M24Comments

Thank you, Mr. Poon, for encouraging me to try out the M24 instead of
the M33. It is clearly superior to the M33, which I very much enjoyed
in the late Nineties.

I already have a small mini-review at:
http://www.audioasylum.com /forums/tubediy/messages/101268.html
which you are free to reprint or put on your website. I'll be writing
a more lengthy review for Positive Feedback, with much more technical
analysis, if they aren't interested, put it on the ClariSonus blog at:
http://www.clarisonus.com/blog /

Lynn Olson

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

March 6th, 2006

CC-
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your response to my email with respect to the questions I had about the se250's and also the M24 DAC. I wanted to share a couple of things that I have done:

I put the 6922's which you gave me, into the 250's and really liked the sound as compared to the 6DJ8's. I thought the sound was a bit smoother, with more pronounced lows with a greater sound-stage. I was very happy with the tube switch. I then purchased a matched set of Amperex 6922 PQ's, white label, to try in the amps. Admittedly while these are expensive tubes, I had read some great things about these particular tubes and I was anxious to hear how they would sound in the SE250's. Well, I must say the sound was just amazing! Your amps REALLY do respond to the sonic characteristics of the tube and I thought the Amperex tubes did sound better than the Phillips JAN 6922's.

When I got your email I thought that I would try putting in the Phillips 6922's into the M24's output stage as suggested. Interestingly enough, I did not like the result. For whatever reason, I felt the highs were very harsh - excessively so. I then replaced the 6922's with the stock tubes of the M24 and I think that I've got the best sound coming from my discs that I can get; save spending thousands of dollars more, which I won't be doing. I just want to say the results of using your electronics is nothing short of amazing and given the price point, almost too good to be true.

I have the M24 DAC connected in between my transport, which is nothing special; a Pioneer Elite unit, and my pre-amp which is another Pioneer Elite product, model C90, which is, I think, a great solid-state preamp. I use the Monarchy upsampler, and set the sampling rate at 96 kHz. As interconnects, I use Monarchy digital cables (1/2" model) between the transport, upsampler and DAC.

The interconnects that I use for the SE250's are Kimber Kable. Because I live in a small apartment in Boston, space is an issue, so rather than floor standing speakers, I use very average Cambridge Soundworks satellite speakers with a powered subwoofer. I know you'll chuckle at using such a small speaker set up with the SE-250's, but the results are quite stunning. The quality of the sound, the sound-stage that I can achieve with satellite speakers is really unbelievable. The speakers will handle 150w, and while I know i could drive the speakers well past their power capabilities, it is really never an issue as the quality and clarity of the sound is so good, moderate level of gain is all that is needed. I also use the SE250's as part of my video/home theater set up and the sound experience, albeit only 2 channel is terrific.

In closing, great products. I always talk about Monarchy to my friends here on the east coast, although, admittedly, it is not a name that well recognized around these parts. I hope your new DAC continues to get great reviews and that your Company receives continued recognition as a leader in the audiophile industry.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Mead
je.mead@verizon.net

Jun 7, 2006

Hi Ming-
I thought you had forgotten about me! I hope your trip to Hong Kong
was enjoyable. Thanks for the review on the M24. I am really enjoying
the SE250's and have been doing some tube rolling. Presently I am
using a pair of Siemens 7308's in the amps - wonderful sound. And I
put the Amperex white label PQ 6922's into the digital section of the
M24, which is just a great DAC!! Truly some GREAT sounds coming from
my discs that I honestly never heard before!! And I love amps, but
they do run HOT!!

Another thing the amps have done is caused me to rediscover my vinyl
record collection. I purchased a tube phono stage from a company based
in Hong Kong, called Audio Experience. The sound that I am getting
from vinyl, I never heard from my solid state amp set up. I'm thinking
it is the combination of both the SE 250's and my phono stage.

Anyhow, I am enjoying the "tube" sound so much, hence my question to
you on the tube pre-amp models that Monarchy used to make. (My present
pre-amp is solid state.) Let know what CC finds.

Thanks again for the review!

-Jeff

je.mead@verizon.net