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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
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
"It will just report what is stored on the hard drive and many people won't like this non-editorialized sound."

This is not the defect with most digital playback, and I mean both CD transports and Computer Audio. The real defect with both is simply jitter.

Once you deal with this properly, then computer audio can beat both CD transports and Vinyl. There is no way in hell that vinyl can achieve the dynamics possible with digital audio, even 44.1. Its physically impossible. The original digital samples should not be "editorialized" either, just played back with the lowest possible jitter.

I'm not saying that there are not poor computer audio systems and CD transports because there are, lots. But how many people need to post that their computer digital systems outperform their vinyl before your mind is opened?

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
hfisher3380
167 posts
 
Audioengr: outperforming vinyl? My personal opinion is that by far the best sound I've heard has been the classic analogue jazz recordings from the 50's and 60's played back on state of the art analogue systems. As far as I'm concerned that was the golden age of audio recording and there have really been no advances in recording technology since then if one judges purely on sound quality. Furthermore, no digital transfer I have ever heard comes close to capturing the naturally detailed and organic sound of these works played back on a state of the art analogue system.

However, I do think that some of the more recent high quality recordings from the digital age can sound great on high end digital players - server and optical player alike.
antigrunge
74 posts
 
My own experience with mach2music is actually excellent. Kevin Burke was very helpful in getting me up and running and the result is a very musical system. PureMusic is really very transparent and harmony-rich and via my Zodiac Gold + Voltikus I am amazed at the improvement over CD via AudioAero Capitole 24/192 SE, in both cases direct to my Wavac EC 300B. The amount of tweaking in computer audio still is an issue; for the record in my system I prefer memory play in hog-mode WITHOUT upsampling on less-is-more. switching off all I/O intensive OSX features such as screensaver, spotlight, etc. is important. Furthermore using a dedicated rather than shared USB bus is a must and linking the hard disks via firewire is preferable. All of this obviously goes beyond what a 30 min session, which mach2music offers can convey.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
"Audioengr: outperforming vinyl?"

You bet, here is an exerpt from a review posted on one of the forums:

"Specifically, there are three areas where the XXXX is superior to my vinyl playback: vocal presentation, drum sound and bass articulation.
The bass that the XXXX delivers is stunning. Bass lines are clear and articulate. Kick drums nearly have the thump of standing next to a parade when a marching band goes by. Vocals, as well, are nothing short of amazing. The vocal inflections and nuances that are suddenly audible make the singers eerily present. Drums literally come to life. Play some latin/carribean music with a busy percussion section – you’ll be blown away by what you hear."

I also have my share of Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. It's fantastic sounding, even CD rips. Maybe not quite as good as some newer remastered tracks, but no ticks and very dynamic and live. Some of the Verve Ella is wonderful. I have even used it at shows. The Count Basie from highdeftapetransfers.com is remarkable in 24/96. This is a R-R tape transfer.

There are certainly poorly transferred CD's from the early days of the CD, but more and more of them are being remastered and sound amazing. The Let it Bleed from the Stones on HDTracks at 24/176.4 is amazing. So is the remastered Led Zeppelin box set. Sounds like a modern recording. It takes a Computer Audio system with low jitter, noise and distortion to deliver this, and many dont qualify. One must choose the right ripper and playback software too, not just WMP or iTunes.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
hfisher3380
167 posts
 
Audioengr: of course there will be all kinds of people with all kinds of opinions - you have quoted one of them. I've heard tons of systems at all kinds of shows etc and MY opinion is that vinyl is still the gold standard. I still have a fine digital system and I do think that digital has improved by leaps and bounds to where we are today - but there's a reason that vinyl has outlived anyone's expectations and is still so commonly seen in audio shops and at the shows.

I don't think there's any way around the fact that sound is analogue. Again just my opinion.
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