So today my McIntosh MA9000 arrived at the dealer with a huge hole in the box!...

[NOMBEDES]

Get a new one.  Good advice.  

[bluesman]

On 9/29/2020 at 10:44 PM, 992Sam said:

I haven't even taken delivery of it yet.. this was all at my dealers shop.

I’m frankly amazed that your dealer accepted delivery with such obvious damage to the packaging.  I would have photographed it, refused to sign for it, immediately called both the source and the carrier to report it, and confirmed with email to both.

 

I hope you get a proper one soon - it looks like a wonderful piece!

[992Sam]

1 hour ago, bluesman said:

I’m frankly amazed that your dealer accepted delivery with such obvious damage to the packaging.  I would have photographed it, refused to sign for it, immediately called both the source and the carrier to report it, and confirmed with email to both.

 

I hope you get a proper one soon - it looks like a wonderful piece!

 

At first inspection the puncture didn't look like it made it into the 2nd box... but the pressure is what did it ... that pressure must have caused the crack but likely even more internal / structural damage...  but like I said, it gave me the impetus to switch my order to separated (I listed them in my new signature block)...

 

I bought the C53 and M462 sight unseen, but I did hear the C52 / MC452 together before and it was mind blowing ... plus the 450W vs 300W will pair better with my speakers... giving me a ton of headroom, especially since these XR50's have a crazy 81dB sensitivity. 

[bluesman]

1 hour ago, 992Sam said:

the 450W vs 300W will pair better with my speakers... giving me a ton of headroom, especially since these XR50's have a crazy 81dB sensitivity. 

FWIW, a doubling of power output in watts means no more than a 3 db increase in SPL with no other changes in the system.  A sensitivity of 81dB at 1 watt/1 meter is actually not very high (my Focals are rated at 91 dB at 1W/1m).  So I doubt that you'd hear a difference on most source material.  Also IIRC, your XR50s are rated by McIntosh for a max of 300W.  You're probably fine, but be careful to avoid causing extraneous transients (switching, disconnecting cables etc), e.g. turn the amp on last and off first.  I've done worse, like driving my Rogers LS3/5as with a Hafler 500 for a few years 🤪

 

I'm a life long Mac lover.  I bought my first new piece (an MX110) in '70, followed by a series of amps (30s, 40s, 75s, and a 275).  I'm sure you're loving every note!  Out of curiosity, why did you buy the 9000 - another system?

[992Sam]

39 minutes ago, bluesman said:

FWIW, a doubling of power output in watts means no more than a 3 db increase in SPL with no other changes in the system.  A sensitivity of 81dB at 1 watt/1 meter is actually not very high (my Focals are rated at 91 dB at 1W/1m).  So I doubt that you'd hear a difference on most source material.  Also IIRC, your XR50s are rated by McIntosh for a max of 300W.  You're probably fine, but be careful to avoid causing extraneous transients (switching, disconnecting cables etc), e.g. turn the amp on last and off first.  I've done worse, like driving my Rogers LS3/5as with a Hafler 500 for a few years 🤪

 

I'm a life long Mac lover.  I bought my first new piece (an MX110) in '70, followed by a series of amps (30s, 40s, 75s, and a 275).  I'm sure you're loving every note!  Out of curiosity, why did you buy the 9000 - another system?

 

81dB is not very high? 😂 ...  that's a polite understatement maybe?   81dB is the lowest I've ever seen on hi-fi speakers but I think the intention was to get these to put out some serious bass, and from what I heard at the dealer they sound like full heights!   

 

Yeah, I originally went with the MA9000, but when it arrived damaged, I figured it was the universe telling me to go with my original hunch ... which was separates.  

 

Now I'm mulling over the C2700 vs C53 decision I made...  I tend to listen to more modern recordings, and music that is a bit more spaced, and precise (think modern Jazz, Baroque / Classical, etc.. and occasionally rock music)...  While I like the idea of tube pre-amp, I think my logical brain is saying solid state, plus with having a smallish room and smallish speakers I think having the 8-band EQ will be a good thing.

[bluesman]

38 minutes ago, 992Sam said:

81dB is not very high? 😂 ...  that's a polite understatement maybe?   81dB is the lowest I've ever seen on hi-fi speakers

Sorry - I thought you were serious, so I was trying to be polite.  Even my 15 ohm LS3/5as have a 92dB sensitivity.

[992Sam]

11 minutes ago, bluesman said:

Sorry - I thought you were serious, so I was trying to be polite.  Even my 15 ohm LS3/5as have a 92dB sensitivity.

 

no, I am aware that my speakers are probably the lowest sensitivity speakers sold today (or there about)... but they're a legit 8 ohm speaker that can handle a lot of real power... 300W RMS.. so I'm not worried one bit about having a 450W amp..matter of fact it's a good thing.

[AudioDoctor]

@992Sam Do you by any chance have a 992 generation Porsche 911?

[992Sam]

5 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

@992Sam Do you by any chance have a 992 generation Porsche 911?

 

Ha... I do, I guess I'm not the most creative at profile names. 

[accwai]

8 hours ago, 992Sam said:

[...]

 

Awesome carbon ceramics

[AudioDoctor]

10 hours ago, 992Sam said:

 

Ha... I do, I guess I'm not the most creative at profile names. 

 

Beautiful!

 

I've been trying to convince myself this would make a good Daily Driver for a while now. My fun car is a 2016 GT4.

[992Sam]

13 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Beautiful!

 

I've been trying to convince myself this would make a good Daily Driver for a while now. My fun car is a 2016 GT4.

 

I've nearly put 12000 miles on it in under a year and it's been 100% reliable... there was one electronic glitch that was addressed with a software update.  These things are reliable and meant to be driven... the guys that accumulate 12000 miles in 5 years are the ones that get the maintenance issues. 

[AudioDoctor]

4 hours ago, 992Sam said:

 

I've nearly put 12000 miles on it in under a year and it's been 100% reliable... there was one electronic glitch that was addressed with a software update.  These things are reliable and meant to be driven... the guys that accumulate 12000 miles in 5 years are the ones that get the maintenance issues. 

 

Oh, you don't need to convince me of the reliability. The Porsches I've owned have also been the most reliable cars I have owned. The GT4 included, except the gearbox recall, which I fixed by having aftermarket gears installed that are a) stronger and b) have better ratios. I drove a 997 C4S year round in MN and I never once had a problem caused by the car that prevented me from driving around. Too much snow was a problem, but that's not the cars fault.