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Mach2Music mini and Amarra : Huge disappointment

I invite all the fellow Audiogon members than own both the Mach2Music Mini and Amarra to share they experiences.

Mine has been a huge disappointment .

The sound I get from the Mach2Music mini even with the advantage of playing Hi-Res files is mediocre at best and way inferior to the sound of a common CD.
Mach2Music tech support after checking that every setting is correct and everything is as it should dropped the ball. They blame the mediocre sound I'm complaining about on Amarra newer version of software they say more stable but sounding not so great.......

To me It doesn't add up. When there are problems the old music start playing: It's someone else fault. May be it's just that the Mach2Music mini is not so great as some say to start with.......

After spending over $4000 on the Mach2Music web site purchasing all the best available upgrades to possibly get the best possible sound from this computer based system, including their top of the line cables (power, USB, Firewire) an optional solid state SSD hard drive besides their special sandwich case to reduce vibrations and the expensive software Amarra, I get instead the sound you would from a cassette player.........at least that's how it sounds to me in my audio system....

My audio system as you read below is of high quality and well balanced where everything from acoustic treatment to power treatment has been closely matched starting from a dedicated room 20x24x9H fully treated with massive use of acoustic diffusers Gikq7 and bass traps Soffits and Tritraps by GikAcoustics.

Audio components connected to the Mach2music mini are:

DAC : dCS Debussy 24/192
Pre: BAT VK52SE upgraded with 6H30DR supertubes Reflector 1987.
Amp: 2x BAT VK600SE Mono
Transport ; Oppo 95
Speakers ; Magnepan 20.1
Speaker cables : MIT Oracle Matrix HD90
Interconnect : MIT Oracle Matrix XLR
Power: 2x Torus RM20 (one x each amp on two dedicated 20 amp circuits)
Power cords all MIT Oracle ZIII
Audio rack Adona Zero reference
All internal and external stock fuses replaced with HiFi Tuning Supreme.

I rarely write on the forum but this is too big of a screw up to pass and I hope to save to somebody the frustration I went thru.

Besides if some of you has a very positive experience with other computer based systems please share . Help is always appreciated.

I hear good things about Solos by Meridian or the USB Thumb reader by Bryston and I'll probably move on one of the two.... life continues......

so if you'll see my Mach2mini for sale on Audiogon in the near future you already know why..............................
alessandro1
chadeffect
586 posts
 
Charlesdad,

I pretty much agree with you. But the most important factor which you have not probably experienced yet is via a computer set up, especially if controlled via an iPad, brings a whole different aspect to your listening sessions.

With the best will in the world, with a CD player one seems to revolve around a certain amount of disks. The ones at the front of the pile usually!

With a server based system I have found I listen to music I forgot I had or just never got around to listening to.

The upshot is I listen to way more music. If I am not mistaken this is the whole point of Audiophilia. The gear should facilitate music listening. Not the other way around. With care the sonics are of the finest order too.

Yes it's a drag to import everything. It took me years. But it's done. Now I just enjoy with full artwork & information. I cannot imagine going back. It would be like watching TV without a remote control. Not flicking to see what else is on.

When we have listening sessions we pass the pad around for people to choose the next track or album. It is a wonderful way to enjoy music.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Chadeffect,
It seems you have a well organized and efficient CBA system that for certain soumds wonderful. I have nearly 1,000 CDs arranged alphabetically on the wall behind my listening position. It takes all of 20 seconds to walk to the rack(only 5 feet behind my couch) and select 1 or a few CDs to play. Very convenient and straight forward.

Again I have`nt any negative thoughts toward CBA at all, to me it`s simply a viable alternative,not'better' nor 'worse'.
zerv
7 posts
 
My experience has been fantastic. I'm running latest amarra with 2011 Mac2music mini to Puccini Uclock/Soulution/Magico and it is appreciably more resolving then Puccini stand alone. Deeper, tighter bass and wider soundstage. The upgrade was necessary as without it, songs would begin 2-3 seconds late which does not work.... All in all, I'm very pleased with the performance. Good luck with whatever you decide.
nglazer
846 posts
 
Try a Bryston BDP-1. Simple and straightforward, and the sound is breathtaking. I abhor computer audio because of its unnecessary complexity and lack of reliability, but have found this to be the perfect solution.

Neal
pettyofficer
462 posts
 
And yet the excuses keep on coming. All of this to keep
Computer Audio in the same rut it has been for last ten years. Now we are going to shoot for another ten. Why
wont anyone take Computer Audio criticizm seriously, and
correct the problems? We criticized Cassette, 8-Track,
Record, CD, SACD, and even attempted some improvement on these. We dismissed the "Perfect Sound Forever" for any
Format. Why must Computer Audio be the exception, whose
warts and unreliability remain cryogenically frozen in time? Why is everyone so terrified of better sounding
Computer Audio? Why must everyone be forced to accept
mediocrate? What to you is an Audiophile? Someone who strives for mediocratic Sound Quality for the sake of
convenience- Really? How far down must we go? Is there
a basement here somewhere that we can hit rock bottom-
or not? Who is making all of the profit from ONLY having
to produce mediocratic Sound Quality at EVERYONE ELSE'S
expense? This is a slippery slope to MP3 taking over all
New Music, because THAT is were all of the Profits are at!
You have proven that already, there is no changing anyone's
mind now! Profit/Convenience talks, and Sound Quality walks! High Rez. is a goner, because it is not as CONVENIENT to produce as lower than CD quality MP3. You want convenience, allow Record Companies to have some convenient MP3 profit at your High Rez. expense. See how you conveniently like that!!! You are steering them in the right direction- don't stop now! Maybe you could offer them
a little more money to produce something less than MP3, Don't let anyone stop you!!!
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