Hey Weng, how does the M1HPA sounds? It looks pretty solid...
the built is good indeed. only gripe is the line/usb switch lever. looks quite obiang in modern day design especially like this m1hpa. thought they should at least put button like the on/off button. there's a usb input to connect digital sources directly. it also has pre-out/line-out outputs that i can loop back to my pm6003 (now disconnected cos dun have another set of interconnect) if i want to play aloud through speakers (although hardly used).
sound wise i tested this with the x-can v8 before choosing this. v8 noticeably sweeter with vocals since it's tube based. m1hpa has slightly better resolution and it's livelier, while staying quite neutral-warm.
my quick impressions comparing the below permutations at home:
interconnect: ecosse "composer".
cd6003 -> pm6003 -> ath-pro700mk2: airy.
cd6003 -> m1hpa -> ath-pro700mk2: slightly airier but noticeably better controlled, sweet vocals.
cd6003 -> pm6003 -> hd595: quite airy, slightly warm.
cd6003 -> m1hpa -> hd595: airier, thinner and more neutral, but can sound a bit hollowish depending on genre. bass is still there but the body is lacking.
cd6003 -> pm6003 -> hd650: thick, warm.
cd6003 -> m1hpa -> hd650: more neutral/slightly less warm, thinning out abit is ok since it's thick to start off with, really opens up and noticeably better controlled yet with a darker background, sweet sweet vocals and highs. but hd650 bass still not very pronounced (i dun mean heavy/light).
still running-in. overall it's a very sweet and big sounding amp typical of MF's sound sig, seemingly with lots of power in reserve driving the phones effortlessly.
however i also played through ie80 and it doesn't really like it. made the bottom a bit overloaded drowning out abit of the mids/highs/detail. still sounded better off the iphone4 and my sony dap.
also just tested with a px 100-ii, and sounded quite good. makes the overall sound better controlled, more detailed, although still a bit bottom heavy.
