Is there a new What's Best Standard? FM Acoustics @KLIAV

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Hi LL21,

Have you given the FMA electronics a home audition?

Yes. The 111 monos. Just finished. Will consolidate thoughts and post. Overall, very impressive.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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So will draft my notes here now...and then likely update this particular post as my thoughts settle on the FM111 monos. Overall:

1. Thank you. Touraj is gracious, generous with his time and advice. Fantastic and a both an industry expert with a long track record of excellent in his own business...as well as a tremendous ambassador for FMA. Most grateful for his time today.

2. Music:
- Bach Goldberg Variations: Glenn Gould 1983...piano solo
- Bach: Mass in B Minor - Netherlands Bach Society...choral
- Eva Cassidy: A'int No Sunshine...female vocals
- John Digweed: Live in Cordoba(CD1)...deep house
- Fink: Perfect Darkness...mix of electronic, acoustic, band

_____________________________

2 .Tonal qualities of the FMA 108 (heard in different system) and now in FM111 monos in my own system appear to be truly exceptional. It is my personal priority, and I liked what i heard.

3. FM also presents a surprisingly unvarnished and yet incredibly organic sound...again exceedingly rare.

_____________________________

Relative to the Gryphon Colosseum:

- Bach Piano: The piano tonality was surprisingly similar. I was quite pleased about this. FMA soundstage was ever so slightly more diffuse...but i CANNOT say which is 'correct'
- Bach Mass: The delineation of instruments on FMA was perhaps a touch better. Overall, I like the deep well of foundation that the Gryphon provides (potentially in the bass which we'll come back to)

- John Digweed: Bass...bass...bass. Here there was a marked difference. The Gryphon provided a Godzillian amount of control over a live-concert of deep house riffs that the FMA did not provide. With the FM 111 monos, I felt the subterranean work slipping away into extended vibrations, warbles I do not hear with Gryphon. With Gryphon, bass wacks and disappears immediately or fades steadily into background...as opposed to warbles away or bleeds into next wack. There is no question or doubt about each bass wack, any more than when you heard Middle C struck by Glenn Gould. There is control and precision in the bass with Gryphon.

Touraj did start changing cables to see...and believed (perhaps rightly so) that other adjustments, areas etc...might be revealed that could bring this all back to a well timed, tight presentation. Overall, his adjustments did start to work.

However, to my own way of thinking about this music, i really did prefer Gryphon's presentation of deep bass...not only for its bass thwacks on deep house, but also for its foundation in classical like Bach Mass in B Minor...it is a different dimension of realism which i have grown to appreciate now that I have it, and it is hard to miss it even if it is an 'error' of omission. not right not wrong, but my preference.

And of course, there are the 115 monos, the 411, the 711 and the ultimate 1811...and my instincts tell me that this could ultimately be solved by trying those
_____________________________

Initial Conclusion:

Exceptional tonality and surprisingly similar to the Gryphon Colosseum...was not necessarily expecting this. For someone whose priority is this purity of tonality...i cannot emphasize enough how well the FMA delivered today on purity of tone...truly exceptional in my experience. Very very special not only because of its purity, but also its suppleness, remarkable ease and its incredible dexterity and level of detail...and very importantly, its alacrity.

There 'might' be a thin layer of veneer removed with FMA. Emphasize might but i do think so...nothing that ever bothered me with Gryphon.

Bass needs re-looking at...the Gryphon's work in the subterranean areas is immense, powerful, controlled and like nothing i have yet to experience. It might not be 'fair' to ask the 111s to match the Gryphon where its forte here is well documented.

I intend to continue to reflect on FMA for some time. Definitely on a short list of perhaps 3 amps that rank up there for me (Boulder, Gryphon, FMA)...and from memory FMA edged out the Boulder where the Boulder's mids did not feel nearly as supple and organic as the Gryphon and FMA, thus, perhaps a shortlist of 2.

Certainly a great experience led by a great professional to whom I am most thankful for his time!
 
Last edited:

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
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Thanks nice write-up. Which pre were you using, did you try the FM pre?
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Thanks nice write-up. Which pre were you using, did you try the FM pre?

CJ GAT 2...we disconnected the TA Opus cables and used Touraj's cables preamp to amp and amp to speaker. Touraj had an FMA preamp with him but elected not to use it.
 

infinitely baffled

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Nice write up Lloyd. Covered all the bases that are of interest to me


And had me scurrying to my cd rack to check whether i have John Digweed's Barcelona mix
Montreal, Brooklyn, Cordoba, Toronto....but no Barcelona
Will remedy asap
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
Take your time LL21. It took me years and years to decide. By the time I took the plunge, there were two models of the 268 already. There is the regular 268 and the 268C. Did you use the FMA forcelines during your evaluation? For my own preference, nothing worked as well as Forcelines with FMA electronics. That’s the reason in my all MasterBuilt cabled system, I retained the Forcelines between the 268C and all amplifiers.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Nice write up Lloyd. Covered all the bases that are of interest to me


And had me scurrying to my cd rack to check whether i have John Digweed's Barcelona mix
Montreal, Brooklyn, Cordoba, Toronto....but no Barcelona
Will remedy asap

Shoot...sorry! It WAS Cordoba. If you listen to the 1st track on 1st CD...that bass is powerful, deep rooted and needs to be well controlled by the amp.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Take your time LL21. It took me years and years to decide. By the time I took the plunge, there were two models of the 268 already. There is the regular 268 and the 268C. Did you use the FMA forcelines during your evaluation? For my own preference, nothing worked as well as Forcelines with FMA electronics. That’s the reason in my all MasterBuilt cabled system, I retained the Forcelines between the 268C and all amplifiers.

Thanks...good to know!! I do not know what Touraj used, but given that he is the distributor and was speaking at length about how the FMAs use this 7mm pin, I suspect there is a good chance it was Forceline.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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Portugal
So will draft my notes here now...and then likely update this particular post as my thoughts settle on the FM111 monos. Overall:

1. Thank you. Touraj is gracious, generous with his time and advice. Fantastic and a both an industry expert with a long track record of excellent in his own business...as well as a tremendous ambassador for FMA. Most grateful for his time today.

2. Music:
- Bach Goldberg Variations: Glenn Gould 1983...piano solo
- Bach: Mass in B Minor - Netherlands Bach Society...choral
- Eva Cassidy: A'int No Sunshine...female vocals
- John Digweed: Live in Cordoba(CD1)...deep house
- Fink: Perfect Darkness...mix of electronic, acoustic, band

_____________________________

2 .Tonal qualities of the FMA 108 (heard in different system) and now in FM111 monos in my own system appear to be truly exceptional. It is my personal priority, and I liked what i heard.

3. FM also presents a surprisingly unvarnished and yet incredibly organic sound...again exceedingly rare.

_____________________________

Relative to the Gryphon Colosseum:

- Bach Piano: The piano tonality was surprisingly similar. I was quite pleased about this. FMA soundstage was ever so slightly more diffuse...but i CANNOT say which is 'correct'
- Bach Mass: The delineation of instruments on FMA was perhaps a touch better. Overall, I like the deep well of foundation that the Gryphon provides (potentially in the bass which we'll come back to)

- John Digweed: Bass...bass...bass. Here there was a marked difference. The Gryphon provided a Godzillian amount of control over a live-concert of deep house riffs that the FMA did not provide. With the FM 111 monos, I felt the subterranean work slipping away into extended vibrations, warbles I do not hear with Gryphon. With Gryphon, bass wacks and disappears immediately or fades steadily into background...as opposed to warbles away or bleeds into next wack. There is no question or doubt about each bass wack, any more than when you heard Middle C struck by Glenn Gould. There is control and precision in the bass with Gryphon.

Touraj did start changing cables to see...and believed (perhaps rightly so) that other adjustments, areas etc...might be revealed that could bring this all back to a well timed, tight presentation. Overall, his adjustments did start to work.

However, to my own way of thinking about this music, i really did prefer Gryphon's presentation of deep bass...not only for its bass thwacks on deep house, but also for its foundation in classical like Bach Mass in B Minor...it is a different dimension of realism which i have grown to appreciate now that I have it, and it is hard to miss it even if it is an 'error' of omission. not right not wrong, but my preference.

And of course, there are the 115 monos, the 411, the 711 and the ultimate 1811...and my instincts tell me that this could ultimately be solved by trying those
_____________________________

Initial Conclusion:

Exceptional tonality and surprisingly similar to the Gryphon Colosseum...was not necessarily expecting this. For someone whose priority is this purity of tonality...i cannot emphasize enough how well the FMA delivered today on purity of tone...truly exceptional in my experience. Very very special not only because of its purity, but also its suppleness, remarkable ease and its incredible dexterity and level of detail...and very importantly, its alacrity.

There 'might' be a thin layer of veneer removed with FMA. Emphasize might but i do think so...nothing that ever bothered me with Gryphon.

Bass needs re-looking at...the Gryphon's work in the subterranean areas is immense, powerful, controlled and like nothing i have yet to experience. It might not be 'fair' to ask the 111s to match the Gryphon where its forte here is well documented.

I intend to continue to reflect on FMA for some time. Definitely on a short list of perhaps 3 amps that rank up there for me (Boulder, Gryphon, FMA)...and from memory FMA edged out the Boulder where the Boulder's mids did not feel nearly as supple and organic as the Gryphon and FMA, thus, perhaps a shortlist of 2.

Certainly a great experience led by a great professional to whom I am most thankful for his time!

Thanks for reporting. Are you saying you removed the the OPUS MM2 IC and kept the OPUS MM2 speaker cable? Can I ask why you did not use the FMA preamplifier?
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Thanks for reporting. Are you saying you removed the the OPUS MM2 IC and kept the OPUS MM2 speaker cable? Can I ask why you did not use the FMA preamplifier?

Hi Micro,

We removed the Opus MM2 IC and the Opus 5 speaker cable. We used Touraj's interconnect and speaker cables...as well as eventually one of his power cables for the Zanden DAC.

Regarding preamplifier, it was Touraj's call, and he did not seem to think it was necessary. Given his evident experience and expertise, I thought it proved to be a very good introduction and learning experience without creating too many variables. I recall your excellent advice about matching preamp/amp to truly understand what they are doing...and perhaps coming from a background where i have had matching preamp/amp only once in my life, I suppose it also was not on my radar screen of priorities. Perhaps a lesson for another day.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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Portugal
Hi Micro,

We removed the Opus MM2 IC and the Opus 5 speaker cable. We used Touraj's interconnect and speaker cables...as well as eventually one of his power cables for the Zanden DAC.

Regarding preamplifier, it was Touraj's call, and he did not seem to think it was necessary. Given his evident experience and expertise, I thought it proved to be a very good introduction and learning experience without creating too many variables. I recall your excellent advice about matching preamp/amp to truly understand what they are doing...and perhaps coming from a background where i have had matching preamp/amp only once in my life, I suppose it also was not on my radar screen of priorities. Perhaps a lesson for another day.

My concern was also the IC between DAC and premaplier - don't you a OPUS there?

IMHO probably swapping OPUS cables changes more that swapping amplifiers - but it is me!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
My concern was also the IC between DAC and premaplier - don't you a OPUS there?

IMHO probably swapping OPUS cables changes more that swapping amplifiers - but it is me!

Yes, we do. In the end, having had this system for many years in quite a stable form...and also played with a few different components over the years...including new cables...i can say that my instincts are strongly that the FMA is organic/supple in the mids and uppers...and that the 111 monos did not provide the monstrously solid bass of the Gryphon. I suspect that the FMA 411, 711 and 1811 as well as the 115 monos will be better in this regard...the question is how much better. Overall, an exceptionally good start to learning about a new brand (for me).
 

Tango

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Mar 12, 2017
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Take your time LL21. It took me years and years to decide. By the time I took the plunge, there were two models of the 268 already. There is the regular 268 and the 268C. Did you use the FMA forcelines during your evaluation? For my own preference, nothing worked as well as Forcelines with FMA electronics. That’s the reason in my all MasterBuilt cabled system, I retained the Forcelines between the 268C and all amplifiers.

You be safe from Mangkut there in the Philippines Sam.

Kind regards,
Tang
 

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