McIntosh valve vs McIntosh solid-state amps.

[Babur72]

Hi guys,

Having been overwhelmed by the expansive,full-bodied,organic sound of the McIntosh C2300 with the MC275 aswell as the pre-amps. flexibility of use,i've all but resolved to purchase the C2300.However,i'm undecided which of McIntosh's valve or solid-state power-amps. would be better partners for the pre-amp.

I'm also unsure whether i should go down the active or passive 'speaker route.Some of the active 'speakers i've heard have outstanding detail,dynamics & weight,but can at times sound clinical & harden when pushed.Especially when listening to CD's & SACD's.Generally the passive 'speakers i've heard thus far can seem a little more involving in a more natural,relaxed way.Though they sometimes lack in the accuracy & immediacy of the attack & decay of notes when compared with active 'speakers.

My eventual listening-room measures approx. 28.5ft x 22.5ft,is quite reflective imparting the ambient acoustics with a slightly cool,hard-edged quality.Mostly my music is stored on CD's & SACD's,of diverse(& dubious) tastes & listening volume can at times approach concert levels.

Experiences with & any thoughts regarding McIntosh's valve & solid-state power-amps. & suggestions for potential floorstanding 'speakers candidates i should hear together with the C2300 would be much appreciated.

Regards.

BABUR.

 

[the record spot]

No experience with any of their kit mate, but God knows, get in touch as soon as you buy the last bit, I'll be there in a trice. Well, a train probably, but one very envious reader here. Great gear.

 

[Babur72]

Is there anybody there?!

There must be someone on the forum who has an idea which 'speaker brands sound best partnered with McIntosh amps.(for the record C2300 & MC402 or MC501's) surely?

For what it's worth.The passive 'speakers i've shortlisted to hear with the McIntosh amps. over the next few months include: Art Audio - Deco 15 sigs.,Audio Physic - Cardeas,Klipsch's - P39F & Vienna Acoustics - 'The Music'.

I'd also be grateful for the opinions of anyone who's had experience with Adam Audio's or ATC's active/semi-active 'speakers & whether they believe that they are compatible with or complementary to the Mac. amps. sound.

Regards.

BABUR.

 

[chebby]

With the exception of just a lucky few (Thaiman and the WHF staff for instance) I don't there are many here on this forum who have the experience of this level of kit required to answer your question.

 

[the record spot]

What Chebby said. Mass produced kit yes, specialist high end gear, no. No disrespect to anyone, but that'd be the lion's share of the consumer profile on this part of the forum. Try the Steve Hoffman forum; there's quite a few McIntosh owners and dealers on there. Also drop the guys at Jordan Acoustics a line, they're McIntosh dealers (based in Glenrothes, Scotland). Very helpful.

 

[floyd droid]

Yup, Paul at jordans is your man.The deco sigs match nicely btw. No problems with home dems either.

 

[Babur72]

the record spot:What Chebby said. Mass produced kit yes, specialist high end gear, no. No disrespect to anyone, but that'd be the lion's share of the consumer profile on this part of the forum. Try the Steve Hoffman forum; there's quite a few McIntosh owners and dealers on there. Also drop the guys at Jordan Acoustics a line, they're McIntosh dealers (based in Glenrothes, Scotland). Very helpful.

Hi Chebby/Floyd/TRS,

Thanks for the Steve Hoffman recommendation.Don't know why i've never come across this forum before.More seriously usefull info. & informed opinion for the obsessive audiophile(not that i'd describe myself as one quite yet) than one could crave for.Especially regarding evaluations by owners & dealers with experience of both McIntosh's solid-state & valve amp's.Just what i was after.

Once i've bought the power-amps. & then the 'speakers to go with the C2300 i'll be sure to post a pic. or two on the 'My system' page for your perusal.And who knows.Perhaps invite a couple of forum users(providing it's not against forum rules) for a serious weekend listening-session at some future date.

Cheers guys.

BABUR.

 

[Thaiman]

Valve is more musical, the 2300 and 2 x 275 would see off many amps twice the price however I would really look in to Mastersound 845 as it is just stunning!

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I can only share a bit of ATC experience - check the thread in my signature.

I will be checking that forum above for sure as well.

 

[Babur72]

Thaiman:

Valve is more musical, the 2300 and 2 x 275 would see off many amps twice the price however I would really look in to Mastersound 845 as it is just stunning!

Hi Thaiman,

As i mentioned in my original post,i did hear the MC275 with the C2300 in both stereo & mono mode driving the ART Deco 10 & 20 Signatures.While they sounded praiseworthy generally(especially with the Deco 20 signatures better controlled bass frequencies) & although there was definite gain in their performance when they were used in mono,by a small degree,i did feel they could show more punch or bite in attack,show more grip on decays,more expansive in their soundstaging & holographic in their imaging.

Have you heard any Mac. solid-state power-amps.(esp. the MC402 or MC501's) yourself? If so.How did their voicing compare to what you heard of the MC275's?

And of the 'speakers i've shortlisted,in your experience,what would each speaker's merits or de-merits be if partnered with the Mac. amps.?

Regards.

BABUR.

 

[Thaiman]

Hi Babur

Yes, I heard a few Mcintosh (big fan myself) and own a 2275 for a while. I haven't heard it with Deco20 though only with my favourate pair of ART in Emotion signature and a pair of Deco 10 sig. Yes, I thought the same about the punch in the lower freq, it did seem to roll off a atd too early and didn't make ART's thunder bass the full justice but then that Mcintosh's midrange was to die for, wasn't it?

To me, Valves amp, done right, really does something to your emotion. Even though I was awaring that I can hear a freq push here and distrotion there, the goose pump factor was still immense. If I move on from ASR then I would go valves again, it for the heart rather than the head. I still think you should try Mastersound 845 or Quad two Eighty as it will slam in the bottom end as well as spine tingle midrange and silky treble. As for speakers, Mcintosh and ART do have some kinna synergy going on although the best match (if you are going for tubes mac) would be Tannoy Glenair 15.

 

[Babur72]

Hi Thaiman,

There's definitely something magical about the full,rich & rounded characteristics of the mid-to-treble range of McIntosh's amps.But,as you concurr,there is a slight lack of crispness in the bass & focus missing from their presentation.Which was somewhat compensated for by running the MC275's as a pair of mono-blocks,in combination with the more articulate & coherent bass performance of the Deco 20 sigs. than that of the Deco 10 sigs.I understand the Deco 15 sigs bass peformance,while not going quite as low,is a little more coherent.

Maybe i'm being over critical.But,if i'm gonna be forking-out a few grand(and more) on the amps. alone,i don't want to be left having second thoughts & possibly ruing my decision.

But,on the positive side,i'm really chuffed with the C2300.It's such a tour-de-force in pre-amp. design,flexibility & functionality(providing you don't subscribe to those views evangelised by latter-day minimalist millitants & you can overlook the neon-green backlighting of the valve-chamber) that i can't believe it doesn't cost more than it does.Nor can i comprehend how much better the C1000 pre. must be.And Harry Pearson's recent glowing recommendation in TAS(Dec.),rating it as his 'Best buy of the decade so far.Period!' has only reinforced my sense of satisfaction.

Having owned the Mac. MA2275 tube integrated yourself,which solid-state Mac. amps. have you heard & how would you describe their sonic characteristics? How did they compare to Mac's tube amps.? And which of Mac's solid-state amps. would you recommend i try with the C2300?

I have heard some good things about the Mastersound 'Final 845' mono-blocks.But i'm not sure whether they would be as good a match with the C2300 pre. as a McIntosh power-amp. would.

Tannoy - Glenair 15 eh? That suggestion comes as a bit of a surprise.What makes them so special with the Mac. amps.?

And lastly.Knowing what you do about McIntosh's amps.,which of the 'speakers on my showroom/home-trial shortlist(Audio Physics - Cardeas,ART - Deco 15 sigs,Klipsch - P39F & Vienna Acoustics - 'The Music') do you believe would potentially have the most synergy with Mac. solid-state amps.?

Regards & thanks a bundle Thaiman.

BABUR.

 

[Thaiman]

Hey don't mention it, few guys here help me quite a lot with my golf game so if I can help in anyway.

So you already bought your C2300? if so I couldn't think of a better thing to match them more than MC275. The solidstate Mac I heard was MA6300 which was good if not the greatest thing at the price, I never compare the two so I can't comment but the fact that I bought the MA2275 instead of solidstate... may be something in that.

Out of all that list of speakers I would only pick Deco 15 signature (if you have a large room), I never heard Klipsch flagship pair nor the Music (nearly bought a reference 3a model once), the Cardeas is very good if you prefer hifi presentation although I have to say ART Emotion Signature is the best pair of speakers I have own (I had more than 50 pairs over the years), I sold them once thinking I could get better around that price but I ended up have to buy another pair of emo sig!

 

[Babur72]

Hi Thaiman,

50 pairs of 'speakers?...Blimey!

Can you remember them all & why you ended-up getting rid of them?

After putting a 50% deposit down on the C2300 i'll take delivery of the pre-amp.,by the time of my next audition with McIntosh amps.,in August.Which,i hope,will include an accompanying McIntosh solid-state power-amp. & 'speakers.

The listening-room intended for this particular system is fairly big measuring: 28.5ft x 22.5ft x 10.5ft.However,with it's floor & part of the walls being tiled in marble,it's acoustics are pretty reflective,cool in tonality & notes often have a hard-edged character.

Although,most of the room's excesses have been toned down somewhat by judicious placement of decorative floor rugs,wall-rugs & screens.

Having previously heard Vienna Acoustic's - Beethoven Concert Grand,i can imagine 'The Music's' use of a flat mid-range with coincident tweeter & it's flexibility - in allowing separate adjustment of the horizontal & vertical positioning of the mid-range/tweeter cabinet sub-section - would only help to minimise any phase coherency,tonal balance & time-accuracy issues,which would be exagerated in such a room.

Which should help to sharpen the focus of imaging,enlarge it's sweet-spot,expand the soundstage,heighten the sense of air around instruments or voices & increase the openness in the presentation.Potentially allowing 'The Music' to cope better than most 'speakers within the limitations that the room would impose.

I don't exactly understand what you meant by 'the Cardeas is very good if you prefer hi-fi presentation'.Would you kindly elaborate?

Be good to know what your thoughts are.

Regards & thanks.

BABUR.