New McIntosh Owner and forum member

[HiFiHippie]

This was a big year for upgrades to my system as I have been a long time admirer of the McIntosh products. My system now consists of the following:
MX170 theater processor- for Dolby Atmos
C53 preamplifier- 2 channel
MCT500 sacd transport
MC257 7 channel amplifier- surrounds and height speakers
MC462 2 channel amplifier- left and right mains
MC611 mono amplifier- center channel

Main speakers are Legacy Audio Aeris with Wavelet processor, Marquis XD for center and Deco for side surrounds and Phantom HD rear channel. Dual Rythmik F18’s for LFE and Rythmik G22’s for rear subwoofers.

Other products in my system are Roon Nucleus plus for Qobuz and Tidal Streaming, Clearaudio Concept Maestro V2 MM cartridge For vinyl, Oppo 205 movies and multichannel sacd’s, Panasonic 9000 for 4K movies and JVC 4K projector.

All speaker wires are Kimber Kable 8tc, Hero and Silver Streak xlr’s and upgrading power cables to Shunyata research.

PS Audio P20 power plant regenrator

I am really enjoying the McIntosh products, my previous amplifiers were Parasound ranging from 3 JC1’s for l/c/r, A21 and several A23 for height and surround channels.

I’ve had the McIntosh products in my system for about a month and still burning everything in, but I am extremely happy with the results so far. The Mac’s are dead quiet and produce very little heat compared to the JC1’s. I felt that the JC1’s had excellent midrange with good low end, and the Mac’s can easily hang with them in both regards and I feel the top end is a bit smoother with less fatigue.

I will post more finding as time goes on and the system settles in, but with said I am very proud to be part of the McIntosh family and should have joined along time ago. happy Listening!!!

[Garytn]

Welcome aboard. That’s a very nice system you have.

[80B]

Congratulations and welcome! Great system there. Do post some photos.

[bart]

I concur.
Great system!

Welcome aboard!

[Yamaki]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your system upgrades.

[crwilli]

Welcome to AA “Hippie”!

[TOBZDV]

welcome

[Charles]

I'm always amazed at how customized and personal high end audio systems are. I could spend a good amount of time studying your system and even then wouldn't completely understand it.

I agree with you that Mac has achieved a detailed highly resolved SS sound that is non fatiguing in the mid/high frequencies. Very difficult to do. Many years ago I owned an original Mac 275 paired with Dalquist DQ 10's. It was a lovely sound competitive with anything today near its price point. I was very stressed with the job and got tired of the tubes because I couldn't figure out when to turn them on and when to turn them off. I didn't have much listening time.

So I bought a MC2100 105 watt/ch SS amp, which today would not command close to the respect of a MC275 tube. However, I had pretty good ears in those days and through the DQ10's it was amazing how similar the sound, top to bottom. I never forgot that.

Mac has been making tube and SS amps for a very long time. Mac began their solid state journey by creating SS amps with similar sound signatures as their tube gear. That's why I like the Mac sound so much. I believe the autoformers are responsible for much of the Mac sound, which is quite unique.

Mac bass is truly excellent, being neither over or under damped.

Best

Charles

[Maks]

Wow a MC611 just for the center channel, now that is a serious system! Welcome aboard.