CH Precision M10 Impressions

[Cincy2]

Hello All,

I've been away for a while. I spent some time listening with marvelous headphones but eventually began to miss the sound of very good two channel audio. I upgraded my front end last year and recently added a CH Precision M10. I would not recommend that anyone purchase this amp unless your music room is on the first floor or you have an elevator. Fortunately, I have a lift otherwise the amp and its gargantuan power supply would have been impossible to install.

The amp is now in place. It likes to run hot so the dealer recommended keeping it on all the time. The temp stabilizes at about 50 deg C. Menu selections and operation are very user friendly once you get it connected. There are so many different options for use (mono, single, bi-amp) the back panel becomes quite a science project. Fortunately the dealer (Ron of Liquid Hi Fi in SC) drove it down to me in Florida and set it up.

I put about 150 hours on it before I started listening critically. My MSB mono blocks were very, very accurate amps with lots of air and precision. The M10 has shown me more in terms of natural vocals and textures in strings. It is impossible to compare apples to apples because I used a different DAC with no preamp previously. I have to say that so far, I am very happy. I still have to treat my room so for the time being the trebles and miss are a little smeared due to room reflections and the bass is muddy due to the naked room corners. I'll update this post when everything is in place. Even in it's current condition, the system is giving me some of the best sound I've heard yet in 25 years in this hobby.

Stay tuned.
Cincy

 

[MadFloyd]

Keep us posted! I am envious!

 

[LL21]

Quite a system! Enjoy and look forward to reading more!

 

[adyc]

Congrats. Is the same the room housing your MSB amp? I believe you had M3 and Q sub before. Quite a big change.

 

[dcathro]

Hi Cincy,

Did you change your entire system and room too?

That is one hell of a system! Congratulations.

 

[Cincy2]

Congrats. Is the same the room housing your MSB amp? I believe you had M3 and Q sub before. Quite a big change.

Yes. Same room.

 

[Cincy2]

Hi Cincy,

Did you change your entire system and room too?

That is one hell of a system! Congratulations.

Thanks yes. Complete reset.

 

[JackD201]

What is that from CAD Cincy? Grounding box? How is it? All our CH gear are grounding ready but I've never used them.

Great system by the way We've got the Pre, Amps and Racks in common

 

[marmota]

Beautiful system, congrats!
What are your thoughts about the Wadax DAC and Server compared to the MSB Select 2 you had before? How does the Wadax sound with regards to tonality, perceived naturalness and resolution compared to the MSB?

 

[Cincy2]

What is that from CAD Cincy? Grounding box? How is it? All our CH gear are grounding ready but I've never used them.

Great system by the way We've got the Pre, Amps and Racks in common

Hi Jack

The CAD box is their GC-R grounding system. I picked this up after hearing their system at the Florida Audio Expo earlier this year. They had a decent system and played it with the grounding system connected and again with it out of the loop. The difference was astounding. I went over that system from plug to driver and couldn't find anyway they were juicing the demo....so I bought one. I can't evaluate it the same way in my system yet as the room is really degrading the sound. I will evaluate as soon as the treatments are in place by performing the same in/out test.

I love the CM racks but I frankly hate dealing with them. They lied to me, changed delivery dates several times and shipped incomplete racks without spikes/balls. Too bad because no one I've found makes a product quite like theirs.

Cincy

 

[Cincy2]

Beautiful system, congrats!
What are your thoughts about the Wadax DAC and Server compared to the MSB Select 2 you had before? How does the Wadax sound with regards to tonality, perceived naturalness and resolution compared to the MSB?

Hi

Thank you. Honestly, at the level of Wadax and MSB the differences are really more about personal preferences. Both of these items are extraordinarily good at what they do. There were two reasons I switched. 1. I am sick. New technology interests me. I had to have new gear. 2. I never found a server I liked. Wadax integrated the Server and DAC and connected them with a bombproof optical link. I feel any improvements I hear are due to the robust interface and harmonized specification.

Cincy

 

[JackD201]

Hi Jack

The CAD box is their GC-R grounding system. I picked this up after hearing their system at the Florida Audio Expo earlier this year. They had a decent system and played it with the grounding system connected and again with it out of the loop. The difference was astounding. I went over that system from plug to driver and couldn't find anyway they were juicing the demo....so I bought one. I can't evaluate it the same way in my system yet as the room is really degrading the sound. I will evaluate as soon as the treatments are in place by performing the same in/out test.

I love the CM racks but I frankly hate dealing with them. They lied to me, changed delivery dates several times and shipped incomplete racks without spikes/balls. Too bad because no one I've found makes a product quite like theirs.

Cincy

I'm looking forward to your impressions when you're all settled.

That's too bad you had those problems with CMS. I'll be sure to remind Joe to send my elbow bearings and spikes on my next order LOL
You're right though, great products. Haven't had any problems but I am one of their distributors, their first international one at that so we go a long way. I will mention very gently that perhaps more care and attention be given to direct customers if you don't mind my passing along the feedback. Obviously our customers go through us and don't go to them.

 

[Cincy2]

I'm looking forward to your impressions when you're all settled.

That's too bad you had those problems with CMS. I'll be sure to remind Joe to send my elbow bearings and spikes on my next order LOL
You're right though, great products. Haven't had any problems but I am one of their distributors, their first international one at that so we go a long way. I will mention very gently that perhaps more care and attention be given to direct customers if you don't mind my passing along the feedback. Obviously our customers go through us and don't go to them.

Jack

I hate calling out small businesses like I just did but they deserved it. The distributor I used has already let them know. No need to pile on.

Cincy

 

[JackD201]

Hi Jack

The CAD box is their GC-R grounding system. I picked this up after hearing their system at the Florida Audio Expo earlier this year. They had a decent system and played it with the grounding system connected and again with it out of the loop. The difference was astounding. I went over that system from plug to driver and couldn't find anyway they were juicing the demo....so I bought one. I can't evaluate it the same way in my system yet as the room is really degrading the sound. I will evaluate as soon as the treatments are in place by performing the same in/out test.

I love the CM racks but I frankly hate dealing with them. They lied to me, changed delivery dates several times and shipped incomplete racks without spikes/balls. Too bad because no one I've found makes a product quite like theirs.

Cincy

I'm looking forward to your impressions when you're all settled.

That's too bad you had those problems with CMS. I'll be sure to remind Joe to send my elbow bearings and spikes on my next order LOL
You're right though, great products. Haven't had any problems but I am one of their distributors, their first international one at that so we go a long way. I will mention very gently that perhaps more care and attention be given to direct customers if you don't mind my passing along the feedback. Obviously our customers go through us and don't go to them.

Jack

I hate calling out small businesses like I just did but they deserved it. The distributor I used has already let them know. No need to pile on.

Cincy

Alright Cincy, I'll stay out of it

 

[heihei]

Incredible system, but I'm interested in the use of B&W speakers - I would have thought they are constraining the upstream electronics?

 

[Cincy2]

Incredible system, but I'm interested in the use of B&W speakers - I would have thought they are constraining the upstream electronics?

They are excellent speakers but you are correct. They are an interim solution. Rockport Orions are on order.

 

[2fastdriving]

They are excellent speakers but you are correct. They are an interim solution. Rockport Orions are on order.

Wow, more congrats are in order! Very nice

 

[KeithR]

Incredible system, but I'm interested in the use of B&W speakers - I would have thought they are constraining the upstream electronics?

Prob would cost 2-3x what they do if made by a typical small manufacturer.

 

[SL1800]

Congrats on a great looking system. I’m considering a M10 as well.

 

[PeterA]

Thanks yes. Complete reset.

congratulations on your new system. I lived happily with Magico speakers for 15 years and then sold the entire system in two weeks for a complete reset. I can relate to what you went through and look forward to reading your listening impressions going forward.