[Bill O'Connell]

The first official review is out.
 If your looking for an integrated amplifier that harkens back to a time before digital switching amps and solid state sand amps that could never achieve the tone of what tubes bring to the table, please read this review.
 
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/m520/m520.html

Although we had one of the Sovtec/Russian EF86 tubes go bad during the review, we are not supplying the M520 anymore with these tubes. Instead is the vaulted Holland made Goldpin E80F tubes which some consider to be the best EF86 ever made. We agree wholeheartedly.
 Ever wonder why so many pieces of equipment are for sale nowadays on Audiogon? My guess is that they have made the music so sterile and clean that they have taken the beauty away from the instruments and voices of the musicians. Well, the M520 will give the body that makes listening a pleasure again, Cello's and violins with woody tone as they are in real life, the piano with weight in its presentation not some bleached out thin resemblance of one.
 Try the M520 and see if you don't agree.
 Give me a call at 847-255-1150
 Thanks for considering,
 Bill

[Carlman]

I owe Bill a review on this extremely enjoyable amplifier.  I have the new tubes and have recently installed a dedicated outlet.

The music is so beautifully presented with this amp.  I do recommend a good power source, it made a nice improvement for me.

I'll check out the 6moons review after I write mine and see how we compare.

-C

[alotaklipsch]

I had the pleasure of hosting Bill and his wonderful, musical, and Beautiful M520 amplifier last week at my home for about 5 hours.  After warm up, we sat back with some single malt(for me), seagrams(Bill), and had a blast cranking out a variety of tunes thru his newest masterpiece.  We listened to Vio Con Dios, Nils Lofgren, Dire Straits, 1812, and Ziggy Stardust, and some high frequency tester from Bill.  Associated eq. used was my APL 3910 as source with Virtual Dymanics Nite II PC, and Xindak FA-Gold interconnects, Reimer Teton GS speakers with Xindak FP-gold wire, BPT 3.5 sig, Electraglide Epiphany X PC.

NOW to the MUSIC, heh heh heh.  I am not gonna tell you this is the be all, end all amplifier.  I am gonna tell you this amp is VERY musical.  On the order of the Modwright VS APL in mind.  The very top is just rolled off a bit, as well as the very bottom.  The soundstage is very nicely delineated, where front to back, and side imaging is stable to the point of picking out musicians, singers, and individual instruments.  The midrange has a 300B type flavor, with the mid bass, and bass that of high grade EL34.  The highs are SWEET.  This is not an amp that will make you analyze the music, this is an amp that makes your head bob, and toes tap.

The remote control is wonderful too, very well made of Steel, the feel is GREAT, as well as the amp being like eye candy(ala shanling)in comparison with the SP80's I have owned, this one is more musical in the mids(where the music is)the M520 is a tube rolling, ultralinear, triode, playing machine.  We rolled stock tubes, mullards, rectifier, all to great flavoring.  This thing is just plain fun.

4 out of 5 stars Music
4.5 out of 5 stars Value
4.5 /5 stars looks/functunality
4.75/5 FUN FUN FUN

Happy hunting, and Congrats to Bill and Eastern Electric for another WINNING product.

Smilin out

[meby]

I have to put my 2 cents in on this integrated.  Bill was kind enough to let me audition it in my home.  I liked it a lot, if my memory serves me correctly it sounds better than my old Cayin EL-34 integrated.  It sounded good enough to make me rethink my SET direction.  I am going to sell my Cary 300SE signatures as the bass control and clarity of this integrated has made me want to go back to push-pull amps.   You know Bill everytime you let me audition something it makes me spend money.   If I was just wanting to get into tubes and could not afford seperates this would definetely be on my shortlist
Thanks again Bill.

I must say Bill is a hell of a niceguy to all of you out there who have not had the pleasure of speaking with him.
Mike

[hometheaterdoc]

Bill,

A compliment to you on this integrated from someone who's designed and built my fair share of push pull amps over the years...

One word:  musical.  Surprisingly good extension in both directions, super smooooooooth, focuses on the important things, but still has remarkable detail for how warm and inviting the amp sounds.  It won't ever be the hyper detail/intricate nuance piece, but what is presented is exactly what the amp should be focusing on.  tonality in spades.....

I spent some time today with Carl listening to this amp.  For the money, its a steal.  Credit where credit is due....Congrats on a very fine product!

[Bill O'Connell]

Hi Guys,

  Thank you for all the kind words.

  Hey Smilin, don't forget to mention your taste runs to the extreme as before we put the M520 into your system we listened to the $14,000 Cary 811's.   YAUZAA!!!!     Had a great time

[alotaklipsch]

Hi Guys,

  Thank you for all the kind words.

  Hey Smilin, don't forget to mention your taste runs to the extreme as before we put the M520 into your system we listened to the $14,000 Cary 811's.   YAUZAA!!!!     Had a great time

Bill, will you get it right please, the were not 14k, they were 15k, and not 811's but Dennis Hads BEST CAD 211M Anniversary limited edition with 2 845's for output, 2 300B's for drivers, el34, and 6SL7, for EACH amp.  Yes I am extreme, I want to be wowed at 60 db, but, I want to be in heaven at 129 db too.  We certainly had fun, and your 520's amazingly held their own, in fact, at 95 db, I preferred the musicality of the M520's to the cary.  These M520's are just great amps, and therefore I give them my highest recomendations, plus, tghey are made great, and look wonderful.

Bill, congrats on these amps......lets get together soon

[cryoparts]

I've had the amp for 30 days or so now and each day I marvel at how wonderful it sounds for so little money!

An instant classic in my book.

Regards,

Lee