Musical Fidelity A1000 Integrated

I will give a report when I get it...sooner the better...I am going to be broke as I have a lot of shelling out to fix the car, and something else I have bought, too...

 

Just for the record I was being scarcastic regarding the CRPS, in case any old duffers were wondering about, or maybe considering seeking legal advice :bub:

 

Simply.. because Tim stopped designing amps for MF.. they pretty much took the design to it's conclusion with regards to the quality of op amps mosfets that were available at the time.. (in fact in the A470 the op amps used in the driver circuit are yet to be bettered to this day).

Michael.. if you liked the A1000... then you will probably like the A370 too.. to me it retains all of the good attributes of the A1000.. like openess and fluidity... but extends them lower and higher .. and has a tighter grip on the bottom end without becoming loosing it's fluid nature..

IMHO.. The MF amps designed by Tim.. are amongst the best amps available.. especially for the price they were being sold at... they were comparable to Krells, Levinsons etc at 2x,3x the price.

GTM

 

my a1000 is on its way...oooh, can't wait

anyone know anything about the f18/f19...are they tim de paras designs,

and any info on the a470 anyone?

that chord dac 64 may have to go.I am stony broke and really stretched to buy it!!

 

Thanks GTM - the A370 is a power amp isn't it? I'm really only interested in integrated's for the time being.

Even though I loved the A1000 there are a two features it doesn't have that I really couldn't live without:

- No remote. Once you've had remote volume you just can't live without it again unless you have some kind of arrangement where your kit is next to your listening chair of course.

- No unity gain input. Since I use my stereo amp as a "power" amp for the front 2 speakers in my AV system aswell I really need a unity gain input or "processor straight through" mode. This is one thing that severly limits my amp upgrade options allthough in many ways that's a good thing - I have my shortlist made for me

Michael.

 

try an a1001...its a beut looks, has remote, and preouts, power ins, tape outs..loads of connections, I didn't take to the sound at the time but could've been me....

 

A1000 vs A1001

Definitive, if I may, answer.
The A1000 was not an A1. Similar circuit but very much more of everything. Seprate pre - main integrated with the toroidal transformers offboard, the rest integrated. The offboard case alone weighs more than 10kg.
50 watts yes (measures more like 65) but 56 amps of reserve current (huge). Yes 56 amps.
It does run hot. Far more reliable than an A1, but it does cook components eventually.
MM/MC on board.
Originally made for the Japanese market, sold here after it was a success there. Lovely gloss facia on Brass with three large selector knobs. Don't care what anyone else says, doesn't like driving 4 ohm speakers, although strangely with only 50 watts it will still drive 85db sensitive speakers.
NO bells and whistles but nothing to detract from the sound

A1001 was a development, class A/B with 200 watts per channel instead of 50 pure class A. Twice the height facia (compared to A1000) power supply on board with seperated pre - power internally allowing extra power stages. The only similarity was the facia finish. The A1001 had central volume knob with buttons for source choice. Will drive anything.
No MM/MC but remote.

The A1000 is brilliant. There really is very little like it. (Pass Labs Aleph) It IS coloured but glorious. So, is it better than a NuVista? I reckon but I like it. I find the Nu Vista a little crystalline in comparison. Yep, a full on transistor amp sounds more organic than their NuVista.
If you don't like that sound and want to drive anything speaker wise you cannot beat a NuVista and then you'll say its better.
A370 are monsters for sound but for finish and looks (most refined) and sound the A1000 is probably MF's best product, ever.

 

Oh the A1000 heard blew the NuVista to pieces, it was no contest really. TBH it's one of the best amps I've ever heard

The guy who on whose behalf I bought it uses it with Dynaudio Crafft speakers which are 6ohms 86db and he now reckons it really works well with them. He looked for other more sensitive and higher impedance speakers and tried a few (on the same level as the Craffts) but nothing came close.

Michael.

PS: Welcome to the forum

 

Oh Yeah

and I forgot, the main reason for replying was to dispell the pricing error.
A1000 was £1299
A1001 was £2000 (yeah, I know)

As far as sound goes, John the engineer at the MF factory had an A1000 in preference to all else, even NuVista but changed it for the earlier MA products! Sepreate Pre with mono 50w class A powers in the A1 style casing. (space hungry and no need to have the heating on though). He says its Nirvana and I cannot argue and if you'd met him neither would you!

 

well this guy claims the A1001 was £2500 new!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3062771175&category=3280

 

A1001 price

To be honest he might be right! Says even more for the A1000.

 

Slightly odd description.....

my search to a high-end Integrated for my B&W 803 N I filtered out brands such as Krell 500 i - Accuphase E 406 - NAD combo S200 + S100 - Marantz PM 14 - Gryphon Tabu and MF A 1001. It seems as if it was ment to be the last, but indeed MF was not the least al all ! Concerning several listening test during a few months I decided that my MF A 1001 is really the most revealing and especially price / quality worthy amplifier. It matches very well with my speakers, giving them a even more real true to live sound, expanded dynamics, glassclear mids (listen to Carmen Fantasies with Ann Sofie Mutter !) smooth treble and overall well controlled in (deep !) bass and mid-bass. This is not an amp. that exclusivly serves for f.i. classical music nor for jazz or pop/rock, no, he does it all so very well and right you cannot find any kind of music he want feel good with. High-End users think they really need XLR Balanced inputs, but in my opinion, the use of a proff. single ended cinch does all of the job, as long as you stick to normal distances (max. 2 m) Only minor aspect might be that it is a heavy amplifier (in weight, in dimensions as well as in Watts) and that the upper side becomes quite warm (I measured temperatures of about 52° C) - So be careful to place the amp. on a rigid chassis or stereo furniture an make sure there is enough normal ventilation. Do not place anything on top of it. One more minus maybe for vinylusers is the lack of a phono input, but MF has some very fine pre-amps into this purpose. Again, as to its sound- and build quality, only few can beat "The Beast" as he is called in the U.K. Strongly recommended, but hurry, in september 2000 this great stuff will be discontinued at Musical Fidelity, If I am well informed ... 5 SUPERSTARS SUPER INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Strengths: Super powerfull integrated with extremely nice design, ultra clean sound, very all-round for any music-style


Seems to have been lifted ?!?

 

ok to try to clear up a few things...

a1000 original price £1500, s'h anything from £600-800

it has an active preamp section, as well as mm and mc phonostage which is not as good as a good outboard.

The power amp stage is identical to an A1 for its input and middle stage, the output stage is different.
It is by far the only tranny amp that can equal a valve amp that I have heard. It has a slightly plummy bass that I think is a Tim de para trademark, and one which I like, nice fullsome.

Th a1001 is totally different, circuitry, not a tim de para design , 2 differential pairs and 5 pairs of paralelled emitter followers in the monster output stage giving 250 watts, in very hot class AB, from memory the heatsinks are hotter than the a1000. remote and active preamp with outputs.

Soundwise I found it a bit unexciting, but could've been me at the time; the a1000 has kindled my interest in MF and I would try again.

new price for a1001 was £2500, but they didn't sell as a bit dear.
typically £1000 s/h.

 

A1000, what speakers are you using with your A1000?

Michael.

 

A1000

Sorry mate,you must have bought one late.
Retail was definitely £1299 to start with. I know. I still have the receipt!
Enjoy it. Besides stratospherically priced old Pass Labs kit, I haven't heard anything like it.
Use mine with Heybrook Sextet II. Early ones. Worked well. Though I could do with a recommendation. Having moved from a solid floor, plasterboard wall house where they worked really well to an old property with solid walls and sprung floor they don't!
Thinking of changing but haven't heard anything in a while. Moving from floor standers is a consideration.
I don't know how this works, is this a knew thread?

 

Yes, it's a new thread

If your budget is in the range £600-£700 then there have been at least 2 lengthy recent threads about new speakers in that range . However, you're requirements may be different, especially as 4 ohm speakers are out for you.

Michael.

 

I had an opportunity to look through this forum on A1000 and noticed that you had hinted a point on A1001. Im planning to buy A1001 from one of my friend and would like to know the good and bad about this amp. Unfortunately my friend is located far off from my place and no opportunity to audition. No much reviews as well. Currently i have audiolab 8000P and 8000C with Sonus Faber concertino. Im looking to upgrade to a bit power ful amp. The reason im shifting is to get good gain in low volume listening with good dynamics. i generally listen classical, jazz kind of music. Kindly advice with your experience with A1001.

 

This earlier post might be of interest: https://www.audio-forums.com/threads/latest-unit-in-my-hi-fi.112009/

 

HI ,I HAVEbeing in the retail bz, since 1973, i not only worked in retail, but also as a recording engeneer, THE MF. A 1000, AS I HAVE ONE NOW ,it is sublime.