It seems to have fun bass, which is worth a lot. Reading between the lines says, not without an own character, but fun. And fun is more important than a lot of theoretical stuff!
they build the speakers on the tippy top of that rock
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I think there are reasons we seem to see more of these economically lopsided comparisons and fewer of the kind that are more appropriate and useful for shoppers.
I may be way off base here, but it seems to me that there’s a risk inherent in ad-supported reviews comparing directly competitive products. It leads to the unavoidable pronouncement that one is better than the other, whether overall or in specific performance categories, which in turn leads to one or the other manufacturer losing some degree of market share. In my admittedly cynical opinion, even magazines that profess to maintain a brick wall separation of editorial and advertising content hate to see anything that will upset advertisers or possibly disrupt the flow of review samples.
It’s much less potentially problematic to say “this $6K amp gets you 98% of the way to this $150K amp,” a comment that’s not going to cause one to eat into the sales of the other. Even if the reviewer pronounces the less expensive product to be “better” in one way or another, it’s not likely it will convince the megabudget shopper to save most of their money and buy the less expensive product.
Then once or twice a year the magazine can publish a “best of” or “buyer’s guide” that lists 4 or 5 competitive products as “the best” in their range without worry about offending any single manufacturer.
Again, I could be way off. Just something to consider.
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I think you’re on track! That’s how magazines deal imo.
But to compare with higher prized gear mainly has another reason and advantage as I tried to point out.
And consider that this can be even more risky for the magazines if the distance is too little.
Who would buy 140k more for 2%? But the one’s 2% is the other one’s 40% 
Remember when Fremer tanked PS Audio’s previous phono pre? I don’t think he has an issue separating friendship from his reputation.
Was that the GCPH? It was the first bit of PS Audio I owned. I can’t say I’ve come across Mr Fremer until recently, When someone is conflicted, which may be a personal friendship, being a personal owner of that manufacturer’s equipment or an investor in the company, the issue is not their honesty but their objectivity. There is a difference.
It appears Mr. Fremer had no problem retaining his objectivity when he reviewed PS Audio’s previous phono pre.
It was the Nuwave Phono Pre. Fremer basically sealed its fate with an honest and objective review. The stellar phono received the opposite from him- Fremer is pretty cut and dry with his assessments. You may not like his style, but I wouldn’t categorize him as a shill.
Now I read the review. I think it’s more than great, for the product, its designer and PS Audio as well as in terms of the review‘s quality itself. I now think to know quite exactly what I could expect from the M1200‘s.
It looks like you couldn’t get a better amp up to its price for lower efficient speakers needing a bit of power…and well above its price it seems to depend a bit if you’re deeper into acoustic or amplified music, while the pure bass control as such seems to be on highest level, just as I expected.
Maybe its advantages are even dominant over the limitations up to the 10-20k range.
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Well, slow down. Once you pair a decent preamp with the M1200’s you are at or near MSRP of Luxman L590AXII integrated, class A.
I haven’t heard the m1200, but from a previous owner of BHK300’s and Luxman, he told me the Luxman 590AXII destroyed the BHKs (his opinion, and he’s owned many dozens of high quality amps - currently Boulder and Gryphon), so I would tap the brakes a bit when contending they beat all things up to $10k or higher (Luxman less than $9k). I’m sure they’re great - not implying otherwise - but they are likely not giant killers of everything under 10k. Keepin’ it real. But of course, it’s all subjective. Everyone’s MMV
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As I didn’t hear any of the M1200 or Luxman, what I assumed is really just based on that review of someone who’s opinion I think I can estimate a bit. I don’t guess the M1200 beats everything up to the mentioned levels in any regard, but it seems to have a high potential in very good setups and how far it’s better than others probably depends on the importance of bass performance.
I wouldn’t have expected a 9k Luxman integrated is anywhere near a BHK, but I also didn’t hear that comparison. I know Gryphon very well and know a setup with a large Boulder Stereo power amp. I’d say Gryphon is very different from Boulder and BHK and especially the M1200, while the Luxman probably is closer to the Gryphon.
When someone ranks the Luxman so much over a BHK, I assume he wants or needs the weight and individual characteristics of a Gryphon in the setup.
All just guessing without having listened (probably shouldn’t do that )
You can now link to the article/review from the Daily Audiophile:
FYI.
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The direct link:
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Wonder if someone has tested the M1200s together with the BHK preamp?
Hello Eral63, I can’t speak for reviewers at Stereophile, The Absolute Sound, etc. but many forum members including myself are using the M1200’s with the BHK preamp! The combination is a fantastic marriage of sonic bliss!! The two work together in extracting every sonic detail a soundtrack has to offer leaving little to the imagination! I’m very pleased and feel they can only be bettered by the more expensive BHK siblings! If you search you will find many comments/reviews of the M1200s with the BHK preamps.
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I have a BHK Pre which I used with a BHK250 for a long time. I then decided to try the M1200’s and WOW!!! My Magnepan 1.7’s came alive in a way I did not expect. Everything about them sounded better to me and I rarely use the BHK250 any more. I might even put it up for sale…
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Sounds great, I have now been in contact with my local PS Audio dealer in Norway and he told me that I could have a BHK Pre home for test. I have a tube preamp in my system today, but should be interesting to compare which is the best sounding 