Hi Ripwny,
I am pretty new here and just saw this topic. My comments may be of no use to you now considering the time that has passed since your original post, but I have semi-relevant information, plus a question for you.
I had a pair of M3s for about a week. They were horribly mangled by the shipping company, due to the fact that they did not have factory packaging. I should have known better than to purchase them, but the speakers were supposed to be "professionally packaged" per the individual I bought them from. I am too easily persuaded.
Anyway, while I had them the speakers did play and sounded great even though one speaker leaned back about 20% further than the other due the metal feet/stands being bent and partially separated from the baffle board. In fact, all 4 metal feet had been bent to varying degrees. I actually had to prop up/brace the back of the speaker in fear of it falling over backwards.
I used my Rogue M-180 tube amps for about 3 days on the M3s. Their 180 wpc drove them quite nicely as you might imagine and they sounded great. In fact, as broken and busted up as they were, the M3s were still mighty impressive, so much so that I'm working on getting another pair.
Then I connected my Hegel H160 which is 250 wpc in to 4 ohms. It sounded excellent, with superb bass control. It also has a very nice midrange and top end that, while not the last word in detailed high frequencies, seems to have everything one needs and never, never offends with bright, etched, sibilant high frequencies. If the Hegel gave up anything to the tube M-180s, the audition time was too short for that to be borne out or I was just unable to hear it. Keep in mind, that during this whole ordeal, I am just sick to my stomach that I wouldn't be keeping the speakers due to the damage they had suffered.
In hopes that I actually do get a pair of M3s, I have been looking at solid state amps. (Oh, by the way, the Hegel won't suffice only because I have a multi-channel system in the same room as the my current 2-channel system which was a mistake from day 1). Anyway, the Hegel does not have quite enough inputs for all my equipment; it has nothing to do with sound quality. I'd be happy to break the speakers in with the SS Hegel and then have a sonic shootout with the M-180s.
I have become quite interested in the Denafrips Thallo balanced solid state amplifier. Not too much information online about it. I have a Denafrips Ares DAC and it sounds quite good. I like it better than the Schiit Bifrost that I had (and still have). Just wondered it you got the Thallo and if so, what you can tell me about it.
Thanks!
