Price Paid:  $4600.00 from Leeds

Summary:
I have owned the M3 pre amplifier for 3 years with continuous use, never having switch it off except for tube swops. Tubes are lasting around 16 months.
It is probably the best single component I have ever bought for my system. Very soon after switch on it produced fantastic natural music, and after 1 month of run-in it raised the quality level even further, a remarkable improvement over my previous solid state Krell unit.

This is a very well made product, big, attractive heavy case and thick aluminium face plate, and is stuffed full of high quaility components, black gates, copper caps, mostly AN built in-house parts.

It consists of a dual mono power supply, incorporating valve rectification and double choke smoothing, high quality Cerafine capacitors and the unit is completely hard wired. The output stage uses a 5687WB double triode per channel, and offers Balanced and RCA outputs. Available as line only or Phono.

I am using the M3 with an AN DAC 1.1 and AN CDT transport, into the M3 then into a pair of Conquest monoblocks. Prior to buying the M3 I auditioned quite a few similar priced products by BAT, Conrad Johnson and McIntosh, and found the M3 provided a very natutral sound, tons of high frequency detail with no hard edges, and substantial bass strength and weight. The design allows a very high input impedence for valve DACs and so on, and so it will fit in perfectly with other tube units.

Whether you run an all tube system or good quality solid state, this unit will definantly make iteself felt. It is up there with the best pre amplifiers available today. And with tube rolling and many upgrade options from AN, it represents a great long term investment.

Buy it, you will not regret it.

Strengths:
Extremely detailed and natural sound, superb build quality, long life tubes.

A brilliant way to live with Solid State power amplifiers, and keeping those inefficient speakers, but gain some tube sound along the way.

Adds realism especially voice and strings, adds micro dynamics, increases stage depth and width, adds warmth, reduces fatigue and track swopping.

Weaknesses:
Price seems high, but look inside and listen to it, its worth double the price point.

May lead to further tube gear and other component swopping.

Can promote loss of sleep, you won't want to switch it off!

Similar Products Used:
pre-amps: Musical Fidelity, Krell, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh, BAT.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: AN Conquest 300b SET monoblocks
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Pre amplifier
Sources (CDP/Turntable): AN CDT and AN DAC 1.1 kit
Speakers: Zingali Overture 2s (2006 model)
Cables/Interconnects: AN AN/V silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Rock, Electronic
Room Size (LxWxH): 18 x 16 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments: Large rug, pictures, heavy curtains
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 years
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner