On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

[madfloyd]

Your results seem to run counter to others in many areas.

I have 3 Typhons and cannot for the life of me see where they "harden" anything. Quite the contrary. Second, I'm getting rid of my XP25. It has many shortcomings but I would never classify it as noisy. And finally, never, ever would I put the XP30 in the same league with the Xs Preamp in any facet of music reproduction. My opinion only but I can't see how anyone would prefer the XP30 over the Xs.

Frank, I realize you probably think I'm a nut job at this point. It's true that I am the only person I know that preferred the XP-30 over the XS pre, but the reasons I preferred it was tonal balance, not overall quality. I never said the XP-30 was as good or better than the XS pre. I loved the huge soundstage of the XS pre. In comparison the XP-30 is not as extended. My issue was that the XP-30 is generous in the lower mids and I had built my system around that and I wasn't prepared for the neutrality of the XS. I also feel the XA160.8 might have been part of the issue - there could have been a lack of synergy there. I remember a post from where you said the difference between the XP-30 and the XS Pre was more pronounced with your XS-300 amps (versus what you had before - XA160.5's?). In any case, I deferred purchase of the XS pre until I could try it again with my new speakers.

By the way, I'm not the only person who has had noise issues with the XP-25. We both know someone who has modded his to make it much more quieter. If I turn my system volume up such that playback volume would be 85db, without a record on the table, I can hear noise from 11 feet away. I can walk up and touch my woofers and feel them vibrating like a dishwasher. This may be normal or not, I've always heard noise with phono stages before but they've all been tubed; this is my first solid state phono stage.

 

[BlueFox]

Here is an interesting write-up on the XP-25, noise, and shielding.

Revisiting Magnetic Shielding For The Pass Labs XP-25 Phono Preamp - Polk Audio

 

[Alpinist]

Here is an interesting write-up on the XP-25, noise, and shielding.

Revisiting Magnetic Shielding For The Pass Labs XP-25 Phono Preamp - Polk Audio

Good write-up and photos. Thanks for posting, Bud!

Ken

 

[gds7368]

Any updates on the sound of the M Project? Do you think the bass is deep/generous enough for electronic or rock music?

 

[nile49]

Any updates on the sound of the M Project?

+1 Would love to know how they are coming along!

 

[madfloyd]

@gds7360: Yes, the bass VERY deep, tight and detailed. It definitely satisfies on electronic music and rock. It sounds more controlled than, say, Wilson bass (which can be very satisfying on rock music but less articulate).

The speakers now have more than 500 hours on them. I may end up with more bass over time as the woofers break in more, but I'm liking what I'm hearing.

I love how these speakers sound at low volumes. For example today I'm playing random rock/pop music at around 73db and the soundstage is big, detailed and very intelligible - I can hear everything going on in the tracks without a struggle and there's a good amount of weight.

I am just starting to play around with cables and other aspects to try and tune the overall presentation to my liking (I am very picky about that) and the slightest change in cables in my chain is clearly audible - to the point they can sound like completely different speakers. The speakers really don't seem to have any character of their own - a very good thing imo, because it gives you a lot of flexibility via cables (or electronics) to get them to sound the way you want.

They are very revealing of recording quality and that can be brutal with cheap cables (I've been using some Mogami as placeholders until I audition and decide on proper cables) but nothing I expect to be an issue for me long-term.

These speakers can play LOUD and clear. My room gives in before the speakers do.

I don't expect that I will changing speakers for a long, long time, if ever.

 

[mdkim]

I don't expect that I will changing speakers for a long, long time, if ever.

This is not going to make my resistance, or holding out if you will, any easier :afraid:.

Somebody get Alon to hurry up already and release a new Q3/5 incorporating the M-Project's improved goodies!!

 

[socfan12]

^+1!!

 

[gds7368]

Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts and impressions!!! I have a pair of M Projects coming in about a month (replacing Q3s) and really looking forward to it! I primarily listen to electronic, classical, rock ... and really hope the bass has nice full range and punch to them. Do you use the subwoofers you have listed? I was planning on running them full range with no subwoofers (as long as I can what I want out of that setup)