I was about to switch the outlet, then I realized I should try the FM tuner as a reference. The tuner sounded fabulous, alive, like music should sound. Hmmm... So I tried the CDP again (after I had replugged it back into the problem outlet) and I could swear there was some improvement, but it's hard to tell. The mud seems to have cleared up, the highs more clear, the blanket removed. I tried several CDs and different types of music. I then switched the outlet and there may have been some improvement, but again it is hard to tell. It is subtle if there is any imrpovement and it could just be a factor of the different equipment. The other outlet is not grounded so I had to use a 2-prong cheater.
I plugged the Mc amp back into the old outlet. Again, hard to distinguish any difference. But as I listened to the music I realized it just sounds dead, as if it's a mutated genetic copy of music from some science fiction movie. The midrange seems to be missing and isn't that where the life is in music. There's an emptiness there, a hollow midrange, which seems odd because both the McIntosh and Jupiter should have a warm midrange.
I put on my Tom Petty collection and could not stand the sound (nor could my dog). God, it was awful. Hollow, horrendous, Petty sounded very nasally, the sound was very rough. I'm listening to this same CD on my office Rega system and it sounds great. Tom always slightly nasally anyway, I guess, but on my main system it was unbearable.
Again, I've tried another CDP, tried different cables. None of this work.
Next steps...
* Try the Aux or Video input on the Mc
* Let the Jupiter and the outlet continue to burn in -- how long should this take, months?
* Take the amp in for a check up
I want my old sound back! I want my midrange!
