If I'm not mistaken he went first from an Eggleston/ Levinson system to a Burmester/ Alexandria I then he went ALL McIntosh including the speakers with lotsa-lotsa tweeters. Lots of blue meters. Phil has some pics, I hope he posts them.
Lusting after a pair of MC1.2KW's .....
- Thread starter joeinid
- Start date
Here are the BIG MACs:
CD Transport and DAC:
Pre_amp:
I guess this 'meal' will satisfy anybody.
My uncle had an all ML/Eggleston Ivy system when he started. Then the ML tower amps were changed into to Halcro mono towers. Then the ML CD/DAC/pre were changed into the Burmester CD001, pre 011, and the Halcros ultimately replaced by the Burmester 911. Later on, the Ivys were changed into the Wilson Alexandra 2 MkI. And finally, the whole system was changed into a complete McIntosh system, anchored on a fleet of 2 kilowatt amps.
After a few months, he moved the whole Mac system into a new house with a dedicated 100 square meter listening room. And I should say the the Mac speakers FILL up the room, to mince no words.
I'd love to find out if he's happy.
He's happy. He said in the 60s he used McIntosh tube gears and he feels good having to walk the full circle. I was still a little boy when I say him playing the R2R in his living room. He had like a 20 year hiatus in the audio hobby and then in 2000 came back with a bang - Eggleston Ivy/ML. What a way to come back.
My uncle had an all ML/Eggleston Ivy system when he started. Then the ML tower amps were changed into to Halcro mono towers. Then the ML CD/DAC/pre were changed into the Burmester CD001, pre 011, and the Halcros ultimately replaced by the Burmester 911. Later on, the Ivys were changed into the Wilson Alexandra 2 MkI. And finally, the whole system was changed into a complete McIntosh system, anchored on a fleet of 2 kilowatt amps.
-----Your uncle, is truly some' else. :b
Hi Don,
If I recall correctly, it is a center speaker from Eggleston, bought during the time when he had the Ivys.
My most memorable experience in this room was with the Alexandria - Burmester combination. The sound was so natural if a bit bare but listening to the system put me in a trance like state. I was shuttled back to reality when my uncle called me, though for a moment, I could not tell the differrence between what was being reproduced and what was live. I thought my uncle was calling me through the system.
I have not heard the all McIntosh set up yet.
I have not heard the all McIntosh set up yet.
I personally prefer the Burmester/Wilson set-up. And the most impressive of all was the Earth Drum of Paramita. The Kodo drummers, I can sense, were slowly warming up till they really get heated up and I felt their fury and emotion while the hit the drums towards the end part. I had to catch my breath. I've heard the Macs in the old room and the new big room was playing a CD of Michel Jonas and boy, the word I had to use was 'staggering'. The power of the system is incredible as it seems to want 50 more square meters of space.
I've been lucky to have been invited to listen to this system which is in a constant state of metamorphosis so far as speaker positioning and cables are concerned. Truly impressive and lifelike scale but difficult to make judgement on overall sound since the room was always crammed with other noisy listeners. Btw, since the system doubles as an HT system, Wilson Maxx 3's have been ordered for surround duties!
Indeed that has always been the case as he is so much open to suggestions re positioning and other tweaks.
And these listeners usually throw in their 10 cents.
And wow, Maxx 3 for rear surround...
Based on my experience with the Alex 2 MK1 vs the Mac speakers in the old room (the room in the pictures), I can say that the Maxx 3 will not measure up in size, volume and scale of the soundstage. The room was 60 square meters and the Alex had a smaller soundstage than the Macs by comparison, and I doubt if the Maxx 3 can go head to head with the Macs (no pun intended) in this area. And moreso in bass, a look at the Macs tell you how prodigious the bass will be and indeed, even in a 100 sq meter new room, the bass is deep and can rock the house. Advantage, Mac, imo.
At the beginning of this thread were discussions about prefering Mac or Burmester Amps in a system. I could add someting to that.
One of my friends has an Burmester setup on his WATT/Puppies 8. I have a McIntosh setup on my WP7. We both like Wagner and spent hours with his operas. The reason for him buying the Burmester Amps was because he listens mainly at lower volumes. The setup gives you a lot of joy then. When it gets louder ... well the sound can make you quite nervous.
This doesn´t happen with the Macs. It is true that you hear many details, offered very clear with the Burmesters but to me it is just very bright sounding. My Macs were similar when i was using an Valhalla RCA between Pre- and Poweramp. By coincidence I was able to test an NBS XLR in the same place. Since then I have most of the details at lower volume and ever better sound when it gets louder. We both agree with that.
But, just last week we were listening to Tannhaeuser´s final act and you could see the sunset shining through his living room window. It was a gift and even with the Burmester playing loud ... everything was fine.
Sigi
One of my friends has an Burmester setup on his WATT/Puppies 8. I have a McIntosh setup on my WP7. We both like Wagner and spent hours with his operas. The reason for him buying the Burmester Amps was because he listens mainly at lower volumes. The setup gives you a lot of joy then. When it gets louder ... well the sound can make you quite nervous.
This doesn´t happen with the Macs. It is true that you hear many details, offered very clear with the Burmesters but to me it is just very bright sounding. My Macs were similar when i was using an Valhalla RCA between Pre- and Poweramp. By coincidence I was able to test an NBS XLR in the same place. Since then I have most of the details at lower volume and ever better sound when it gets louder. We both agree with that.
But, just last week we were listening to Tannhaeuser´s final act and you could see the sunset shining through his living room window. It was a gift and even with the Burmester playing loud ... everything was fine.
Sigi
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---Methinks that amplifier's manufacturers build their amps around some "certain sound".
...Speakers they use of course, but most importantly the music recordings themselves; and from the country where they're made.
And from that basis we can pinpoint that "sound". ...Neutral, warm, clear, detailed, low & high volume character, micro & macro dynamics, width of soundstage, depth, imaging, separation, focus, etc.
Some music recordings seem to like this amplifier better than this one ...
And same with the loudspeakers (synergy, balanced matching; with both the music recordings and loudspeakers, and the preamp of course, and even the sources.).
* Good post just above, Sigi. :b
Bob
...Speakers they use of course, but most importantly the music recordings themselves; and from the country where they're made.
And from that basis we can pinpoint that "sound". ...Neutral, warm, clear, detailed, low & high volume character, micro & macro dynamics, width of soundstage, depth, imaging, separation, focus, etc.
Some music recordings seem to like this amplifier better than this one ...
And same with the loudspeakers (synergy, balanced matching; with both the music recordings and loudspeakers, and the preamp of course, and even the sources.).
* Good post just above, Sigi. :b
Bob
---Did you guys hnew that any type of meter (analog and/or digital) is a source of noise and distortion?
...Contamination of the music reproduction. ...It ain't high-end at all; it's only for the looks, appearance.
...Contamination of the music reproduction. ...It ain't high-end at all; it's only for the looks, appearance.
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