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Disappointing On Mcintosh......help

 3 Months ago  I went to NYC and stopped by the WOM  and auditioned several MCintosh gear...........and left a bit disappointed or not impressed...then I told myself   " lets give a second shot"  and went today to a  HIFI store and again Good room accoustics10K speakers , MC Preamp , MC Amplifier........ and again  the same disappointment I felt 3 month earlier.

Is that the "warm" sound people reffer to about Mcintosh?  
The sound is ample, base is powerfull  but the the sound is simply  not to clear, the hights are not too "crisp"  It sounds like the treble is set at 3 and needs to be adjusted at 9 or 10.
It seems like  the sound is  coming through a thin layer of paper ...that is the way I describe that sound.  

Then 20 minutes later I auditioned a Parasound A21+ and a JC5 and the sound was more clear and the highs were crispier

Whats your take on my experience?  or That is the MC "warm sound? 
cydrone

Showing 4 responses by david_ten

david_ten
5,480 posts
 
Detail / Resolution is not the enemy. Music is choke full of detail.

The expression of that incredibly rich information fails due to failures in implementation and suboptimal references.

BTW, I respect McIntosh. I’ve heard and experienced excellent implementations.
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
The recording. Not the component.

I’ve never auditioned a Mac before now, and what a revelation. They have detail without being clinical

It is amazing how much detail a Mac has without being overly clinical.

david_ten
5,480 posts
 
Sorry, @cleeds   It is not. The language used in those posts is grossly incorrect.
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
@cleeds  The attribution should be to the interpretation. 

A component amplifies, It does not Do Detail (to use one example from this thread).

"It is amazing how much detail a Mac has" 

The recording is the information. The system (NOT component) as a whole (and room) expresses it. 

Listener A loves the sound and proclaims it perfect.

Listener B hates the sound ("too harsh" / "too clinical").

Listener C finds the system too polite and lacking "detail."

The recording, system (and component) and room did not change. The listeners' interpretations are what are different.

Also note: I never made any claims regarding "So you can’t claim that the result of any given combination is:" in my post that you responded to. That interpretation is yours. : )

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