*NEW* MSB M205 monoblocks

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
Staff member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
30,488
Location
Sarasota, FL
The M205 Mono Amplifier - MSB Technology

Innovation. Redoubled.
After the resounding success of the S202 Stereo Amplifier, there were many requests for an improved mono amplifier in the same compact chassis. The M205 refines the S202’s already incredible performance with an upgraded input stage and a doubling of the power supply transformers and capacitors. The result is a spectacular increase in sound quality with increased sound-stage definition, vocal realism, and instrument solidity available from the very first notes. The M205 perfectly complements our DAC’s ultra high dynamic range with optimized architecture in the critical areas of audio performance, power supplies, and ultra low-noise design. The fully modular cores, matched impedance input stages and billet CNC chassis’ result in the highest value mono amplifiers we’ve ever created.

200 Watt Rating
Trickle-down technology from the M500 Mono Amplifier
Zero Negative Feedback
Class A input stage
Class A/B output stage
Independent Input Stage and Output Stage power supplies
Shielded Transformers
Modular Core Design
Fully differential balanced design
Made in the U.S.A.


****Upgrades: Current owners of the S202 Stereo Amplifier are welcome to send their units in to be upgraded to a M205 Mono Amplifier set. Please discuss with your local dealer to organize this upgrade option.****

daea1196391d0129dc3e54417134f142.jpg

d75eae1a24ec0efc44813fe34870625e.jpg

349d1bfe7d08fd2dbd6b3f61130c495e.jpg

9288271b9c7c66c72fd829369637c980.jpg
 
Looks good. Glad they are offering an upgrade path for the stereo amp owners.
 
I read elsewhere that in the UK the price (each? -- unsure) was $64,767 before VAT. Mike, are you able to provide the US price?
 
AVphile said:
I read elsewhere that in the UK the price (each? -- unsure) was $64,767 before VAT. Mike, are you able to provide the US price?
Click to expand...

They are going to be around $58,000/pair.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Mike do you already have the stereo amp in house? If so does MSB have a “house” sound or where would you place their amps in the rest of your offerings? Thanks
 
nc42acc said:
Mike do you already have the stereo amp in house? If so does MSB have a “house” sound or where would you place their amps in the rest of your offerings? Thanks
Click to expand...

We had it on long term loan for months. We are expecting the monos and will have them any day now. House sound is smooth, dense and laid back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
It appears from the similar power ratings and identical other specs that the only difference for the mono version is that they removed one channel's input and driver boards, leaving the entire power supply available for one channel. So the only benefits are improved crosstalk and better low-impedance headroom, which were already excellent. That's not unheard of; Gryphon does something like that with their amps, too. Is this what modern super-low speaker impedances have brought us to?
 
Site7000 said:
It appears from the similar power ratings and identical other specs that the only difference for the mono version is that they removed one channel's input and driver boards, leaving the entire power supply available for one channel. So the only benefits are improved crosstalk and better low-impedance headroom, which were already excellent. That's not unheard of; Gryphon does something like that with their amps, too. Is this what modern super-low speaker impedances have brought us to?
Click to expand...

Welcome to Audioshark.

Curious to what you’re referring to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Mike said:
Welcome to Audioshark.

Curious to what you’re referring to.


Mike, I was comparing the spec sheets for the S202 and M205. They show almost identical output, roughly 200 w/channel @ 8 ohms. Normally I would expect mono versions of the same amp to have significantly higher power: 4x if bridged (output impedance doubles), 2x if strapped (output impedance stays the same). I'm not an engineer, so any enlightenment would be welcome.
Click to expand...
 
Site7000 said:
Mike said:
Welcome to Audioshark.

Curious to what you’re referring to.


Mike, I was comparing the spec sheets for the S202 and M205. They show almost identical output, roughly 200 w/channel @ 8 ohms. Normally I would expect mono versions of the same amp to have significantly higher power: 4x if bridged (output impedance doubles), 2x if strapped (output impedance stays the same). I'm not an engineer, so any enlightenment would be welcome.
Click to expand...

Good point. Thanks for clarifying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
 
Be interested in hearing these some time...

What I can say is...they should consider hiring me as their product photographer, or, at least their photo editor/retoucher, because their product shots are loaded with color contamination....

For example, look at all the magenta color contamination in this shot...

Monos-Magenta-CC.jpg


And, that's not the least of it, there's blue color contamination, as well...
Monos-Blue-CC.jpg


There's also color contamination in the red channel, but the point is taken.

Yeesh! 😜

There's also extension distortion in the shot, but I can't fix that as there's not enough room on the sides of the frame. This should have been shot with a tilt-shift lens...

Overall, the product shot was..okay, but the bottom line is this is just sloppy work.

Anyhoo....I fixed MSB's color contamination "issues" in their product shot of these amps.

Now, the true colors are crisp and clean, and not muddied up by the color contamination.

I also added a luminosity mask in Lumenzia and pulled up the luminance on the amps a bit to give them a nice "glow" and separation from the background as the viewer's eye goes to the brightest subject in the frame.

Monoblocks-Decontam_LM.jpg


Imagine that....
 
Interestingly, the stereo amp product shots have exactly the same problems...

On the face of it, looks...okay. Except for the extension distortion, which is greater at the back of the amp than at the front. But, if you know what to look for, the product looks...muddy.
Stereo-Amp-Unfixed_1.jpg


If you add a Hue/Sat Adj layer mask in PS, though...all sorts of problems become apparent....

Sh*t-ton of magenta color contamination...wowsers!
MSB-Stereo-amp-magenta.jpg


And again, blue...
MSB-Stereo-Blue-CC.jpg


And red...
MS-Stereo-Red-CC.jpg


Okay...let's see how it looks all cleaned and with the extension distortion removed...
MSB-Amp-Clean-2.jpg


See that? Nice, crisp, and clean. And the color contamination on the footers is gone, too.
 
WTF do the photos have to do with the actual M205?

If you are posturing for a job to photograph MSB products I suggest you take it directly to MSB..
 
Kingsrule said:
WTF do the photos have to do with the actual M205?

If you are posturing for a job to photograph MSB products I suggest you take it directly to MSB..
Click to expand...

+1000. Also, if you are looking to get hired by a company to take product photographs, it's probably not a good idea to trash their current photos on an audio forum.
 
5361e208bb8dd3239dfa28abde6e6264.jpg


MSB M205’s arrive. Using the Lumin P1 for now as we are still breaking it in. Speakers are Kharma DB7-S.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
The casework looks as sexy as the Boulders. Mike are you going to try them using a MSB DAC direct?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top