#21
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After weeks of listening, including full weeks at both taps, with detailed notes I have come to some conclusions.
My week of listening and note taking started with 8 Ohm connections. The sound has plenty of energy, sizzle, slam if not a too lean sound on some recordings. Bass lights seem a tad tighter, but not as full. Cymbals have more sheen but almost too feathery. Kick drum has more punch but again sounds thinner. Lastly vocals are crystal clear but sound almost as if the singer is singing a half octave above natural. The music can be driven at the same volume level with almost exactly 4% less vs 4 Ohm, I.e., 36% vs 40% on the preamp. The best way I can sum it up is that the sound seems more charged and crisp, but also a bit dry and sterile on most recordings. Most important, as much as I tried to resist, the music would become more fatiguing and less musical. It just wasn't as sweet and natural sounding. A week of 4 Ohm listening with notes started out in a now predictable manner. I had to pump up the volume approximately 4% to get same sound level. Music was quite a bit fuller, richer, smoother with a tad less tight bass, but overall more of it. That's not to say bass was ever bloated, just had a hair less punch. Again I'll say vocals, piano, percussion, etc., sounded to me like how the artist and producer likely intended it to sound. I never felt any listener fatigue what so ever. The music was lush, smooth, and rich. The areas that would cause me to question or wonder what a piece of music would sound like on either of the connections were typically dependent upon type of music, and that is where a bit of consternation would occur ever so slightly. For example, on acoustic recordings like Uncle Tupelos classic "March 16-20 1992", there is really no question that 4 Ohm taps sound much better, with an emphasis on the much. One Steely Dan's "Two against nature", with electric bass, guitars, keyboards and miked saxophone, the 8 Ohm tap delivers a more energetic sound with more punch and sizzle. That's not to say 4 Ohms sounded bad by any means. What it typically requires in a good 4 to 5% bump in volume. At that level you get almost all the slam and punch with the fuller sound. I believe there have been two things at play with this analysis. One is the perception of more power on tap at 8 Ohms and the feeling that I was giving some of that up with 4 Ohms. I needed to accept there was need for more volume gain with 4 Ohms and not fret over that. The second is the issue of Mcintosh itself, autoformers and/or the need for more powerful amps with Mcintosh amps than other brands. I doubt if the MA8000 was 500wpc vs 300wpc I would have ever felt the need to experiment to this level due to a less likely high degree of difference. As it stands at 300wpc, the 8000 may be on the cusp of power, where the difference is more noticeable than ideal. I can only suggest that the use of Autoformers vs the amp producing greater levels as required along the frequencies plot line may complicate things a bit vs being an asset in totality. All in all I do love the Mcintosh sound and at 4 Ohms, it sounds like what I've heard in a Mcintosh amplifier much more so than at 8Ohms. I just wish at times it operated liked my old Classe CA301 where there was no opportunity to select a particular tap, but the amp would double its power rating etc., since I don't ever recall having this issue before. Just a thought. For now I'm content again listening to the 4 Ohm taps and fully appreciate the more natural, smooth and silky sound it delivers. |
#22
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Thanks a lot for your comprehensive description of the 2 weeks, Jag. Whatever the technical reasons (and +4% aside), it looks like 4 Ohms taps does the trick for you and the musical / non-fatiguing aspect es the one making the difference.
Enjoy your CM10's this way man. I had CM5's for years and loved every day with them.
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Diapason Astera/McIntosh MA6600/PS Audio DSJr & DMP/Clearaudio Emotion SE. |
#23
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#24
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System: ML:5206,5302 Serafino's Nordost Lumin U1 RM15 |
#25
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Got 805D's at the moment and cannot help but dream about the 803's myself ...
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Diapason Astera/McIntosh MA6600/PS Audio DSJr & DMP/Clearaudio Emotion SE. |
#26
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#27
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Really haven't. Since my Classe and Hales gear, I went with a Rotel 1582 MKII and listened to it for about 4 months before buying the Mac. I've been pretty used to high quality sound and it's more nuanced than that. It's likely my room more than anything, but the difference isn't small in any event. My speakers like the 4Ohm tap. I'm really thinking most B&W's are more of a 4 Ohm speaker than 8 Ohm, regardless of nominal impedance.
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#28
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No question about it. Giving up power isn't something I like to do, but it's where I find the most listening pleasure. I'd be lying if I said I don't care that volume is cut at 4 ohm connections though. Did Ron ever go on record with his thoughts regarding B&W speakers and Mac amps/Ohm connections?
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#29
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I would believe it would depend on what sounds good to you with your particular speaker. A 4 ohm tap for CM would sound different on 804, 803 or 800's. I would make sure you are happy and content with your source, pre-amp and then experiment with your taps. Make sure all is burned in well and speakers spiked. Finally you can tweak and finalize the sound with appropriate cabling. Just some thoughts. Last edited by Indytown; 05-30-2015 at 04:54 PM. |
#30
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All in all I'm pretty satisfied with my setup, (for the moment), just don't tihink I'll ever be content until I get back to speakers on the scale of the old Hales Trascendance 8's. Those are speakers that easily compare to B&W 803D's, with a similar price point of $10k, but that was way back in 2000. I'm not sure what they would go far today since Paul Hales went out of business around 2005. I do know that the speakers and the 300wpc Classe amp were the best sound I've ever owned, after owning Martin Logan SL-3's through out a good chuck of the 90's. I also loved them, but nothing like the Hales. I've come to realize that while the CM10's are pretty incredible at the $4k price point, there is quite a leap between them any good speaker in the $10-$15k price range. I also have a nagging thought that while the MA8000 is perfectly capable of powering larger speakers, I would not be content until I had more power on tap, and I'm not ready to upgrade amps. Last edited by Jagman; 05-31-2015 at 09:57 AM. |
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