2. amps-preamps
  3. 1396662214

Modern integrated vs. vintage...what do I get?

OK, was bitching over some noise coming out of my system the other night and the issue of having to swap out a piece in the rack given a messed up back. I have only vintage pre and power amps. Out of the blue my wife suggested why dont you just buy something new, modern that you will not have to mess with, McIntosh or whatever? (She knows Mac because I have old pieces and have dragged her in to see new stuff when back at the in-laws in DE) Given that we are doing a bunch of renovation work on the house,I think she is feeling that I should spend some money on something I care about.(I had been thinking of trying a Rogue CM integrated but granite took that money.)Now the door is reopened. SO, two questions. First, what do I really get in terms of difference/performance for buying modern equipment? Second, since I live in HI there is one dealer and all he has is Mac and AR I know what I hear there. What about some of these other brands like Creek, LSA? I want an integrated, probably SS, preferably with option for 2 pairs of speakers, for use with Ohm Walsh 2 or Spendor S3/5 (possibly Kef LS50 dont the line). Must be musical, reliable cause there are no techs here, 75-100 watts and say no more than $5k. I listen to all kinds of music and the room is a living room maybe 15 x 18. My current setup is a rebuilt McIntosh MC250 with an Acurus Rll (this week) and Sony SACD5400ES, Cambridge 740C and Squeezebox with basic Morrow wiring.
joekapahulu

Showing 5 responses by joekapahulu

joekapahulu OP
265 posts
 
Thanks for the responses so far. I probably wasnt very clear...reading my submission back. What I am trying to really understand is the performance gain from modern equipment? I have read lots of stuff online and I think its mainly more clarity, some better resolution and detail, maybe access to a remote, smaller form factor. The tradeoff seems to be that many pieces are less musical, brighter, give you listening fatigue, and may be less durable. That may be why I have gravitated to McIntosh...I am familiar with the sound, durability, it sounds like music and I can hear it here. BUT, arent there other brands that can provide that, with the exception of being sold in HI, too? That was why I was mentioning Creek, LSA, they see to pop up alot. My interest in Rogue is because I have never had tubes, its American made, the company gets lots of kudos and they seem to be well made and customer oriented.
joekapahulu OP
265 posts
 
Thx for all the responses and questions. Yes, looking back at what I wrote there is some contradiction. Its more a matter of form. I started out with the idea a while back that I wanted to try out tubes...which led me to the Rogue. However, home improvements killed that idea off. Subsequent to that my wife resurrected the idea with her spin of get something new so that you dont have to mess with it or mess up your back. I deviated to SS simply because most of my experience is there and I was thinking along the lines of getting something that woudl just allow me to be "done". I DO have an interest in hearing what a tube amp would sound like in my system and how it would work but given the back issues pragmatically I am probably just best getting something that sounds good, get it into place and hopefully not have to move it for a long time. The wide divergence in brands is not as broad as it seems as I was thinking Creek Destiny 2 ($2500), various Rogue (2300-3500) Mac 5200 (4500). The only one of those I have heard is the Mac so my frame of reference is at the very least lacking.

I am going on vacation in a few months so I am hoping to be able to hear some of this stuff down in FL and LA. I appreciate the ideas here especially as my thoughts have not been as clear as one would like. Sort of living on painkillers right now so my brain is actually not clear.
joekapahulu OP
265 posts
 
Will be in the Destin area of FL then New Orleans. Will try to
find some places to listen while there.
joekapahulu OP
265 posts
 
OK, the update on this was that I was able to get some listening in tho not enough. Heard ayre cx5 integrated? About $3500. Nice but I was told it was best tthru balanced ICS. It was with Wilson speakers...fabulous but not in my range speaker wise. Anthem 225...just OK I thought. Arcam fmjxxxx (doing fr memory a i cant find my notes on my phone)...again OK but not wowed.That was it as my wife was hungry so we left. I decided that i may need to get better or different speakers too....so i would be interested in hearing more from the Ayre hooked to speaks in the $3-5k range. Still in the hunt I guess
joekapahulu OP
265 posts
 
Update is I bought a Marantz PM8500 and Kef R300 speakers over the holidays back East. I am happier with the speakers than the amp but that is not to say the amp is bad. Initially, it sounded better than my recently upgraded McIntosh MA5100 which had not been used much since I got it back late in the year. So, I have been breaking both in along with the speakers. For the first month or so it was really to the better from the Marantz. BUT, in the last week or so I started to notice that the Mac was sounding really good. I thought I might be off so I had my wife listen blind to each unit playing the same music with the same speakers etc. only change was the amp. I have them on top of a rack and can change it out quickly. 10 minutes and she chose the Mac as the better sounding unit. I was surprised to say the least. I then tried an experiment that I had been surprised by. I did the comparison as the Mac with the tone controls flat vs the Marantz without any tone control etc...just direct to the amp. She felt they were just bout even...the same conclusion I had. Interesting as it means the preamp in the Marantz doesnt add value. That was kind of why I got it as I liked the idea of the midrange tone controls. So, will keep listening. Her comment was the McIntosh sounded more real. She is amused to say the least.....
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