Why is my Mcintosh MC-2155 slow?

McIntosh amplifiers normally sound slower than other solid state amplifiers so there is nothing wrong with your 2155. However, there is way that you can change the way it sounded. The MC 2155 has an input sensitivity switch of 0.75V/2.5V. Set it at 0.75V will reduce the negative feedback and increase the gain of the MC 2155. With higher gain, it will sound more dynamic and forward. You can then use the volume control on the front panel to fine tune the best balance between the smoothness and the transient speed.

Hsindao's advice is excellent. I didn't think of it before but I too have found that amps sound more dynamic when they are running at high gain (i.e. low input sensitivity). I run my MC240 at high gain by using "twin amp" instead of "stereo" - definitely an improvement across the board.

Try 0.75V and let us know what happens! Just be sure you have the volume control down all the way before powering the amp back up.

Arthur

I will try that asap. Thank everyone for your assistance. What type of speakers would you recommend (small footprint because I have limited space) to match my 2155?

I will let you know if changing the input sensitivity makes a difference.

Before I forget I must mention that my 2155 is hooked up to a pair of dali suite 1.7 mini towers (2 1/2 way design, with 2 5" woofers and a 1" tweeter).

The 1.7's are very forgiving and musical however they are not the most transparent or have the widest soundstage.

You don't want a forgiving speaker with McIntosh IMO. The new DALIs I heard were not all that forgiving (ribbon tweeter) but if your's are, then it is time for a change.

You don't mention your budget so I will guess. If I were you, I would look into using Triangles like the Celius ESw or Altea ESw (the latter is 2.5 way if you like that). These speakers are pace and imaging champs which will compliment the 2155 very well - and can be really sweet deals on Agon.

Other options are JM Labs, which is what I use with my McIntoshes. The older Electra series can be had cheap these days and they sound fantastic. The Chorus lines are cheaper still but shouldn't be overlooked cause their tweeter is best in class IMO. The JM Labs tend to have more bass and bigger soundstaging than the Triangles at the expense of some imaging precision.

Personal preference and taste must play a role for you to be satisfied so do some homework before buying. There are many great options. Anything from Thiel, B&W, Revel, and Paradigm Reference will also work great with your Mc. (I have first-hand experience with all of my recommendations.)

Be sure to post your thoughts about the sensitivity change.

Arthur