2. amps-preamps
  3. 1169401240

Mac's BAD MATCH for 802D's?

I have recently purchased B&W 802D's to go with my Mac C46 pre-amp and MC352 power amp.

A very respected dealer in my area (who has been helpful to me in the past) insists that Mac is about the worst possible match for the 802's and swears I would feel "like a veil was lifted" if I instead switched to Classe, Ayre (I do have an Ayre cd player, which I love), Mark Levinson or Boulder Amp. I should note that he does not carry some of these brands so he wasn't just trying to "sell" me. I have to admit that although my system sounds very good, it's not as "open" sounding (transparent, or whatever the right audiophile adjective might be).

If anyone aware of an engineering reasons the Mac might not be as great a match to the 802's as other equipment might be?

Any thoughts on what might be the optimal AMP combination (in a $6,000- $11,000 range) match for 802's
tomehunt

Showing 8 responses by brianmgrarcom

brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
I used a Classe CA2200/CP500 combo, Musical Fidelity kW500 integrated, McIntosh MA2275 and a McIntosh MC402/C46 combo with 802D's and the Mac gear performed the best of all. That said, I wouldn't say it was stellar, I suspect the aforemention 501's would be better.

BTW, use the 4 ohm taps on your MC352 if you are not already doing so.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
You will not damage your speakers Larry and you should try it. I am not the foremost expert on this, but having owned N803's and 802D's, McIntosh told me to use the 4 ohm taps with these B&W's.

Someone can correct me if wrong, but the advantage of these different taps is for better impedance matching with your speakers and although B&W states these speakers in question as 8 ohms, they behave more like 4 ohm speakers, yes?
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
That is quite a line up of gear Dev and sounds like a fun time!
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Thanks for replying back Dev, I was wondering what happened to you. It sounds like you all had a good time. No doubt that when you try and introduce many different variables it can leave ones head spinning.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Dev, I like the friends you hang around. :)

I have had the WP7's since November ('06) and I have only had one other amp setup on them besides the Mac gear and that was a Rowland Concentra II. I don't know if the CII was a bad match or what, but it couldn't hold a candle to the Mac gear; I purchased the CII planning to sell the Mac gear to offset the cost of going from the 802D's to the WP7's, but the difference between the CII and the Mac separates was huge and my lovely wife let me keep the Mac gear, with strings attached. :)

I have not heard your Andra's; where I live there isn't much around.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Brianmgrarcom, you diffently made the right choice from the 802D's to the WP7'S.
I wholeheartedly agree Dev.
You have to try the Mac 501's on your WP7's, you will be in for a surprise.
Tell that to my wife! :)

I was surprised at the performance of the Rowland, I had one before and thought better of it back then. Interesting that you had the same setup.

Brian
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Thats excellent Shiprepair!
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
That is interesting Shiprepair, it makes me wonder what the results would be if I tried the 2ohm taps, a friend encouraged me, but I never did.

Isn't it awesome when a simple tweak makes a difference as big, or bigger, that changing a piece of gear!?!

I still have fond memories of hearing your speakers at an audio store; I spent a lot of time at that store through the years, those were the first to wow me.
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