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Posted by dazzdax on
07-26-2007
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Hi Roman, FM Acoustics amplifiers from Switserland have been regarded by many audiophiles (mostly the ones with lots of money) as the best sounding (solid state) amps regardless of price. They even bettered the best amps from Krell, Mark Levinson, etc. Are you familiar with the FM Acoustics amps? What do you think of their sound? What is the secret behind the famous FM Acoustics sound: circuit design? Parts selection? Power supply? Swiss watchmaker precision?
Chris
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Posted by Romy the Cat on
07-26-2007
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 dazzdax wrote: | | Hi Roman, FM Acoustics amplifiers from Switserland have been regarded by many audiophiles (mostly the ones with lots of money) as the best sounding (solid state) amps regardless of price. They even bettered the best amps from Krell, Mark Levinson, etc. Are you familiar with the FM Acoustics amps? What do you think of their sound? What is the secret behind the famous FM Acoustics sound: circuit design? Parts selection? Power supply? Swiss watchmaker precision? |
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Chris, I have no idea. I never had FM Acoustics amplifiers. I heard in a couple of installations where FM Acoustics preamps were used but I believe they did not use FM Acoustics amplifiers.
What however make me almost laugh in your post was your proposal to use the “best amps from Krell and Mark Levinson” as some kind of reference. The performance largest Krell and Mark Levinson are one of the most remarkable (foolish) achievements in audiophilishm, which menace the ugliest sound AND the most devoted consumer worshiping. The irony is that most of the Krell and Mark Levinson are no juts horrible performing audio but extremely unfortunate and ignorantly made electronics. I dealt 3-4 years ago with a guy from California, heavy on the tech side guy, who actually was intimately familiar with the circuits of the largest Krells and Mark Levinsons. So, he informed me that those amplifiers, even from point of view of pure rules of currants and voltages propagation in electrical circuits were extremely poor, even extremely stupidly made designs. I do not make thing up, it was the assessment of the person who very much informed what he was taking. Rgs, Romy the Cat
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Posted by dazzdax on
07-26-2007
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Hi Roman, yes it is true that it is a bit foolish to refer to Krell and Mark Levinson, but I had to refer to some familiar brands that are in high regard among many of us. Many audiophiles from the Far-East (Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore) are fans of FM Acoustics. These are people who have the money and according to them nothing beats the sound of FM Acoustics, whether solid state or tube. So I'm very curious: what could be the reason for this FM Acoustic magic? It is also at least remarkable that there is no "latest" news Romy the Cat style regarding this highly idiosyncratic Swiss brand 
Btw. have you heard the DarTZeel amp? Also highly idiosyncratic brand (but in high regard among some reputable audiophiles, like Mike Lavigne).
Chris
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Posted by Gregm on
07-26-2007
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Chris, I'm not Romy but I've listened to some of their products -- about which I'll talk later. First:| dazzdax wrote: | | Hi Roman, FM Acoustics amplifiers from Switserland have been regarded by many audiophiles (mostly the ones with lots of money) as the best sounding (solid state) amps regardless of price. They even bettered the best amps from Krell, Mark Levinson, etc. |
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Please don't take it wrongly -- but it is misleading to discuss "best" and especially outside a context: "best" is a conclusion. Reproduction is a process where machines are used -- and these machines operate better or worse in specific applications -- not generally, in absolute terms.
So the audiophiles saying "FMa is best" are, if I may say so, foolish: in what application??? Best, How? After all, an amplifier is just that: a machine made to increase a signal and also interact with transducers to produce humanly audible sound (or noise).
You see what I mean?
Of course, there are certain standards where you say, the sonic results with this component are usually better than with another component, in certain similar or identical applications... Or, using this amplifier topology yields better results than the other in XYZ applications. Or even, the sound from XYZ application using this amplifier topology, is superior to the sound from ABC application using THAT amplifier topology -- even both are "good".
Coming back to FMa. They cater more to the pro market than the home market.
They do offer a complete home application where the sound is indeed good: sources (not FMa) -> FM peripherals /electronics + purposely assembled active speakers (FMa amps). Remember, they exclusively offer transistors based circuits -- which offers some flexibilities and some limitations....
Speaking of stand alone "tools" -- such as their phono, it is also good. Also they offer preamplifiers which, if needed, are not difficult to use in many applications (at least two, I tried).
The useful thing with them (maybe because they live off the pro market) is that the concept is, the product performs best when it is tailored to a specific application: i.e. if you buy the phono above, they will ask you, where is it to be connected (i.e. what comes before it & after it). Normally, and similarly, if you want amps, you can specify (should specify) which speaker system you are going to use them on; what you will drive them with; where & what is the xover being used.
What is the secret behind the famous FM Acoustics sound: circuit design? Parts selection? Power supply? Swiss watchmaker precision?
Chris |
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I don't know if there is any secret. What know is they very closely-match the circuit components: i.e. since, say, for stereo you have two channels, they use matched resistor 23left to 23right, likewise (and more importantly for ss) with transistor 1&2&3 left with 1&2&3 right and so on, to complete the circuit. Cheers
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Posted by Romy the Cat on
07-26-2007
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| dazzdax wrote: | Many audiophiles from the Far-East (Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore) are fans of FM Acoustics. These are people who have the money and according to them nothing beats the sound of FM Acoustics, whether solid state or tube. So I'm very curious: what could be the reason for this FM Acoustic magic?
Btw. have you heard the DarTZeel amp? Also highly idiosyncratic brand (but in high regard among some reputable audiophiles, like Mike Lavigne). |
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Chris,
As I said I know little about FM Acoustics. I also very little care about the fact that “many audiophiles from the Far-East” believes that “nothing beats the sound.” In fact, I less and less pay attention of even acknowledge the noise that other audio people crate not mention the “reputable audiophiles, like Mike Lavigne”, whom I am consider juts a plain-vanilla overly-susceptible idiot.
I never intend to have a site as compilation of posts about different brand or models, I find it boring. I always thought that human awareness is responsible for Sound not a rectangular box that “many audiophiles from the Far-East” consider as “superb”. That FM Acoustics might or might not be OK amplifier but, so what? I more interning in Sound accomplishment generally then picking roomers about the “magical components”. Have you heard any stimulating Sound from “many noise from the Far-East” or from Mike Lavigne”? The only things that Lavignes do (as far as I know) are absorb the brands and publicly jangler somebody else’s perception.
So, have you seen any expressed appealing for you thoughts about Sound form those people? Have you heard that they said about FM Acoustic something at the level that interest your? I am not saying that they do not but it is still only up to your perception and your awareness to assess the value of that feedback. If your awareness found that the “feedback” was appearing, then you might try the FM Acoustic amplifies but once again, the Sound you will be getting is not what the FM Acoustic will be NOT what FM Acoustic does but what YOU will be ready to appreciate… Perhaps it should be a subject of another thread….
Rgs, Romy the Cat
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