McCormack SMC Audio upgrades: how good are they?

Chiho
You state your budget is $3K-$4K for the amp, is that after you sell the DNA? If not find a used amp here on Agon, if you are not happy with the way it compares to the DNA 125 Gold you can sell it and try another. The point is you won't loose your McCormack and you could still have it upgraded to Platinum at SMc Audio.
As another option find an inexpensive DNA-125 and have it upgraded to Gold and the two monoblocked. Not sure if this thought had crossed your mind. Of course you would need to search for a balanced preamp after that.
As for the Preamp I would suggest a used McCormack and have it upgraded as well. I have my TLC-1 scheduled for the Ultra Version at the end of this month.
Have you talked to Steve to see if his upgrades will make the improvement you are looking for?
The point is I would hate to see you sell your DNA-125 Gold and wind up wishing you had it back and looking for another for sale. Like you said they don't come up here often.
By the way did I mention that I'm a fan of the McCormack gear.

do a search on the forum: there was a guy saying that a pair of Herron Monoblocks ($7000 new), sound overall better than a DNA125 rev. gold.

Also, in my view upgrading to platinum will create you a problem, in that you'll need a SS preamp to drive it.

I own a DNA 0.5 silver rev., and I'm rather happy with it.

Hello Chiho -

With respect, I would suggest that you are barking up the wrong tree with your question. No matter what opinions are offered in response, the only opinion that matters is yours. It is ultimately up to you to decide the value or quality of your system, and it takes time and experience to develop an informed opinion.

Your DNA-125 Gold-upgrade is an excellent amplifier, has made quite a few audiophiles very happy, and certainly competes strongly in the price range you mention. Is it the “best” amplifier in your price range? Well, reasonable (and unreasonable) people will disagree. This is a question without an answer, or one that only you can answer in the end. I can tell you this: your DNA-125 Gold is an essentially honest, very transparent amp. It will drive most speakers well, and will accurately reflect what you feed it. Feed it well, and it will treat you well.

It bears mentioning that the great majority of any system’s personality is largely determined by your room, your choice of speakers, and the location and setup of your speakers within that room. I urge you to give this due consideration before you change equipment. A bit of effort (and perhaps a few dollars) invested in room acoustic treatment will usually pay-off handsomely. Experimenting with speaker position is crucial, and there are a variety of helpful guides available online if you will search. One simple example: say you have your speakers setup along the short wall of your room and you are unhappy with your bass performance and soundstage size. In this instance, your listening position may lie on top of your room’s major bass cancellation nodes, and your speakers may be close enough to the side walls to cause soundstage constriction. Shifting the speakers to the long wall can go a long way toward correcting these problems. That may be simplistic (and easier said than done), but I hope you get the idea - be sure you have done what you possibly can to get the most from the equipment you have before assuming that changing any piece of gear will suddenly deliver you to sonic nirvana.

Whatever choice you make, I hope you will find your way to a system you can sit down with happily and enjoy beautiful music.

Best regards,

Steve McCormack
SMc Audio

Thanks for the responses. Having not been able to hear other amps, I do have to say that my system sounds very good right now, but without anything to compare to, who knows how good it can sound? I don't get to listen to a ton of high-end gear, and even more rarely in my system.

Steve, thanks for the note regarding acoustical treatments. I am also planning on spending money there, probably before changing electronics. I recently heard a heavily ASC-treated room, and the soundstage and low-end was something to behold. Sure, nice gears, but the acoustical treatments made the system, no doubt about it. I probably only have around $500 worth of acoustical treatments in my room, but that was probably the second-best $500 I have spent in my system (best $500 was initially getting gear to listen to!) I am sure spending more $ for corner panels and tube traps would get me even closer to what I am looking for. You are right about the amp: very transparent, easy to listen to, but boy do the details come out in spades.

Regarding the poster w/the Herrron/McCormack comparison: a difference in current may have made a difference there. From what I remember, the Herron amps pull a lot more current than the DNA-125. They are more in line with a 225.

Given where you're at with your amp, I'd personally have Steve take it to Platinum status. But that's just me.