New MSB S500 and M500 Amplifiers

Thanks for your input. I've never read any M203 vs M204 comparos. I personally still have the M202, which basicly are the same as M203, but with 100VA smaller transformers. From what I've read, the M204 brought a major topology redesign.

The only downside of those amps is the lowest bass, which is like you said a little bit 'tubey'.

I would love to hear the M204 one day. I'm affraid the M500 will cost over $100.000.
 
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Elberoth said:
I would love to hear the M204 one day. I'm affraid the M500 will cost over $100.000.
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I wouldn’t be afraid to run...and fast. My wife would leave me costing a heavy multiple of the monos


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Kingsrule said:
Love the Bauhaus look

Thankfully, they didn't tack on meters.....
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They removed the meters because it raised the noise floor. They are obsessive about any extra noise. I like the look too, nice industrial design.

Ken
 
After running all day, these amps ran barely above room temperature. Just an FYI.

To me, they have no identifiable sound characteristic, not warm, not sweet, no dry, not.....other than dynamic as all hell with their over 1,000,000 microfarad capacitors and the blackest backgrounds you can imagine. It is kind of spooky. The music just appears from no where. Dead freaking quiet. The sound of the DAC comes through brilliantly. You simply, just hear the music.


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Mike said:
After running all day, these amps ran barely above room temperature. Just an FYI.

To me, they have no identifiable sound characteristic, not warm, not sweet, no dry, not.....other than dynamic as all hell with their over 1,000,000 microfarad capacitors and the blackest backgrounds you can imagine. It is kind of spooky. The music just appears from no where. Dead freaking quiet. The sound of the DAC comes through brilliantly. You simply, just hear the music.


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Thanks Mike,

How would characterize the overall sound you’re hearing from the S2/M500/M6 system? Could you compare/contrast it to the S2/M204/M3 system you listened to at Axpona this year?

Ken
 
Mike said:
After running all day, these amps ran barely above room temperature. Just an FYI.

To me, they have no identifiable sound characteristic, not warm, not sweet, no dry, not.....other than dynamic as all hell with their over 1,000,000 microfarad capacitors and the blackest backgrounds you can imagine. It is kind of spooky. The music just appears from no where. Dead freaking quiet. The sound of the DAC comes through brilliantly. You simply, just hear the music.


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What classes up to what output do they run in?
 
Alpinist said:
Thanks Mike,

How would characterize the overall sound you’re hearing from the S2/M500/M6 system? Could you compare/contrast it to the S2/M204/M3 system you listened to at Axpona this year?

Ken
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The 204’s were very warm - in sound and output of heat. These new amazing amps are purely natural. Neutral isn’t the right word. They’re NATURAL. Dynamic as hell and the music just appears from no where. Blackest backgrounds I’ve ever heard.


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Kingsrule said:
What classes up to what output do they run in?
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Hi King,

The M500’s and M204’s (Discontinued) input stage is Class A and its output stage is Class A/B. I’ve asked MSB many times how many watts the M500’s and M204’s run in Class A and they do not measure it. The M500’s power consumption at idle is 150 watts per mono amp, while the M204’s power consumption at idle in the high bias mode is 280 watts per mono amp. So I believe the M204’s may run nearly twice as many watts in Class A as the M500’s. The M500’s are zero negative feedback judging by their Total Harmonic Distortion measurements.

Best,
Ken
 
Kingsrule said:
What classes up to what output do they run in?
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Asked and told by the designers “that’s not an official spec.” There is no actual way to measure it, only estimate based on calculations. It has a class A input stage. I would GUESS (this is just me), that is 5-20 watts at most. The amps run VERY cool.


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Not much elaboration so far on the impedance-matching and gain-setting alternatives. Would the s500 actually be viable for high-eff speakers?
Parker
 
pdub said:
Not much elaboration so far on the impedance-matching and gain-setting alternatives. Would the s500 actually be viable for high-eff speakers?
Parker
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Yes. Absolutely. I posted a pic of the different settings.


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Mike said:
Yes. Absolutely. I posted a pic of the different settings.

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M500/S500 Adjustable Settings:

Gain:

Low Gain (75 ohm input) = 14.8 dB

Medium Gain (75 ohm input) = 20.8 dB

High Gain (75 ohm input) = 26.8 dB


Input Impedance:

75 ohm

300 ohm

1,200 ohm



Ken
 
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