Stick with my c27 or,,,,
- Thread starter Gearjunky
- Start date
No offense, I have no idea how either speakers that you list on your list of gear sound but, just at a glance, it looks as though you're "pumping" the signal from thousands of dollars worth of gear into hundreds of dollars worth of speakers. To me, that's backwards, but that's just me and there's a lot I don't know. What's the sub heading for the "Speakers" forum, "The most vital link in the chain...". To my way of thinking, this is a true statement. In my experience, the better my speakers became, the less difference other QUALITY gear made, as far as sound quality. I'm not saying there weren't differences, the were minimized or more subtle. My 2 cents.
Gearjunky
Jack of all trades, master of none
No offense at all. Long story short, I’m a musician first and the reason I even started getting into McIntosh gear was for the power section of my guitar rig, ala Jerry Garcia. Started with an mc250 and then an mc2105, again, as a guitar rig. So when things slowed down with playing that rig, I couldn’t let the Mac’s go unused. I started listening more and built up my system from there. The only speakers at the time I had was what were in my signature for the most part.
So yes it seems backwards, but I enjoyed every backwards minute of it! From making the infinity’s better than what they were with a few inexpensive tweaks etc and getting into tube units. I literally just pulled the trigger on a pair of JBL 580’s that just went on sale again. I’ve had them for 1 day and I already know what I was missing, but no regrets! I enjoyed the backwards approach I took because it was what I was dealt with, my own journey if you may. The cost of items is of no concern to me. I like the music first, then the equipment. I see some that promote the prices of their gear and to each their own, that’s not me. I was totally happy listening to my system pumping through my speakers for the last few years, wouldn’t trade it for nothing.
So yes it seems backwards, but I enjoyed every backwards minute of it! From making the infinity’s better than what they were with a few inexpensive tweaks etc and getting into tube units. I literally just pulled the trigger on a pair of JBL 580’s that just went on sale again. I’ve had them for 1 day and I already know what I was missing, but no regrets! I enjoyed the backwards approach I took because it was what I was dealt with, my own journey if you may. The cost of items is of no concern to me. I like the music first, then the equipment. I see some that promote the prices of their gear and to each their own, that’s not me. I was totally happy listening to my system pumping through my speakers for the last few years, wouldn’t trade it for nothing.
That's cool, I don't fault your approach one bit, in fact, had the gear presented itself to me in such a way, I'd have done the same thing you did. Let me emphasize too that it's not that the price matters to me, just for price's sake anyway, but price can be a good indicator of sound quality when considering excellent quality (classic) gear like McIntosh.
I too have had some fun tweaking speakers and making them sound a bit better than they have a right to, on occasion and, like you, had fun doing so. That helps make the hobby both more fun and more rewarding, to me at least, plus I learn some new stuff!
All the being said, great speakers have made a much bigger sound quality improvement (almost exponential, in my case) than any other piece of gear, at least as my journey has gone.
Keep doing it the way you're doing it, you're obviously enjoying the ride very much and, after all, that's a big part of the experience! Also like you, it's the music that's most important to me, the gear just allows me to hear it as it was intended. Hopefully, with each upgrade of a component, that "intended" sound comes through more and more.
Gearjunky
Jack of all trades, master of none
100% agree on the speakers being a very/most important part of the chain. It was more of a cost thing for me. Plain and simple, the wife would kill me if I came home with a 5k/10k pair of speakers. So I’ve done a lot of research and the JBL 580’s are a pretty good bang for the buck. I will be very satisfied with the purchase as I know from just a couple hours of listening to them. It’s just the way I have to do things, with little kids, wife etc my priorities have to be well dispersed and not all into music gear. But I’m not complaining, my basement is all gear, soundproofed and acoustically treated.
damacman
Resident Psycho
Interesting bit on the guitar rig. The MC250 and MC2105 sound identical to the MC2300 Garcia was famous for using. Years ago, I ran a want ad on the Dead's website ('97 or so) looking for the MC2300s used in the WOS. This dude named Bear emailed me the same day ... God, I wish I would have archived our email discussions.
Gearjunky
Jack of all trades, master of none
There is just something very cool about running a properly set up Twin Reverb pre section into an mc250, 2100, 2300 etc. it’s quite addictive. I think it may have something to do with the McIntosh part of the equation
That would’ve been great to read those emails from the dude named Bear!! I’m sure he knew a thing or two about their live sound...particularly the WOS. Good ol’ Owsley
You should read Jim, now Janet Furman's post about building, designing and repairing the various guitar preamp front ends for the various SF groups when she worked for Ameblic.....the Mac amps just faithfully amplified the various creative efforts that the front end preamp section delivered to it.
Her post is located within the history of the power management company she started called Furman sound.
Her post is located within the history of the power management company she started called Furman sound.
Gearjunky
Jack of all trades, master of none
I will thanks! Yes my 74’ Twin has had a lot of the Alembic mods done to it by a meticulous tech who knows ‘Garcia’ mods inside and out. He puts his own interpretation of Garcia’s tone into it as well. A joy to play.
Correct, the magic is in the pre but the Mac does add just enough of its magic too. That with some JBL K120’s and it’s a rockin’ setup.
