The problem should be in the AV preamp.
You can try to set the listening mode of McIntosh MX123 to multi-channel stereo.
Soundstage drastically worsened when I replaced a solid state AV amp with tubes.
Hello. I am streaming music with Qobuz and Apple Music through a McIntosh MX123 A/V processor, into a McIntosh MC8207 7-channel solid state amplifier (200 watts x 7 channels), into Klipsch La Scala speakers (105 dB sensitivity). (I also have an SVS 2000 sub-woofer.) (The components are behind the wall in the photo.) With that setup, I had a 180 degree soundstage, extending laterally well beyond my speakers and from ceiling to floor in height. I wanted to see if tubes would improve the system for music listening, so I added a McIntosh MC275 amp to power the front L and R LaScalas. Now the MC8207 is used only to power the surround speakers. The MC275 improved the warmth of the music and greatly increased the bass. However, the lateral soundstage is gone. I now have a deeper soundstage focused perfectly between the speakers, but the lateral and height extensions are gone. It is as though I am back in the 1950s listening to a single mono speaker directly in front of my listening position. The music is beautiful, but I miss the soundstage. Other than replacing the amp for the LaScalas, everything else is the same. I did have to temporarily add an extension chord to the McIntosh power cord until I can get one of the proper length, so that could be the culprit. Otherwise, does anyone have any ideas regarding why the soundstage so drastically changed? I expected the soundstage to improve with the tubes, but it worsened. Thanks for your thoughts!
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- 49 posts total
@immatthewj or.... he could just flip the leads on either speaker.... |
@erik_squires , this got me thinking about an amp I auditioned around 25 years ago. Do you remember the Stereophile that featured The Mesa Baron on the cover? Two monoblocks in a single chassis with all sorts of neat looking things--rack handles, meters, switches, 12 output tubes. . . . Anyway, I had it for a weekend and it was to be an upgrade from a Cary entry level stereo amp. What I first noticed, and what first appealed to me, was when switched to 1/3 triode 2/3 pentode, the soundstage was up front/in your face/ and maybe all over the place. Vocals had a musky quality that I was not used to, & initially appealing to me. But, after I had just about made up my mind to trade in my Cary, I did an A/B and the cleanliness (even though it was small) of the Cary’s soundstage made me feel this would not be a total upgrade. Anyway, I wonder if there was some polarity trickery going on with the electronic design of the Mesa Baron?
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- 49 posts total