Greetings from Bangladesh (ML Purity owner)

Hi Everyone,

I have a pair of ML Purity which came into my possession about a year ago. I used to run the active MLs directly from my Icon Audio LA4 Mk.3 tube preamp. The sound was ok but I guess I wanted more and then recently acquired a Conrad Johnson ET250S which Now drives my ML Purity(s).

I'm 52, from Bangladesh (currently live there as well). I've been a music lover since my teens but never could afford high end audio gear till recent years.

My current setup:

ML Purity speakers (Kimber Kable cables)
Conrad Johnson ET250S hybrid power amp
Icon Audio LA4 Mk. III SE line level tube pre (3x6SN7s + 1x274B) with stock caps
Audiolab M DAC
Mac Mini
Musical Fidelity V192 - USB to SPDIF converter
Furutech USB cable (Mac mini to V192)
Van Den Hul The First Mk.2 (digital interconnect between V192 and M DAC)
Chord Camelean Plus (RCA analogue ic pre to power)
QED performance (RCA analogue ic M DAC to pre)

I still enjoy classic rock, but am more inclined towards Jazz & Western Classical.

I've joined the MLO forum to be able to interact with MLO members in hopes of bettering my ML experience (it's already great though)..

I guess I'll share more about myself as I begin to interact more. Will also upload some pics of my system soon.

My very best,

Javed
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Welcome Javed. It is good to see folks from four corners of the world appreciating ML speakers. You will find this site very enjoyable.

Hi Javed,

Welcome to the Forum.

The Purity has a built-in power amplifier, so does not need the Conrad-Johnson power amp. It takes the output from the C-J, drops it to line level, then amplifies it through its own internal power amp; there is no way to bypass the internal amp. I'm not familiar with the Icon preamp, but if the C-J provides you with better sound I think you should trade in the Icon and C-J towards a better preamp.

Or maybe you need to play with cables, without the C-J in the picture.

If you bought the C-J from a dealer, you should ask if you can borrow a C-J preamp to try at home. I imagine you paid considerably more for it than you did for the Icon (UK price £699).

Hi Bernard,

Many thanks for your helpful comments. I was running the Purity(s) directly with my Icon Pre for the last one year and have recently added the CJ Power with the understanding that I was actually bypassing the built-in amps of the MLs...wow what a bummer...I felt that the CJ Power did bring in more muscle/headroom...but perhaps I was imagining it...the interconnects could not have made such a difference or did they? Oh well...back to the drawing board I guess..

I think I'm going to use the CJ to build up another setup. I got a pretty good deal on the CJ ET250S from my boss (paid roughly US$2,800 for it). The CJ Power has been used for 4 years and is in pristine condition and so I want to keep it (I borrowed my neighbour's Dynaudio Contour 3.3s and ran it with the CJ which I immediately loved). I am saving up for a pair of Dynaudio C2 which I hope to get by this June. I may even consider a passive model from ML within the same budget.

The purity(s) have a very narrow sweet spot and so it can be put into my HT setup perhaps. Will try that and if not suitable then I may have to create another audio setup and put them in the living room with just the Icon pre and a Media player. I got the Icon pre for GBP 999 last May (their local dealer only sells at list price). I got the Purity(s) for US$3.5k around the same time I got the Icon pre (the import duty and local taxes are very high in Bangladesh). I know these are available under $2k in the U.S.

There is no CJ dealer in Bangladesh. I will have to get one from Malaysia or Singapore...perhaps later this month.

Once again thank you for your valuable input specially in clarifying the use of external power with the Purity(s).