FM Acoustics fm155 preamp

Dave, I believe that FM supplies only their own cables and requires that their products are used only with their cables. I am not sure about interconnects but speaker cables for sure nothing else can be used since they have their own custom plug. This is one of the things that turned me off from FM even though otherwise I find their gear to be among the best ever. This is the same thing that bothers me about Spectral, they require that only MIT cables are used which place additional passive components in the signal path, something that should be avoided IMHO or at least not be required. I wonder how much more successful these brands would be if they didn't have so many requirements and restrictions.

As a former FM owner (I had to sell it, long story,) you can use your own interconnects, no problem. You're correct about the speaker cable. I don't see this as a problem as the FM equipment is optimized and designed for use using their own cables, which are excellent, imo. I still use FM interconnects in my current system. They in fact work very well, which surprised me a bit. I think what makes FM less successful is the limited production for most units, and the super high prices. Very few people can afford it, and perhaps the ones who can have a hard time justifying paying that much for stereo equipment. But, that is the FM philosophy, I suppose. I would probably go for a used unit nowadays. The prices used to be much less years ago. And the production and philosophy was pretty much the same back then. Of course the new units are the latest designs, but are they really head and shoulders above the older models that were much less expensive? Are they really that much different? I can't answer that at the moment. Even though I had units that are now discontinued (I had the 244C pre and the 611 amp,) I do regret selling them off, but again it's a long story, and let's just say I was in a pinch.

Hi Pani,
Congrats on your F10 acquisition!
I think you've already got all grounds covered and knew prior what you wanted--hence I posted here. Unless for some reason you are less than totally pleased with your new purchase, if it were me, I'd get the 155 Pre and later when funds permit, add on the 133 Linearizer.. Bet it'll be perfect with your F10--Just as Manuel intended. ;)
In the meantime, hang on to your Lamm, and wait for a nice used 155 or 245 to surface. Don't waste anymore money/time.

http://www.monoandstereo.com/2013/05/fm-acoustics-fm-155-preamplifier-line.html

Re cabling, yes as Dave mentioned above, use their PITs and Forcelines.. A good thing--reasonable cost for near perfect synergy (in the context of complete FMA system). You could perhaps do better/different but for much much more $$--not really worth it. My 2c

Thanks, Bvdiman. The FM cables are very neutral like the FM equipment. Which i why I suspect they are such a good match. They do not really act as tone controls like some competing products.

Hey thanks guys. Yes I have been listening to music through FM Acoustics F10 for the last couple of days. Even though I bought it pre-owned it still seems to have improved after some further listening. Initially I felt my Wavac 300B SET has higher resolution, a bit more speed, a bit more crispy transients and in all fairness I felt it should be the case because the Wavac and Lamm preamp are a good match whereas the FM + Lamm is just an average match. After putting some playing time on FM the gap has been reduced to a single line. Today morning when I swapped the amps I could not point a finger at the FM compared to Wavac. They are crazily alike sounding even though one is a 300B SET and other is a SS push-pull. If one is not in the listening room or not listening very carefully it is difficult to tell when the amp switched!

However, if one has lived or experienced SETs extensively he will know that SETs have a special way of presenting music which is exclusive to SET club. The sound is very direct, coherent, rich and present almost like "they are here". This happens with all kinds of music. Whereas push-pull designs sound more laidback, relaxed, deep and wide, more space between instruments (which also sometimes feels less coherent), it is almost like "you are there". That differentiation still remains between Wavac and FM. If one is habituated with one kind, the other kind will feel like a cultural change. Difficult to accept at once. Will need some unlearning and readjusting of expectations to fully appreciate the new sound.

I am doing just that. I am listening to FM althroughout. Wavac will come in only once in a few days just to for a quality check.

My preamp selection in the mean time will be tedious i guess. I am on a budget at this time. May be $5-6k max. I am thinking of tube preamps with low output impedance. Something like Einstein audio "The Tube" or Symphonic Line "Die Erleuchtung". Lamm preamps generally have a higher output impedance else that could have been a great alternative too.