Hmmm, stock cords in place of my eclectic collection of name brand cords, eh? Interesting idea. I am fearful of what I might find, as the popular, well-reviewed cord(s) I once revered could be a dud and an impediment. Or, it could reinforce my faith, knowing that "better" cords are indeed better...
Focal Kanta 2 and CODA 16 amp
Hello All,
My audio system was sounding really good but I felt the need to go further and recently upgraded a McIntosh MC152 amp to a Coda 16. What was missing? A certain bit of clarity, the ability to place instruments in the soundstage, and an amp that is consistent in quality with the rest of my equipment.
McIntosh is one of the amplifiers that pairs well with my Focal Kanta 2s. I thought about a more powerful McIntosh but didn’t go there, heard a Luxman M900u in a dealer’s showroom that was OK, but a demo of the Coda turned my head. The Coda is an eye-opener in the clarity and power it brings to the system, but it has thrown the balance off. I am now struggling to overcome some brightness with certain music (not all), a slight edge that I had previously managed to defeat by changing cables, rolling tubes in my preamp and adding the Mac.
My listening space is not ideal and can use acoustic treatment to tame the highs, but things sounded pretty good before. The focus and bulk of time (say 85%) is with home theatre, but when I play two channel, I want it to be high quality. An obvious path is to correct my mistake, sell the Coda and look elsewhere. Another alternative is to keep this excellent amp and get a different (warmer?) preamp to better match the Coda (must have HT bypass and XLR connections), or perhaps something like a MiniDSP with Dirac to tweak the sound. I'm even contemplating warmer speakers to replace the Kantas, but that means three speakers (L/C/R) for home theatre.
I appreciate any words of wisdom or solace from Kanta and/or Coda owners on a strategy to manage this issue. Thanks,
Robert
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- 38 posts total
Fear not. The stock cords give you a reference point and sometimes help determine your next move. I’ve used this method more than once and it proved worthwhile in understanding what cabling the new components may need. It never convinced me that stock cords are better but it did point me in a right direction. Amplifier is the most impactful change in a system after speakers. You have worked hard to voice your setup and achieve synergy with your mcintosh. Now you need to do the same with coda. |
Well, whaddya know, first attempt in the power domain was a step in the right direction. Thanks for the inspiration, @audphile1 !. I'm always open to tweaks, and one of the more recent which I forgot about was the addition of Vera-Fi Audio's MainStream & Snubway line and noise conditioners. I had the latter previously, it didn't add much, returned it. The MainStream came out and there was a promotional package for the two, as they work in tandem. People extolled their virtues and I thought, why not give it a whirl again, to see if anything changed? Vera-Fi has a good return policy, so no harm, no foul. The MainStream should be plugged into the same line as the system. This morning I pulled it out of the receptacle that feeds my system and the result was subtle but noticeable: less glare, less edge. I'm not saying the MainStream or Snubway are not helpful, but in my system, to my ears, it appears it might have been too much of a good thing, revealing so much as to add too much clarity. They could be just what your system needs, but I am better off with it on the sidelines, at least for now. After a few days I will plug MainStream back in, to see if the difference was perceived (wishful thinking) or real. The power cord trick is next. |
@traubr What power cord trick? |
- 38 posts total