The Computer Audiophile Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 View full article Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
AudioDoctor Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Very cool! The pictures, the space, and the speakers look amazing! No electron left behind. Link to comment
firedog Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Chris, did they play the XRT2.1K fairly loudly? My one experience with that type of speaker many years ago was amazing - the clothes I was wearing even ruffled in response as if there was a slight breeze in the room. Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 3 hours ago, firedog said: Chris, did they play the XRT2.1K fairly loudly? My one experience with that type of speaker many years ago was amazing - the clothes I was wearing even ruffled in response as if there was a slight breeze in the room. Yes, the music was played both loud and soft. The clip above in the video was really loud. The experience was wonderful listening to and feeling the music just like a live venue. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Bones13 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Nice rooms, I am sure you had fun. Gorgeous pics too btw. [Home Digital] MSB Premier DAC > Modright LS300 > Atma-Sphere "Class D" Monoblocks > Daedalus Audio Muse Studio Speakers [Home Analog] Technics SL-1200G > Boulder 508 (Benz Glider SL) [Office] Laptop > Kitsune R2R lvl3 > Violectric V281 > Meze Liric / Meze Elite [Travel] Laptop/iPad -> Focal Bathys Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Did they talk about how their holding co. distinguishes them from other owned brands? Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Ralf11 said: Did they talk about how their holding co. distinguishes them from other owned brands? I don’t understand the question. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Doesn't H/K own Mac as well as other competing brands? They need more than blue meters to distinguish themselves Link to comment
Kal Rubinson Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 5 hours ago, Ralf11 said: Doesn't H/K own Mac as well as other competing brands? They need more than blue meters to distinguish themselves No. H/K does not own Mac. Quote Japanese years[edit] The company was purchased by Japanese car audio maker Clarion in 1990. McIntosh components, particularly the early tube models, are highly regarded in Japan. In a speech shortly after the purchase, Clarion president Yutaka Oyamada told McIntosh employees, "...we like McIntosh as it is, and we have no intention of changing what has made it so successful."[7] Since the Clarion purchase, McIntosh has expanded into car audio and home theater. In May 2003, McIntosh was sold by Clarion to D&M Holdings, also of Japan. McIntosh continues to operate independent engineering, design, and production operations in accordance with the company's tradition. Italian years[edit] On October 8, 2012, Fine Sounds SpA of Milan, Italy announced it had purchased McIntosh.[8] Return to the United States[edit] In May 2014, the CEO of Fine Sounds Group along with the President of McIntosh Labs led a management buyout of the Fine Sounds Group from its Italian investment firm owner, Quadrivio Investment Group.[9] Since then Fine Sounds group has now renamed itself McIntosh Group and relocated from Milan to New York[10][11] Kal Rubinson Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 ok, as of 2014 the owner is McIntosh Group, a rename & move of Fine Sounds Group Owner of: Audio Research McIntosh Pryma Sonus Faber Sumiko Subwoofers Wadia so, any discussion of ARC, etc.? Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 9 hours ago, Ralf11 said: ok, as of 2014 the owner is McIntosh Group, a rename & move of Fine Sounds Group Owner of: Audio Research McIntosh Pryma Sonus Faber Sumiko Subwoofers Wadia so, any discussion of ARC, etc.? This was a McIntosh and Sonus faber event. No discussion of other brands. ARC equipment was used for the Sonus faber demo. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
input username here Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 part-time audiophile attended the same event and posted a podcast https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/02/01/world-of-mcintosh-paolo-tezzon-livio-cucuzza/ with an extended interview with the designers (acoustic and industrial) of these speakers--the same men headed up both projects. The acoustical engineer was at pains to note that the two flagships were not only designed with different "house sounds" in mind, but also different environments (as Chris noted, the MAC is much better suited to a HUGE space). (Also, if I'm not reading too much into the interview, the Sonus Faber engineer unsurprisingly seemed to favor the Sonus design principals, I believe he said designed more with "accuracy" in mind, although he was, also unsurprisingly, enthusiastic about both speakers and allowed that each might be better in different circumstances.) So, Chris, what were your takeaways--was one speaker, say better with certain sorts of music? One more "musical" than the other while the other might be more muscular, perhaps? If one were thinking about dropping a cool $130k on a new pair of speakers (unfortunately, I am not in such circumstances), what might they keep in mind before setting down with these two, clearly impressive, offerings? Roon --> ultraRendu/Uptone LPS-1 --> Kii CONTROL --> Kii THREE active speakers (everything on Black Ravioli bases and footers) Link to comment
sphinxsix Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 A great read and fantastic photos, Chris! You say ' The XRT2.1K will set you back a cool $130,000 ' which is quite cheap cause eg in the UK their price is (even cooler) £138k. But what I'm really interested in is who is the maker of this innovative designer audio table (photo no 2) on which Sonus Faber F (sorry I don't remember the number) rests ? (I believe many CA bikers could be interested in this information) Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 On 2/4/2018 at 2:23 PM, input username here said: So, Chris, what were your takeaways--was one speaker, say better with certain sorts of music? One more "musical" than the other while the other might be more muscular, perhaps? If one were thinking about dropping a cool $130k on a new pair of speakers (unfortunately, I am not in such circumstances), what might they keep in mind before setting down with these two, clearly impressive, offerings? This is tough. When spending this much money, there are tons of options if you count all the speakers less than $130k as well. For my taste I like the Aida better. I'm much ore used to a point source speaker. The Aida was in a smaller room with ARC electronics and different music. It's very hard to compare apples to apples, other than to say they are both loudspeakers with vastly different technologies and design goals. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
jerico Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 I just realized that this showroom is featured (as someone's house) in Mr Robot, Season 2/Episode 1. It shows a closeup of one of the amps at one point (MC452 IIRC). Cool. Digital: Schiit Yggy + Gumby, Meridian Explorer2 Headphone: Woo WA22, Audez'e LCD3, Beyerdynamic T1 Amplification: Pass Labs INT30A, Focal 1027be Analog: VPI Classic, Soundsmith Zephy, EAR 834P LastFM: WharfRatJustin Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 interesting that the really good speakers got ARC, not Mc ... Link to comment
buffalobill Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Impressive audio gear, no doubt. But there are more people who visit my local Apple store in one hour than usually attend one of these McIntosh events. Link to comment
Allan F Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 There are many adjectives that may apply to a massive pair of $130,000 speakers but, IMO, "cool" is not one of them. "Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron Link to comment
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