ML 39 w/Bryston amp and Thiel 2.3?

This sounds like a great setup! I'd tend to not use the #39 unless you are getting a super deal. I've owned this unit and was satisfied with its sound. It was "tweeky" in the sense that if it ever loses power, a full hour must pass before plugging it in and powering up. If you don't wait this long it will either: 1. Not produce output or 2. Generate sounds equivalent to a banshee being molested by a porcupine. If I were me (and I am) I would test drive the MSB Platinum before dropping large bucks on the '39. The other stuff (Bryston & Thiel) are no-brainers they're so good. Have fun!

Dude, you misunderstand. My post says something like: "I was satisfied with its sound". This means it sounded good. I complained that if the unit was unplugged, it took a full hour of being unplugged to return to a functional state. This was confirmed by the factory (and the dealer)as a "known problem". It's ironic that the head honcho of madrigal is quoted in July's Stereophile as saying "We don't experiment with out customers on immature technologies". I guess they only experiment with mature technologies.

Yes, I most certainly did have a "problem" with my unit which I purchased new from an authorized dealer (consistently voted among the "top 10" in the country by some magazine or other). I contacted the dealer within a day of purchase which is when I was informed of the "known problem". I also personally contacted the customer service dept. of Madrigal who, if not repeating the "known problem" mantra (this was about three years ago -give my memory a break), did not tell me to return the unit to the dealer for a new one (which I'd have done in a heartbeat). My rational for not returning the unit was to sacrifice common sense at the alter of "audiophile (audiofool?) suffering for the ultimate sound" B.S. that pervades this hobby. The clowns making money off this stuff think nothing of taking $6000 and then shining you on with the "known problem" line instead of fixing what's wrong. I am simply using this forum to relate my experience, when asked, to fellow hobbiests. The #39 was a good sounding unit (not the best I've heard) and, in the main, performed reliably. I'd still audition the MSB Platinum with its upsampling, radically new balanced DAC architecture, and interpolation (for 50% of the Levinson's $6000) first.

Rsuminsby: You devil!