…I’m just wondering if the 700 will be a great improvement over the Sunfire which is a 7 channel amp. giving out 400 watts into 8ohm and 800 watts into 4ohms. I have the Magnepan 3.8 and new center speakers which demand power, the more the merrier. I’ve had the Sunfire for so many years that I cannot, for the life of me, remember when I purchased it (used from audiogon.com). It has to have been something like 15 years ago, but I’m just guessing.
I don’t like the “raspy” sound that I’m getting. I don’t believe that its the Maggies or the Audioquest cables that I am using. I am an audiophile and love classical music as well as classic movies and, to some degree, the 4K block busters that are available on disc. But, I want to hear deep into the music and have the inner details of the orchestra audible in the soft musical passages as well as the full orchestra loud passages. I don’t believe that I can go any further with the Sunfire which needs a good retirement home (actually, I’m trading it in for six 700’s which I’m eager to receive either at the end of this week or next week). (I also have the OPPO 205 4k audiophile player in use.)
I would imagine so. The Sunfires were good for their price and power - but they always sounded a bit hard and glare-like when pressed hard. At least to me. The M700 is the exact opposite. Once broken in, they are sweet and open even at loud levels.
Thank you so much for relieving my stress regarding the Sunfire. I guess, after all the years of Sunfire use, I’ve become so accustomed to the power that I only recently, after getting the Maggie 3.8’s realized the hardness and glare-like sound. I’m so looking forward for the 700’s that I want them yesterday!
Me too. Just remember they really do need a lot of break in. At first the top end has a rather harsh edge to it but give them time. I’m at about 100 hours of continuous (mostly very low level play–I do have neighbors on one common wall) and things have improved dramatically.
I’ve tried them both on the Sunfire system I have now and I “think” I hear a difference. However, I was stupid enough to sit through the first of four repeats of the Purist Audio Design (the disc requires four repeats totaling 5 hours) and when I got up after the first go round, I became dizzy and felt like the room was spinning! (So much for intelligence!) I left the room for the remaining 3 repeats.
I’ve had a couple “demagnetizer” and other “system enhancer” discs but I’m not convinced they make a real difference. In any event, for equipment burn-in I just put a bunch of albums in the queue, set it on repeat and close the door. You could do the same with your enhancer discs. Might or might not help but shouldn’t hurt.
…well…since I do have these discs, I’ll give them a spin…I don’t have the luxury of playing discs on end for a great period of time…I live alone and it would drive me crazy!..so, I’ll do my best.
My burn in go-to is beach / ocean waves recordings. They sound a lot like the Hagerman Frybaby burn in signal generator. This makes for soothing background / ambience sound and burn in media. I use that and whatever music strikes the mood at the time.
I am ever so slowly learning to not dismiss out of hand various audiophile tweaks but there are some things that just peg the BS meter. It is likely to take an act of god for me to believe that sticking some fingernail sized blue (or whatever color) dots on the wall could possibly make ANY, much less noticeable difference in the sound quality. On the other hand, I have by multiple experiences been forced to accept that burn in is real, and have little difficulty imagining that the signal being processed can have some effect. While I do think that the particular signal can have some effect on the results, I question any claims that some specific, special waveform is likely to have any significant long term effect. I don’t buy burn in discs.
I don’t know what it is but, aside from the Magnepan 3.8 speakers being so revealing of everything, I do hear a “bit” of more detail to the CD’s I’m listening to…call it my imagination…or whatever, but…the reality of my situation is that the Sunfire amp, as Paul indicated above, does reflect glare in reproducing sound…and, because I’ve had them for almost a life time (sort of)…I can’t really stand to listen to it much…my 700’s are supposedly coming, probably, next week and I just can’t wait!
Hi Edward - Duncan here from PS Sales dept. I just wanted to give you an update - because you ordered six at once, we want to match them closely and burn them in a little for you. I promise it will be worth the wait! Woody tells me they will be at my desk soon.
Hi Edward - Duncan here from PS Sales dept. I just wanted to give you an update - because you ordered six at once, we want to match them closely and burn them in a little for you. I promise it will be worth the wait! Woody tells me they will be at my desk soon.
Hi Duncan,
I’m very great full that you want to do this for me. I have a 6.0 surround system with an Anthem Statement D2v3d processor and matching and burning in the 700’s would be such a great help. The L/F/R speakers are Magnepan’s, the two surround and one back are Sunfire bi-directional (if that’s the correct term). I also have two Magnepan woofers: they are not sub woofers but, rather bring out the lowest frequencies from the 3.8 L/R towers. I really am looking forward for the wait!
Burn baby, burn! Edward - here’s a shot of your M700s burning in before we ship them to you. They’ve enjoyed 24 hours of Derrick Hodge’s recent solo album The Second. Today they’re jamming to John Mayer’s new one on repeat, and tomorrow I think I’ll expose them to some Gary Burton.
Thank you very much…I’ve been wondering how far along you were…the units look great and I can’t wait for them!
Thanks, again. REQUEST: can they be sent in three boxes, two amps in each plus the Dectet Power Conditioner? I’d appreciate it…I don’t have the strength to have two boxes sent.
My pair of M700s came in two boxes. You’ll probably get 6 or 7, depending on what they do with the Dectet.
stevem2,
…PS Audio sales informed me that each 700 would come in it’s own package (meaning six packages) plus the extra package for the Dectet Power Center. I don’t mind receiving seven packages. It will be much easier to open each one apart from the others while installing it in my system.
The one question I have is, after their burning in the six amps for a period of 72 hours, will I still need to devote more time in my system for additional burn in.
I think it depends on what you mean by “need to.” The amps will benefit from additional burn-in so they will continue to improve for a while but you should be able to enjoy using them in the meantime. The 72-hour burn-in should take most of the initial high-frequency edge off. If you can conveniently leave them playing while you are not around I would suggest doing so but you shouldn’t worry about it too much.
I think it depends on what you mean by “need to.” The amps will benefit from additional burn-in so they will continue to improve for a while but you should be able to enjoy using them in the meantime. The 72-hour burn-in should take most of the initial high-frequency edge off. If you can conveniently leave them playing while you are not around I would suggest doing so but you shouldn’t worry about it too much.
...thanks, stevem2...
Update: PS Audio will keep the 700’s to burn-in and ship them on Monday which will have had a total of over 200 hours break-in time.
I’m very greatful to the company team to go that extra mile for me. It’s a rare company which would do such a thing.
