McIntosh MEN220 Review

[SX-626]

Originally Posted by Still-One

The instructions for running through the Room Correction process can be a bit confusing with the first read. It has been several years since I had the unit in my Mac set-up. One thing I remember is that if you don't properly setup the microphone readings you will get to high percentages of Room Knowledge too quickly once you start moving the microphone around your room. Once the initial reading was accepted and you are asked to move the mic to position 1 I suggest you start high left back, then go to low right front, then towards left wall mid, then right wall mid, then high right back, then low left front, then high center mid, etc.

Yup. It took me 8 measurements to get to 99%. The first time I did it, it even went down as I moved around the room the first 3 measurements then went back up.

[thxthx]

Ahhh great! Now another component that I want $$$

[thxthx]

Hopefully not a stupid question... How does this unit differ from the MX160 Room Correction?

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by thxthx

Hopefully not a stupid question... How does this unit differ from the MX160 Room Correction?

Trevor.......The most obvious thing is the MEN220 supports two channels. The Room Perfect built into the MX160 supports all the channels. The MEN220 also provides a two channel active crossover, and custom audio band frequency curve creation. The MEN220 can be installed between your preamp and amp or it can be installed in the tape or processor loop of a preamplifier. The latter installation technique allows the MEN220 to be completely bypassed at the user's discretion.

[Grasshopper]

Dan,

I am finally thinking really hard about finding and integrating the MEN220 into my system.

Since you are the official MEN220 expert, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions based on your history with the device.

I have a pair of JL Audio F113's (My subwoofers can reproduce when you aren't paying attention ).

In using the room correction, as well as the active crossover capability for two subs, how would you go about setting it up?

I assume you'd feed the inputs from your preamplifier, with the High Level outputs to your amplifier as described on this post.

With two subs, would you just feed the Right subwoofer via the "R" balanced output, and the Left subwoofer via the "L" balanced output (feeding only one XLR cable into each fathom into their left or "Mono" input?

I assume then you'd run the JL's ARO software first to hopefully tame the subs, then you'd run the MEN220's software to learn your room. Following a hand-tuning using the active crossover settings that work for you?

(As I think this all through, it gets a little confusing).

So here are my questions:

-Is this generally how you setup 2 subs (or is there a better way)?

-When feeding the low pass out of the MEN220 to the subs, do I miss anything using the Mono input on each JL?

-When feeding subs out of the MEN220, does this prevent me from using the processor loop on my C2300 (since the subs seem like they are married to the active crossover).

Hopefully my rambling makes sense. I have always appreciated your insights.

Originally Posted by jdandy

Tim.......I did use the MEN220's active crossover capability in the living room system. I fed the low outputs to my JL Audio Fathom f113 and the high level outputs to the MC601's that drive the PMC EB1i speakers. The crossover in the MEN220 is exceptionally unique in that it allows you to select the Linkwitz-Riley crossover curve or the Butterworth crossover curve. It's control flexibility allows frequency adjustments in one hertz increments and selectible crossover point slopes. I like the active crossover function in the MEN220. I typically used a 32 Hz crossover point with the MEN220 and controlled the subwoofer's launch synchronization (phase) with the control on the f113 subwoofer. Even after I ceased using the MEN220 for Room Perfect I continued to use its crossover function with the subwoofer until I sold the MEN220.

To this day I wish McIntosh would be more transparent about the DAC's they use in various components, particularly in the MEN220. I am interested to know whether McIntosh has updated the DAC in the MEN220 through its production run. The original production MEN220 that I owned began to show its limitations as I improved the digital source components in the living room system. Like I said, if McIntosh would refresh the Room Perfect room equalization system with the latest premium DAC I might bring a new one home.

[jdandy]

Jason.......You will not lose anything by feeding the subwoofers independently from mono inputs on the subs. The cumulative of the left and right channel signals from the Low Pass output of the MEN220 will deliver all the low frequency signal information.

Yes, use the JL Audio ARO system to set the subs up properly before running the Room Perfect measurements. I got my best results by turning off the sub(s), then running Room Perfect measurements with the High-Pass set to Full Range and the Low -Pass set to Low Range. Once the MEN220 has built the Room Perfect algorithms for the main speakers then power up the subwoofers again and fine tune the Master volume on the subs to dial them in with the main speakers after making your desired crossover settings in the MEN220 menu. I got very good results crossing over my F113 at 36Hz using the Linkwitz-Riley curve.

You can still use the processor loop on your C2300 preamplifier as long as the MEN220 is installed between the preamplifier outputs and the amplifier inputs. Anything used in the processor loop will still be influenced by the Room Perfect equalizer settings.

[Grasshopper]

Thanks Dan for taking the time to answer my question.

Good to know I can still use the processor loop.

If I use the MEN in the processor loop (with the Subs fed off the low-pass outputs), would the subs be disabled if i turned the "loop" off and wanted to hear the audio "unprocessed"?

(Excuse the ignorance. This is in part due to my having never used {and not fully understanding} the processor loop)

Originally Posted by jdandy

Jason.......You will not lose anything by feeding the subwoofers independently from mono inputs on the subs. The cumulative of the left and right channel signals from the Low Pass output of the MEN220 will deliver all the low frequency signal information.

Yes, use the JL Audio ARO system to set the subs up properly before running the Room Perfect measurements. I got my best results by turning off the sub(s), then running Room Perfect measurements with the High-Pass set to Full Range and the Low -Pass set to Low Range. Once the MEN220 has built the Room Perfect algorithms for the main speakers then power up the subwoofers again and fine tune the Master volume on the subs to dial them in with the main speakers after making your desired crossover settings in the MEN220 menu. I got very good results crossing over my F113 at 36Hz using the Linkwitz-Riley curve.

You can still use the processor loop on your C2300 preamplifier as long as the MEN220 is installed between the preamplifier outputs and the amplifier inputs. Anything used in the processor loop will still be influenced by the Room Perfect equalizer settings.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

Thanks Dan for taking the time to answer my question.

Good to know I can still use the processor loop.

If I use the MEN in the processor loop (with the Subs fed off the low-pass outputs), would the subs be disabled if i turned the "loop" off and wanted to hear the audio "unprocessed"?

(Excuse the ignorance. This is in part due to my having never used {and not fully understanding} the processor loop)

Jason.......Yes, if the MEN220 is installed in the processor loop instead of between the preamplifier and power amplifier, you would lose the subwoofers if you bypassed the processor loop.

You can always just run the subwoofers directly from Output 1 or Output 2 on the C2300 if you want to have the MEN220 in the processor loop and don't want to lose the subwoofer outputs if you bypass the MEN220.

[crwilli]

The MEN220 offers a ton of functionality.

[Grasshopper]

Dan,

That makes sense.

I suppose if I got the MEN220, I'd probably just "commit" and keep it in the signal path.

I'd want to take full advantage of the room correction as well as the active crossover.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by jdandy

Jason.......Yes, if the MEN220 is installed in the processor loop instead of between the preamplifier and power amplifier, you would lose the subwoofers if you bypassed the processor loop.



You can always just run the subwoofers directly from Output 1 or Output 2 on the C2300 if you want to have the MEN220 in the processor loop and don't want to lose the subwoofer outputs if you bypass the MEN220.