Speakers for Musical Fidelity M3i

I have the MF A5 int amp paired to B&W CDM1NTs.

I think the pairing & synergy work very well together.

Enjoy

02-05-13: Kushanava
My Musical preferences are:
1.Non Fatiguing sound but dynamic (not boring or dull)
2.Enough details with enveloping sound stage and good imaging
@Seikosha
Thanks.
I have demoed the Epos M12i (the only model available in my place) in Kolkata with Cayin 50T and Sugden A21.
I loved their versatility and ability to play all kinds of music pretty well.(considering their price tag)
The only downside was their brightness on some pieces .So maynot be good for long term.
So I though the soft dome may bring in better results.Unfortunately there are not much reviews for Elan 15 model.
However the Epics are getting praised everywhere[they are being compared to Harbeths ..].

So I am inclined to this Brand but Wonder why there are so less Epos users!!!
@Bo1972
Thanks.I will keep MA RX1 in my list of Blind buys since I am not able to Demo them.
@Roundmoundofsound
Thanks.I did demo a quad 12l with Sugden A21.It had a good mid range but I felt that it lacked the details and soundtstage.
However the demo material was new , and the dealer said that it usually takes >100 hrs to Break in.
I had the same experience with Usher V601.I didn't like it when it was demoed new.But when I revisited the dealer for the 2nd time ,
it sounded so different.
@Nvp
Thanks..I have a plan to check out the B&W CDM 1 at a friends place with MF.
@Ryder
Thanks.
Dali is not an Option because I felt that they sounded thin when I last heard them with Sugden A21.
My heart says do a blind buy for EPOS EPIC/ELAN or Monitor Audio.
I will demo B&W and Quad with MF.
What do you think of the Ushers v601/v602 or KEF Q series and MF m3i combination?

If you find the Epos M12i to sound bright and the Dali to sound thin with the Sugden which is a warm sounding amp, then I guess warmer speakers may suit your listening preferences better. FWIW most lower to mid-range Dali speakers sound thin and bright as they all have the ribbon tweeter. The Dali Zensor 1 and Mentor Menuet don't have the ribbon tweeter but a soft dome tweeter, and these models have more in the mids and show less stridency in the highs. Not too sure which Dali model you have listened to with the Sugden A21.

I suppose you can narrow down your choices to Epos Epic/Elan, Monitor Audio and Quad(the Quads are a bit rolled off in the highs, if you like that kind of sound). As for B&Ws, the current mid-range models are quite costly. The low-end models are not good IMO. I wouldn't consider KEF Q series and Ushers. The only KEF model that is worth considering is the LS50 which costs about $1500. Personally I feel the KEF LS50 is a very good all rounder. Not too sure if it will match up well with the MF M3i though.

Good luck.

@Ryder
Thanks for your suggestions.
Yes , I am just confused on whether to get the Epics or the Elans ..Elans 15 is almost double the price of Epic2 ,is it worth the extra Money?or is it better that I get the Epic 5's instead.

@vsollozzo
I think Atc scm 11 is avaiable in india.
Interested to understand how they sounde with m3i.what was the source..i am afraid that it may sound harsh as m3i is forward.

Hi Kushanava, I don't have expensive sources. I have a Sony 5400ES CD player, an old Technics turntable, an old Kenwood tuner and an HRT iStreamer DAC. I played all those sources through the ATC scm-11s with the M3i. I didn't find any of them harsh, but they can be fatiguing if the recordings you like are bright and busy. If you mostly listen to good recordings, these can sound fantastic.

Overall, I would describe these speakers as clear, punchy and neutral. Tonally they are natural, but not warm or rich. I did not find them exaggerated in any way, yet they were not boring because they have good dynamics. Soundstage was very good but not exceptional. They do height and width better than depth with that amp. Music is clear and well organized. They play confidently down to around 60hz, bass is tight and controlled, but not deep. I used them with subwoofers. I listened to these about 8 feet away. Optimally, I would set these back a bit farther, say 10 to 12 feet, and give them more volume, I just didn't have the space to do that. If you can turn them up, they really come alive. They are dynamic and confident at higher volumes. It is very enjoyable, but if you sit close you find yourself turning them up to get to this point and then they can be fatiguing because it is simply too loud. They are sealed boxes and they can go close to walls without much issue. They are very well built.

If you are concerned about brightness or you like things a little warm, I would try to audition these first.

Ryder's Quad suggestion could be a good one. Spendor may be also if you are concerned about brightness. I haven't heard Spendors with MF gear though. I don't know how that will sound together.