[Vintage Pete]

I'm bumping this thread to add a few more thoughts and impressions. There was (and still is) a lot to digest from this visit. What a great time it was.... When I started this thread last night, there were a lot of photos to go through, uploading, etc...a lot of thoughts to process, and composing the thread itself. In addition, I had impatient members here anxious to hear details of the visit. I was tired as well, from all the driving, and from follow up chores upon my return. So, I was kind of in a hurry myself, to get the thread started and the discussion rolling.

Most of what I'd like to add pertains to the system Dan has assembled in the studio. In a nutshell, this is, without a doubt, a world-class system. I don't know when, if ever, I have heard a system like this, assembled in such a tasteful way, in a very ideal and intimate environment. The studio is like an acoutic vacuum, totally dead quiet with no spurious reflections whatsoever. You can clap your hands in there and there is no echo whatsoever. There is virtually no outside light coming into his studio, and his remote controlled lighting allows one to bring the lights down for a great ambience any time of the day. When those lights go down, and you see all that McIntosh gear all lit up, it is really mesmerizing.

The McIntosh MC2301 amplifiers are, quite simply, incredible performers and are works of art in their own right. Gorgeous to look at, they are huge, and one cannot help but to be awed by them. I had seen one on static display at Ivan's 2008 party, but this was the first time I had listened to a pair. Dan made the comment that he believes these are the finest amplifiers made by McIntosh to date. I really don't know if that is true, and of course being the subjective topic that this is, would of course be open to debate. There are more expensive and more powerful McIntosh amplifiers (the epitome of the line being the prodigious MC-2KW, which are simply amazing as well). My only opportunity to hear the MC-2KW's has been at Ivan's, but he only uses these to power the bottom end of his XRT2K's. So, I've nver had the opportunity to hear those monsters full range. But the MC2301 has to be, at least, one of the finest amplifiers on the planet. And I know of no amplifier, except perhaps the MC2KW, that is more impressive to look at. Anyone thinking of owning either of these flagship products had best be sure they have the room for them!

Equally impressive is the Sonus Faber Anniversario. At the time of my last visit, Dan was using the Guarneri Mementos, driven by a pair of McIntosh MC275 Mk V amps running in mono. At the time, he was augmenting the GM's with a pair of McIntosh XLS112 subwoofers. Now that he has the Anniversarios, the XLS112's have been re-purposed to the theater, as the Anniversarios really need no sub. If anyone thinks that a pair of 8-1/2" woofers cannot produce deep bass, think again! When called upon to do so, these loudspeaker systems were producing VERY deep bass, in spades, and without the slightest hint of stress or strain. These are absolute, first-rate loudspeaker systems. They are also gorgeous, with their stunning graphite finish (available of course in the violin finish as well) and luxurious leather coated baffle.

I wanted to expand a bit on my impressions since I really felt like my initial post of last evening was incomplete.

I had mentioned in the other thread Dan started on my visit, while I was still en route home, that this visit represented a number of firsts for me:

This was the first time I had an opportunity to audition a pair of McIntosh MC2301 monoblock tube amps;

This was the first opportunity I'd had to audition any Esoteric product;

Although we listened the majority of the time to the Esoteric K-03 SACD/CD player/DAC, this was the first opportunity I'd had to listen to the very well known McIntosh MCD1100; and

this was the first opportunity I'd had to listen a pair of Amati Anniversario loudspeakers.


The McIntosh C1000C/P I had heard previously when it was in Dan's upstairs system.


I also mentioned in the other thread that this was also, in a certain way, a first for Dan. What I meant by that was, I was the first AA'er to visit his home since all of these very significant upgrades were implemented. I feel very priveliged to say that, and I feel very priveliged to have friends like Dan, Ivan, and to me a member of the great group we fondly refer to as "AA".


Dan, thank you again my friend.....


Pete