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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..............................
128x128alessandro1
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.
edorr
714 posts
 
Hfisher, I am not qualified to comment on the sonic aspects of the vinyl/digital debate, but keep in mind that by the time sound comes out of your speaker, "digital" is just as "analog" as vinyl. The issue is whether transcoding an analog signal into a digital signal, and processing that signal digitally through some stages of the signal path is a net benefit or net harm to the signal, relative to staying in the analog domain end to end. The answer to this is a function of the state of technology. One thing we do know - the state of digital is on a vastly steeper price/performance improvement curve, and I have no doubt that at some point analog will be obsolute. How many professional photograpers are still using film????
hfisher3380
167 posts
 
I agree, it's probably just a matter of time until digital is unequivocally better than analogue but that day is obviously not here yet. Even today, calling a digital component "analogue sounding" remains one of the highest forms of praise.
pettyofficer
462 posts
 
Just don't want Computer Audio traveling down the same path as CD ( More Convenience, MP3 Style Sound Quality ).
Not alot of selection in High Rez. alternative, and it
appears that this will NOT be changing anytime soon. I
certainly don't want to be investing in CD Format Part
Deux ( Computer Audio ). Certainly don't appreciate the
Market dead set on making it so! Certainly don't appreciate
the Market eliminating all other competing alternatives
to force everyone down this path. Don't want short term
CD Format all over again!!! Not another rerun- PLEASE!
edorr
714 posts
 
Pettyofficer, what other format do you propose? CDs have been around for a few decades with probably another decade of life left, which is a pretty good run in the digital age. Certainly beats floppy discs. 10 years out, 90% of content will probably be stored in the cloud and streamed to whereever you want to listen. In the interim, there is cheap local storage. Welcome to the 21st century.
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