This is my 7th year using the " 160 " and with good reason -- it has beat up the likes of Mark Levinson ( 331 ) --Threshold (300 ) and Krell ( 150 ) I lived with those amps for 4 years total - but the best thing they did, was keep my search going - they all had their strengths -- but the weaknesses were intolerable -- until I ran into the Muse 160 -- from top to bottom a very musical amp -not perfect - but very close --- so I ended my search ------- knowing I could an spend an eternity, trying to better it ----- now I get to sit back and just enjoy the music.

This is a review of the Muse Electronics One Hundred Fifty (150) monoblock amplifier.

I acquired the pair used for much less than $200 on the popular auction site. Used, the Muse 150 represents exceptional value for the sound quality you get. < $200 is much less than what you would pay for a used B&K ST-140 for example, the sound quality is years beyond what the B&K ST-140 or ST-202 or a modified Quad 405 can deliver. Muse Electroncis (or Sound Code Systems SCS) are not very well known and so on the 2nd hand market, they do not command the same prices that more popular brands do.
I use the Muse 150 to drive a pair of 2-way Clements RB 6.5 Mk2 which has a transmission line on the 6.5 inch woofer and a ribbon tweeter. Speaker cables are the Goertz Alpha Core Veracity 3 while my interconnects are from Signal Cables. Line preamplifier and DAC are provided by the old California Audio Labs 2500 SSP. Phono preamp is a cheapo but excellent Schitt Audio Mani. My turntable is a vintage Empire Troubadour with the musical Empire 108 moving magnet cartridge. I have owned since the late 1970s probably several dozens amplifiers from solid state class AB and Class A to tube amplifiers, both push pull and SET.
Listening to a variety of rock, classical, jazz, pop from both CD and LP, I find the Muse 150 to be exceptionally detailed with very extended crystal clear highs. Soundstage is wide although depth is a bit short. Mid range musically and smoothness are both excellent. Bass is powerful and very good. This is a quite fast sounding amp that succeeds to covey the nuances in the tones of musical instruments and voices as SET amps do. I view the Muse 150 to sound superior to the vintage Ampzilla II, Hafler DH200/500 (even with the Musical Concepts mods). They also sound better than hybrid tube solid state NYAL Moscode 300 and 600 amps. I rate them on par with the legendary Electrocompaniet 2 channel audio amplifier by Dr. Ottala and some Threshold amps.
One weakness of the Muse 100
In a nutshell, I highly recommend them if you can find them.

shimmer of tubes, slam of good SS

none that I have found

I have one system with two different sets of speakers that i change off every month or so. So my amp of choice had to handle both sets of speakers. The 160 does this with a plomb
I believe it to be one of the best kept secrets in audio, along with the Muse 3 pre-amp. Amp and pre are very hard to find on the used market, both are built like a tank, with balanced outs and the 160 has Cardas binding posts,They just portray the music, period. Tjoeb and Cal CL-10 use JPS
Superconductors, Cardas Cross balanced from amp to pre and double runs of JPS Superconductor to both speaker systems.
They are PSB Goldi and 1.6QR Maggies. The 160 is much better than the Bryston, at least in my system , It took me two years to put this together and I believe the Synergy is
magic, I have owned much more expensive systems, but none had the magic of theese.

Similar Products Used:

Bryston 4BST, Krell 300i, CJ, AR

Very smooth overall, great intelligibility of vocals. Build quality is solid without being excessive.

Need to leave on all the time for best sound. Runs a bit warm, best to place on an open shelf.

The Muse 160 ended a two year amp search that included all the amps listed above. Before the Muse I owned the Audioprism for 8 months but neither the dealer nor the manufacturer could get it to work reliably. I'll admit an anti-tube bias as a result of this experience. The VTL was a long term loaner. Only heard the VTL with Sovtek EL34WXT so I don't think I heard its best. Also tried the McCormack but felt it was very dry and two-dimensional. Great bass, though.

The Muse 160 gives me the smoothness I liked about the tube amps, plus greater detail and intelligibility of instrumental and vocal lines. Much is made of tube clipping characteristics but I prefer an amp with enough power that I won't run it to clipping. I run the Muse from 65hz up so 160 watts is plenty of power. Have never heard it clip or become harsh at all, even at quite high levels.

I would recommend the Muse to listeners who value reliability as well as good sound. I like to be totally relaxed about my system and just enjoy the music. I expect no problems leaving the Muse powered up almost continuously for the next twenty years. (I tend to keep components at least 10 years unless there is a problem.)

System context:
Forte Model 2 preamp
Audio Control Richter Scale crossover (65hz crossover point)
Spendor SP2/2 (driven by Muse 160)
DIY sub with NHT 1259 driver (driven by Bryston 6B)
Various sources, primarily analog.
Various wire by Kimber, Cardas, Nordost.
Chang Lightspeed 3200

Similar Products Used:

B&K ST-140, Sumo Nine, VTL ST-85, Cary SLA-70B, McCormack DNA.5 SE, Audioprism Debut.

Clean, Abundant, POWER! 3d sound Even my (WIFE) could tell the difference from the classe and thinks its "beautiful" I disagree with one of the reviews"looks like it was assembled in a garage" to me it looks very thought out and well built under the hood!!!!!!!!

need a Good rack for its weight. Runs slightly warm but probably because of the extremelly thick front panel storing heat. but front panel is gorgeous!

I'm not wealthy so when i save my $ for an audio piece I plan on keeping it a LONG time. When I auditioned the above amps, Some had as good or almost as good of charecteristics as the muse but none gave me the feel of long term commitment the muse does. At first I too thought the highs were slightly soft but after listening to it a few hours it seemed to be extremely even. I use mine in a music/movies area and i still have to use my cinema eq so obviously they are not to soft. the mids flow luke a cool breeze from my B&W's. bela fleck and the flecktones simply open the front door and walk into my home now when i insert the cd. Construction is virtually bullet proof! My audio fix it guy even had one come in that had been dropped on the edge of a concrete curb and hit the back panel "GASP" and he said a it took all his strngth and a mallet to bend it back out and only needed new binding posts. if thats not longevity i dont know what is!
In my opinion you cant go wrong with this amp for the money!
P.S. i too love that blue light. ENJOY!!

Similar Products Used:

proceed, b&k, chiro, aragon, lexicon

Very "musical" sounding. Powerful.

Lack of high-end detail, somewhat constricted sound stage. Build quality (internally looks like it was garage assembled).

I purchased this amplifier to replace my heavily-modified Stax DA-80 due to power demands of my Maggies. Other amplifiers considered: Ayre V-3, SimAudio, Classe.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the sound of the one hundred sixty. It does nothing objectionable and is quite musical. This amp has the reputation of sounding like a fine tube amp for good reason. The sound is very smooth, if not somewhat mellow. There is an overall *lack* of grain and harshness that's present in many other highly regarded power amplifiers.

Shortcomings are a slight softness to the extreme high frequencies and a compressed soundstage. In comparison to my Stax on the Maggies, this amp doesn't have the degree "air" and "dimensionality". The sound is very clear and focused but lacks the last degree of texture.

I have found that replacing the 10" length of internal input hook-up wire to a solid-silver/Teflon type (Homegrown Audio) does wonders to resolve the slight softness. Midrange also becomes more transparent (less veiled).

I recommend using the balanced inputs if your preamp is a true balanced design (since this amplifier is also true balanced). Dynamics are better this way.

In summary, if I had not owned the modified Stax amplifier I would have given the 160 a 5 star rating. Probably the best sonic value for under $1,000 (used).

Associated equipment:
BAT VK-3i
Music Ref RM4
LP12
ET-2
Dynavector 20XL
Cal Delta
Camelot Arthur
Magnepan 1.6QR (Hovland+Alpha Core mods)
Custom full-frame support 'pan stands
A+ oval 9/12 bi-wire
Homegrown Audio "Super Silver"
PS Audio 300 power plant

Similar Products Used:

Stax DA-80 (modified), ARC tube, Acoustat TNT, PS Audio, Bryston

real-life musicality

somewhat restricted bottom end

Very Good imagery with life-like tempo. Great Detail without going back into a false stage.The deep deepest bass is loose and not as tight as it could be. Certainly would be one of the best value amps around today, so I bought one (series 2). My way of summing up:
Build Quality & Reliability 1/1
Value for Money 1/1
Looks & Efficiency (does get warm 0.9/1
How It Sounds 1.6/2

Similar Products Used:

parasound, krell, proceed

Build quality, physical appearance(love that blue LED), smooth sound

runs a bit warm-hot

When I first replaced my Ampzilla with the 160 I was REALLY disappointed. The Ampzilla sounded sooo much better - better imaging, much better resolution etc... I realized that I had taken something out of the loop - my Magnaplaner XO-1 crossover box. That box is custom wired interally with Wondercaps capacitors. When this box was back in the system the Muse sounds just a good as the Ampzilla. I'm crossing over at about 80hz to my Acoustat 1+1's. The resolution of the Muse became so much better it was amazing. My wife noticed it immediately! The Muse does have a little softer top end than the Zilla but is still nice. The soundstage depth is a bit shortened on the Muse compared to the Zilla but not bad. Overall I like it ;)

Acoustat 1+1's
AudioPro B250 Sub
Audio Alchemy DLC - Line drive
Magnaplanar X0-1 xover
CAL DX-2
Monster M1000, DH Labs BL-1, Tara Labs Space & Time w/TFA return
Mission Isoplat
Tenderfeet, tiptoes
Atlantis Reference 3 stand, etc...

Similar Products Used:

Sumo 9 - GAS Ampzilla(full Gasworks Reference MOD)

Pace, ease of listening, build quality, dynamics, top-to-bottom coherence, stable bass

HOT running amp, but sonically, the best I've heard for less than 2K.

I purchased this amp without listening to it first. Bought it as a demo model from Audio Outlet for $1400.00 (was $1900.00 at the time), based primarily on the strength of reviews. This amp is bullet proof, has finesse and power with no harshness whatsoever, and in my system, is synergistic with the Conrad-Johnson PV11 (tube preamp) and electrostatic speakers (Acoustats). Tube-like mids, near Krell bass, and non-fatiguing treble. Not the deepest soundfield in existence, but excellent detail, pace, and air with the Acoustats. Was contemplating swapping this amp for a Creek integrated amp, as I am considering purchasing new and more efficient speakers, but spoke to a Sound Advice salesman today, whom I've known for 10 years, and he brought me to my senses, saying that "the Muse is in an entirely different league" than the Creek products. This amp has all the power and finesse you'll need for any sane audio system - anything more than this would be an "insane" purchase. Forget Aragon, Krell, and the other super amps - this one will last you a lifetime, and never leave you wanting for better sound. HIGHLY recommended - check with Audio Outlet, like I did - they may have another demo at a great price.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom (various models), Aragon 2002, Conrad Johnson MV-200
Current system: Acoustat Spectra 1100s, C-J PV11 preamp, Muse Model 160 amp, Sonographe CD player. This system has been in use since Summer 1995.