I was waiting for this and can finally talk about it now that you posted! I had the privilege recently to listen to the $140k Sonus Faber Aida's powered by a Michi Pre amp and Mono blocks. This was enough to make my mouth drop to the floor in awe, hair on my arms stand up, but also gave be a lot more respect for the Lumina V's that I recently purchased. I can't say enough about Sonus Faber at the moment. Can't wait to hear your take on the Lumina towers!! 😊
Thanks again for such a great review! I too am impressed Rotel sent you guys all 3 products, and I am equally impressed with your honesty in the reviews. I am 100% sure some YT reviewers would have just been lazy and said something like “the 1592 mkII is amazing, but the Diamond is that much better and worth the extra cost. And the Michi is mind blowing and must get if you can spend the money. So worth it.” You guys have too much integrity and will give us your true thoughts by saying that for you two and you suspect many people the 1592 will be a very good solid smart choice. Kudos!! Now for my story…it’s so funny because the same day you released this video, I went to my dealer and picked up Michi X3!!! I’ve heard the 1592, X3 and the X5. For me, Andrew was spot on that the X3 and X5 (even more than X3) were so clear and revealing at lower volumes and DEAD silent. That is important to me with young kids that almost half of my listening is at under 70 dB. I finally have the power and control that make my SF Olympica Nova II’s sing to their potential. I agree the 1592 is great and a “better value” from a sonic perspective at critical listening levels. I have to admit though I justified the extra cost of the X3 based on the display and remote. Can’t give enough love for this remote!!!!❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, thank you for talking in dBs and feet/meters. Been listening to way too many reviews with “loud”, “large room” and “volume dial at 10 o’clock” and having no idea what their reference points are. Great review and production as always.
I own the 1572 mk2 and I couldn't be happier. I personally love it and love the display. I don't listen to the display. It shows the volume, that's all I need. I'd rather have a pure music oriented DAC that takes a USB and not HDMI. No need for hdmi. I love basic button controls over a fancy display. Anything to keep things simple and the signal pure!
I'm currently enjoying the Rotel Michi X5 which I could get against a great discount. So much control and power. The only challenge I have its a beast of an amp especially due to the weight. At around 43 kg this thing can't be placed on or in normal tv furniture. Other than that, super happy with the look and sound.
Had the chance to demo the X5 with Magico A3 speakers and that was a very sweet experience. It's the reason I picked up the Michi P5 pre-amp. Currently waiting on the Michi S5 power amp. Although my local electronic store is tempting with their demo Michi M8 monoblocks (2x), Just too much for my space lol.
Rotel trying to sell more 6000 I had opportunity to test 6000 and 1592mk2 I can't justify price of 6000. Now I am running three AB amplifiers Electrocompaniet AW600 mono blocks, 1592mk2 and 1572mk2. For the money 1592mk2 is bang for buck!
Honestly guys, this channel is so good. I won't be buying any more equipment for a while but I still love watching this content. Best channel I didn't know I needed this year.
Great reviews, as always. I bought the 1572MKII and I like it. But I think I'm going to jump to the Michi x3. I live in a condo with (very cool) neighbors and listen at mostly low levels most of the time in a medium size living room. And late at night. Got a great deal on the 1572, but I think I'd rather buy the x3 gen 2 and just be done looking at amps for the foreseeable future (or forever) instead of shelling out $3500 for the 1592 and thinking it's not quite perfect. Although based on the sound from my 1572, I'm sure it's great. And I trust these reviews. They're great for less than expert audiophiles (or wanna be audiophiles) like me. Easy to justify the price if I amortize it over 10 years of listening to music every day. I can justify any one of a thousand ways if I try not very hard.
I did listening session between the X3 and the M33 a couple of months ago at my dealer, who has the exact same speakers as I have at home ( Kanta no.3 ). I found the M33 to be even more neutral, a touch less aggressive treble on electronic stuff, a little more controlled bass and little less warm in that area. I still prefer the looks of the Rotel, they are gorgeous ! But the running hot issue and the lack of HDMI made me choose for the NAD. If I had won the lottery, I would buy the X5 and 2 mono M8's, imagine the looks of that ! 🙂
YES fantastic review! The Michi stuff is great. I've heard them a couple of times: the X5 paired with Paradigm Founder 100F's and the S5/ P5 stack with Dynaudio Confidence 60's (then Monitor Audio PL500's). All sounded astonishing. You are bang on with the review, Michi are very neutral amps. I've never heard it with a Hifi Rose streamer, but I thought the dac on the X5 and P5 sounded great
Would be very good if you compare mitci X3 to Hegel amp H390 or H590. P.S. your review was amazing,so many comparisons and almost covered all of them amps that I always wanted to compare to each other except was no hegel amp in the party 😀 Great video like always 👍👍👍
Great comparison! Good to see that someone admits that the overall difference between amps of a certain level/quality is not night and day. I also can relate to your impression that the Michi seems to have more control over the bass and thus might appear leaner sounding. That's exactly what I experienced with my power amps that have plenty of power and a high damping factor below 500hz...
Been waiting for such comparison of the 3 models and not disappointed. If an amp is designed well they should not sound much different except maybe features, noise floor and power delivery as mentioned in your review.
After borrowing the Michi X3 series 2 from my local hifi dealer I dived in my pocket and bought the x5. I fell in love immediately with the Michi. Had the Hegel H190 before and allways felt that something was missing. Had to crank up the volume to get ok base resulting in midrange and treble beeing way to loud. No balance at all. I am very lucky my dealer took my Hegel as a trade-in. Must say though that Hegel probably is one of the best sounding amplifiers out there. Maybe I would have bought the Hegel H590 instead but now I am satisfyed with my Michi
At low volume you feel a big difference between the x3 and the x5? I have a hegel h120 with focal 926 + rel sub and I feel the same as you with the h190. Looking to upgrade to the micho or the mcintosh. But I want more "forward" sound since the aria line is not the "tipical focal speaker". I think the michi would be a better fit.
Hi. I can not recal that I heard any difference on low volumes between the two. The reason I choose the bigger one was that I felt it would be wise to go for the bigger one. Maybe I change speakers in the future that require the power of x5. They sound amazing both of them. I have the B&W 702 s3 and the step up from H190 is huge. @@MCP101
So glad you are loving your X-5; did you get the version 2? Soundstage did measurements on the previous iteration and the specs exceeded the manufacturer’s claims in almost all areas in the best possible ways. I have the Marantz PM 11S3 integrated driving Martin Logan 13A ESL which we, my wife and I are pleased with but are seeking a bit more oomph. Regrettably the S/N ratio of the X-5 phono section for MC is not as good as the MC spec on the Marantz; for MM the are the same. I am using a Pro-ject RPM 10 Carbon with Sumiko Blackbird HO through the MM section and it sounds great. I am in Madison WI and there is no Michi dealer near me. Did your dealer split the 40 point margin with you meaning 20% off retail? The Marantz piece was 5k new. I wonder if your dealer would take it in trade; a four year old piece. What does the rest of your system consist of? Thank you in advance.
Hi. I am doing my best to really understand all you are writing and asking. I am from Sweden so please be patient🙂. I have the new bluesound streamer connected to my X5 Series 2. So yes. I have the Series 2🙂The punch compared to the Hegel H190 is redicoulusly big. My Hifi-dealer was so kind. I fell to my knees and begged him to take my Hegel in and sell it. He did and I had to pay only 6000 euro. He also lowered the price for the Michi from 9000 to 8000 euro so it would suit my budget@@mahasidha9
Thanks.. It is enjoyed daily.. Over a wide range of music. Bach to Steely Dan, Earth Wind and Fire, Oscar Peterson, Dusty Springfield, Tony Bennet and many others. Use Qobuz
@@jimeisenmenger410 wow great…i m also playing B&W cm6S2 with REL T7i & i enjoy my setup tremendously on a daily basis. I listen to music & watch movies & this setup handles both superbly.
Great review, informative and entertaining. Now we just need a shootout between the X5 and the Hegel H390. Also, it's a little unfair to compare the McIntosh 7200 to the X3, perhaps a comparison to the MIchi P5, S5 would be fairer in relation to price.
Hi! First timer here. Finally someone mentions Denon in review as comparison. I have Denon PMA 2020ae and Andrew mentioned that it is a big step up from Denon to Rotel 1592 mk2. That was really helpful for me. If the difference between mentioned amps applies? I’ve been watching your reviews for some time now and enjoyed them greatly.
Great review! I'm very glad that you got around to reviewing this product! I own the X3 and am incredibly happy with it. Your review has served to satisfy me even further with my decision to buy it.
So to make a long story short this past April when I had the chance to buy a big integrated (used), It was between a NAD M33 at $4100, or an X3 at $4600, I planned on getting a USB MDC for the M33 so the price was even..I chose the M33 because of the AES input and the vu meters/touchscreen. I figured that whatever I picked I would regret not hearing the other, anyway that's life, since then the M33 and the USB MDC combined have gone up $600 msrp, I think I did good
Michi seems like a good amp. Like a niche product for a specific customer. I've watched nearly all your reviews and it seems like $2500-$3000 seems to point of diminishing returns in terms of integrated amps/stereo receivers value. After that the improvements are small.
If I may jump in here gentlemen, I think price should be stricken from any and all conversations regarding hifi (I know it can't). If we remove price and just judge a product on its true merits I think a lot of folks would be surprised with what we'd end up with had they not been put in a price bracket. The $1000-$3000 market for just about anything is where the biggest gains are going to be had. Beyond the roughly $3K mark, you're chasing single-digit differences (if that) and most people's rooms or even listening acuity will swallow up any and all appreciable differences. So it becomes about buying the right, high performing item that gets you right to the point of having to spend crazy money and then stopping. Unless of course there is something specific you're after, like say for instance a certain type or style of speaker like our Cornwalls, they you need to be prepared to pay...just not necessarily for "better" performance --just different performance.
The McIntosh MAC 7200 receiver: Yes, it does indeed have and AM tuner as well as an FM tuner and it’s a good one, too! The McIntosh “sound” that Andrew accurately described, is more than likely do to their use of autoformers on the output stage. Compare the sound of Mac products with and Mac’s less expensive products without autoformers and there’s a big difference. They also help to allow the Mac amps to operate with little heat. The ability to upgrade the DAC section on the Mac is a huge plus for me. Not only can you keep pace with inevitable digital upgrades, but it also adds immensely to the already high resale values of a used McIntosh product. I’m afraid any product with an out-of-date digital section will become a financial boat anchor sooner rather than later. Look at prices of used HT receivers lately? And yes, on the Michi the lack of an HDMI input, moving-coil cartridge capabilities and a record loop would be a deal breaker for me at that price point. Plus the lettering on the display is sideways??
Comprehensive and entertaining review (as always). The style and format of your videos is "Spot On" IMHO. I especially appreciate that Kristi adds the simple graphic reminder to subscribe/like during the review, as opposed to you verbally asking during the course of the vid.... Small things make the difference (to me at least) P.S. You really should get your hands on a NAD M10 V@ for a review, I'm very interested in hearing your take on that product!
Really appreciate the comment! We asked for the M10 many times. Alas it seems unlikely that review will ever happen. We reviewed the M33 if you want to check that video out here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EWR7MthiKWI.html.
Thanks for the review Andrew! Helpful information and appreciated point of view, thank you for the work you put into the reviews. I bought the X3S1, upgraded to X3S2, both sound fantastic, look fantastic, enough power and they look fantastic x2. I am comfortable on paying the mark up with no issues for the looks, the silent idle work, the remote etc.
I just bought the Rotel 1592 MK2 last month in early June (to replace my Yamaha AS501) and then Rotel releases the Diamond series. Now, knowing that all three amps in your video share the same power output of 200 watts 8 ohms and 350 watts 4 ohms, my guess was that they’re all gonna sound very similar. And I’m happy that your video solidified my assumption about this. I’m very happy with my amp and I know it’s going to be with me for many years. Would I like the Michi? Of course but the price to performance compared to the 1592 MK2 is probably not worth it in my opinion. Thanks for the video!
That rotel diamond series seems to me to be an odd business decision. The specs are identical to the 1592 . A michi x1 design with 130 watts might have been the way to go. I would have snapped that up.
Rotel Michi really is the way to go if you need a lot of power and don’t want class D. Their Monoblocks are actually affordable compared to other brands with 1kW+ mono amps
Thanks for this very satisfying amp comparison review. Especially, thanks for having the courage to say when a cheaper product performs comparable to a much more expensive one.
i have x5 and seriously its amazing ......................at low you can hear every instrument its scary dont have it on while youre trying too sleep...................as for loud have it on seventy and at night you can hear it a km away its the most amazing thing ive ever heard. You have it on fifty walk in talk too someone and you cant hear em yet the music dont sound loud. ty rotel for youre michi awesomeness cause they can drive anything
What Speakers do you use ? I use Q audio concept 500 [exceptional ] with my X5 i have to be careful with the volume so i have set the amp limit to 55 . I might upgrade to Wilson Audio ...I am coming from Meridian DSP8000 se . But they were too big for my room ..
Perhaps KR would really like the original Michi products from around thirty years ago, onlyavailable in silver with the most beautiful rosewood side panels , fantastic looks , build quality and sound , Pre, 200 watt Power Ampand phono stage only though , classic neutality wish I still had mine .
Since my integrated amp is my basically do it all system, including movie watching, music listening through streaming and vinyl, it’s still said to see it not have the HDMI. Since it’s a pretty old design at this point, maybe the next generation isn’t too far away and they’ll implement the HDMI into it. For now I’ll stick to my 1592. Great video guys! I need to get me that remote if it works with 1592.
I have told Rotel designers personally that if they do a MKIII edition of their higher-end integrated amps they MUST HAVE HDMI! For what it's worth, they agree and said they are looking into options but that is not a guarantee it will happen. The remote MUST be sold separately so those of us who want a better user experience can have one. Have a great rest of your day Vadym! Thanks again for the speaker cables, they're GREAT!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews they’ll knock out of the park if they keep the performance at this level while adding HDMI. Literally the last amp I’ll buy as long as it lives that long. Again, glad you like it and hope y’all have a great day and weekend! Also, is that a new hair cut? Look nice!!!
You and me both. At this point I don't really consider spending my own money on devices that lack HDMI --but that's just me. I know a lot of audiophiles are bound to feel differently but my TV or AppleTV is as much a source as a turntable at this point.
Im thinking they probably want people to buy more of their products. As an example, buying both the Michi integrated for music and their RAP-1580 for home theater. It's definitely not a good reason for the consumer but it is a reason.
I think it’s mostly related to the target market of these higher end hifi products. IE - Audiophile credibility and HDMI still don’t mix. The tide will change, just as it did with onboard DACs and USB.
19:35 I think that this kind of amps are the most able to drive speakers with very high efficiency, power, great silence, very high definition, just what is needed when we exceed 100db/1w/m ! 😎
Thank you Andrew and Kristi for creating contents so entertaining and useful. I built my first stereo system mostly base on your reviews and couldn’t be happier: Bluesound Node - Denafrips Pontus 2 - Audiolab 6000a - Sonus Faber Lumina 2. Do you think a more powerful amp would take the sonic experience to the next level? Also I recently upgraded Node with a reputable external power supply and found big improvement on sound quality. What are your thoughts on this and other possible ways to improve the system further, power cables, or adding a subwoofer?
Hi Ben, First, I want to say that how much we appreciate you watching and knowing that these videos have helped you along the way. Of all the things you are considering, I would consider adding a subwoofer before any of them. You may get a 1-5% change in sound going with a different amp and to me that's not a big enough ROI.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Did I understand you correctly that the 1592 MKII would improve the sound quality by circa 5%? Because I am also thinking about upgrading from a PowerNode N330 to the 1592 MKII. Kind regards!
HDMI would be nice but it is not a must have for me. I have a Marantz SR6014 AVR in my audio room for when I want to watch movies (I switch between two amps and one set of speakers). Build quality is top notch on the X3, so that would be the reason to step up to that model from the 1592MKII in my opinion. I have never understood the point of the Diamond. Thanks again!
A very valuable review! I wished they had made the Diamond a "baby Michi" instead of doubling down on the RAs esthetics. An equivalent to the A14, but with the looks (and remote!) of the Michis.
Great vid! I don’t know what you’re doing but you look younger & more radiant than usual! Heres to hoping we get more great remotes, it’s often such an afterthought on a critical part.
Appreciate you Nemo! As for "what I'm doing", just trying to stay healthy in my 40's, so taking care of my hair/skin (Kristi has me on a new skin creme thing) and exercising at least 4 times a week (Tempo). But thanks for noticing! I also think getting a hair cut and a bit of a shave helped.
So a Rotel 1592 and a pair of Polk R700 is the price of the X3 alone. Diminishing returns on paying more that is certain. Curious if the Marantz PM-10 is a big leap from the PM-KI Ruby. Great review, thanks for the weekly content.
Great review. Rotel is notoriously famous for their neutral sounding products which is part of the company’s DNA. I was curious as to what type of music did you throw at the X3. I think the1592 will represent the best value and all around performer.
Thank you sooooooo much for this review. I’ve been debating between these exact two devices and the “salesperson” has been pushing me towards the Michi. Guess I shouldn’t have mentioned “price isn’t so much the consideration” … my bad. I will still test drive both, but it sounds like the mark II fits my needs and desires better. As always, I appreciate both perspectives that you and Kristi deliver so well to us.
Andrew, this was obviously a video focused on comparing the Michi. I like to request a video covering an in depth listening session with the Michi focusing on the stereo imaging, accuracy, coloration (voicing), neutrality. The usual stereo review rhetoric. Is this the best amp since sliced bread if you had to pick one amp for stereo listening ?
yes, there is something about McIntosh's voicing, and yes, I am also sure that you can not measure that particular quality. I am with Kristi on which of these amps that I would choose. It's nice to see Rotel getting some attention because I felt that they were sort sidelined for a while. But what I would find interesting is learning at which point that these amps are running in class A and then moving into B.
My Michi X5 is fantastic it is really smooth detailed and POWERFUL but doesn`t run hot like the X3 . It does weigh 43 kilos though so it sits on the floor for the moment
This trio of Rotels looks like an excellent example of the law of diminishing returns. Also interesting to me that there was a time when direct signal paths and eliminating noise from the display were a thing for higher end gear, but now a flashy touch screen or video display panel seems to matter more.
New subscriber so I’m late to the party, but wanted to thank you for the time and effort you put into this and your other reviews, which are nearly an absolute necessity with a review such as the Michi X3 since it’s difficult to audition.
Damn that was eye opening and great review! Have been looking at all the products mentioned in review. I think 1592 will be first and down the road a Mcintosh 😎
Great review! thanks for the info and great comparison/description. I have been looking to upgrade my Denon PMA-800NE. Most definitely the replacement is going to be the Rotel 1592MKii... and I expect to get my socks blown off, or at the very least to hear a very discernible difference. 🙂It's on my Santa list this year. 'cause $3k is still quite a bit of dough. Will pair it to a set of Klipsch FORTE first gen and a Pioneer PLX-1000 with Nagaoka MP-150. +Pioneer PLL-550 SURE M97 w JICO SAS /MANI. Nagaoka still better to my taste.
I'm shocked your X3 gets hot. Mine runs extremely cool, even when pushing my Sonus faber Olympica 2s hard, very hard. I have both the 1592 and the X3, both are excellent but the X3 really shines in price:performance ratio. You're getting performance that rivals units around $8k but at half the cost. For speakers like the Lumina, I doubt you can tell the difference between the X3 and 1592, but when you get to more resolving speakers it really starts to pull away.
OK Andrew... I no longer have to keep bugging you with the same question-- "will this amp drive my 3.7 Maggies?" I bought an 1592MKll. This review makes me feel I made the right choice.
UPDATE: Returned the 1592MKll-- Not enough power!! Everything in this review is correct but there is one major flaw in this amp that makes it a no go-- the volume is dependent on the input level stage. A weak signal can not be boosted enough to drive the output stage to anywhere near adequate levels. There is plenty of power in this amp but the lack of input gain denies you from accessing it. Even when used as a preamp, lower level signals cannot drive a Bryston to peak-- any preamp should be able to over drive the input stage of any amp. Bought the Parasound 200 preamp and it has a matching level attenuator (+8db) in every input. There is tons of gain and all inputs can be matched.
@@horrorfan6710 The big Maggies require 500W to 600W @ 4ohms to really sing. Acquired a Bryston 4BSST pushing 500W/ch and now the Maggies sound and work great. The Brystons 'grab' and control the speakers.
Ok so before I bought my 1592 MKII, I had a demo of the X3. I was only able to appreciate the differences when the X3 was hooked up to more expensive speakers like Spendors. That led me to purchasing the former instead given the speakers I owned. Maybe I'd consider Michi separates down the line.
The Michi X3 has been on my shortlist for a long time. Add HDMI and an MC phono and it would be a pretty much perfect integrated. I'm looking forward to the Hi Fi Rose review - especially Kristi's comments on the aesthetics. The thing looks like it was stolen from a steampunk convention, which is bound to elicit love it or hate it reactions.
I’ll bet those exposed gears on the Hi-Fi Rose Integrated will get crunchy/funky sooner or later. Another great aesthetic idea right up there with clear acrylic turntables.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews That was the best review I can imagine about the 200W (8ohm) Rotel Family. Andrew&Kristi, you supernova this one!!! @Rotel, you are the unique brand in the audio universe. Giving them all 3 units for one comparison review? My eyes bounced off the ground. You showed all of us a lot of character and truthfulness here. As an owner of 1592 (team Silver!), I'm proud of my amp, even if he has a calculator on his face. I'm looking for Silver MICHI X3 as well. I could continue my journey with x3/x5 with that color. I'm starving for more Rotel and Michi here. 200W is a starter on the Rotel menu. Can we get Bowers Wilkins 804 D4 with maybe... s5+p5 or X5? :> Kristi, I'm crossing my fingers right now. It's hard to work that way but... Well, my support is here.
@@jstoli996c4s I have the X5 with Fyne Audio 502SP's which are 92db and it's not overkill. I achieve amazing dynamics at lower volume and that is the reason everyone should strive for a more powerful amplifier 😉
Thanks Guys that was a great, very informative review! Rotel Integrateds (X3, and the new Diamond 6000) has been on my radar and it was great to hear your thoughts!
You said we would be hard pressed to find a better integrated, what about Michi’s own X-5 now in version 2 it has an MC section the X-3 does not; German Stereoplay ranked it quite highly behind the Technics SU-R1000 above these are integrated amps in five figures; the new X-5 said to have 95 new parts and an upgraded DAC with a retail of 7,999; the Technics is 9,999 so that’s out. Hope you review the X-5 version 2
If the 1592 is this good, I can only imagine how close the 1572 and a14 mk2 are coming to it. Is it like once you get the Rotel house sound, you’re basically there?
Pretty much. My introduction to Rotel was the RA-12. Now running seperates RC-1590 And RB-1590. The flavour is more or less the same, the biggest difference is how refined the details and seperation is, and Insane power on tap without being over bearing
Loved the review as always, watched it right through. I run the Michi P5/S5 combo with ATC speakers (and a sub). Would love it if they give you those to review. A comparison with the X5 would be interesting.
Love your reviews and I keep hoping you come across an exceptional one box solution with HDMI, streaming and 125-150 wpc. The Marantz 40 is close but I really need more power, and I also prefer the slightly improved detail of the Marantz 30. Now if the Marantz 30 had HDMI and streaming, I would buy one today. You guys are great… keep it up!
If you want to save $$$ the Audiolab is among the "best" at or around the $1500 price point. If you can double the budget, then the 1592MKII is the next step.
Sad that the 6000 fins are plastic. I looked at the specs for the 1592 vs the new 6000 and they are lineball with each other.glad you said that sound wise no difference. I considered the x3 as my next amp but it was way more than I need.i have the rotel 1572. Keep up the good reviews.
@@techsamurai11 They are meant to mimic an exposed heatsink to give the impression of a high end, powerful unit. Kind of silly, like a fake vent on a car.
It's going to be pretty in depth and somewhat in the same style/vein as what we did here. We hope by the end of it you'll know which Lumina is right for you should you want to go that route.
Awesome review Andrew! Since you say the Musical Fidelity M8xi is better than the MICHI X3, can you do more apples to apples comparison and review the Musical Fidelity M8s-500s power amp vs the MICHI S5? Because on paper the M8s-500s has more power than the S5 but is half the weight and 3000€ cheaper. And also its made in Taiwan instead of China like the S5. Thanks
Hi Andrew, what's your thoughts between Yamaha A-S3200 and Michi X3, ? i know Yamaha costs much more than Michi X3, but since you have listened to both of them, which one you prefer if the money not a problem ? Many thanks.
wow that Michi looks incredible, and the power on it for the seems fantastic. It really is too bad they don't include hdmi on it. I'd seriously consider demo'ing it against my luxman and aurender combo if it had the hdmi.
The Robinsons at their best; Andrew’s breadth versus Kristi’s focus. Auditioned these speakers as well as the B&W 805 series and give the nod to the MA on the strength of the base performance. A comparison to the Gold series would have been helpful. Keep the videos coming.
If you have to save up money for it, you might be better off with the 1592 MK2 and use any leftover money for something else (audio equipment, or anything else, or just invest it).
I want to try the new X5 V2 that just came out a week ago on my YG's. It has 350 watts into 8 ohms and 600 into 4 and has 95 new parts upgrades. Mostly better power supply and parts isolation.
Would you be able to review the X5 and do a comparison video? You mention endgame amplifier. For me, that was the X5, thinking that no matter what speaker I would ever end up with, I would have the power to drive it.
@@KristiWright You guys are amazing. The in the know knowledge base provided by this channel is off the hook! Plus, I just trust folks in a greater capacity who live in the desert like I do AHHHAHAHAHAHA.
Kristi read my mind. My immediate reaction even before I got to the end of the review was I wish Andrew had compared it to the Musical Fidelity M8xi. So, thank you, Kristi. As for the X3, to be honest, I have expected it to be neutral. So, as far as I am concerned in my own journey as you have put it, I am not quite there yet as I still tend to associate neutrality with true high-end. As it stands, I still have a preference for slightly "coloured" amps if you will. For example, I am still listening to the Roksan Blak integrated which most say leans more to the Roksan's house sound of dynamic, punchy and a tad rosy. Having said that, once I am ready to upgrade to the higher end and perhaps when I am more open to total neutrality, I could see myself going for the Musical Fidelity as opposed to the Michi. I will explain why. I find the Michi to be underspecced at 200 wpc into 8 ohm while the M8xi has 550 wpc into 8 ohm and 870 wpc into 4 ohm. Granted the M8xi is a bit more expensive at US$6,500. However, I could easily consider the M6si500 instead which is in fact US$1,000 cheaper than the X3 at US$4,300. But, spec wise, it still trumps the Michi by a country mile at 500 wpc into 8 ohms. Of course direct specs comparison is not always the way to go. For example, the Gryphon Diablo 300 only has 300 wpc into 8 ohm or the Dan D'Agostino Progression only has 200 wpc into 8 ohm, does that mean the M8xi or the M6si500 sound better than those amps? Probably not. But, by the same token, I can't put the X3 into the same company as the Diablo 300 or Progression neither, granted those amps are also quite a bit more expensive. While I understand Rotel wants to reach the high end with the Michi range, it is really not quite at that level yet in my humble opinion. I consider the Michi range to be on the periphery of high end similar to the Musical Fidelity M8xi and M6si500.
@@Rascallucci if you’re listening at that power level RMS, you’re either frying your ear drums or shaking your walls down lol. Dynamic power is just as important, and the Michis definitely have that covered.
@@jstoli996c4s That is not the point. But, you will have to have a more than powerful reason to go for the X5 instead when it is down by 200W. Is the M8xi down on dynamic power? I guess only a head-to-head audition will be able to give you the answer. But, on paper alone no, Michi at the end of the day is a Rotel amp. I have already said if it was made by somebody else, then may be you could view it differently. Not that I am saying Rotel is "bad" per se, but it isn't a true high-end brand and that kind of credibility can only be earned over time.
@@jstoli996c4s To add, did you even take the above review into account? Even if you discount Kristi as being a non-audiophile, Andrew said the X3 only just topped the Rotel RA-1592 MK II by a tad on low level listening and noise floor. Otherwise, you will not be able to tell the difference. That already told you where the amp is at. May be the X5 has a little more grip perhaps with the additional power? From this review, it told me the gem is the RA-1592 MK II and it sounds like the Michi under-delivers to an extent. Unless you are saying you totally disagree with Andrew's review, then that's a different matter.
