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32 minutes ago, andyr said:

 

Thanks, Les, for your detailed response.  :thumb:  (Forget that you have an "untreated room lacking DEQ "; the speaker layout was unchanged - so it was a fair comparison.)

 

Given your 'de-cluttering', I would be most interested in your impressions when the ME850 is put back into service.  :thumb:

 

As I posted, I thought it was a very capable amp.  :)

 

Andy

 

 

I must admit I have never understood the love for the ME range. While they may achieve a sound that people like, I have heard all sorts of strange things about their servicing needs and also needs related to operating temperature and time powered up before they sound their best.  It just makes me think they are a lot of trouble when there are other ways to achieve good sound without the bother.

 

It may be all mularky, but I think the days of finicky biasing and temperature dependant operation may be  a thing of the past decades.  I'd love to see a serious shootout/comparison between them and modern designs, of all classes.

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12 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

I'd love to see a serious shootout/comparison between them and modern designs, of all classes.

Don't preclude a beast like this that a certain member has. I've had a couple of ME black beasties and this overloaded testosterone monster is an icon killer.

 

image.png.4d4ed6065215f15506085e876c9043f7.png

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2 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

I must admit I have never understood the love for the ME range. While they may achieve a sound that people like, I have heard all sorts of strange things about their servicing needs and also needs related to operating temperature and time powered up before they sound their best.  It just makes me think they are a lot of trouble when there are other ways to achieve good sound without the bother.

 

It may be all mularky, but I think the days of finicky biasing and temperature dependant operation may be  a thing of the past decades.  I'd love to see a serious shootout/comparison between them and modern designs, of all classes.

I have been using several ME amps and pre amps since the 80s,have had no problems,the internal foam needs replacing after quite a few years on the bigger power amps no big deal,have had several other well respected amps through my system over the years but I am back using ME pre/ power and have no urge to change,the bonus is that after 30 + years service and updates are still available.

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35 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

I must admit I have never understood the love for the ME range. While they may achieve a sound that people like, I have heard all sorts of strange things about their servicing needs and also needs related to operating temperature and time powered up before they sound their best.  It just makes me think they are a lot of trouble when there are other ways to achieve good sound without the bother.

 

It may be all mularky, but I think the days of finicky biasing and temperature dependant operation may be  a thing of the past decades.  I'd love to see a serious shootout/comparison between them and modern designs, of all classes.

Trevor Wilson is the best man to fill you in on the ME needs.....  unfortunately not sure what happen to him in these neck of the woods but he is sorely missed.... he was full of knowledge on ME....  Art Vanderlay is another,  and possibly Georgehifi...     

Biasing and temperature is “no Marlarky”.     

because the feedback loop used requires biasing to be so important to maintain .balance for that low distortion coloration.  HFE and VBE has to be within a particular spec with a very narrow window 

As for temperature, Peter Stein, the designer of ME realises that the output transistor used are lowest in distortion and more linear at a specific temperature.   And If  you look at some of the temperature operation graphs of the data sheet he has a point.

Edited by Addicted to music
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2 hours ago, Addicted to music said:

Biasing and temperature is “no Marlarky”.     

because the feedback loop used requires biasing to be so important to maintain .balance for that low distortion coloration.  HFE and VBE has to be within a particular spec with a very narrow window 

As for temperature, Peter Stein, the designer of ME realises that the output transistor used are lowest in distortion and more linear at a specific temperature.   And If  you look at some of the temperature operation graphs of the data sheet he has a point.

 

Sorry but that's exactly the malarkey I meant and misspelled :P       That needy tweaking into narrow windows.

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20 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

Sorry but that's exactly the malarkey I meant and misspelled :P       That needy tweaking into narrow windows.

I've heard a couple of ME's both driving maggies.

Very honest amplifier that won't buckle under the strain.

 

When you look at the size of the transformers that go into the ME's, on that alone it puts a lot of other so called name

brands to shame.

+1  Trevor is missed this neck of the woods. 

Edited by ghost4man
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16 minutes ago, ghost4man said:

I've heard a couple of action both driving maggies.

Very honest amplifier that won't buckle under the strain.

 

When you look at the size of the transformers that go into the ME's, on that alone it puts a lot of other so called name

brands to shame.

+1  Trevor is missed this neck of the woods. 

The heart of all power amps is the PS. It must be up to rigger. If not bigger. 

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7 hours ago, ghost4man said:

What Onkyo is that?

Very Rare Onkyo M-510 Grand Integra Stereo Power Amplifier.

image.png.7ad268725a0c10cd20a1b887bc65df4c.png

 

Beautiful isn't it.

Under the bonnet pics are grainy but  you get the idea

image.png.35c43b1357220de4234476fb6b77bc25.png

 

image.png.0a3fcced661b01fa55e98ad9ce7e3b81.png

 

The member here who owns one has promised to never to leave me alone in the same room/house with it or lend it as he doesn't trust me to return it.

 

He's 100% right too. ??

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2 hours ago, Luc said:

Very Rare Onkyo M-510 Grand Integra Stereo Power Amplifier.

image.png.7ad268725a0c10cd20a1b887bc65df4c.png

 

Beautiful isn't it.

Under the bonnet pics are grainy but  you get the idea

image.png.35c43b1357220de4234476fb6b77bc25.png

 

image.png.0a3fcced661b01fa55e98ad9ce7e3b81.png

 

The member here who owns one has promised to never to leave me alone in the same room/house with it or lend it as he doesn't trust me to return it.

 

He's 100% right too. ??

Year of manufacture? 

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11 hours ago, aussievintage said:

 

????? foam ?   Is this an esky or a power amp?  :) 

Based on the content of forums here, I'd say NOT an esky.

 

Different type of foam to cooler boxes (Esky is a trademark/ product name). The foam used  is for the air filter, allowing it to draw cooling air across heated amp internals, without depositing dust inside the amp.

 

I recommend you to investigate many of the ME threads on SNA and then advise if your comments are warranted.

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20 minutes ago, Uncle Seth said:

I recommend you to investigate many of the ME threads on SNA and then advise if your comments are warranted.

Already had one reply right here which verified what I had heard.   

 

Don't get me wrong, as I have also said, many people like them, so they must perform well.  My take on it, however, is that the necessary measures taken in the design might, these days, be unwarranted.  Same as old ideas like NAD's power envelope (IIRC).    These days there are more modern ways to do it.

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14 hours ago, mwhouston said:

The heart of all power amps is the PS. It must be up to rigger. If not bigger. 

Some might say you got what you paid for back then. 

 

These days we seem to be paying a lot for R & D. It's almost an inverse relationship - the more R & D the less under the hood... 

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8 minutes ago, ghost4man said:

Some might say you got what you paid for back then. 

 

These days we seem to be paying a lot for R & D. It's almost an inverse relationship - the more R & D the less under the hood... 

Hard to know when you are being ripped off  or getting good value for money. Being 100% DIY  I like to think I’m always getting value for money. I’m never scared though to buy very expensive parts. No R&D though. It’s more seek a good schematic and build.  

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