New M1 Arriving

Priaptor

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Jan 28, 2012
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Fantastic! Really looking forward to feedback on these speakers and this system.

It’s going to be a very interesting comparison for me to compare these to the Nola Concert Grands to compare a line source of ribbons and cones to the “bending wave” transducer of the Gobels.

The upper harmonic detail of the Gobel is already amazing with less than a day of burn in and not setup where they need to go. As much as I want I really don’t like to do a serious listen “right out of the box” as despite the naysayers regarding break in if I made any judgment right out of the box my Nolas would have come and gone the first day instead of what turned into one of the best journeys in my audiophile life. Having said that my “initial impressions” of upper harmonics on this is like nothing I have heard. We shall see.

Our plan is to spend most of the day tomorrow with 48 hours on them getting placement close to perfect for my room then leveling the speakers and removing the gliders and planting them with the feet where they belong.
 

Elliot G.

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Jul 22, 2010
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It’s going to be a very interesting comparison for me to compare these to the Nola Concert Grands to compare a line source of ribbons and cones to the “bending wave” transducer of the Gobels.

The upper harmonic detail of the Gobel is already amazing with less than a day of burn in and not setup where they need to go. As much as I want I really don’t like to do a serious listen “right out of the box” as despite the naysayers regarding break in if I made any judgment right out of the box my Nolas would have come and gone the first day instead of what turned into one of the best journeys in my audiophile life. Having said that my “initial impressions” of upper harmonics on this is like nothing I have heard. We shall see.

Our plan is to spend most of the day tomorrow with 48 hours on them getting placement close to perfect for my room then leveling the speakers and removing the gliders and planting them with the feet where they belong.

Today I can announce that the speakers in Priaptor's listening room are the New Epoque Aeon Fine speakers. These are the first pair in the United States and in fact they will debut at the coming Axpona Show in April. For further details look under the Gobel Forum.
 

Elliot G.

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I just received my C1, L1 and another M1 which I plan on keeping since someone took mine and wont give it back LOL.
I am going to use this at Axpona and just un boxed them and set them up to burn in at my office with the Gobel cables.
CH does a really nice job of packing and shipping.
 

ashandger

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Jun 14, 2013
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Just in case you may have missed it, Roy Gregory used the L1 and M1 for his recent review of the Wilson Benesch Resolution speakers on The Audio Beat and seems to have been extremely impressed by them.
 

Folsom

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I got to play around with an M1 a bit today. It sounds like a pretty good amp. The adjustable global feedback is interesting to play with. There are benefite to higher and lower, which makes it odd for chosing. I will be able to comment a bit more in a few weeks when I get to play some more and burn in is more. It sounds better as just a stereo amp than a great many well known amplifiers, most of which cost more or a lot more.
 

JackD201

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Interesting to play with indeed especially since gain and feedback go hand in hand and both are adjustable :)
 

Folsom

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I had the gain down because the speakers are sensitive and I wanted the MSB DAC to run warmer instead of colder.

I would actually hope that they don't play too intimately... to me that's not good.
 

JackD201

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My understanding is that the interplay is unavoidable as the feedback circuits feed on input gain so some make up (output which is provided) may be required. Ultimately I felt the effect was more on damping than anything else. My speakers are pretty sensitive too thus quick to start and stop. They worked perfectly fine with zero negative feedback and no make up gain. While I experimented in the end I stayed with the default settings.
 

Folsom

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There's -11 to 11 I believe, were you at 0 or -11? Instructions are not clear if -11 is the lowest starting, 24db, or if 24db if at 0.

Zero feedback was definitely wrong sounding. 10% brought life, 30% might be better after burn in but was a give and take with 10% between better instruments on 30% and better vocals on 10%. The 30% could be good for vocals to, as it showed more character, but it was a little tight feeling probably cause of a lack of burn in. 100% was actually fun but made a lot of music sound too clinical, and the bass was way to tight, unrealistically. Anything sounded weird with feedback for the first few minutes.
 

JackD201

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For the duration of burn in I was going between 10 and 20%. I added some make up gain and that seemed to have eased the L1 preamp a bit. After a couple of hundred hours, I found the sound a tad over damped and went back down to zero which at the beginning was under damped and a bit fuzzy in places because of traces of overhang. As it is speaker dependent, I wonder what settings I will eventually end up with with Big Blues. I have a sneaking suspicion that I may end up maybe 10% and two clicks up on the gain as the midrange drivers might need a touch more BEMF. We'll see. :) The process is akin to tube rolling in a way. Mullards on one end, Teles on the other. I'm kind of an Amperex/Valvo guy so I have to find that spot in between :D
 

Priaptor

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Jan 28, 2012
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For the duration of burn in I was going between 10 and 20%. I added some make up gain and that seemed to have eased the L1 preamp a bit. After a couple of hundred hours, I found the sound a tad over damped and went back down to zero which at the beginning was under damped and a bit fuzzy in places because of traces of overhang. As it is speaker dependent, I wonder what settings I will eventually end up with with Big Blues. I have a sneaking suspicion that I may end up maybe 10% and two clicks up on the gain as the midrange drivers might need a touch more BEMF. We'll see. :) The process is akin to tube rolling in a way. Mullards on one end, Teles on the other. I'm kind of an Amperex/Valvo guy so I have to find that spot in between :D

I am now using the M1 driven direct by my MSB select driving Gobels new amazing Epoque Fine Aeon. I’m the first to have them while burning them in for Axpona. Amazing combo.

I’m finding Oliver’s recommendation of 20% to be perfect for his speaker. With my NOLA Concert grand Gold 0% hit the button.

Gain I found +2.5 just the right match for he MSB.
 

rsorren1

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Sep 6, 2013
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Thanks for the update. I am eager to hear your impressions of the Göbel Epoque Fine Aeon. Please continue to keep us posted as you have. I will be at the Munich show this year and have Göbel on my list to hear. Interestingly, I have been running my stereo M1 with 2.5 dB gain and 20% feedback ratio driving Zellaton Stage and REL G1 sub. It just sounds right to me. Enjoy
 

Priaptor

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Thanks for the update. I am eager to hear your impressions of the Göbel Epoque Fine Aeon. Please continue to keep us posted as you have. I will be at the Munich show this year and have Göbel on my list to hear. Interestingly, I have been running my stereo M1 with 2.5 dB gain and 20% feedback ratio driving Zellaton Stage and REL G1 sub. It just sounds right to me. Enjoy

Very interesting we are sharing the same settings.

I think you love the new Aeon. I posted my 10 day impressions as the Epoque Fine Aeon in my room are almost there and just have gotten so amazing I have to say I’m impressed. Here is what I posted:

I won’t be at Axpona but Elliot will be taking the Aeons from my room to show there.

I know he will be showing with CH Precision which he recently took delivery of and is busy burning them in before the show in addition to setting up his studio.

Now 10 days+ the new Epoque Fine Aeons are a spectacular speaker. I personally have never experienced a speaker as neutral, transparent and accurate as these. It is VERY HARD to believe these are the same speakers from 10 days ago. 10 days ago out of the box I was worried.

I really recommend people stop by and listen. I am now a believer in what I thought was impossible. These things are the most accurate and resolving speakers I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Other brands I have owned have resolved with the cost of of some harshness at the top end (no not my NOLAs, rather not name the brand(s) to protect myself from attacks). These are just right. These are not speakers that produce a muddy or somewhat “bloated” mid bass to satisfy a certain type listener. Setup properly they are as dynamic as any possibly with the exception of the lowest most octave. However the bass is dead on accurate, resolving and spectacular.

Vocals are in another dimension as are strings and horns. Nothing I have heard quite like it.

Even the most complex of music where there is a “blending” of the players each and every layer of detail can be accurately placed.

Speakers give a more refined holographic presentation without bloat and with perfect dimension and placement than any panel speaker I have ever heard.

I never heard his last Fine but the Aeon is a real winner in my book. Now if only I could afford them.

Plus they passed the “wife test” on looks and she actually listened and was shocked. Never happened before. She wanted to hear more. I kicked her out as I wanted my crappy chair back, which is soon being replaced as some of you know.
 

Elliot G.

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Jul 22, 2010
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Thanks for the update. I am eager to hear your impressions of the Göbel Epoque Fine Aeon. Please continue to keep us posted as you have. I will be at the Munich show this year and have Göbel on my list to hear. Interestingly, I have been running my stereo M1 with 2.5 dB gain and 20% feedback ratio driving Zellaton Stage and REL G1 sub. It just sounds right to me. Enjoy
Please stop by and hear the new speakers at MOC. Oliver will be showing the new Aeon Reference for the first time at the show. We plan on going to Germany as well and hopefully I can run into you there.
Travel safe,
Elliot
 
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Kingsrule

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The M1's are very intriguing to me.

But the Android only control app is a deal breaker. Short sighted on CH's part that there is no Apple app.....
 

Priaptor

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Jan 28, 2012
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The M1's are very intriguing to me.

But the Android only control app is a deal breaker. Short sighted on CH's part that there is no Apple app.....

I agree about their refusal to go iOS BUT there really is very little to do with the App when it comes to the M1. I got myself a 49 dollar android tablet to set up the M1 remotely, mute it or turn it off. It is really a tiny price to pay for such an amazing and flexible amp EVEN if it is android only. However, I too have been harping for iOS support to no avail.
 

Kingsrule

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Point taken but I refuse to have another piece of hardware next to me.

The world of control is on iPad's........
 

Priaptor

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Point taken but I refuse to have another piece of hardware next to me.

The world of control is on iPad's........

I get it, trust me.

The only additional point I would make is that few if any other amps I know of have this flexibility and uniqueness particularly from a remote standpoint so the only reason other competitors wouldn't run into this issue is because they don't offer what the M1 offers in terms of flexibility from a remote standpoint. Sitting in your chair and setting gain and feedback is really awesome. Alternatively, you could just ignore the iOS app and do everything via the menu at the amp. The app is really a side benefit that few if any others offer.
 

Folsom

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The M1 is very easy to setup on the front control panel, too. I wouldn't worry in the least about the app... You'll probably not use it.
 

Kingsrule

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So how else would one put the amps into standbye from a remote location?
As far as I can tell u need the app
 

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