Marantz PM Ki Ruby vs Musical Fidelity M6si


I have narrowed down the options to drive my Dali Rubicon 5s. 
I’ve heard that unlike most marantz reference series gear, the ruby is not as warm. Also, uses a Class D instead of the usual Class A or A/B.

interestingly enough, I tried the musical fidelity m5si and it sounded quite good with my speakers.  It wasn’t as bright as I expected. It was lively yet warm. My budget allows me to go for the next level, so I’m wondering if I should go for the warmer Marantz Ruby or the MF m6si instead. 
If you own either of these amps, plz could you share your thoughts? There aren’t many reviews and really need your help. thanks!

prashanth13485

Showing 1 response by verdantaudio

This is a tough call.  I had a customer move from a PM14s1 to an M5si and was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in detail and eventually wants to step up to the M6si.  

I am an MF dealer and love the M6si.  Fully balanced, dual mono design makes it a bit more refined than most, especially at its price.  MF is more neutral than most think and the higher you go in the line, the closer to neutral it gets.  

The Ki Ruby is going to be a hair warmer than the M6si.  It is, in some ways, not quite as refined as the MF in that it is not a dual mono, fully balanced design but is a step up from the PM14s1.

A big question is going to be what sources you are feeding into it.  The MF is at its very best when it is paired with fully balanced sources.  If your sources are fully balanced, it is almost a no-brainer to go with the MF.  If not fully balanced, the Marantz may have the edge or it might be a push in terms of refinement.  Then it comes down to which sound profile you prefer and the fact the MF is $1200 less.  

One other note, although the MF is a bit less expensive, that is driven by it being made in Taiwan while I believe the Ki Ruby is made in Japan.  

I am happy to answer any questions I can and if you settle on the MF, PM me and I will be happy to work with you on the sale.  I accept trades and do my best to make things easy on buyers.