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McIntosh and Thiels

Category: Amplifiers

HI
I have MA 6900 on dealer loan. The cables and IC (RCA) are transparent Super MM technology. Jolida 100cd player. Speakers Thiel 2.3.
What I expierience is too soft and unfocused sound. The highs don't shine the way I would expect. They seem to be cut-out prematurely. I would even say now the set-up is high frequency shy. Everything is somewhat bloated and datails are not so obvious. Bass is soft and do not attack the way I expected. All that combine to relaxed but not engaging presentation especially in low volume levels. I tried different IC's and speaker cables but basicly it was the same.
This is all very strange to me. Prior Mac I suffered a little too much HF but bass region was better. I powered Thiels with some 6year old Pioneer HT reciver. I am realy confused. I also tried Musical Fiedelity A308 itegrated. The high frequences were awfully bright and the sound was too thin. How can this be possible that Pioneer seems better than MAC and MF? Pioneer is connected thru power transformer that changes 220 V to 110 V because it is a US version And I live in Europe (220V). Is it possible that power transformer gives pioneer advantage - MAC is connected directly to the wall.
I realy like the idea of owning MAC 6900. But now I do not think I can explain the huge cost of it given so little improvments and more drawbacks.
May be I am doing something wrong. May be someone can comment on this and help me out.
Is Mac realy softening the sound to a degree where a datail is there but bearly audiable? I can not help but feel that way. With pioneer in action I could hear IC and Speaker cable changes very clear. Now with Mac I can hear some but not so obviously.
Please Mac and Thiel owners do help me!
bunkeromantik
theo's avatar
theo
2,681 posts
 
You don't mention any other source component delivering these sound characteristics. Is it just the CD, if so maybe you should try a more nuetral interconnect. I have a Mc MX134 and MC352 and MC7205 and I have really a very fine detailed sound with very solid bass. I did notice a marked improvement in using Cardas Golden Reference and recently added Naim Speaker cable and further improved the bass. I have had 4 McIntosh pre amps or pre/pros and have found them to not to add any coloration to the signal path.
As Drubin mentioned make sure your tone controls are flat.
also let the Mc break in I have found Mc gear take a good 100-150 hours to settle in.
bunkeromantik OP
38 posts
 
Thank you guys
Will do some changes and rearrange the set-up. Surely everything is connected the way it should be. The equalisation is set to flat mode.
Will let everybody know how things are
bunkeromantik OP
38 posts
 
Another thing...
I discovered that left side radiator (right chanal)of my MA 6900 runs warmer then the other side. The difference is not huge but easily noticable. Do you think it is normal? Ventylation area is equal for both sides. I operate medium to low volume settings.
bunkeromantik OP
38 posts
 
Well I did a lot of work and found that changing the speaker positions gave me what I have been looking for. It opened up the sound. It is still a little muddy but way better then it was.
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
I recently reset my tone controls to neutral and found my MA2102 tube amp sounds much better. This was a bit hard to do as I have always been a believer in 'a bit more is a lot better' when it comes to tone controls. But now my speakers don't pop when the bass is strong.
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