Mastering Room aka Control Master Preamp customer comments:

EveAnna,

First, let me say thanks for taking the time to reply to my questions the other week. The fact that you personally reply to even second hand customers' questions speaks volumes about Manley Labs.  You've definitely won over a new customer for life. 

Second, let me say that this preamp is FANTASTIC. I put it into my very modest system when I received it Friday from the seller, and the improvement it made is just hard to believe. Suddenly there is a sound stage, and, for the first time, alot of instruments actually sound real. Music!

I think this preamp should tide me over until I can afford the Shrimp and Steelhead, or whatever the next latest and greatest from Manley will be once this little guy is pried from my hands.

Thanks!

Marty 3/2006

Israel Blume writes about his SE/PP Retro and his Control Master Phono Preamp:

Dear EveAnna,

I also auditioned the Control Master Phono preamp's line section. (My cartridge is coming next week consequently phono evaluation will have to wait). Since my CD set up has analog volume pots, conducting a bypass test is a breeze. This is exactly what I did in order to determine how transparent the preamp's line stage actually is.

Transparent is the way to describe it. With the line stage in, the sound was virtually identical to the CD player going directly to the amps. There was a very slight rounding of transients and a touch of low level detail was obscured with the line stage inserted into the signal path. Only an exceptionally high resolution system would be capable of exposing this. The line stage's affect on the signal was akin to using a 2m interconnect as opposed to a 1/2 m. All in all quite an achievement.

I think you might get the impression that I am impressed and how.

and then again a couple days later....

Dear EveAnna,

I also received my Transfiguration cartridge and have listened to the Control Master preamp. Let's cut to the chase: the unit is superb! It is very quiet and the feel of the knobs and controls inspire confidence. Love the discrete resistor volume pot.

The preamp is devoid of any obvious failings. It does everything at least very well and a lot of things simply marvelously. What really sets the preamp apart is its ability to perform at the state of the art on both micro and macro levels. Only a select group of componentry is so capable. These two areas are often mutually exclusive. A component that excels in one is usually deficient in the other and vice versa. Not so with the Control Master. It is explosively dynamic and impactful yet concomitantly is capable of revealing the subtlest of nuance. All this translates to a unit that is very musically involving because it is so naturally gifted. The combination of the Retros and the Master Control with my Millenniums is transporting me to places and emotions that I have yet visited.

Thanks for everything.

Best regards,

Israel Blume

Coincident Speaker Technology 

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