Follow up to Dans McIntosh Downsize thread...

This is a good hypothetical question that could be difficult to answer honestly.

The premise is that a one-box component will have *all* of the capabilities and qualities that the entirety of each of our individual systems' possesses - the hypothetical one-box component would be *absolutely* indistinguishable from the entire system, under any circumstances.

My guess is that the romance of the object (in this case, those multiple blue-lighted, glass-fronted boxes) would be impossible to deny - especially if there was no cost differential.

But how about this - suppose we had *absolutely* equivalent sound & capability, as specified above, and the one-unit component cost let's say 5% of the multi-component system's total, BUT LOOKED LIKE A CHEAP CLOCK RADIO?

Could one live with that? Would one be able to accept the reality of the situation? Would one want to?
 
NO,NO we are not going THERE... This is not anything that looks like a clock radio... This is one beautiful piece of McIntosh gear that does EVERYTHING your previous set up does, just does it in ONE BOX.

Do you want it? Or do you want to stay with 5-6-7 boxes???

Just askin'...
 
Stay with 5-6-7 boxes. You can't put the big watt meters, all the controls, CD player and a radio dial such as the MR88 (I know it isn't available yet) into one component... and again, where is the turntable? And for me (and many others) you have throw in a reel-to-reel. :tresbon:
 
I've got it. One very tiny sterile box with a chip inside. This chip will be implanted in your cerebral cortex, powered from your body heat, and provide complete access to the biggest or smallest McIntosh system you can imagine. It would include wide area network, be WiFi connected, FLAC and Apple Lossless compatible, and any song in the world could be enjoyed mentally by merely thinking of it. All sound system controls would be by thought, volume, tone, acoustic environments all adjusted by just desiring a new set point. Power would be what ever you wanted. No distortion, dynamic range without limits, unbelievable detail and soinc realism, and acces to a limitless music catalog. You could listen anytime, anywhere without disturbing anyone. Power would be unnecessary, so no exotic power cables, or interconnects for that matter. You would never have to worry about damaging your hearing no matter what volume you enjoy because it all happens in your mind. You could have two channel, or surround sound just by thinking of it. You want vinyl, just imagine an MT10, and there it is. Place whatever record you can imagine on the platter and enjoy, all in your head. One box, with one chip for everything in audio you can possible imagine. Sign me up. You better hurry. There will be a long waiting list for this one.
 
This is like asking a child if he would trade a room full of toys for one big one. If they would make a one box solution, I would still keep all my separates AND get the big box! :yes:
We're all just kids trapped in a grownup's body. :D
 
I would love a McIntosh one box solution. In fact I gave a Meridian system some serious thought for this reason but decided to keep McIntosh.

At the biggest my system had 13 boxes plus the XRT30 speaker system and 2 huge racks of LPs and one huge rack of CDs. The system was overwhelming at that time in my 500 square foot apartment. I have since downsized to 5 boxes and 2 small speakers which for me made the system much more enjoyable and easier to live with.
 
I wouldn't if something happens to the cd player then the whole system needs to be sent in:tears:
 
I would like to minimize the boxes I have but do no think I would want to go to one. I would be afraid that technology would improve in one aspect i.e. DAC's and would have to change the "one" box to catch up. I have toyed with the idea of switching the C-200 for a one box pre-amp to reduce one additonal piece of equipment but have not found the right unit.
jim
 
If I considered a one-box Mac, I don't think I could give up dinking around with it. One aspect of the audio hobby is dinking - a technical term, of course - and single box solutions don't really help that part.

And, yes, I have thought of doing away with my old Mac gear in favor of all-new stuff and more than once, too. The same dink-factor plays into it again. The fact is that I like getting my hands into Mac gear and using different combinations of pre/power amps.

Cheers,

David
 
I would love a McIntosh one box solution. In fact I gave a Meridian system some serious thought for this reason but decided to keep McIntosh.

At the biggest my system had 13 boxes plus the XRT30 speaker system and 2 huge racks of LPs and one huge rack of CDs. The system was overwhelming at that time in my 500 square foot apartment. I have since downsized to 5 boxes and 2 small speakers which for me made the system much more enjoyable and easier to live with.
Vic, aren't you moving to a much bigger place now? :naughty:
 
Vic, aren't you moving to a much bigger place now? :naughty:
You got me. My new condo is being painted right now, I hope to move in by the end of the month.

My new listening room is 19x26, if I knew I would be moving into the bigger room I most likely would have kept my XRT30 speakers. :sigh: I'm still glad my rack is downsized. :yes:
 
You got me. My new condo is being painted right now, I hope to move in by the end of the month.

My new listening room is 19x26, if I knew I would be moving into the bigger room I most likely would have kept my XRT30 speakers. :sigh: I'm still glad my rack is downsized. :yes:

Congrats Vic and good luck with your new place. I was thinking if you can build a wall to reduce the dimensions to 16x26 and depending on the ceiling height (10ft optimal) you would have what George Cardas calls the "Golden Cuboid" or as perfect of a room as they get for minimal acoustical problems. I am having a room built exactly to those specs. :yes: http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=insights&content_id=29&pagestring=Room+Setup+4
 
No, I mean it... 1 box does it all, amp, pre, source, DAC, power conditioner, EVERYTHING!

And sounds AS GOOD as your 5-6-7-8 box system...

Would you trade???

Two dot my answer to this would be no. That may be because I know that it would be impossible for one box to sound the same as multiple boxes. It is sort of like asking if you like the ride and size inside of a Bentley, would you drive a Toyota Corolla if it had the same ride and size as the Bentley. My mind tells me that if it had the ride and size of the Bentley it would not be a Toyota Corolla. IIRC I did see where McIntosh is coming out with a compact system, and I'm sure it will be great, but I can't conceive that it will sound like a couple of 501 monoblocks.

Two dot what would your answer to this question be?
 
Again, remember, I was asking if HYPOTHETICALLY it could sound EXACTLY the same would you???

It is more a question of liking al of the different boxes, cables, wires, power cords etc.

My answer would be YES!!! If I could (and I KNOW that I can't) have ONE McIntosh component the replicated EXACTLY what I have in my main system now. I would want to own that one simple box. No more wall of equipment, no more tangled cables, just the McIntosh sound that I love so much!

Thanks for playing along...
 
Again, remember, I was asking if HYPOTHETICALLY it could sound EXACTLY the same would you???

It is more a question of liking al of the different boxes, cables, wires, power cords etc.

My answer would be YES!!! If I could (and I KNOW that I can't) have ONE McIntosh component the replicated EXACTLY what I have in my main system now. I would want to own that one simple box. No more wall of equipment, no more tangled cables, just the McIntosh sound that I love so much!

Thanks for playing along...

Two dot you have seen this, right?

http://images.askmen.com/entertainment/gadget/mcintosh-mxa60_1.jpg
http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/gadget/mcintosh-mxa60.html
 


I think that you are missing the point...

I DO NOT want some little boom box system...

I was asking that if you could replace your 5-6 box system and have the EXACT same sound with ONE box, would you?

In other words, one box that will give me the exact same performance as 501's/2200/MCD500...

I know it's not possible, just a hypothetical question.

BTW, I think that the new McIntosh "Executive" system is the worst thing that I have seen this company do.
 
I think that you are missing the point...

I DO NOT want some little boom box system...

I was asking that if you could replace your 5-6 box system and have the EXACT same sound with ONE box, would you?

In other words, one box that will give me the exact same performance as 501's/2200/MCD500...

I know it's not possible, just a hypothetical question.

BTW, I think that the new McIntosh "Executive" system is the worst thing that I have seen this company do.

Sorry Two dot. I just figured that if anyone could make a decent sounding one box system it would be the same people that make fantastic sounding five box systems, but I guess your right, even McIntosh can't make a compact system sound as good as 501's. I have heard that the executive system does get good reviews though. I guess it all depends on what something is being compared to.
 
Yes, I am sure that you are right, for what it is, it is probably the best there is out there.

You are just NEVER going to get the sound that I crave from a small desk top system.

When I think "Executive System" I think a beautiful MC275 sitting on a Walnut credenza being driven by a MCD500 into a pair of Magico Minis...

Thats what I call Executive.
 
Yes, I am sure that you are right, for what it is, it is probably the best there is out there.

You are just NEVER going to get the sound that I crave from a small desk top system.

When I think "Executive System" I think a beautiful MC275 sitting on a Walnut credenza being driven by a MCD500 into a pair of Magico Minis...

Thats what I call Executive.

At 75 WPC you can connect a whole lot of different speakers to it. If it is the worst thing McIntosh has ever done, that ain't saying a whole lot. I would say putting a glass faceplate with a meter on their one & only turntable is far worse. I just don't get why so many absolutely hate that rig so much. I would love to have one in the bedroom.
 
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