Audio Note M-zero preamplifier
tested in june 2010
This is one of the shortest reviews ever.
I was asked to look if I can improve on the M-Zero preamp from
Audio-Note.
SURE I can. Yes We Can !
So I took a peek inside the black box. Not even level 2, a mere ZERO.
What a connotation - ZERO. Nada, Nil , Nic, Niente, Nol'
FIRST - A LISTENING TEST. I plugged it between my DAC and
GM-70 Monos.
I used the remote - yes - fully functional remote. And guess what - the
preamp is as clean as San Pellegrino water. Not the slightest trace of
bottlenecking my system. No choking of the best qualities of my system
- 3D abilityt, microdetails, awesome bass - everything was still there.
I opened up the box which is a really nice alloy extrusion - a
monococque. And I understood why it is as good as it is: black gates
everywhere, awesome subminiature tube, pure and simple schematics, - I
absolutely can not find any flaw that I could possibly question.
For the price and honestly - even at 10 x the price - it is a
masterpiece of simplicity, good engineering and intelligent
choices. They did not leave any space for me to mess around.
They should include the drooling towel in the package.
Above - M-zero's output caps - genuine jensen paper in oil.
Above - motorized blue alps.