Advice on Equipment Upgrade

Mattmiller, The Epos es22 is another floor standing speaker costing 50% less. The Dynaudios should sound better. I'm not getting your point. One more thing that should be considered with large speakers in a small room is the cabinet is a large reflective surface that can contribute to additional problems with the sound.

Mattmiller, Did you hear the digital system in the current room?

We are always trying to keep our tonearm resonance between 8 and 12 Hz, is it possible your room is getting to this area, or the tonearm/cartridge resonance is out of this area? You can check it on the vinylengine database.

I normally would not mention the next suggestion, but you may need to check into a room correction devise. If my room changed a lot and I was going to try to use the same equipment in each situation, I would at least consider it.

Good Luck!

Assuming you run unbalanced ICs from pre-amp (which does not appear to support balanced connection) to the Mc, the low 20K input impedance of the Mc amp relative to the tube pre-amp output impedance could be an issue leading to softer less dynamic sound overall including mid bass in particular and more distortion. I would want 50-60kohm input impedance on the amp minimum with most tube pre-amps to help assure best results. I'd be willing to bet addressing this would make a noticeable difference.

Getting the sub to blend in well without any negative effects in a small room like that would also be a challenge generally I would think. I would get the sound right without the sub first then see what can be done to add the sub in a manner that is purely positive.

WHat kind of music do you find the sub helps with? THat is a very small room that might make adding a sub in effectively with no ill effects on the mid bass a particularly hard challenge I am thinking. That might help account for the dullness in that range as you describe.

Hey I see a lot is made of the room size. To clarify, the room is off a tiled entry way so the space is really larger. The room is small but opens up right away to a total size of 14'wide x 16' deep. Still not a great scenario I know.Also, The matter of the preamp out (2800) into the Mac Amp (unbal-20,000) is a concern.(more on that in a few days)I have a 4.0mv MM cart. I listen to Classic Rock and 50's 60's jazz. Music that is Simple sounds Awesome!Bass is deep and tight in the lower octaves(below 30hz).Very articulate and smooth ,velvet vocals,Sax,with very real sounding cymbals bells ect..BUT when I put on something with Balls like Billy Cobham -Spectrum Atlantic SD7268, it dosen't have that EDGE or driving Attack of the percussion that i have heard from this record. Do I really have to talk about Digital? Ok....I had this very system hooked up with a Mc201 and a Nordost Valkyrja Bal IC Directly to the MC352. WOW! is all I can say. The sound is Celing to the floor in dynamic range and Quick like lightning, Sure the 201 isnt the best sounding CD player.Compromise,compromise,but having control of the volume without a preamp added some real grunt into the system I had not heard while using a preamp,On Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues-Burning down the house sounds like my speakers are playing Instruments! Instead of boxes playing beautiful music.A lot of Impact and dynamics, very synergistic.Thanks to my brother I'm going to bring in a expensive McIntosh Tube Preamp with Tube Phono stage and do some listening over the weekend, I'll post again soon.

Everyone should be able to click on the SYSTEM button next to my name in this thread to see Pictures!! let me know if you can't.