Transparent MM2

khrys: unfortunately, i was unable to get my hands on a high end TA IC with mm2 to audition (such as TA ref+mm2, ref XL +mm2) . my review is based upon comparing the new mm2 technology on an ultra IC in an a/b/c/d of ic's with orig mm tech of ultra, ref, and ref xl (which you have) . i hope it will be enlightening nonetheless. that said, in about 2 weeks i should be able to review thouroughly TA ref mm2 against the ref XL (orig mm) and possibly the TA refMM (orig tech) if i dare borrow one from my wonderful dealer.

why, you may ask, do i need to wait about 2 weeks to audition the ref mm2? because that is about the time my ref cables will be back from TA with the mm2. did i just let the cat out of the bag? the mm2 tech pushed most all aspects of the ultra's sound presentation above the ref level. the mm2 tech moved the ultra into the sound presentaiton of the ref XL, where it has never been. (btw, IMO the ref+mm orig was never in the sound world of the ref XL+mm orig in terms of nuance, timbral detail, micro dynamics, transient clarity etc. in most respects, the ref has been the big brother of the ultra, not the little brother of the ref xl.) with the mm2 tech, in most aspects, the ultra mm2 sounds as if is the ref XL's (orig mm) little brother, so to speak. now dont jump on me. there are a few aspects of the ultra mm2 that did not leap upward to the next level... stay tuned for the details.

during my audition, i have attempted to evaluate several aspects of sound presentation (across a diverse range of classical music ) whose sole purpose ultimately is to reveal the performers' most personal communication of their musical experience while bringing a score to life.... interpretation. of course, audiogoners want concrete details, so i specifically noted comparisons of the physical aspects of sound presentation (transient speed, decay, timbral nuance, mirco dynamics) which musicians discuss in terms of articulation, release, tone color, intensity, dynamic modulations.. all at the service of phrasing etc. . LOL

IF ref+mm(orig) and refXL+mm(orig) enjoy a similar or nearly similar metamorphosis with the MM2 tech in most aspecs for which we listen as a complete musical experience, ,well, that will be most outstanding! this is something i cannot comment upon at this time as i have no ref XL+mm2 to audition. i would conject (always dangerous) that the higher up you go in terms of cable quality, the less substantial the improvements may be realized. cheers, marc

Thanks Soundisntmusic for the update.

I happen to have all UtlraMM in my system I really could not afford to upgrade to the Ref. Now I may be able to swing the upcharge to upgrade to MM2 though. It won't be cheap, but a lot less then upgrading to Ref

no_money : the ultraMM2 is a significant improvement above the ultra mm1 in many areas. i do not think you have to jump to TA ref to achieve significant improvement. i think you will hear a nice quality change even if you start by upgrading only the cdp/preamp IC to the mm2 tech. perhaps the nearby dealer has an ultra mm2 you can borrow for a day or 2 to audition? this is always the best way to finalize a decision... in your own system with your own ears.

SSoundisntmusic,

I have a great dealer located locally. I started YEARS ago with music link and gradually used their upgrade program to end up with the Ultra I have now.

I am still waiting for the details on what the upgrades will cost. I would really like to upgrade the Balanced line from the Pre to the amp first although your option of the CD to pre will be the most tempting/cost efficient.

My latest endeaver has been some Shunyata DFE's

hi no money : the easiest solution : - borrow from your dealer both the bal ultra mm2 and the se ultra mm2 (the MF doesnt have a xlr option? many components that do often perform much better in bal mode, but it really depends on how the cdp was designed. this is all beyond my tech knowledge, i always decide by listening) .

i think the commonly accepted rule is that the IC from the source should be the highest quality cable, then the SC, lastly the pre to amp in terms of impact on the quality of the presentation IF you upgrade in phases. sometimes SC may impact more than the source IC, but this all depends on the system as a whole, synergy issues, and of course which components + PCs are the weakest or strongest link in the system.also, many have concluded that well matched component specific PCs have an equal if not greater part to play than ICs. audition widely and intelligently over several days or longer. never go on a 2 day impression. // i think the upgrade of the ultra mm to mm2 is not inexpensive, but still less than the cost of a ref mm1 and the ultra+mm2 excedes the ref mm1 in many important areas. i think it all depends on the capability of your system to benefit from the higher level of presentation.