Is it me? Will I ever be satisfied?


As we have become empty nesters, we put together or are putting together a nice dedicated two channel system consisting of B&W 804 D3, Levinson No. 333 ( this is an older amp 20+ years old), McIntosh C22 (just purchased) in which I have already upgraded the tubes, Linn Lp12 TT, Blue Sound for streaming.  I am using Transparent balanced cables and Transparent speaker cables - not sure of the exact model, but all Transparent cables are close to 20 years old as well.

My questions, while I think the system sounds good - even really good.  I don't think it sounds great.  I recently purchased the C22 to be used with the No. 333 which I replaced a McIntosh MA252, which i really like and use in another system, it didn't have enough power.  My room is our garage which we converted to a playroom years ago.  It is approximately 25' and 20' wide.  We sit about 12' from the speakers which are at one end of the room .. While I realize that this hobby or lifestyle can be never ending....  I am considering upgrading the cables next and last but not least, add a new Amp, McIntosh MC462 or MC312.

Wanted to get some feedback, thoughts, in site, advice what you experience, am I missing anything?  Thanks

goducks44

So, and again not being critical, but having been a person who thought blue sound is good sounding… I would start there.

I see you do have a turntable as well, so you can compare the two sources. But both the streaming function and the DAC found in the blue S, are somewhat lacking. I ended up with a Lumin u1 and a Denafrips Venus DAC, night and say from the blue sound.

More on the room. It is finished, carpet, pool table, chairs - 2 in the main listening position.  Books shelves, albums etc.  I currently have the speakers directly on the carpet - toed in.

I think I expected more when I brought in the Levinson amp and the new C22, I think with the price tag of the C22 I was going to be blown away.  Interesting comment regarding matching B&W & McIntosh. Many of the dealers in the NW carry both and push them together.

 

I really appreciate all the feedback and suggestions.  I am going to do some listening this weekend and journal pros & cons and what I feel is not meeting my expectations.

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endless equipment changes you can make, but that huge room must be dealt with first...

Some very good suggestions so far. It boils down to what are you unhappy with? Maybe go listen at a local dealer to get a feeling for what differences there are. Who knows,you might just be happy with what you have now?  Or is that just silly talk?? 

I’m going to be brutal here. I would never mix B&Ws with Mac gear. The thing you are missing is musicality. You need some gear that mates well with the B&Ws. A sweet sounding amp will do the trick. I’d look at a Parasound A21+. amp to get you in the right direction. If you want to spend more a pair of JC-1+. That will get you moving in the right direction.

P.S. Once you find that sweet spot you can be happy for many years. 

List your likes (Pros)?

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List your dislikes (Cons)?

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What do you want MORE or LESS of with the sound?

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Have your equipment checked out by a tech, as previously described above.

 

If you can't describe it in writing, stop here. Go back and listen for a week, take notes, then reply to the very capable folks here on their 10th and 12th+ systems :) 

"So many questions that need to be answered before you throw money at it"

+1 

 

It will never end if you enjoy music.  You will be sucked in like the rest of us until you die.  No matter how good it sounds you will always ask, can it be better?  Enjoy the journey!

What is it that you are not happy with? You should make a list of what it is that you think needs improvement. Is the room carpeted, drywall, ceiling tiles, what furniture, etc...

Additionally, how far apart are the speakers? You say you are 12 feet away.....you should be equa distant from the speakers as they are apart.....equilateral triangle. Are speakers toed in at all? Makes a big difference....are they on stands or floor standing? What kind of music? Do they sound good or great with just some genres? Are you using any kind of power conditioning?  So many questions that need to be answered before you throw money at it.

It can be a rabbit hole for sure but if your system does not sound great I would hold off on buying anything else until you research and experiment as to why specifically it doesn't.  

electronics, tubes, speakers and cartridges take many hours to reach full potential.  

older electronics may need to be checked for their major components to be in spec- especially power section capacitors.  

a live room can cause fatigue as can improperly positioned speakers.  

how is your phono cartridge and phono preamp ?  this is an area that usually has a lot of potential for growth including adjustments and proper cables.   

make sure your system is fully mature, in spec and optimized in your room and then make some evaluations.  

 Hopefully, more experienced forum members will respond but perhaps I can start the ball rolling.

First of all, do you have an idea of how the room might be affecting the sound?Having a dedicated space is a real advantage. It would be a shame to waste this resource by neglecting to optimize it. Why make things harder for yourself than necessary? 

 Buying gear before evaluating and if necessary, treating the room, would not in my opinion, constitute a wise approach.

Secondly, there is the issue of knowing what you are aiming for, sound-wise. If you cannot define this, you cannot know what to keep and what to possibly replace. And it will be very difficult for anyone here to help.

If it seems I am merely stating the obvious, I apologize for not being more helpful

 If you have, in fact, clarified the two issues I've raised, it's not evident to me based upon your initial post.