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Is my new amp TOO GOOD?

I recently took advantage of the McIntosh Upgrade program.  I traded my MA352 integrated hybrid for the C2800 tube preamp + MC462 ss power amp.  I have a large room with Revel Studio 2 speakers (with beryllium tweeters), and two SVS subs.  I also have some room treatments on the walls.   

I traded up because I wanted to see if I could more detail with the extra watts while keeping the tube sound I like.  

So now I have much more detail, but its sometimes too much.  Higher frequencies - like high pitched loud vocals, and some of the detail now sounds almost like static.  If I turn the volume way up I can hear that its another guitar or a background vocal.

I have turned the treble down from -1 to -4, and I can't listen at 90 db all the time.

Does anyone have any suggestions about adjusting the eq/

 

mojo771
ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,398 posts
 

Is the unit broken in? Often this is what a new component will sound like before it is fully broken in. Allow at least 200 hours of play before starting to draw conclusions if you have not. 

Also try repositioning your speakers. You can often soften the often hard Beryllium tweeters. 

Hopefully it is not actually distortion. 

Too good...no. That is not how it works. Now you could have upstream components that are harsh and they are being better conveyed. Then it will be a mater of correcting that. 

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
2,447 posts
 

Sorry, that’s frustrating. You should be experiencing the joy of your amp upgrade right now - and upgrading in the same line - that should have been an easy win! Speaker & amp matching can generally be pretty persnickety if you’re not willing to incorporate heavy EQ, especially with beryllium tweeters in the mix. But then you’re already doing some light EQ, and that should have helped enough.

Since you have a tube preamp, I’d be tempted to slam in some warm & thick sounding Mullards and see if that helps (vintage is best but even the Russian reissues are warm). You could try to toe-out your speakers a  bit, too. 

There’s also always the chance something simply got connected / setup wrong in the new mix. Maybe do a round of disconnecting and reconnecting every cable & component?

marco1's avatar
marco1
705 posts
 

If you did the upgrade program I’m assuming you went through a Mac dealer.  I’d be talking to the dealer or Mac directly if you haven’t already, and if you have what do they say?

mojo771 OP
111 posts
 

Two great responses. 

I didn't think about break in.  

You both mentioned speaker position.  Right now they are a pretty good 11 foot triangle, toed slightly out.  

I've had 2 other people listen and they think everything is ok, so it must just be my ears, and why I like tubes so much.  

I actually bought this amp a couple years ago, but with a ss preamp.  It hurt my ears so much I had to return it.

So I could add more room treatment - I have several absorption on the sides, and a combo of absorb / deflectors in the back.  And i can move the speakers, but, which way?

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