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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
chrisoshea
576 posts
 

YES ….Let the new gear break in for 100-200 hours and YES keep listening levels to 80db or lower and you’ll be happy…There are plenty of live shows to attend if you want to stress test your body with high volume sound. If a system only sounds good to you at 90+ levels you may have other issues besides new electronics.

chrisoshea
576 posts
 

And NO… your new amp isn’t Too Good….Perhaps your inner ears are too blown?

 

mirolab
219 posts
 

The synergy between a power amp and speakers is a very real thing!  Sometime the pairing of amp+speaker just "has a sound" that is beyond anything you can do with EQ.  I just went through this with my new Cornwall_IVs.  They had a harshness in the HFs with my SS amps that no amount of EQ would fix.  I could turn the HF’s down with EQ, but then they would sound dark AND harsh at the same time.  I finally found a tube amp solution, and even then rolled several power tubes to get the sound just right!

I’m not suggesting tubes for your speakers, only that finding the RIGHT amp for your particular speakers is not just about paying more $$$.   But yeah, also the bigger the amp, the longer the break-in, so that’s a thing too!  

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squared80's avatar
squared80
313 posts
 

If you don't like the sound, the problem is your room/acoustics or the speakers themselves, not the amp.

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