Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier

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General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

Just completed an extended demo of the Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier. A local dealership, Esoteric Audio, loaned me the Creek A5, the Epos M5s and a Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier for about 10 days to evaluate in my bedroom system.
This is a fantastic sounding $1300 integrated amplifier. I really enjoyed the time I spent with this amp when paired with both the Spendor Se3s and the Epos M5s - though ultimately I could not recommend this amp with either.
The thing is built like a tank, similar to but IMO not quite up to the Krell and has a digital display indicating source selected and volume level.
This thing sounds so freeking good it really bugs me to drop it from consideration. The best amps I've ever heard have been solid state with regulated power supplies OR class A designs. My original assumption was that this thing was going to suck - seemingly expensive and heavy styling in a component at this price seemed to indicate to me where the money went.
I was wrong or at least almost wrong. This thing really sings - beautifully - a powerhouse with rock but also capable when it comes to subtler recordings. With both the Epos loudspeakers and the Spendors I couldn't get enough - but in the Epos a sheen that robs relevant detail appears - and in the Spendors this character manifests itself as "noise".
I'm very familiar with how my demo disks should sound - if I wasn't I would not have noticed this character. It's really always obvious with both sets of speaker and it's not enough on it's own to be distracting - but it does have enough effect at time to alter how I gauge the performance of this amp.
Now I can't for sure state this noise is the amplifier - but it wasn't obvious with the 320BEE, the Nait 5i or the Creek A50. Nor was it audible on my main system with the NAD 521BEE CDP (used for this demo) as a source.
The sad thing here is the Mambo sounds better than the Naim 80% of the time but it sounds broken 5% of the time - and the Naim sounds excellent indeed (but not on the Se3s).
Kind of wish who ever designed this thing spent a little less on weight and looks and a little bit more on getting it to work right deep into the netherlands.

Give me rhythm or give me death!

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Topic - Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier - Don T 22:45:44 07/10/05 (7)

Re: Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier - George Mann 04:49:58 07/15/05 (1)

Re: Music Hall Mambo Class A amplifier - Don T 08:50:22 07/16/05 (0)

There is an aftermarket mod available - slope. 16:55:39 07/11/05 (2)

argh! - Don Tillfam 11:51:54 07/13/05 (1)

Re: argh! - slope. 01:25:59 07/14/05 (0)

You didn't check out it's digital section? - marc g. 13:08:53 07/11/05 (1)

You know I didn't but I've got it and the M5s til Wednsday! - Don T 16:35:40 07/11/05 (0)

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