Transparency, power , detail impressive build quality

none

Do you think you have heard all of the musical information on your cd's or albums? Well, check out this amp and you may be suprised at what you've been missing.
I've had the M-3 for a month and am still blown away every time I sit down to listen. It does'nt matter what style of music I play, the improvement is amazing. This amp has renewed my enthusiasm for buying new music. What a huge sense of space and ambience along with instruments sounding more like instruments playing in front of you.
All of this combined with an effortless sense of weight and power adds up to a very exciting listening experience.
The price is more than justified considerg the sound and build quality, I think integrateds better the sound of seperates costing much more when factoring in the cost of high quality cables & power cords that seperates require.

Similar Products Used:

Krell 300i, amps by Conrad Johnson, Spectral, Adcom, New York Audio Labs, VTL

Transparency, resolution, power, dynamic performance, and many more

some technical issues (see review)

Ok, I have to admit that this review may be a bit premature as I have the unit for only 4 weeks. I am sure that as time goes by and I find more way to optimize its performance (vibration isolation, power conditioning, tube damping, etc.) like I did on my previous amp, it is going to be better. But that can probably be left for an update review a year from now...

First let's get some quibbles over with. Technically, there are things left to be improved. The channel-to-channel or input-to-input isolation is not great. For instance, when only left channel input is provided, music can be clearily heard from the right speaker (with left speaker disconnected, of course) with volume set to normal listening position and up. Same thing for input-to-input isolation, I can easily hear music from other non-selected sources. The high frequency noise (coming from tweeters) also seems a bit high. I'm sure it beats many integrateds in these areas, but for $4500 and for how it sounds I just wish there are no such techie issues. My $2500 C-J tube integrated beats it in these regards, even with power differences taken into account. But again, I found this C-J gear to be superbly engineered, it betters most more expensive solid-state integrated in terms of noise and (channel and input) isolation.

Now the good and exciting parts. Sonically, this is an unusal product. It combines virtues of power and finesse. The power is enormous and seems endless. Between M3, B&W M802's, and my ears. I think the latest ones are the ones that crack first, if volume is turned too high. What comes with the power is dramatic dynamic between music passages. The music becomes more emotional. The soundstage is wide and deep, also because of this.

The most amazing parts of this amp, in my system and to my ears, are its transparency and resolution. I've never heard an amp that's more transparent and more detail. By comparison, my original C-J tube-ss bi-amp setup sounds dull and smooths out many details, albeit sounding utterly pleasant. With M3 in the driver seat, nothing hides from it. I can hear all the difference in recording quality between CDs or LPs, be it good or bad. But overall, it makes more CDs and LPs enjoyable, especially those old Rock CDs (for instance, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd) that sounded boring with my tube amp now have a new life. Well recorded Jazz or Classical materials, especially live ones, now sound like- LIVE. Try Patricia Barber's newer NightClub or Companion CD. With lights turned off, I swear she is right in my living room.

I've been speculating about this for a while. But now it sort of proved by M3- that very enjoyable music can be had for lower power amplifier; but for recreating live(-like) music, high-efficiency speakers or high-power amp is a must. The dynamic range of real music instruments is far greater than what a typical low power amplifier can provide in driving typical efficiency speakers. With M3 driving Matrix 802, the dynamic is very close to the real things (albeit still not the same as live ones). Maybe there are gears that bring you closer to live, but those high power Krell and Mark Levinson are sure to cost you MORE arms and legs.

By the way, the phono stage in M3 is good, but not as good as my tweaked (better OP-Amp used) Lehmann Black Cube. But for this I am not 100% sure as the phono stage got less break in time than the pre- and power-stage of M3. I just don't expect it to be a world class performer, like other parts of M3 do. For part time vinyl listener like myself, I will be happy forever with it- if I don't have the Black Cube first.

For the rating, due to the imperfect technical performances, I'll rate it 4.5 on Overall. But since there is no such choice, I'll just round it up to 5. Value is a solid 5. It's cheaper but better in many areas, than those integrated from Krell, M-L, or Jeff Rowland. And it comes with a phono stage. What can we complain (well, besides techie thing)? :-)

My system:
Coplan CDA288 -> AudioTruth Opal -> M-F M3 -> DH Labs biwire T14 -> B&W Matrix 802s3 with NorthCreek external x'overs and Sound Anchor stands
Analog gears are Rega P3 with Grado Platinum Reference
Listening (living) room about 18'x24'x14'

Similar Products Used:

C-J CAV-50 with SA250 bi-amp system, Jeff Rowland Concentra, Bryston B60, Audiolab 8000A

Non exept for the remotecontrol

I been in searh for a new amplifier for almost one year now.I have been testing and listening intensively to various amplifiers priced from 4000 to 12000$ then i run into the Nuvista M3 (reed about it in a Swedish Hifi magasine).After a few listening tests i was in love with this British beauty never heard anything like it.
The way this amplifier behave the other amps just vanished.
This amp has it all total control beautyful soundstage.
Im very happy to own one.
System:
von schweikert vr4 gen2
Counterpoint DA10 DAC,
Counterpoint DA11 Transport
Harmonic tech interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Counterpoint

Scale,presence,power,transpanrency,sheer ball-busting sound quality,user-friendly,exclusivity,investment value, desireablity and even at this price : sheer value for money

Only if being absolutly anal-the remote could impart a lot more tactility and desireablity to match the amp rather than a cheap plastic one it is - for example the amps plated in 24carat Gold for Chrissakes and the remote is cheap black plastic.

How Does anyone firmly land in the hi-end? I was in the market for an upgrade from my baby Tag McLaren amp - a great $800 amp, when I read 2 reviews about the new Nu-Vista M3 amp - Could it really match and in some respects better the prior power/pre Nu-Vista combo??

I'd heard the Mark Levinson 383 and the Krell KAV300i and some Chord amplification and this Nu-Vista amp is better than everything I'd heard. I had to wait ages for the amp I auditioned (and later bought) to be built, and took my front end to the dealer for the audition - THIS AMP IS UNBURSTABLE! - AS IT DOESNT DISTORT/CLIP, THE DEALER BLEW THE NAUTILUS TWEETER OFF HIS BRAND NEW B&W SPEAKERS ON THE DEMO!!

After the inital shock of how sound quality had improved, I spent ages simply being taken into the music and forgetting
about the amp - a good sign.

Taking it home kinda forced and upgrade from my own B&W speakers to the superb Shahinian Arcs - which is one the few speakers which can handle this kinda power! (250 watts!!) brought further benefits - my many musician friends who have'nt been impressed when I've taken them to hifi shows are blown away with the combo of the Nu-Vista, Arcs and the Caspian. The amp offers realistic scale and wieght but is also incredibly tacticle and gentle and above all realistic & faithful to the original perfomance.

Its convienient, housing 2 pre/power amps in a single case has sound and build quality to die for and its so VERY desirable - GO ON, YOU DESERVE TO LISTEN AND OWN ONE OF THESE VERY SPECIAL AMPS - AS YOU CATCH YOURSELF SMILING WHEN LISTENING YOU'LL UNDERSTAND, YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED.

Similar Products Used:

Tag Mclaren and Marantz amps, Roksan Caspian and Marantz CD players, Tannoy, B&W, Shahinian Arc Speakers amongst others

width of soundstage, clarity, crisp bass, neutral sound

yip remote, might as well not bother
only 500 being made

ok so I have tried the amps above but you must listen to this one. Dont listen to me , listen to the amp. It is clear, no colour, has a very wide soundstage. There are times it seams to place instruments as if speakers were there !.

There is only 500 being made

You have been warned !!!!

Similar Products Used:

krell kav300, chord pre-power spm600, meridian 502,557

Bass, soundstage, detail & price

Remote control

What can I say that has not already been said. Just go and listen to one whilst you still can. Musical Fidelity should have spent some more money on the remote and scrapped the gold, but thats just a minor niggle. I am so pleased with it and it's not even run in yet (1 weeks old).

System:

SONY 777ES SACD
B&W NAUTILUS 805's
QED GENISIS bi-wired
CHORD ANTHEM interconnects