Soundstage drastically worsened when I replaced a solid state AV amp with tubes.


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Hello. I am streaming music with Qobuz and Apple Music through a McIntosh MX123 A/V processor, into a McIntosh MC8207 7-channel solid state amplifier (200 watts x 7 channels), into Klipsch La Scala speakers (105 dB sensitivity). (I also have an SVS 2000 sub-woofer.) (The components are behind the wall in the photo.) With that setup, I had a 180 degree soundstage, extending laterally well beyond my speakers and from ceiling to floor in height. I wanted to see if tubes would improve the system for music listening, so I added a McIntosh MC275 amp to power the front L and R LaScalas. Now the MC8207 is used only to power the surround speakers. The MC275 improved the warmth of the music and greatly increased the bass. However, the lateral soundstage is gone. I now have a deeper soundstage focused perfectly between the speakers, but the lateral and height extensions are gone. It is as though I am back in the 1950s listening to a single mono speaker directly in front of my listening position. The music is beautiful, but I miss the soundstage. Other than replacing the amp for the LaScalas, everything else is the same. I did have to temporarily add an extension chord to the McIntosh power cord until I can get one of the proper length, so that could be the culprit. Otherwise, does anyone have any ideas regarding why the soundstage so drastically changed? I expected the soundstage to improve with the tubes, but it worsened. Thanks for your thoughts!

therandyman

Showing 7 responses by erik_squires

@immatthewj The OP's description of his imaging when it was "good" just sounded too much like that situation.

TBH, I had this happen a couple of times at two different dealers, so I got more than a little suspicious they did so deliberately as a gimmick. 

@immatthewj different people hear it differently.  :)  I just wanted to know if the OP had tried that.

 

I watched a pair of Wilsons get sold to a Russian "businessman" for their exceptional imaging this way.

@designsfx  - I did not! but it was curious that the OP mentioned how wide his soundstage was before.  Sounds to me like he might have been listening with a mismatched polarity

 

You guys think my ideas were too obvious but ... I have gone through exactly these issues at two different dealers.  The excessively wide Soundstage was due to a speaker polarity flip.

Meaning, is it possible you had a speaker polarity flipped before, but fixed it now or vice versa??

Is it possible your av processor settings changed, or you got the speaker polarity wring before or after?