ME 240 Question

[gat474]

Hi folks, I have a question about the ME 240 integrated amp.  Is this amp simply an amplifier with a volume control and selector/inputs?   I only ask as I have one and note that it seems that on the volume control flat out is flat out rather than around 1 o'clock on the dial as alot of other integrates are.

If it is an amp with a volume control does this lead it to be suitable to use with a pre amp with rca inputs into one of the ME240 inputs and the volume on flat out?

 

@Zaphod Beeblebrox

[Cafad]

You are correct on all counts, it does not have any active preamp circuitry.  It is a power amp with many inputs and a passive volume control.

[gat474]

@Cafad Thanks for the reply.  Has this amp undertaken the world's most thorough and long running integrated amp test?  Having asked that, given it's technically not an integrated would it qualify for your time and effort in the Integrateds thread?

[Cafad]

I've had mine for a while, long enough to try it out pre and post "hi-capping" by Peter.  Try the second addicts thread I'm pretty sure it's in there somewhere.

 

It's excellent with a low impedance source, I found mine to improve dramatically when I installed a Burson Audio Buffer in between the source and the ME240.  Without a low impedance source it is still very good it just tends to sound a little laid back and not as dynamic.

 

 

[gat474]

Thanks for the info cafad. If you still have it that alone is a positive as you do tend to sell stuff that doesn't float your boat.

I'll search for your thread and also keep en eye out for one of the early Burson buffers.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

1 minute ago, gat474 said:

Thanks for the info cafad. If you still have it that alone is a positive as you do tend to sell stuff that doesn't float your boat.

I'll search for your thread and also keep en eye out for one of the early Burson buffers.

 

An ME preamp will work a treat with the ME200 or ME240, as it supplies a VERY low output impedance. The bonus is that it is also a brilliant preamp and headphone amp, should you require it. 

[muzzagruzz]

I've run my 240 as a power amp when connected to an ME25 and it's excellent. My unit was high capped a couple of years which made a difference. Had it since new and will never sell it. 

Edited May 1, 2017 by muzzagruzz

[gat474]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't planning on spending money on a separate pre. It's going to run a pair of usher s520's in a small room system. I'd be interested to see how it went with some atc 3 ways though. Mine is the high cap version.

its hard getting used to having to turn the volume up quite high to get some decent levels out of it. This is what prompted me to think of it as an amp with volume rather than an integrated.

[muzzagruzz]

How well it goes on the three ways depends on their design. I tried the 240 with current hungry Legend Kantu 6's and while it played them ok, it didn't have anywhere near enough drive (current) for them. However, the amp did a commendable job. 

 

The 240 has protection systems built in so there is no risk to it, so give the speakers a go. Mine is now driving a pair of Legend Kure 7's and has also driven two and a half way Legend Kanga's. It's a cracking little amp. 

Edited May 1, 2017 by muzzagruzz

[gat474]

The ATC's are power hungry SCM40's.   It won't do normal duties on the ATC's, I'm more interested to see how it went.  The ATC's are doing rear HT duties at the moment as I run active ATC's as my mains.  (Long story but I was planning to sell the passive 3 ways and one got a little cabinet damage so I can't sell them without doing a whole lot of coin on them).  I used to run the passive ATC's with 250 wpc from a big Primare amp and they loved the power, they now do occasional duties with two channels of a Primare five channel at 120 wpc and still go okay but not quite the impact of the big Swede.   It's more out of interest to give them a run with the ME240.  Normal duty will but with the little Ushers, having said that apparently the little Ushers like a bit of power too!

 

[muzzagruzz]

I'd be really interested in how it sounds and it has me interested in trying my 240 with my Legend Kantu 8i's. 

[gat474]

I'll give it a run tomorrow. I ran the 240 with some Usher 520's tonight and I was really impressed. Completely different speaker to the much larger passive atc's but it might be better than I thought.

The 240 seems to be a great match with the little Ushers. I didn't play it very loud but even at low volume the sound was full and detailed. 

I was thinking of setting the little combo up on a small room but this might be my evening listening speaker combo when lower

 volume is required. I love my active atc

scm50's but they are a speaker for medium to higher volume.

[gat474]

I'm sitting listening to the ME240 powering my mk2 ATC SCM40's which are 85dB efficient so like a bit of power. I used to run them with a monster 250 wpc Primare A32. As per a previous post the 40's don't get used much as they are toiling as HT rears due to my current configuration. It's a hassle to carry them up to the front of the room so I tend not to.

I pulled the finger out this morning to try them with the ME240. The ME was initially connected directly to a vinyl source but on a couple of records I found that the output was a little low even with the volume flat out. I then plugged it into the pre amp with the ME volume set at max which provided more satisfying volume levels (home alone so it has to be louder).

So, the big question, how does the dimunitive ME 240 go powering some power hungry speaker? To say I'm impressed is an understatement. I haven't had the primare for a while but have a good recollection of how it sounded. The little ME isn't found wanting in any area, the only real difference would be the power of a drum hit but with two and a half times the power I'd expect the big Swede to hit pretty hard. Other than that I'd be perfectly happy to live with the little Aussie battler as a full time amp for the power hungry Brits.

The laws of unintended consequences had come into play here too. It's been a reminder of just how good the passive ATC's are even compared to their much more expensive active older brothers. 

Almost has me tempted to leave the passives up the front permanently!

Okay, the scheming hifi brain is starting to take over now. Sell the SCM50SL's and search around for an ME850 to run the passives?

Damn, I hate hifi!!!!

 

Hold on, this whole ME240 thing was supposed to about getting s little system together with the Usher S520's. How did I get so distracted?

 

[gat474]

Oh no! Paralysis by analysis!

[cheekyboy]

Hi G, as you are probably aware, I had a ME240 Hi Cap for many years in my back room system, it was a sensational amplifier and I only let it go when I sourced the Moon integrated that you're also familiar with. Dave has my ME240 now and I don't think he'll be letting that go anytime soon. Even though the Moon performed well and continues to perform well, I was sorry that I let the 240 go, but it went to Dave and I could always visit it when I wanted to.

 

Sounds like you have a good 240 Hi Cap there so my recommendation would be to hang onto it.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited May 2, 2017 by cheekyboy

[Guest Misterioso]

Sell everything and get active ATCs

Just noticed, you already did that. And you are still searching for improvement?

Edited May 2, 2017 by Misterioso

[gat474]

20 minutes ago, cheekyboy said:

Hi G, as you are probably aware, I had a ME240 Hi Cap for many years in my back room system, it was a sensational amplifier and I only let it go when I sourced the Moon integrated that you're also familiar with. Dave has my ME240 now and I don't think he'll be letting that go anytime soon. Even though the Moon performed well and continues to perform well, I was sorry that I let the 240 go, but it went to Dave and I could always visit it when I wanted to.

 

Sounds like you have a good 240 Hi Cap there so my recommendation would be to hang onto it.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Hi Keith,

Thanks for chiming in.  I do recall your ME240 and that's the reason I have this one. Unlike yours this doesn't have remote but it is a high cap.   I'll give you a bell tonight, been meaning to do so for a while, very slack of me!

[gat474]

32 minutes ago, Misterioso said:

Sell everything and get active ATCs

Just noticed, you already did that. And you are still searching for improvement?

Searching for an improvement?  I'd rather call it searching for something I prefer more.   Never necessarily an improvement.

 

I had a listen to the actives (the black faced ATC's) verus the passives (the taller ones) powered by the little ME.  Sure enough the actives are better and so they should be.   Richard Newman, one of the ATC engineers, told me that no matter what I ran the passive ATC's with they'd never be as good as the active versions.   There is quite a few differences between my actives and the passives including dedicated power amps designed for the drivers, no crossovers in the actives, electronic time alignment and crossover with much higher slopes, the SL spec bass drivers in the actives and a much bigger midrange magnet structure and higher power handling.  The magnet on the midrange of both is the size of the black horn loaded surround, so almost the size of the passive bass driver cone .The only things the passives have over the actives is ATC's stellar new tweeter and they look nicer.   Having said that they both sound great.  I've done this comparison before with the big Primare power amp.  The difference was more pronounced with the passive running a slightly fatter and more bloated bass.   I'm quite amazed at what the ME240 does with the inefficient passvie ATC's.

 

Anyone got a nice condition ME850 they're thinking of selling?

Edited May 2, 2017 by gat474

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

47 minutes ago, gat474 said:

 

 

Anyone got a nice condition ME850 they're thinking of selling?

 

Of course.

 

And, you'll be sorry. Then, you'll want an ME1400......

[gat474]

Perhaps not, I once read, from you I think Trev, that the 850 is generally a better match for speakers with average load whereas the really big guys excel when the going gets tough.

Anyway, it's power it speakers crave, not so much grunt.

Do I have this right?

 

I should have known you'd have one. As much as I don't want to know can you PM me with details.

Edited May 2, 2017 by gat474

[muzzagruzz]

7 hours ago, gat474 said:

I'm sitting listening to the ME240 powering my mk2 ATC SCM40's which are 85dB efficient so like a bit of power. I used to run them with a monster 250 wpc Primare A32. As per a previous post the 40's don't get used much as they are toiling as HT rears due to my current configuration. It's a hassle to carry them up to the front of the room so I tend not to.

I pulled the finger out this morning to try them with the ME240. The ME was initially connected directly to a vinyl source but on a couple of records I found that the output was a little low even with the volume flat out. I then plugged it into the pre amp with the ME volume set at max which provided more satisfying volume levels (home alone so it has to be louder).

So, the big question, how does the dimunitive ME 240 go powering some power hungry speaker? To say I'm impressed is an understatement. I haven't had the primare for a while but have a good recollection of how it sounded. The little ME isn't found wanting in any area, the only real difference would be the power of a drum hit but with two and a half times the power I'd expect the big Swede to hit pretty hard. Other than that I'd be perfectly happy to live with the little Aussie battler as a full time amp for the power hungry Brits.

The laws of unintended consequences had come into play here too. It's been a reminder of just how good the passive ATC's are even compared to their much more expensive active older brothers. 

Almost has me tempted to leave the passives up the front permanently!

Okay, the scheming hifi brain is starting to take over now. Sell the SCM50SL's and search around for an ME850 to run the passives?

Damn, I hate hifi!!!!

 

Hold on, this whole ME240 thing was supposed to about getting s little system together with the Usher S520's. How did I get so distracted?

 

Interesting reading. It's a great amp isn't it?  

 

I'll definitely hook up my 240 to the Kantu 8's and give them a good run. Shall report back on weekend. 

[gat474]

Yes, a very nice amp.  I've had alot of gear over the years and like most if not all.  I've had most of the lower ME models in years gone by including a 550 mk 1, 550 mk2 high 2 high cap, 555 three channel, 750 and an 850 as well as a 15 pre, a 24 pre and another 24 pre with remote volume and an MC card.  I liked all of the ME gear but it was eventually sold to fund one thing or another.   At times I did find the ME gear a little forward in the midrange on speakers I was using at the time but looking back now it may have been more a matching thing with the rest of the system rather than the ME gear.   Of course I wish I'd hung onto all the pieces especially the good remote 24 and the 850 but that's hifi I guess.  

 

I had some Kantu 4's at one stage and powered them with a Primare I30 integrated and even had the 550 on them for a while.  I ended up preferring the Primare I30 but can't remember why.  I then went to some Legend passive big reds and at one stage they were run off the 550 mk and then the mk2 and then the 555 was added for the centre and rears.   There was some other gear in there somewhere but in the end I went fully active with the Legend Big Reds and a DEQX and ended up running the mid and tweeters from the Primare 5 channel I still have now.  All that ME gear and the Legend speakers have long gone to make way for other stuff. 

 

I went to Usher mini dancer 2's for 12 months or so and then stumbled across ATC's.    Been with ATC ever since.

 

From memory the Primare I30 was competent with my Kantus as was the 550 mk1.   I obviously don't have the Legends or the I30 now but I am confident from my ME/Legend experience that the 240 will be a good match albeit it may need a pre behind it to drive it a little harder for more volume.

[Cafad]

I'm thinking of picking up one of these to use with my ME240.

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/cable-plus-pro/

 

It always reacted so favorably to the full size Burson Buffer so I am thinking it just may be what the doctor ordered for you too.

An extra 6db of gain is certainly a step in the right direction.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Cafad

[gat474]

Hmmm, interesting.  If you do order one I'm really interested in the results.

[djb]

@gat474 << stop trolling get back to work