mitcho103

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $5600.00 from direct from mfg

Summary:
great sonics if you can get it to work. A common problem as I now find out is the stability of Metaxas equipment. They sound great, but at the expense of stability/ long term usage.

I purchased this and the matching preamp directly from Kostas Metaxas. The amp and preamp had to be sent back countless times to Kostas which is expensive since he is in Australia and I in North America.

I sent back the amps 4 times. Each time Kostas indicated it was repaired and my concerns regarding the stability of his amps was unfounded!!!! I was held captive a couple of times and was told I could come and get my amps from him if I did not like the way he was fixing them. I obviously paid him since it was going to cost huge sums for me to get them.

After the 4th time being repaired, and subsequent break down after a couple of days (once after 30 minutes), I took the equipment to a local tech who builds amplifiers himself. He requested schematics from Kostas to which Kostas would not provide. Kostas indicated it was a secret and the tech was just after his design. Well, the tech repaired it a couple of times and each time the system blew. I finally asked him to do some mods to correct the problems which he did. I finally got the tech to do some mods to the amp. He indicated there were some serious flaws in the design for stability sake. As well as the preamp.

What a disaster buying the Metaxas gear. I had the same problem with his integrated as well. I can not recommend Metaxas gear for anyone unless you are well versed in amplifier/ audio design. You can then mod your amp/ preamp et al for it to work properly. I found threads at various sites after this fiasco and found this is a common problem. I spoke to a couple of former Metaxas dealers in Australia and New Zealand and they indicated that was common with his designs and that they stopped selling his gear because of it.

I still have the copies of the emails to verify my post

Strengths:
superb sonics when playing.

Weaknesses:
longevity of more than a few hours is debatable

Similar Products Used:
Krell, ARC, Cary, Rowland, Levinson all are superior

Price Paid:  $2200.00 from 1994/2003

Summary:
The first Metaxas product I bought in 1981, was a used Charisma preamp, built in 1986. I still remember clearly the realistic soundstage, dynamic and detailed bassreproduction, and the very clean, undistorted sound of high frequencies, when I connected it into my set. After a few days, when the preamp had warmed up, also the important midrange in the audiospectrum came alive with astounishing precision. In those days, as I mostly am doing nowadays, I only played vinyl records. The Charisma has an incredible good phonostage. Two months ago I could buy a second-hand Solitaire MK-II poweramplifier. The lack of any distortion, the place of voices and instruments in realistic deep and wide soundspace are convincing qualities. In my opinion this is the first solid-state main amp witch can compare and beat the involvation in music that tube power amps usually have. The Metaxas Solitaire performs very stable into the 1,5 ohm speakerload of my Infinity QRS midrange and high magnetostatic loudspeakers with an active crossover to Eton 580/11/hexacones. When very precise and realistic reproduction of recorded (acoustic) music is your aim, I highly recommend Metaxas' equipment.

Strengths:
Realism, stability, perfect soundstage, good phonostage.

Weaknesses:
Recently recorded CD's, my doughters play,(age 19 and 21) are sounding too big, too overdone, but impressive at my set.

Similar Products Used:
Krell Pam-I (preamp) Burmester 785 (preamp) Uher 4000 (tubes, main amp) Radford (tubes, main amp) Sony Professional PSX-9 turntable. Cartridges: Kiseki Purpleheart-vd Hul, Koetsu Wood, Koetsu Black, Kiseki Blue. CD transports: Sony 557, Madigal. Dac: Madrigal. Dat: HHB- portadat (liverecordings)

Price Paid:  $3200.00 from Metaxas

Summary:
I owned this product for a short time and had to send it back for service three times. It's sound quality was acceptable, but it's build quality and reliability let it down.

Den

Strengths:
Attractively styled, Neutral sound quality.

Weaknesses:
Very unreliable, poor quality internal construction

Similar Products Used:
Krell KSA50 mkII, Mark Levinson 331, ME850.

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Summary:
I have used this amp for almost 6 years now together with the Metaxas Marquis Preamp. I have tried to upgrade it but always find my amp better than possible upgrades. Unfortunately, there are not many distributors selling this brand. If you could get your hands on one, try and compare it with any brand that you know of. I have tried it against Krell and Naim and they do not match the sound of this Australian amp.

The manufacturer, Kostas Metaxas, deals with you directly if you need a repair or upgrade and the service is excellent except for some delays ( mine were sent for upgrades over Xmas and New Year so the delays)and it goes back to Australia.

Over the years the improvements I have done were interconnects, speaker cable, and CD Player upgrades. Currently I am planning to go for the PS Audio Power Plant.

The amps may stay for life!!!

Strengths:
Everything

Weaknesses:
Reveals weaklink in the system...Use of low capacitance/inductance cables a must!

Similar Products Used:
Audiolab 8000CD
Metaxas Marquis Preamp
Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnects
Nordost Super Flatline Mark II Biwire
Martin Logan SL3

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Summary:
Bought Metaxas marquis 3 and two solitaire 2's. these amps are superb detail and soundstaging is second to none ! auditioned several mega dollar american amps at home ,audio research ,krell, levinson etc and would judge the metaxas combo superior

Strengths:
NEUTRAL UNCOLORED SOUND

Weaknesses:
NONE