Spatial M3 Triode Master

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tme110

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #60 on: 29 Jun 2017, 02:11 am »
Will there be a M4TM?

gmat

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #61 on: 29 Jun 2017, 11:17 am »
I recently picked up a pair of M3 TMs. I never owned the original M3's so I'm curious to hear reviews from owners of both as well. I'm actually fairly new the audiophile world so don't have a lot of other speakers to compare them too either but they sound pretty darn good to my ears. The soundstage is wide and the overall clarity and dynamic range seem solid to me. I also love that you can really crank them and they don't fall apart. I'm running them off of a Cronus Magnum II, mostly playing vinyl on a Rega RP3 TT. If I had any concern, it's with the bass. I find it really nice and tight (controlled not sloppy) but I would like it to have a little more presence, if that makes sense. I have been thinking about adding a sub and curious if anyone her as experience / recommendations for running a sub with the the M3's. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Wind Chaser

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #62 on: 29 Jun 2017, 01:40 pm »
Gmat,

with respect to bass, it takes quite a while to break these in. They have to be played loud (VERY LOUD) with a lot of low frequency energy. The longer you do this, the more they flesh out. So far I have over 150 LOUD hours on mine and they keep getting better, but it sure taxes everyone's patience when the walls, windows, doors and floors are rattling hour after hour, day after day.

One thing for sure is these do not require a sub, if anything, I would turn the bass down a bit if I could. I was originally using an 8 watt SET. It had plenty of drive, but was weak in the bass. So after 48 hours I switched to a TPA 3116 I have on hand and the difference in the bass and bass presence was astonishing. At 95 hours I switched back to the SET and bass went AWOL. So I would suggest "try" another amp or two if you can. You might be surprised.



Wind Chaser

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #63 on: 29 Jun 2017, 01:53 pm »
I would also add that under normal circumstances / a less challenging load / something with a smooth impedance curve, the 8 watt SET is untouchable. But in this case the very modest little chip amp is a far better match - not just with respect to the bass, but everything across the board including imaging and soundstaging. So yeah, try another amp and see what happens.

BTW, how many LOUD hours have you got on them?
« Last Edit: 29 Jun 2017, 03:42 pm by Wind Chaser »

Goosepond

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #64 on: 29 Jun 2017, 03:22 pm »
I'll admit to still trying to wrap my non-audiophile ears around the M3TM. I'm old enough to remember when tubes and vinyl were all there was. And I do have tube amps and a Rega TT. But mostly I use Class D monos and a Tortuga-based LDR pre (at least right now  :thumb:).

So I guess my question is, is the idea of the M3TM's really only worth it if you are a dedicated tube amp person? I like my M3T's and they are my 1st venture into OB's.

Gene

jseymour

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #65 on: 29 Jun 2017, 03:31 pm »
I would not say the M3TM is for tube amps only.  I am powering mine with a Class D Audio SDS-470.  There is a Schitt Yggy DAC and Schitt Freya before it.

Vinnie R.

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #66 on: 29 Jun 2017, 03:45 pm »
I would not say the M3TM is for tube amps only. 

+1

My pair is sounding mighty good with a LIO Integrated!  8) :singing:
(Tubes in the linestage, class AB MOSFET  in the output stage)

Clayton called them "triode master" because they have a higher nominal impedance that is more friendly
with lower power amps, such as 300B and the like, but they sure are fine with more power as well (tube or
solid state). 

Vinnie

Goosepond

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #67 on: 29 Jun 2017, 03:47 pm »
 :thumb: You guys are giving all the right answers!!!

Gene

gmat

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #68 on: 29 Jun 2017, 03:55 pm »

BTW, how many LOUD hours have you got on them?

I probably have 200+ hours on them in total. Guessing 50-ish loud-ish hours and 50-ish LOUD hours.  :)  The rest at moderate to low volume.

gmat

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #69 on: 29 Jun 2017, 04:02 pm »
To add to this, again, I'm a little new to the audiophile world. Could someone explain to me the advantage of a low wattage amp and why I would get better bass and a wider sound stage from it. Thanks!

glynnw

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #70 on: 29 Jun 2017, 04:46 pm »
Since I had my M3supers (I forget the right abbreviation) upgraded to the Triode Masters, my bass drivers were already broken in.  I am using a 15 watt Shindo Montille 6v6 amp on them and also running a pair of Danny Richie's 12" dual servo OB subs getting their signal from a DSpeaker unit.  The subs do add a bit of deep base - it is easy to hear beause I can mute the subs with a remote.  If you are using something high powered the subs might not make a difference.  But in my system the subs add a nice floor to the sound WHEN there is deep bass.  On many recordings they are superfluous.  Could I live happily without the subs?  Absolutely.  But I've got 'em and they make a difference on some recordings. YMMV.

schw06

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #71 on: 29 Jun 2017, 04:54 pm »
   I typically don't like to add my 2 cents to a thread without a long period of ownership but I have owned the M3Turbo S's and had them upgraded to the Triode Masters and have the benefit of hearing them in the same room, in the exact same spot, with the same electronics. With the Triode Masters, the soundstage exploded (both depth and width) with much better layering front to back and extension outside the speakers and everything from the compression driver sounds sweeter, more relaxed and effortless. It doesn't sound colored to me but in comparison the treble is a bit more "dry" on the M3Ts compared to the Triode Master.
   To me the bass is as awesome as ever and I don't notice any significant change. The amount of bass is still amp dependent and can be tailored to your preference. I was a little concerned that the 16 ohm drivers wouldn't sound as good with my Vinnie Rossi LIO mosfet amp...Wrong! The LIO sounds ridiculously great on the Triode Masters and is simply a logical pairing (peanut butter and chocolate). For anyone thinking they shouldn't upgrade (yes I call it an upgrade) because they are running SS amplification, not to worry. I also have a 12W SEP tube amp that I have run from the LIO as a preamp only and it sounds great as well...just a different flavor. The beauty is the world is your oyster as far as amplification. I also ran a 1 watt 6sn7 output tube amp on it and I could even live happily with it but so far prefer the LIO.
David

tme110

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #72 on: 29 Jun 2017, 05:06 pm »
I got to barrow a set of M4 Turbo S's in my space for a few days.  They were immediately impressive and overall, I think they sounded better than my Ascend acoustics Towers with RAAL tweeter upgrade. However, the RAALs are just so good, and for the high's the M4's couldn't compete. After being used to the sound of the RAALs really showing off on some passages, there was no way the M3s were going to take over.  I wasn't originally interested in the triode masters but after seeing the last few reviews, I wonder if I need to listen again...

CSI

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #73 on: 29 Jun 2017, 06:26 pm »
To amplify a bit on what others are saying here (pun intended) I believe almost any Spatial version is going to sound good with a good SS amp. My own (non Triode Master) M4's (which will be upgraded if/when Clayton offers an M4 path) have sounded terrific in my very small (10x10) listening room with the following amps: Red Dragon S500 (500 wpc Class D. Biggest sound stage and amazing dynamics but the bass is a bit too much, even with room treatment), Decware Torii Jr (20 lovely tube watts but maybe not the best match for these speakers in terms of bass control), First Watt F7 (30 watts of Class A bliss. Audio Nirvana.), LIO AB MOSFET Module (45 watts. This amp is agreeably close to the First Watt for overall musical pleasure.). So for most, if you own a LIO, the amp module is a no brainer - probably the sweet spot for the Spatials. If you own a First Watt F7 AND you use LIO as your preamp you may be even better off (but for over three times the $). So there's my 2c. The best news is you can hardly go wrong with the Spatials and the LIO with amp module is a simple and marvelous way to go.

badaxe73

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #74 on: 30 Jun 2017, 09:48 am »
I paired my M3TS with 2 SVS sb-2000 subs.
Its a great  combo they blend perfectly for that extra bass kick.
I'm also considering the triode master upgrade.
I run a Rogue Atlas Magnum II tube amp
and also a SS Classe 150.

slefley

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #75 on: 30 Jun 2017, 03:17 pm »
Most reviews today talk about how a speaker sounds at high or very high volumes.  I live in a condo where I try to keep the peaks below 80dB which is not 'loud' by most definitions.  Can any M3 owners comment on how the sound quality compares at lower volumes vs higher?  I am considering the Triode Master version to mate with my Shindo Apetite (12w 6V6) amp.

md92468

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #76 on: 30 Jun 2017, 03:45 pm »
I bought my M4s for this reason (apartment in NYC), and they excel in this regard. Dynamics and separation are both there at low volumes (obviously not as much as when you open them up, but they're there). I also find that the low frequencies don't seem to transmit through the floor as much as box speakers I've owned, which makes the neighbors happy. YMMV, of course, but I think you'll be fine.

schw06

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #77 on: 30 Jun 2017, 03:51 pm »
I bought my M4s for this reason (apartment in NYC), and they excel in this regard. Dynamics and separation are both there at low volumes (obviously not as much as when you open them up, but they're there). I also find that the low frequencies don't seem to transmit through the floor as much as box speakers I've owned, which makes the neighbors happy. YMMV, of course, but I think you'll be fine.
I agree. I listen in the mid to upper 70db range most of the time.

Wind Chaser

Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #78 on: 30 Jun 2017, 04:20 pm »
slefley,

Once they are broken in, they sound very good at lower volumes.

However in your case there's just one problem... in order to break them in you need to play them very LOUD for a very LONG time. Since you live in a condo where the volume must be kept down, I can't see that happening.

OTOH, if you have family/friends who own a house and they are planning a vacation, that could give you the opportunity you need to turn up real loud for a few hundred hours. Of course there's one other possibility ...find a used pair that are already broken in.

Brand new straight out of the box, they are pretty horrid/disappointing. For the first few days I seriously thought about returning mine. It wasn't until I accumulated 95 hours @ +100 db before I thought... hey, these are actually pretty good, I think I'll keep them. Now I have over 160 LOUD hours on them and they keep getting better and better.

IMO, the hours played below 100db don't count if you are trying to break them in.

slefley

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Re: Spatial M3 Triode Master
« Reply #79 on: 30 Jun 2017, 05:20 pm »
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll wait - probably for quite a while - for a M3TM to come on the used market.