Quote:
Originally Posted by jpgr4blu
I switched from an all McIntosh C1000 pre and Mac 2102 system (which, at the time was my home system) to Arc Ref 5 pre and ARC Ref 150 after I heard them side by side at a dealer. McIntosh presents a sound that is rounder, but less transparent, especially in the midrange. I heard things in the midrange on the ARC system that I had never heard at home. For example, I could tell there were 2 back up singers on one track in a Van Morrison cd that I was never able to discern in my Mac system or the one in the store. On a different cd, I heard minor (in terms of amplitude) instrumentation on the ARC system in the midrange that I never heard before through my Mac system. I was bothered by the fact that my Mac had, unbeknownst to me for years, obscured important musical details.
ARC does have more of a 5th row sound vs a 20th row sound from MAC but also a more colorful (and I don't mean editorial color) sound.
The switch from Mac to ARC was some time ago, but I have never looked back and now have moved up the ARC line over time--enjoying each step up. I am now as happy with the ARC brand as I used to be with the Mac brand.
|
jpgr4blu, I will say some words for McIntosh. Your 160M does not possess enough power to drive your Alexia 2's to very loud levels. I have an XVX which is 3 dB more sensitive than an Alexia 2. I have a relatively large well damped room but not overly so. I can tell you that 140 watts running my XVX into 4-ohms would not be nearly enough.
As far as resolution goes, I have heard this before, mainly from folks that have switched from Mac to AR. In the recent TAS, Robert Harley states on p.30 that the ability of the Magico M9 to resolve very fine detail is phenomenal. He states that for the first time he heard soft underneath the music vocalizations on the first track, "I love Being Here with You" from Dianna Krall's
Live in Paris. Robert has as his reference an XVX with two Wilson Audio Subsonics for subs and the best solid state amplification. It is state of the art.
I was surprised to hear him say this, because my "meager" system compared to his easily resolves the multiple extremely low level vocalizations on this track and I informed him of such. I suspect that you are running your Alexia's off the 8-ohm tap creating a severe speaker/amp impedance mismatch between your amp and speaker. When you are not playing music very loud, say between 3-35 watts, the Alexia-2/ARC 160M will obviously provide good sonic results.
However, I humbly believe that my Mac D1100/MC3500 MK II will provide significantly superior resolution at any sound level, much tighter more resolved bass at any level, a superior more resolved midrange and treble at any sound level, and very importantly, the ability to turn it up when desired.
I run my XVX off the 4-ohm tap because it has a nominal impedance of 4-ohms. I can tell you that you are creating significant amounts of audible distortion if you are running off the 8-ohm tap. You are also stressing your amp.
I believe mixing Mac and AR gear a mistake. Their design philosophies are quite different. I have many classical and popular recordings that at high sound pressure levels require significantly more than 140 watts or 320 watts for that matter. The XVX needs 500 plus clean watts at 4-ohms to achieve the dynamics I require. I do most of my listening at 3.5-35 watts but there are plenty of times when I feel the mood, that I want to turn it up. On peaks the 3500 will easily do 700 watts. I have movies and live DVD performances that require a lot of watts, many more than 140 or 320 for that matter.
A 3500 does not run hot and does not require a noisy fan. No matter what the sound level, I can place my hand on the tube cage without pain. It can drive my XVX to insane sound levels easily as you can see below, pic taken playing the Tangerine Dream CD,
Phaedra.
You
never want to clip an amp, the dogma that tubes "safely" soft clip notwithstanding. It can destroy the tubes and damage the amp. The 3500 has an advanced clipping protection circuit that really works. When I see an Alexx or Alexia driven by a 160 mono, I know the music to be dynamically limited (compressed) and at a relatively low sound level (1-50 watts). Nothing wrong with this if this is your cup of tea, but not for me.
Best
Charles
__________________________________________________ _
Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
New gear on order:
Most recent updates: Latest is the last one posted: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer; Wilson Pedestals; heating and cooling completely reworked and reinsulated resulting in a much quieter, cooler, and more efficient room (cost about 10,000.00). McIntosh MCT 500 SACD/CD transport; Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode for XVX Chronosonic; WEL Signature digital Coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection replacing the optical connection; New plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; Thor is now off my floor; MC3500MKII mono block amps (2) and two custom granite slabs; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover; new 75-ohm multi-directional FM antenna for tuner
Amps: McIntosh MC3500MKII mono blocks (2), McIntosh MC1.25KW’s (3). All amps set on floor on custom made granite slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCT500 SACD/CD Transport, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; custom made Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie; custom plinth of X material with Wilson Acoustic Diode feet; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables main system: Audioquest WEL Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); WEL Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; WEL Signature digital coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for MVP 851 DVD player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Audioquest Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for MR87 tuner
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from ActivXO crossover to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to ActivXO; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals for D1100; MVP881 BR player; MCT500 transport; MR87 tuner; plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.