FM review

RayDunzl

New Member
Jun 26, 2014
289
2
0
Tampa
Gee...

129800 Swiss Franc equals
130223.23 US Dollar

I just use the digital outs on a $50 Auvio HD Tuner.

I guess it isn't the best, but, I'm good.

$_1.JPG

---

Oh, forget all that, I thought FM was FM...

As it says below, I'll be back later...
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
6,774
1,198
580
Boston, MA
FM products are rarely reviewed, so when they are its a big deal.

http://highfidelity.pl/@main-639&lang=en

Nice read, thanks; and it confirms lots of similarities in philosophy with my favorite Spectral; e.g.

Each piece is created at its own pace – there is no production quota to be met. Since the company is small, production is not increased, so the number of units ready for shipment is limited – you have to wait for them for quite a long time, just like for devices produced by Spectral or Phasemation.

The company also has its own unique approach to cables, resulting both from opinions known from the professional market, as well as the company’s own experiences and technical requirements. Let us take power cables as an example – they are permanently attached to FM Acoustics devices and cannot be replaced. The intention is to ensure current flow undisturbed by connectors and plugs, and to make it unnecessary for us to buy them.

It is similar in the case of speaker cables. If we want to buy an FM Acoustics amplifier, we also have to purchase original Forcelines speaker cables.

Instead of carbon potentiometers, the company has again used potentiometers with conductive plastic.

Great stuff!
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Gee...

129800 Swiss Franc equals
130223.23 US Dollar

I just use the digital outs on a $50 Auvio HD Tuner.

I guess it isn't the best, but, I'm good.

View attachment 26076

---

Oh, forget all that, I thought FM was FM...

As it says below, I'll be back later...

lol

You'd better :D
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
The FM Acoustic 268 was the first FM Acoustic component that got my full attention. I wanted to have it the first time I heard it. This product was so listenable, naturally musical and resolving. It was an unforgettable moment of an experience very much like the first time I heard the Quad 57esl or the Koetsu cartridge.

This 268 is never a mismatch in any system. In my experience, it made every system that it is part of more realistic and listenable.

The 268C adds another control over the 268. Sonically, I cannot tell the difference between the two. The 268 is still available but for a very minimal amount, one can get a 268C with an additional function.
 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,024
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520
Eastern WA
I find the use of any signal level potentiometer as a huge turn off...
 

Dave_A

New Member
Feb 25, 2013
103
0
0
lasvegasaudioclub.blogspot.com
On post #6, yes, I have a 268.

cool, dare i ask how it sounds, lol. i had a 244c and 611 way back when..the 244 was flawless, but the 611..i didn't love it as i should have because it would shut off and go into thermal when pushed hard. i recently read somewhere this was due to a small case and not that much heat sinking...and the amp was plugged into a 30 amp dedicated circuit...so, i wasn't too sad to sell it really..but i kind of am selling the 244c. now, i can't even imagine buying new fm gear..they're just too tough with that price...yes, i can't afford it...so, i have to make due with cheaper brands like bryston and pass labs...
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
Hi Dave_A,

On your post #9, may I refer you to two posts by two friends on their impression on the sound of my system:
1) post #34 in "Mullard88's Main Listening Room"
2) post #14 in "One Amigo Visits South East Asia and Hears Some Amazing Systems"

My own impressions are what I have stated on post #5. I am always curious on how a piece of equipment interacts with other pieces in a system and how the system as a whole sounds like.

As I stated in post #5, this is the first FMA product that caught my attention. To my ears, the other FMA line stages are just not in the league of the 268. I became aware of FMA when more than 30 years ago, Manny Huber visited me to demo his FMA 300 amp on my Acoustat 2+2 speakers. The FMA drove my Acoustat 2+2 with ease but I did not feel involvement with the music at that time. When the 268 was introduced, it was only priced at US$75,000. At that time, I thought it was overpriced. But years and years of listening to it endeared it to me. I should have bought it sooner. By the time I resolved to finally acquire it, the price had gone up to about US$130,000. And this was the only FMA line stage that had a waiting line. My unit stayed with my dealer another 2 years before I finally brought I home. While at my dealer's, I had it connected in series with his 268. This to me was paradise as I appreciate resolution of details. My dealer always teases me on my readiness to order the second 268. As of last night, I have discovered a new and perhaps cheaper way of achieving this extra resolution when friend who is also a member of our forum lent me a pair of 6 feet Master Built Signature speaker cables.

Sam
 

dafos

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
306
0
401
I was hosted by Sam two primarily to listen to his stacked quad 57. To say the least, ive finally realised and experienced what a properly set up quad 57 sounds like. If midrange purity, clarity and naturalness is your cup of tea, these are hard to beat. It left me asking what all these new exotic drivers are delivering that has not been achieved in 1957 when I wasn't even born yet!

Of course what I heard was a system and to me the FM acoustics preamp was as natural sounding as I've heard as it clearly brought out the difference between a 47 labs transport/DAC against the Berkley DAC. We were not able to compare the FM preamp with any other but as far as I'm concerned It simply delivered to the power amp and to the quads whatever signal was fed to it, no more no less.
 

Dave_A

New Member
Feb 25, 2013
103
0
0
lasvegasaudioclub.blogspot.com
Hi Dave_A,

On your post #9, may I refer you to two posts by two friends on their impression on the sound of my system:
1) post #34 in "Mullard88's Main Listening Room"
2) post #14 in "One Amigo Visits South East Asia and Hears Some Amazing Systems"

My own impressions are what I have stated on post #5. I am always curious on how a piece of equipment interacts with other pieces in a system and how the system as a whole sounds like.

As I stated in post #5, this is the first FMA product that caught my attention. To my ears, the other FMA line stages are just not in the league of the 268. I became aware of FMA when more than 30 years ago, Manny Huber visited me to demo his FMA 300 amp on my Acoustat 2+2 speakers. The FMA drove my Acoustat 2+2 with ease but I did not feel involvement with the music at that time. When the 268 was introduced, it was only priced at US$75,000. At that time, I thought it was overpriced. But years and years of listening to it endeared it to me. I should have bought it sooner. By the time I resolved to finally acquire it, the price had gone up to about US$130,000. And this was the only FMA line stage that had a waiting line. My unit stayed with my dealer another 2 years before I finally brought I home. While at my dealer's, I had it connected in series with his 268. This to me was paradise as I appreciate resolution of details. My dealer always teases me on my readiness to order the second 268. As of last night, I have discovered a new and perhaps cheaper way of achieving this extra resolution when friend who is also a member of our forum lent me a pair of 6 feet Master Built Signature speaker cables.

Sam

hi sam,

interesting story! can you provide lnks to your articles please?

again, i definitely appreciate how realistic the fm sound is...it is the true sound of music, and at that price it ought to be.and again, if i was able toafford it, then by all means, i woud be ordering 1 now. matter of fact, my dad (may herest in peace) was a medical doctor who made very good money, was going to help me with the purchase of 2 fm units and all the cables and what not. when i informed him of the price, he told me even he could not afford it, so what's that saying? lol.

now don't get me wrong, i am not saying that fm isn't worth the money, but it is overpriced at least here in the us. and fm is ultimately still audio equipment subject to the whims of the used market..i mean manuel talks about all of the music lovers out there want fm and that fm is not for the audiophile into specs, tinkering around with equipment, and basically are more equipment lovers instead of music lovers. manuel is very idealistic and thats wonderful but what he charges do not allow 99 percent of music lovers worldwide to own his wares.and that is quite sad really...and then you again, face the prospect of audio equipment having poor resale value. i hate to sy this, but much better investments are fine art and quality real estate. so even if you get 70 percent of the new price you are still losing thousands! a lot of people that can even afford fm are gonna be turned off by this...

so basically i'm surprised that fm is so back-ordered.despite the very high prices...other high end companies are back ordered as well, are hand built, and are very well made, and they charge much less...sure you can say that fm is much more realistic in sound, but is that really enough to put down just for 1 unit when you can invest into an entire system and a damn good 1 at that....i'll leave that up to you guys to answer that 1 as that is quite the hot potato! lol.

anyway, that's about it for now...thanks for reading this and i look forward to the discussion in regards to this post...:cool:
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
Hi Dave_A,

Replying to your post #13:

1) What do you mean by providing links to my articles?

2) I'm in the dark on how FMA products are priced in the US. Manuel Huber is a music lover himself and also a very dedicated researcher on how to reproduce music. He told me most of his clients are professionally involved in the music industry. They typically work in recording studios, or setting up the sound system in live concerts, or are the artists themselves. There are very few used units that come into the market as his clients consider his equipment keepers. I totally agree that fine art and quality real estate are better investments. I don't consider audio equipment as a form of investment. This is an expense of the hobby.
3) From what I know, FM equipment, except for the 268 and 1811, are readily available.
 

Dave_A

New Member
Feb 25, 2013
103
0
0
lasvegasaudioclub.blogspot.com
Hi Dave_A,

Replying to your post #13:

1) What do you mean by providing links to my articles?

2) I'm in the dark on how FMA products are priced in the US. Manuel Huber is a music lover himself and also a very dedicated researcher on how to reproduce music. He told me most of his clients are professionally involved in the music industry. They typically work in recording studios, or setting up the sound system in live concerts, or are the artists themselves. There are very few used units that come into the market as his clients consider his equipment keepers. I totally agree that fine art and quality real estate are better investments. I don't consider audio equipment as a form of investment. This is an expense of the hobby.
3) From what I know, FM equipment, except for the 268 and 1811, are readily available.


ok, let me ask you this...where do i find your articles so i may read them, please...

i agree with you about manuel, he's a special individual...i say that with all honesty. the man has integrity and is pretty much a cool down to earth guy. he's the mysterious wizard in the swiss alps casting his spell on music lovers and audiophiles worldwide with his incomporable works of art that is fm equipment, lol..

well, if it's people like that, then they definitely have the money...but again, the fact remains that most music lovers, audiophiles, or what have you just don't have the money to buy fm. this includes professional invividuals such as doctors like my late father, lawyers, and small business owners...unfortunately, even they have to settle for less expensive and lesser quality brands. this includes myself whose current amp and preamp is (don't laugh) the bryston brand...sorry, but it's all i could afford

it's just sad that most music lovers and audiophiles are not able to afford fm equipment...again, always has been expensive, but much more in the reach of more music lovers and audiophiles than there is now. and not being in the fm factory i don't 100 percent know this, but however the build quality, what goes into the fm units and the infamous testing of the componentry such as the transistors is pretty much the same as it was 20 years ago...compare the marketing hype and technical bulletins from then and compare them to now...it's pretty much the same...there's not a hell of a lot of difference here.

look i'm not calling manuel some gredy s o b but again, the prices are just not commensurate with the real world finacial status of 99 percent of the population worldwide..unless you're the ceos of the biggest corporations, brain surgeons, big name corporate attorneys, arab oil sheiks, wall street, hollywood a-list actors and actresses, big name rock stars, etc...

speaking of which, yeah i dunno how they come up withthe prices for new equipment, and again, trying to get a price list from the distributors and/or the fm factory is like pulling teeth! this is absurd and can be real turnoff for most potential customers...

anyway, that's it for now, i look forward to your reply...
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I was hosted by Sam two primarily to listen to his stacked quad 57. To say the least, ive finally realised and experienced what a properly set up quad 57 sounds like. If midrange purity, clarity and naturalness is your cup of tea, these are hard to beat. It left me asking what all these new exotic drivers are delivering that has not been achieved in 1957 when I wasn't even born yet!

Of course what I heard was a system and to me the FM acoustics preamp was as natural sounding as I've heard as it clearly brought out the difference between a 47 labs transport/DAC against the Berkley DAC. We were not able to compare the FM preamp with any other but as far as I'm concerned It simply delivered to the power amp and to the quads whatever signal was fed to it, no more no less.

I love visiting Sam's. Where else could one find such seemingly strange but drop dead combinations such as he employs every so often? I was knocked out by the FM/Lamm combo.
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
Thank you for your kind words Jack. I like playing conductor to change the colors of the music. The results are a reflection of my mood of the time.
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
Hi Dave_A,

I do not understand what you mean by my articles. I am not a writer nor am I a reviewer. I do not write articles.

Manuel's factory is in Switzerland but he resides somewhere in Asia.

If you want an FMA piece bad enough, you will save up for it.
 

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