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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
pettyofficer
462 posts
 
It is unfortunate, but the Computer Audio Market has bought
into the idea of the Microsoft "Auto-Pilot" version of
Customer Service- with the Customer doing the driving alone. Microsofts first instinct is to refer you to another
Customer to resolve your issue, that way save money where
you are not bugging them. This mentality is the main reason
everyone comes here for their Computer Audio issues- mainly
because the Manufacturer is an absentee landlord in Customer Service, and everyone knows it! I have tilted
against THAT Windmill enough times! Paper Masche Customer
Service, with big research on how to make it a hundred times thinner. What can you do, live with it!
abruce's avatar
abruce
246 posts
 
I think their web site mentions paying them for service, what were you thinking...they'd answer a call after the sale
nglazer
846 posts
 
The fundamental problem is that computers were never designed to play back high end SQ music, so designers have to jump through hoops to get them to do so. And since computers are prone to viruses, bugs, worms, bots, crashes and all other manner of affliction, and many users don't really know what they're doing, and the software is not intuitive in the least and often unstable, and the hardware is often made with cheap parts, so-o-o-o ..... you got to pay for service, Mon.

If you want computer audio, get a Bryston BDP-1 and use your computer to compute, not play music.

Neal
pettyofficer
462 posts
 
So when are we going to actually start DESIGNING a New
Format known as Computer Audio? Taking all of your
complaints with Computers- it looks like Computer Audio is
an ad hock conglomerate held together with Bandaids, Rubber
Bands, and Chewing Gum. NOW you figure there is something
wrong with it, ONLY AFTER leading us down this path! A Tool
not designed for High End Sound Quality? New Formats (And
their equipment) ARE designed for Sound Quality- if not High End! Manufacturer's design it FIRST for Sound Quality,
only then do we listen- only then do we buy it = SUCCESS!
Your way = FAILURE! No more bandaids from Bryston, or anyone else! Design the Format right the first time- for
once! No more AD HOCK PIECEMEAL FORMAT FAILURE!!! You don't
have a New Format - DESIGN ONE, GET ONE!!!
hfisher3380
167 posts
 
My goodness Pettyofficer, I'm not quite sure exactly what you are expecting. No new format releases with a huge selection immediately available. Name me one that has. CD, DVD and Blue-Ray launched with precious few selections but they caught on and became dominant in the marketplace. Whether a new format sticks depends purely on whether the market buys into it. Computer audio is here to stay - the only question is whether high resolution computer audio will become and remain a thriving market. The only way it will is if the record companies see profit to be made. That is the way the world works.

My prediction is that it will remain a niche market - just like pretty much all high resolution music. The sad truth is that only a tiny minority of the general population actually cares about sound quality - and it has always been thus.

In the meantime, you can go on with your silly little protests and continue your brow-beating and repetitive arguments, none of us really cares. Some of us will take advantage of high res downloads and some won't. It likely will never be a mainstream market but many of us will enjoy it nonetheless.
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