McIntosh XR50 review - in Danish!

[Vantage5340]

Hi everybody,

Here's an interesting review of the McIntosh XR50 published today on a Danish website: McIntosh XR50 | Lyd & Billede

In a nutshell, the article is titled "Small powder kegs" and is overwhelmingly positive: the XR50s play way above their relative small size, with especially a very good and strong bass. In that respect, that makes them superior to the Sonus Faber Olympica I the reviewer says.

It does also say that their looks are not their strong point, and that you need a pretty powerful amp to take full advantage of the XR50s (81dB sensitivity): the reviewer initially connected them to a Quad II tube amp (2x25w) and found the sound ok, but no more. Then he connected them to a McIntosh MHA100 and claims that in that case, it became possible to take the sound to a pretty good level. When he finally used an MA8000, he says the XR50s really gave all their potential.

The speakers are said to be very lively and the reviewer finally says that it's been a while since he's had that much fun with loudspeakers of that size.

Klaus

[o0OBillO0o]

He's not kidding! I wasn't even going to consider McIntosh Speakers until I had heard the XR50. I went with the XR100 because I wanted the "built in stand" and a bit more output.

I still flirt with the idea of the MHA100 w/ the XR50 in the office.

Thanks for sharing!
Bill

[Maks]

I need to get out and audition these and the XR100. I live in a condo so I can't go crazy w/volume, so I think the XR50 might be a good fit.

[o0OBillO0o]

Maks,

There is a whole thread about the XR50s

http://www.audioaficionado.org/mcint...bookshelf.html

Bill

[Maks]

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Maks,

There is a whole thread about the XR50s

http://www.audioaficionado.org/mcint...bookshelf.html

Bill

Yep, read through that too a few months ago, but the more I read the better

[jonny reddish]

a must own small pair of speakers....

[Griff609]

I actually run a pair of XR50's off of an MHA100. They sound great in the setup I use them for. Spaced about 7' apart the MHA runs them loud at about 50% volume. You could probably push the limits of the amp by using the bass boost and higher volumes in larger rooms but in my current setup they run great.

I may consider eventually moving them into a larger room but I may have to find a used MC252 or a MC302 and run them through the preamp on the MHA100. I'd really love to hear these through the MC275 though.

[jonny reddish]

i love my XR-50's.... and i really think that gearing them with a crossover, and small sub would be the ticket...

the bass is great, but they do rely on the venting for the bass... to relieve them of bass, wow, they would rock out even more!

[Griff609]

I believe the MHA100 has a built in crossover, any recommendations on a small sub to compliment the XR50's?

[jonny reddish]

oh i guess a JL audio has a smaller model, i think its around $3K... good pairing..

i ran my XR50's off of my 2301's for a while..... it was unreal!