It's in great shape. I need to confirm that the bias is adjusted correctly and maybe take a couple measurements of the capacitors to see how they're holding up, but there are no signs of issues. The input gain controls aren't super precise. When they're both at their physical maximum the left channel is just ever so slightly hotter than the right channel, but that was very easy to correct once I could do more precise voltage measurements on the output by nudging the left input gain control down a sliver. I've seen the MX-1 described both as being dual mono and also as actually being just two large EI transformers acting as a single power supply to both channels. I haven't looked at a schematic to confirm either way.
Not really missing anything so far as I know. Back when I originally purchased these speakers I spent ~3 years before going through all kinds of different speakers looking for a sound that sat right with me. Went through Def. Tech., Maggies, the lower-end "Rocket" line from the same vendor, Ascend, JBL, Polk, and Paradigm. I stopped once I got to the Ref 3's. Each one weighs over 100 lbs., there's enough controlled & punchy bass supplied by the 7" Atohm woofers that I sold off the SVS cylinder sub I had at the time and went down to a 2.0 channel system. I'd abandoned my home theater setup by that point, so I didn't need a big sub for effects, and really disliked the process of trying to blend it with the litany of other speakers for music. Back then I drove them with an Aragon 8008BB (which I regretted selling before moving back to Portland, and recently acquired a replacement one, but it hasn't yet displaced the MX-1).
Mostly, I'm just really curious to try out some modern Class D technology unencumbered by all the other random stuff packed into the Pioneer receiver I was using. The NC500MP based mono amps are especially affordable for what you get it seems. I could probably spring for NC400 kits, but if there's not much in the way of material difference, then I could probably satisfy my curiosity without springing for the more expensive setup.
For some reason I kind of like the idea of having a little Topping D50s flanked by two narrow chassis Hypex amps driving this big tower speakers. Right now it's a Parasound P5 stacked on the MX-1, a reasonably svelte setup to be sure, but not as diminutive as the Topping/Hypex setup would be.
I live down in Portland, so it's not that much of a hassle for me to make a trip up to the Seattle-area. I've actually already offered to have Amir measure both the Yamaha MX-1 and the ONIX Ref 3's. I'd be able to get by without them for a little bit, but earlier this year he was a bit overwhelmed with equipment to review, and now of course the world is unraveling, but I'd still pack 'em up and take them up there.
