@runwell
You did answer my question and gave me a little more insight as to where you are coming from. Thank you. I would agree that Macs are aggressive in the bass. Not so much on the 275 but I do hear it on the SS amps. I also have heard amps that are faster and tighter than they are. So, I think I get why they would not be to your liking. However, as with any amp pair it with right speaker and it weakness can become a strength.
I listen to the 452 mated with a pair of B&W 801’s I really liked the sound from that pairing. I also enjoyed them with Maggie’s and Focal’s too. As with all things audio though, this is a matter of my personal taste.
As to realism, I never found any brand that reproduced a recording to the point it fooled me into thinking I was present in the studio or at a concert. I actually abandoned that goal a while ago and focus on things that I find fun to listen to versus overall accuracy. Greatly appreciate you sharing a bit of yours audio journey with us, and providing a list of the equipment you are using. Deeply respect your view on ARC and the differences you are hearing. What you achieved with your system is no small feat. I think synergy at the level you obtained is a goal lot of us are hard pressed to achieve. I am also look at the Ref 6SE as a replacement for an aging but still working Sonic Frontiers Line One. I auditioned it for about three weeks and loved what it could do.
