me for about 10% less. I ended up going for a new one in black. I didn't have the competing dealer situation however.

Offer them 20% on the demo & see what they say, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Try not to be swayed by the immediate availability (easier said than done I know). Five weeks will go pretty quickly, especially if you have a nice loan unit to keep you occupied.

Personally I would go new black with the dealer with the best service. Lets be honest, you know you'll be going back for more!

Especially if they have the Diablos for you to listen to  >)

Welcome to the club!

Well Roby...you know already as I think about this. Last demo we had (and you described very well) was absolutely ridiculous. The guy didn't even show up during the demo...but eventually he showed up when we were leaving the shop. I don't think the aptitude of considering somebody when we are almost sure he's gonna spend money with us is correct...

But well...you know all the story so no need to go through it again! 4 weeks is indeed a very short time...and I can assure you they will fly...plus you can have another nice amp in stock in the meantime...and also use this time to make more money on the side. 

As usual, if you want to talk about it just give me a ring 

Well done on choosing your new amp--whichever one you take!

Hi Roby, thank you for the acknowlegement, but it really was a pleasure....and you did all the hard work. It has been fun following your antics.

IMO You have made the right choice and for the right reasons. The 35i is a better amp in every way and the more revealing your system gets, the more you will realize this. In it's own way it is also great VFM, as it takes one hell of an (expensive) amp to thoroughly beat it.

If you listen to the Diablos, you should also listen to the Kef Refs (201/2; 203/2 or 205/2) which are imo, a fantastic match with the 35i.....and whose strengths will suit your taste (I think they are better than the B&W 800 series, but that's personal).

With regard to your dilemma, I would go with the dealer who has treated you best, as that usually pays off in the long run....the only slight caveat would be that it makes sense to do business with the dealer who has the speakers you are likely to change to in the future (it may be one and the same).

Very often, a difference in price can be offset with discounted leads or a power cable etc.....I'm a believer in people/service, which is a philosophy that has never let me down and has had surprising benefits over the years.

An amp is the "heart" of the system and is important to get right, and now that is sorted, I look forward with anticipation where you will go next.

Cno

Hey Roby,

can i ask what the price you were quoted on the AMS was?

I got a quote from a guy in France (the guy I bought my Diablos from) for $5000 euros including shipping.

I'm not sure if this is competitive for you, happy to give you his details if you like.

I had 6000€ offer for a new one in wich case I would go to Alex dealer cause of the service is exelent

A a 5250€ offer for a grey ex demo at the other dealer (first it was 5400 but then I managed to get a little more)