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McIntosh Audio A Tradition of Excellence

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  #11  
Old 06-05-2022, 09:32 PM
grandee14 grandee14 is offline
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I always wondered why McIntosh made such large powerful amps. Now I know.
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  #12  
Old 06-06-2022, 02:07 AM
Charles Charles is offline
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I don't really have a CD or SACD that pushes the 3500's. It's the live performances. Phil Collins at Montreux is another one. The Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary is another. Maybe two weeks ago I was listening/watching to Paul Simon and Friends in Concert DVD. I probably began at about 50, next thing I knew I was at 70. I'm one of these folks that if I really like it I must listen just a little louder...Next thing I knew I was at 85. It didn't sound all that loud but it was thrilling. Then somehow it went to 91%. It was loud and exciting. The 3500's were hitting 250 watts continually. Then there was a crescendo in the left channel and the meter exceeded 350 watts. Scared me to death. I turned it down to 85.

Most of the time I listen at about 3.5 to 20 watts and it's plenty loud. I have been amazed at the dynamic capabilities of these 3500's. When that meter literally flew past 350 there was no flashing lights or change in the sound quality but it got scary loud. Frightening.

Best

Charles

p.s. the clarity/transparency, ease, and resolution of these amps blows me away. I have never heard anything like them. They are so quick, transient response is amazing.
__________________________________________________ _
Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
New gear on order: 3 AS125 custom made McIntosh amps stands
Most recent updates: Latest is the last one posted: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer; Wilson Pedestals; heating and cooling completely reworked and reinsulated resulting in a much quieter, cooler, and more efficient room (cost about 10,000.00). McIntosh MCT 500 SACD/CD transport; Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode for XVX Chronosonic; WEL Signature digital Coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection replacing the optical connection; New plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; Thor is now off my floor; MC3500MKII mono block amps (2) and two custom granite slabs; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover; new 75-ohm multi-directional FM antenna for tuner
Amps: McIntosh MC3500MKII mono blocks (2), McIntosh MC1.25KW’s (3). All amps set on floor on custom made granite slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCT500 SACD/CD Transport, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; custom made Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie; custom plinth of X material with Wilson Acoustic Diode feet; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables main system: Audioquest WEL Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); WEL Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; WEL Signature digital coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for MVP 851 DVD player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Audioquest Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for MR87 tuner
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from ActivXO crossover to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to ActivXO; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals for D1100; MVP881 BR player; MCT500 transport; MR87 tuner; plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.

Last edited by Charles; 06-06-2022 at 03:07 AM.
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  #13  
Old 06-06-2022, 08:05 AM
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FreddieFerric FreddieFerric is offline
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Try the Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott's on BluRay.
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  #14  
Old 06-06-2022, 10:44 AM
clpetersen clpetersen is offline
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Charles - thanks for sharing (as usual). Amazing system.

We can appreciate Alexander Graham Bell's surprise when he first figured out that to get twice the perceived volume he needed to apply 10X the power.

Hence the need for those turbo-sized amps.
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Last edited by clpetersen; 06-06-2022 at 03:43 PM.
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  #15  
Old 06-06-2022, 11:45 AM
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Thank goodness those babies allow for 700 watt transients!
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Great Room: 2 Channel System
Amplifier: McIntosh MC312
Preamp: McIntosh C22 Mk V (Gold Lion Tubes)
DAC/CD/SACD: McIntosh MCD12000
Streaming Source: Aurender N10; UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Switch; AfterDark Project Clayx Giesemann OCXO 10MHz Reference Queen Master Clock w/ Black Modernize LPS x 2 Giesemann OCXO 10M Edition
Speakers: Canton Reference 3K
Power: 2x Dedicated 20 Amp Breakers + Whole House Surge Protection
Power Outlets: PS Audio Power Ports
Power Resonators: ADD-Powr Sorcer x4 (at service panel); ADD-Powr Wizard; ADD-Powr eau2; ADD-Powr Symphony (in network closet)
Power Distribution: Shunyata Denali 6000/S v2
Power Cables: Shunyata Delta v2 XC (Denali v2 to dedicated 20A Outlet); Shunyata Venom NR v10 (Amp to Denali v2); Shunyata Delta v2 NR (Preamp to Denali v2); Shunyata Alpha v2 NR (DAC to Denali v2); Shunyata Venom NR v12 (Wizard to dedicated 20A Outlet); Shunyata Venom V14 Digital (Streamer and Master Clock LPS to Denali v2)
Speaker Cables: Shunyata Sigma v1; Shunyata Sigma v1 Jumpers
Audio Cables: Wireworld Silver Eclipse 8 XLR (Preamp to Amp); Wireworld Gold Eclipse 8 XLR (DAC Tube and Solid State Outputs to Preamp); Shunyata Sigma USB (Streamer to DAC); Shunyata Sigma v2 AES/EBU (Streamer to DAC); Shunyata Venom Ethernet (Wall Wart to EtherREGEN); Shunyata Sigma Ethernet (EtherREGEN to Streamer); Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 75-Ohm BNC (AfterDark Queen Master Clock to EtherREGEN); Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 S/PDIF (Streamer to DAC)
Isolation: Stillpoints Ultra SS (Under Speakers); Stillpoints Ultra Mini's (Under Preamp and DAC); HRS E1 Isolation Platform w/G7 Feet and G-Links (Under Amp and Master Clock/LPS); HRS E1 Isolation Platform w/G7 Feet (Under Streamer); Shunyata DarkField Suspension System and DarkField Mini Elevators (Under Speaker Cables); IsoAcoustics Iso-Pucks (Under EtherREGEN)
Noise Reduction: HRS DPX-14545 Damping Plate (On Amp and Preamp); HRS DPII-14545 Damping Plate (On DAC)
Grounding: Shunyata Alpha v3 CGC/SGC Ground Cable (DAC to Denali v2); Shunyata Delta v2 CGC/SGC Ground Cable (EtherREGEN to Denali v2)
Rack: Quadraspire SVT


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  #16  
Old 06-06-2022, 12:54 PM
Famester V1 Famester V1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
Then somehow it went to 91%.
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  #17  
Old 06-06-2022, 03:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
Here are some new pics of my MC3500 doing 350 watts easily during the Paul Simon Concert in the Park. One of my favorite Laser Discs. Sonics and picture quality superb.





Monster Amps. Have any idea how many decibels?
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  #18  
Old 06-06-2022, 03:33 PM
mulveling mulveling is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clpetersen View Post
Charles - thanks for sharing (as usual). Amazing system.

We can appreciate Alexander Graham Bell's dismay when he first figure out that to get twice the perceived volume he needed to apply 10X the power, and twice more was 100X the original power.
Each 2 fold increase in perceived volume became 1 Bell, now 1/10 Bell or decibel is the common unit.

Hence those turbo-sized amps.
That's s good rule of thumb. But it's based on human perception so there is plenty of room for individual differences. To me 6dB, or roughly 4x power, sounds a lot louder and might be a more reasonable "twice as loud" increment. It's still logarithmic / geometric, just not conveniently tied to our whole 10 fingers / 10 toes for counting in base-10, which doesn't seem like it has to apply to our ears.

Anyways, the key message of this thread should be the "and just a little bit louder now..." iteration game is a dangerous one to play for our ears. Try to find a happy reference volume level, and stick close to it over a session. Unfortunately the recording levels of different programs can vary a LOT, which makes this tricky. Digital recordings and alternate formats (surround sound) have made it MUCH more difficult to find the "right level" from album to album. With vinyl LPs you'll notice the majority are cut at a very similar level, because any less or more caused major problems for the medium! The McIntosh power meters can actually be a handy guide here.
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  #19  
Old 06-06-2022, 04:18 PM
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UFTE UFTE is offline
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Quote:
I don't really have a CD or SACD that pushes the 3500's. It's the live performances. Phil Collins at Montreux is another one. The Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary is another. Maybe two weeks ago I was listening/watching to Paul Simon and Friends in Concert DVD. I probably began at about 50, next thing I knew I was at 70. I'm one of these folks that if I really like it I must listen just a little louder...Next thing I knew I was at 85. It didn't sound all that loud but it was thrilling. Then somehow it went to 91%. It was loud and exciting. The 3500's were hitting 250 watts continually. Then there was a crescendo in the left channel and the meter exceeded 350 watts. Scared me to death. I turned it down to 85.

Most of the time I listen at about 3.5 to 20 watts and it's plenty loud. I have been amazed at the dynamic capabilities of these 3500's. When that meter literally flew past 350 there was no flashing lights or change in the sound quality but it got scary loud. Frightening.

Best

Charles

p.s. the clarity/transparency, ease, and resolution of these amps blows me away. I have never heard anything like them. They are so quick, transient response is amazing.
Charles,

I cannot imagine how the drumline in "I Don't Care Anymore" sounds in your room. In my much more modest system, that song rates way up there for punch! Happy listening
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McIntosh: C2700, MC462, MC8207, MEN220, MX122, MVP901, MPC1500, MXA60, MB20
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Speakers: XR100 mains, LCR80 center, Definitive Technology surrounds
Sub: 2x JL Audio Fathom f113's
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Screen: Stewart Filmscreen 120" StudioTek 130 G4
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  #20  
Old 06-06-2022, 09:19 PM
John Jordan John Jordan is offline
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Charles-

This has been a great read. Really eye opening as to the capabilities of the 3500's. Lots of reserve power and headroom; a testament to tubes done right.

Enjoy those Bodacious Sounds!

John
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