I was gobsmacked by this $100,000+ McIntosh/Sonus Faber system
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ธ.ค. 2020
- I dropped by the McIntosh Townhouse to check out a a high-end system, it was a good day!
Here's the system:
McIntosh MC901: $35,000 Pair or $17,500 each
McIntosh Preamp: C22 MK V - $6,000
McIntosh CD Transport: MCT500 - $5,000
McIntosh DAC: D1100 - $7,500
McIntosh Turntable: MT10 - $11,000 (I didn't play any vinyl)
Speakers: Sonus Faber Il Cremonese - $50,000 (Pair)
Cable: Transparent Audio Reference Cable through the entire system
More about the MC901 www.mcintoshlabs.com/products...
More about the speakers, www.sonusfaber.com/en/product...
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Here is a true, honest video. I always read on reddit people claiming that more expensive gear makes very little difference and how their sounds better just based on room tratment. I call it complete bullshit. I have been to a couple of friends' homes with 100k+ systems and they do sound that good. Simply amazing. I cannot afford it, so I enjoy what I have but I will be the 1st to admit that more expensive systems, when setup right, sound much better than mine. Period.
Cost is only one variable in the equation to obtain one's choice of sound.
$100,000 system in someones home probably sounds as good as a sub $10,000 in a treated room. Have you ever listened in a studio? Did you friends have shit all over the room with a $100,000 system? I believe you that it sounds good but there is little roi past a few grand unless your gonna spend money on the room too
If you are spending $100,000 on a system, you are likely doing a lot with your room too. I will say that my $25,000 fully active Legacy Audio Aeris with Wavelet can compete quite nicely with this $100,000 system. However, it totally blows away my old system, which costed $10,000. I still have my old system but just don't listen to it any more. Hearing the McIntosh with Il Cremonese for the first time was caused me to look to upgrading my old system.
In my experience, it boils down to power. When you want to go high power (what I would consider 100wpc+ for hifi) stuff gets expensive, fast. It's very easy to build a decent $10k high power system, with class D or A/B, but to get really TOTL life changing sound, from 100wpc+, ya $100k starting.
NOW, this is why I stay in the realm of fleawatt. 5-15wpc extremely high sensitivity speakers (95db+ minimum).
The difference between a $5000 SET amp, and a $25k SET amp, isn't that much. As long as you do your research, and get the right stuff. There isn't much to SET, gotta have really good OPT, coupling caps, circuit, tubes. Simple stuff, not that complex. The different between a $5000 high power (100wpc+) amp, and a $25k high power amp, is enormous, really big difference.
So I'd say, know what you can afford, and know your wheelhouse. Will a fleawatt system ever produce the earth shattering dynamics and impact of a $100K+ high watt system, never. Will it produce the same or better timbre/tone/resolution/air, absolutely, yes. Meaning a well crafted $10-15k fleawatt vs $100k high power system, if crafted correctly, will easily compete with the $100k system in timbre/tone/resolution/air.
I think you are generally correct but I always like to point out the law of diminishing returns with these kinds of discussions. The price of squeezing out the the last 25% or 10% of performance has almost exponential cost when based on a mid priced audiophile system going upwards. For me the holy grail is a balanced system with attention to room treatment.
I don't care if you spend $1,000 or $100,000 on an audio system there's still someone in the other room yelling at you to turn it down
Yes... And more thank likely it will be my wife!
Thank you so much Steve for sharing all this!!! So special!!! Experiencing in the right room something like this, with the source material you want and for a significant time is amazing, and you made us virtually attending 🙂
I love steves enthusiasm! Definately a genuine impression of gear in a room.
Definitely!
If you are planning to buy these McIntosh monoblocks, make sure you put aside some money for your hernia operation.
170 lbs!!
@@woohunter1 buy a hand truck
That happened to me, true story. I was moving one of my monoblocks and I pulled my right hernia, I had to go for surgery a few days later.
@@veteq101 should have sued the manufacturer
Laughs, in healthcare🤣🤣🤣
Last week I went to my hifi dealer to buy a Rega Elex-R amp and was treated to a one hour listening session in their main room with my choice of music. Sometimes they call me to show up and listen to the good stuff even if I'm not buying anything. You can't beat a physical store with staff who is passionate about the products they sell.
The system had a pair of Wilson Sasha speakers, two Dan D'Agostino Momentum M400 Mono amps, a dCS CD transport and a Metronome DAC. When I went back home I was walking on air, completely struck by the experience so I can imagine how you felt listening to that McIntosh setup.
Now back down to Earth to the realistic enjoyment of my Elex-R + Dali Oberon 5 + Marantz CD6006. It's not exquisite but it's mine and I love it.
Contentment: Priceless!
A visit to Imacustica? Is always a fun experience...
Good system at home, congratulations.
@@Jos3Miguel Thank you, this system is singing to me! Yep, Imacustica. They treat a normal guy like me as well as someone who buys a €20,000 amp and it's always fun to go there for sure. Also, you get to hear how things sound before you buy them. That's why I'm a loyal customer.
Thank you Steve, great video! I really appreciate your honesty and enthusiasm. Beautiful system, by the way!!
A system of dreams! I really hope to own something like this one day. I also thoroughly enjoy your inclusion of music! I pause and go and find everything you are referring to! really appreciate you broadening my music knowledge!
Thanks Steve to show us this awesome system!
That was fun Steve. I enjoy these types of videos
Thanks Steve. Would love to see more McIntosh on the channel!
Hey Steve
Like your review on the new McIntosh amps..
Went to audio classics last year spent the weekend listening to different tube amps..I end up buying the MC 2301s tube amps..
Best tube amp I ever heard.. I found my holy grail of amps....
Great video Steve. I've heard a few HighEnd Sysyems and totally agree. One, with the Continuum Turntable, I couldnt explain it. It was that good.
Thanks Steve for sharing your enthralling musical audible hi-fi moments with us ,,we can feel you..
Who would have thought it, adjusting the frequency response with some tone controls can improve the sound to suit you preference.
I have to say that after owning the Il Cremonese for about 3 or 4 years now they still
Amaze me. Totally beautiful sound. Thank you Sonus Faber and Thank you
Steve for this video.
I enjoy that Steve talks with his hands like a true NYC gangster / gun-waving motion like he's spitting lines off the latest HipHop tracks. #EastCoast
No no, that's not right, Steve is just another resting actor from a Woody Allen movie.
I recently got an MC152 after years of money saved and I can also attest to it, it made a huge difference. My LS50s sound completely different than they used to on my Rotel integrated. I personally love the McIntosh sound and build, i feel you get your moneys worth
Clearly one of the best and we need more companies to follow their lead!!!!
That was fun sharing your excitement and impressions. I would love to experience something like that one day.
But, I can only imagine what a system like that sounds like. I only hear very high end audio products compromised by the hotel room setting that is an audio marketing show. Since I am clearly not going to buy one of these systems, the few remaining brick and mortar sales organizations in my city qualify me out at the door and make it clear I am not welcome to hear this stuff. That is good. If I heard it and it is better than my DIY stuff, I might buy it. Little do they know, I can actually afford it so they are saving me a bunch of money as they keep me in my DIY box where I save 90% of the $ while I work to recreate the stuff they sell. So its all good. Fun to live vicariously through your video.
best episode in a long time.... more McIntosh content please!
Explorations in Space and Time...AMAZING!
It's great that "tone controls" are coming back in fashion all be it in an expensive form with this fantastic set up
Albeit
Agreed. The Parasound P6 2.1 preamp/DAC has bass and treble controls right on the front panel. Switch in and out with a simple button on the lighted remote......NICE (O:
I had the pleasure to hear these Il Cremonese speakers at an audio show a couple of years back....and they do sound like something completely different, it was a mind-blowingly good experience.
This was fun just for the dream system nature of it. Love that McIntosh takes things to this level.
Loving the t-shirt! I was at my local dealer they day after they had unboxed them. I wasn't aware until my friend audio consultant/sales person said ...come see this. There they were, two behemoths all fired up and connected to Sonus Faber. Not just beautiful, but ear-gasm like. It was ten minutes of unaffordable bliss!
Multipass
I like that type of recording techinck. Truely what a person hears in the purest form!
Only if you listen with headphones...
Man, I'll bet that was so much fun!
Really appreciated the perspective here.
Thank you for sharing your special day and it's great to hear and see your enthusiasm
Vintage Mcintosh gear was possible to obtain at a relatively low cost back in the day and was essentially my gateway drug to audio. I love Mcintosh.
@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac, did you spend any time with Franz at the McIntosh Townhouse? I was in NYC last February, before the pandemic hit, to see Opeth play two nights at The Apollo Theater. The Friday I was there, I spent the entire afternoon strolling through the Townhouse with Franz and Sammy, listening to the setup in each room on all 5 floors. What an AMAZING day!
Every time I listen to the system in the main living room / meeting area, I become "gobstopped" and just sink into the couch! Unreal. The 7-foot tall McIntosh XRT2.1K speakers are absolute beasts. I couldn't believe each speaker was being driven by three McIntosh Amps -- a separate amp for the bass, mids, and tweeters. Then I discovered each speaker's four-way design utilized 81 drivers!
The "Clock Room" is another favorite! I became a big Sonus Faber fan because of the World of McIntosh Townhouse. I can't wait for the day that I can return to NYC and my favorite listening utopia.
And I thought Crazy Eddie's prices were Insane!
Good one!
Effortless sound reproduction is something to strive for and high-quality audio systems.
He reached new heights of oral ecstasy in this room. I've been to places like that too, mostly in SE Asia...
Pretty sure Steve meant 'aural ecstacy' there, bud. ~_^
@@HareDeLune You never know what else went down thete. Maybe he did mean "Oral." 😂
Oral ecstasy?? Lmao
Lol
Glad to see your talking about McIntosh Steve. From one of our interactions I was convinced that you and the New York area (and most of the U.S.) didn't care for McIntosh. Yes, I really like that new MC901, but like most people I can't afford them. Still, a very nice piece. I figure by the time they hit the used market and I can afford them I'll be dead or too old to enjoy them. Considering I'm in my early 60s now. LOL! 🤣...just trying to keep my sense of humor...
Will be buying this system as soon as I hit the Lotto!
"Diddle the controls" ...sounds like it could be the name of a Zappa song.
I'm listening to the Wycliffe Gordon 'Dreams of New Orleans' album that I downloaded from HDTracks. Excellent!!! Thank you, Steve. Soundstage city
Yet again, cue up The Rutles, "All you need is cash . . . "
Full disclosure: I think McIntosh gear is soooo cool. It was burned into my adolescent brain at a brick and mortar stereo specialist in Kansas City in the ancient, halcyon days of the late 1960s - early '70s. And now, as then, I can't possibly afford it. Still, the metaphorical heart wants what it wants and even if only in day dreams for me, I am glad that it continues to exist in the outside world. And sounds great. Thank for sharing this Steve G.
I've been a fan of Sonus Faber for many years without actually owning any. My friend had Electa Amator 2 followed by Cremonas and latterly Olympica Nova 3 driven by monobloc valve amps by Icon Audio, a small UK brand local to us. The experience is hard to describe. As good as they are my active ATCs can't paint a picture in the same way. So I'm not at all surprised that you like SF.
steve ive got fond of new york over the few times ive been there first time was in 1974 showing my age .love your daily shows .would love to meet nelson pass if i ever get into some money i would love to hear a demonstration .merry Christmas from scotland 😊😊😊
My McIntosh 611 monoblocs and Serafino speakers like little kids compared to 901 etc. In any event I love my system even if its half the cost of this one. Of course the sound is better with more expensive systems. I aspire to step up in the next few years to improve the music where I live. Steve I have listened to you for long time and I finally subscribed and will support your efforts love your sincerity. Chilling now and listening to Cassandra Wilson's "Glamoured album" it makes the Serafino speakers sound even better and the scotch helps!.
I don't need this kidney.
@@n_dawson china's got that market
😂😂😂
You'll need to sell em' both....
I think you’ll need mine and probably my wife’s too.
LMAO!!!
Great video Steve. Wish I could hear those amps. Wish my speakers were biampable. Word? :)
I'm listening to this on a phone speaker. Sounds amazing.
Hi Steve , hope you get to review the new C22 preamp and talk about its phono section , and compare it to your current phono reference. Thanks
Fascinating!
When bi-amping with two different amps, I can see you need to adjust relative volume levels. But why have a crossover in the amp in addition to the crossover in the speakers?
mrsuppertime1, it's a good point. These are glorified tone controls, rolling off the frequencies at the determined point, by the specified amount. As you rightly say, you have to retain the crossovers in the speakers.
In bi-amp mode, the signal from the valve amp is going to the tweeter and midrange units, so the crossover must further divide the signal. On the bass side, you would need to be sure the roll off was correctly matched to the driver, which the crossover does, otherwise you may introduce break up nodes at the upper end, above its stated operating range.
It's a novel concept to introduce valves into the treble and midrange, that's all.
Don't really enjoy Macintosh equipment myself, I think it's great but there are many other brands out there that I prefer.
But towards the end you talked about the built-in crossover between tube and solid state and tweaking it at whatever megahertz point, in your case 250 and raising or lowering the levels by x amount of decibels... This is such an amazing concept! I think for the first time with Macintosh gear I got hooked.
I'm definitely going to visit a dealer, check out these amps and experiment with them myself. What you described is such an interesting and perhaps highly worthwhile capability.
Thanks for the video!
LOL, the pro sound and studio monitoring / mixing industries have been using DSP and digital crossovers for a couple decades now. The home Hi Fi industry is decades behind - well, except for McIntosh
@@petersouthernboy6327 Yeah I know, I realize that, but for home audio gear I'd rather have the physical switches... DSP need not apply.
And perhaps you're right, maybe they are years behind, or they just want simplicity for people who aren't fiddling constantly with the music and the sounds but want a purity from their source.
Studios are mixing, home enthusiasts/listeners are listening... But I have to tell you I really like the controls he was referring to, and I am by no means and Macintosh fan.
@@mesonto - I use a Xilica XP 4080 DSP biamped into Klipsch Jubilees in my listening room. Astonishingly better than the passive crossover and single amp. I’m seeing more and more of it in home systems.
@@petersouthernboy6327 Well, what the hell, I'll take a look at your solution.
@@mesonto - there’s an army of us 😃
community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/172395-klipsch-jubilees-and-roys-brand-new-xilica-settings/
I am glad you had a great time Steve. Thanks come swinging by.
Joshua,
The WOM Townhouse is one of NYC's greatest attractions! You, Franz, David, and Sammy do a remarkable job -- along with all other staff members. Last February, prior to the pandemic, I was in NYC for two concerts. I spent the entire afternoon of Friday, February 21st, at WOM with two friends and our fantastic host, Franz. I can't wait for normalcy again, so I can fly back up to NYC and revisit your hidden jewel.
@@allenfields9058 thank you buddy!
It would be great to see more McIntosh reviews on the channel.
One is coming very soon.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac thank you, it's always a pleasure to watch a new video.
McIntosh is universal.
Imagine these amps with Snell Illusion speakers
I agree with you Steve theirs levels !
What a dream system beautifully setup to. If I only had the right bank account for that
Typically, bi-wire inputs on speakers do not decouple the respective low-pass/high-pass networks between the woofers and tweeters. I would be curious to know what the inherent crossover points from the Sonus Faber’s woofer to mid-range sections are. The 250 Hz crossover setting of the amplifier seems low which could result in a big hole in the lower mid-range. I would think that setting the amp’s low-pass output an octave higher than the woofer’s low pass section, and visa-versa for the mid/high section would yield better results to avoid dropping out a portion of the audio spectrum due to a mismatch. Some clarification on the rationale of the choice of amplifier settings would have been helpful.
How did you get the snares so tight and isolated to the left on Stank with a binaural mic setup? Seems like this was not just a fake head with two mics. Maybe something like a couple sheets of plywood with foam on both sides?
Would have been nice to have single mic listening position recording w a couple mins of playback. As unlikely as that is to show capability, still would be nice.
Excellent "impressions" presentation nonetheless!
Thanks for taking the time to experience it and share.
did those sonus speakres sounded better then the Alta Audio Titanium Hestia speakers that you heard?
wish a ratio that favor the equipment in the visuals
[how many time can C the same before it became enough?]
I wonder about the McIntosh MA 5300, can you review that and other McIntosh products in the near future?
I had the MA 5200. It was absolutely incredible. One of the best amps I've ever had. Only reason why I sold it was I went with a different direction in my system and needing multi-channel pre-amp and power amp.
Testify! You made me laugh. Good show.
Hearing the number 901 gives me the fantods. That speaker.
Hey Steve! I'm listening to Perpetual by Tommy Guerrero and I LOVE IT!!!
those two chesky records are on spotify and what was the loudness levels achieved by this system i was wondering
I know a dealer who demoed this system. His client was sold!! 😃
I hope to hear it, post Covid.
OK I believe you but do giant killing systems exist too? Can you put together simple high sensitivity speakers with low component number tube or transistor amps that can better the expensive stuff?
Loud and proud, baby!
Steve: "What I did on my vacation..." 😃
Tommy G is a LEGENDARY professional skateboarder!! Hell yeah Steve!!
Thank you Steve! Nothing wrong for us to dream little bit,isn’t?
I am an old guy. The last thing you did with your saved up money in Viet Nam was to go to the PX buy your stereo equipment . My buddy bought a McIntosh system. I bought a Sansui with Klipsch speakers and a reel to reel. Got on the plane and came home. Still have the receiver.
Many questions. These are stereo biamplifiers right? So why 2 in the system? That makes 8 channels of amplification. 4 bass and 4 mid/treble. Yet it seems the speakers are only biamped. Are the amps bridged? Then regarding the crossovers. Are the sonus faber internal crossovers removed ? Or are the amp crossovers combined with them? The latter would be very strange. So I guess there were quite a lot of details that would be interesting to learn about.
LOL, the pro sound and studio monitoring / mixing industries have been using DSP and digital crossovers for a couple decades now. The home Hi Fi industry is decades behind.
I would have been blown away if you started playing "devil with a blue dress on"
I Love the concept of mackintosh gear it’s true they make everything and they make beautiful gear always have made excellent tube amps which depend heavily on good output transformers which are needed on tube amplifiers but mackintosh use them as auto formers on their solid-state amps not necessary and very expensive to do well and they do it well it provides excellent impedance matching but it’s the character of clipping that they provide any even the best transformer browns the clip off so at clip is solid-state amp sound like tubes having a tube app of equal power to a transistor app on one chassis is brilliant and a crossover used Is very important i bet they sound special and I I am a hopeless audio snob!
Truly a lucky man
Could you cover that SMYTH Realizer A16? It's supposed to make headphones indistinguishable from a surround sound system.
I did that years ago when it came out, look for it on CNET
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I guess you were convinced. Also, it used to cost $2000? Now it's $4000.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac hi Steve Years ago it would have been the A8 Smyth Realizer. After almost 5 years of development there is now an A16 model. It fully supports Atmos. Worth a second look.
Steve. I have been looking at the McIntosh Townhouse online. Do you have a list of “must see” audio stores or experiences in NYC? Especially places that are open to the average hifi enthusiast! Ty
The only “must see” in NYC is the train that lets you leave.
I just connected everything but front meter lights not coming on even though the knob is correct position and tubes stays dim amber but not green. I'm using balanced and all cables are correct can you tell me what I'm doing wrong thank you
Ohh Steve...whenever you mention the album: Explorations In Space & Time, it always get's me kind of sad :-( I'm nto a streaming guy, so i need it on CD, but it's impossible to get anywhere around the world, unless your willing to spend crazy amounts of money. Could it be possible to claim a re-issue in a physical format, that would be appreciated? ;-) Cheers from Denmark
You do got an awesome kickass job Steve.... But youve earned it! This vid has left me with so many questions. McIntosh Townhouse?? In Manhattan? What?? Where?? How long has it been there!?!?! Why no Mac speakers in there?
As far as 100k setups being that marginally better; of course it will be if your using same brand components all the way through! ESPECIALLY MCINTOSH! That still doesnt quell the fact you can make $25k sound pretty damn close to $100k if you have the street smarts & experience. Its not gonna be all new unused gear of course, but it can be done!
Ok, I found where it is, makes sense to me now : ) There was once a Bang & Olufsen as well as a Bose flagship store in that general vicinity at one point too.
Steve, what is their crossover slope per octave?
Steve, for the sake of learning and mixing things, what DAC (Not McIntosh) would you pair with this system?
Denafrips Terminator or Mytek Manhattan 2
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge. It shows how awesome you are.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac What about the Mola mola Tambaqui? I already have a Tambaqui and would love to hook it up directly to the mc901s.
If you hook up McIntosh gear to an oscilloscope, you see an almost perfect curve. About as close as you can get. The walk the walk and talk the talk.
You can do that with almost all amps cause oscilloscope is not test gear that shows amp quality, or signal content on output.
What are your recommendations for audiophile bluetooth earbuds on different price ranges?
audiophile and bluetooth earbuds don't go together such things don't exist
bluetooth is inherently low bitrate and there are other problems
The Law of Diminishing Returns is unassailable; the question is simply *where* it kicks in. Steve goes on the record here to say that the threshold is north of $100k.
The MC901 brings to mind the quote from the Simpsons where Homer orders dinner at a fancy restaurant: “I want your best dish stuffed with your second best dish.”
It depends on the component. With power amps, I had a $1700 Proceed AMP 2. I borrowed a $6000 Mark Levinson amp as well as a $5500 Audio Research tube hybrid amp for a weekend back in 2000. I couldn't hear a difference so didn't bother upgrading. However, speakers are a totally different matter as they interact with the room. Changing electronic components is one thing. Changing physical components is another.
Mcintosh is my dream, I'm actually currently saving up for the MAC7200 stereo receiver. Last year I had an opportunity to hear one and I've always had systems under 1000-$1500 and when I heard the Mac I knew I had to have it.
Steve, just for fun, what turntable would go best with this system?
SME
Impressive, I am a McIntosh guy! C2700 preamp & MC 312 amp! Really fine sound & build quality is unmatched!
Cool. Thinking about getting a MC312 for a pair of 702S2
Good review. Why not use Mc speakers?
My rig is 'hi-fi' for me. Lo-fi for most other people! ($5,000). But, I'm in heaven when I get to play it!
What does the MC 901 have more tubes than the MC 2301 - there are four more small tubes on each mono. I thought it was the same as the MC 2301 but it's different.
This video makes me wish for 100,000 dollars and a mid-life crisis. I can see from your smiles you had a great time. I'm sure it sounds just as good as it looks. Keep doing your thing.
Apropo of nothing, (sort of) I went to college with Peter Gow,(R.I.P.) in the 70's. His dad, Gordon Gow, set him up with a Crown amp and pre-amp, Dual turntable, and Advent speakers, and told him it "would have to do", as he didn't want classmates pestering him for "deals" on a stereo!
I'm surprised you didn't give the full house tour.
I only heard of McIntosh a couple weeks ago, I thought someone was talking about the computers. I've sort of been into audio for years and never heard of them. Maybe it is because I'm in UK.
I’m gobsmacked by the damn price
I wonder how the McIntosh Townhouse compares to the VPI House. I’m guessing a house is larger than a townhouse especially with real estate prices in New York. But the townhouse looks pretty posh. McIntosh was the first audiophile brand I ever heard of. I had a school friend in the 70s with a customer on his paper route who was an audiophile and would invite him in to listen to his system. We weren’t even teenagers at the time and my friend would always rave about the McIntosh gear he had heard. And the brand has always stuck in my head although I’ve never owned any of it.
I was gobsmacked by the price.
Agree, with high power , the crest factor permits no compression of dynamics , if the coils can take the heath...a direkt radiating system can sound effortless like horns if it can deliver without compression and clipping of amps...give me a 95db/w system and 100 watts and it delivers uncompressed a steinway full power real life sounding...even kef k300 p60 speakers can do 113db
I yearn for those amps. Since I first read about them. Unfortunately, I am not a Rockefeller.
Steve is right about the really expensive stuff, but whether it's worth it to you is another question. I have heard these systems, I could afford one, but I don't own one. Maybe I'm not really an audiophile?