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Thread: Musical Fidelity A1008 - does the valve portion of the pre require servicing?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 10
    I'm Gav.

    Default Musical Fidelity A1008 - does the valve portion of the pre require servicing?

    Following recommendations in my intro thread that I start a proper thread here, here it is...! For a little more background please feel free to read my welcome thread but in a nutshell I have a PC running FLACs from MusicBee into an Audiolab M-DAC (a recent addition and I'm staggered by the benefits it's brought to the sound), a Cyrus 8vs2 amp and Celestion A2 speakers. I've decided to put some cash into the system and am looking at amplification options.

    Macca made a suggestion of an XTZ A100 D3 commenting that the A2s will benefit from an amp with greater power reserves - his recommendations of something from Krell or Bryston are also good but looking at various options out there at the moment I think they're also probably a little out of my budget even as used purchases.

    Off my own bat I also took a look at a couple of options from Musical Fidelity - there's an A1008 up for sale at the moment but I'm not sure whether the valve part of the pre requires servicing or new valve (or valves). It looks like it would be capable of delivering the control at low resistance that the A2s apparently demand. Can anyone who's got or previously owned one offer any advice? I'd be buying without being able to hear first and at this price point (£1k+) I'd like to gather as much information as I can before making a decision. In contrast the XTZ looks like absurdly good value at around £500ish so that's on the list too.

    Any other recommendations would be useful too! Budget around £1-2kish.

    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2018

    Location: South East Cornwall

    Posts: 322
    I'm Dominic.

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    I have never owned any MF product that brought joy into my life and having owned the XTZ myself that is the one I would happily buy again.

    My other candidate to recommend is a Lyngdorf - if you can find one for sale.
    CD player = Marantz CD6006
    DAC/pre = Rotel RC 1572
    Power amp = ADA PF201
    Speaks = Quadral Chromium Style 6

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    If the MF has the little glass military valves soldered in it may do. Though MF claim very long life my Tri Vista dac required replacement valves last year. I do recommend the higher power hybrid MF gear, they are very nice as a rule.

    Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

    Posts: 6,843
    I'm Justin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Funk View Post
    Following recommendations in my intro thread that I start a proper thread here, here it is...! For a little more background please feel free to read my welcome thread but in a nutshell I have a PC running FLACs from MusicBee into an Audiolab M-DAC (a recent addition and I'm staggered by the benefits it's brought to the sound), a Cyrus 8vs2 amp and Celestion A2 speakers. I've decided to put some cash into the system and am looking at amplification options.

    Macca made a suggestion of an XTZ A100 D3 commenting that the A2s will benefit from an amp with greater power reserves - his recommendations of something from Krell or Bryston are also good but looking at various options out there at the moment I think they're also probably a little out of my budget even as used purchases.

    Off my own bat I also took a look at a couple of options from Musical Fidelity - there's an A1008 up for sale at the moment but I'm not sure whether the valve part of the pre requires servicing or new valve (or valves). It looks like it would be capable of delivering the control at low resistance that the A2s apparently demand. Can anyone who's got or previously owned one offer any advice? I'd be buying without being able to hear first and at this price point (£1k+) I'd like to gather as much information as I can before making a decision. In contrast the XTZ looks like absurdly good value at around £500ish so that's on the list too.

    Any other recommendations would be useful too! Budget around £1-2kish.

    Cheers!
    Two Krells on eBay for less than £2K at the moment. Their was an S300i for £750 in the classifieds but it's gone now.

    If you need power a Parasound A21 and a valve pre would be my reco. Do not use without a valve pre. It'll sound sterile.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    I never tried it but I reckon a Luxman would do well with the A2s. The bigger the better although they do get expensive even second hand. The A2 are very capable speakers. I do still miss mine sometimes. So it is well worth spending up to the top of your budget I think. The XTZ is really the minimum you can get away with.


    Don't know what you're using for speaker cable but I tried a fair few and Chord was a good match. Balanced out a bit of softness in the mids. Bi-wiring them with it made no difference, unsurprisingly, but it was extremely expensive.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 10
    I'm Gav.

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    So in a moment of rare decisiveness and based on the pretty much universal endorsement of the XTZ A100 D3 I found George at Heathcote Audio has a mint one-owner unit for £495 which I've decided to take a flier on. A lot of this was thanks to Macca's experience of this amp with the A2s specifically so thank you for taking the time to comment, I appreciate your insight.

    Ultimately if it's not for me then I can sell it on, however, I hope it delivers what I'm looking for and it should be with me Thursday. I'll need to do some re-jigging of my setup to accommodate it so that sounds very much like a Bank Holiday weekend task!

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Don't think you'll go wrong there. What else can you get for the money that compares? Not much!
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 10
    I'm Gav.

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    I should be able to sell my 8vs2 on for about £300 so the £200 cost-to-change makes it a bit of a no-brainer if the XTZ is a good as everyone says!

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 10
    I'm Gav.

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    It arrived today and I couldn't resist hooking it up to have a listen before I have to start unplugging everything to relocate it - after warming up for a bit I gave it a run through some favourite tracks and it's certainly living up to expectations so far! Forgot the Cyrus uses Deltron connectors so have ordered some new bananas.

    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Don't know what you're using for speaker cable but I tried a fair few and Chord was a good match. Balanced out a bit of softness in the mids. Bi-wiring them with it made no difference, unsurprisingly, but it was extremely expensive.
    I'm using Chord Odyssey 2 which I've had forever and I don't think would benefit from changing. I too can't say bi-wiring has ever made a difference in any setup I've heard; what I've done on my speakers is make a jumper from a short offcut of the Odyssey 2 to replace the standard jumper bars.

    I do think I should replace my interconnects though; I'm using old Cable Talk Monitor 2s which I've had since I don't know when - they're tatty and the plastics on the plugs are disintegrating with age. Any recommendations under £100...?

  10. #10
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Odyssey 2 was what I used with the A2s so I'd say you are sorted there.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

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