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Is Mcintosh current amp?

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veeceem

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@dieselmilk thanks! Exactly what I'm asking for explaination!
So how low should the distortion is? -40/-60/-80dB?
 

Sal1950

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. I think I'm going to like it here! You're a good bunch!
Thanks Siwel, but sush, don't tell everyone. JK. LOL
 

dieselmilk

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@dieselmilk thanks! Exactly what I'm asking for explaination!
So how low should the distortion is? -40/-60/-80dB?
What you actually want to look at, for the amp, is THD+N values (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise). This is listed as a percentage and you can usually Google what that percentage is for the amplifier. You'll see a graph that shows you what the THD+N would be at every Watt level. You'll want the THD+N to DEFINITELY be under 0.1% at the wattage you plan to run the speakers. Good/great amps will go under 0.05% and 0.03% and lower for most of the watt range.
 

beefkabob

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I don't want to appear noisy, but maybe you haven't read the test by Audio Review well that I posted a few pages back,
I report the most salient data.
If you can afford it, buy the MC452 and live happily ever after for the rest of your days as an audiophile, you will never regret it !!

I don't know the audible limits of amplification. I've seen competing answers. However, the ABH2 is significantly cleaner on distortion.
 
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veeceem

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I don't know the audible limits of amplification. I've seen competing answers. However, the ABH2 is significantly cleaner on distortion.
AHB2 is best measured amp, nobody disagrees :)
Since it's now more or less "sthing vs mc452/462" for me, how about this $4500 Anthem STR power amp? I'm using its preamp and wonder if it's as good. Base on measurements alone, it's no worse than mc452/462. Only worse looking and no blue meters :p

Link to the measurement of Anthem STR amp
 

dieselmilk

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AHB2 is best measured amp, nobody disagrees :)
Since it's now more or less "sthing vs mc452/462" for me, how about this $4500 Anthem STR power amp? I'm using its preamp and wonder if it's as good. Base on measurements alone, it's no worse than mc452/462. Only worse looking and no blue meters :p

Link to the measurement of Anthem STR amp
Without the blue meters, can you even say it's worth it?
 

Sal1950

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Anthem STR power amp? I'm using its preamp and wonder if it's as good.
I would guess your using the ARC correction system? What are your impressions of it, how well do you feel it handles the correction? Have you done any before/after measurements?
TIA, Sal
 
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veeceem

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I would guess your using the ARC correction system? What are your impressions of it, how well do you feel it handles the correction? Have you done any before/after measurements?
TIA, Sal
pm'ed you.
 

JDragon

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AHB2 is best measured amp, nobody disagrees :)
Since it's now more or less "sthing vs mc452/462" for me, how about this $4500 Anthem STR power amp? I'm using its preamp and wonder if it's as good. Base on measurements alone, it's no worse than mc452/462. Only worse looking and no blue meters :p

Link to the measurement of Anthem STR amp
Personally, I think the silver Anthem STR looks way better. The clean lines of the amp combined with the digital meters look nice and modern.

Black does look a bit boring though.
 

cavillasenorl

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There was a time when I had the chance to choose a Power Amp for my 7 series BW speakers, I auditioned McIntosh, Krell, NAD, Mark and Levingson, I really liked the McIntosh look but the sound was a little too warm for me, I chose Krell and it is still running after 10 years, McIntosh was good, Krell was better.
 

beefkabob

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There was a time when I had the chance to choose a Power Amp for my 7 series BW speakers, I auditioned McIntosh, Krell, NAD, Mark and Levingson, I really liked the McIntosh look but the sound was a little too warm for me, I chose Krell and it is still running after 10 years, McIntosh was good, Krell was better.
Double blind? ABX? Yawn.
 

Sal1950

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Nothing blind, I couldn't stop looking at everything and the warmer sound from Mc was very obvious to me.
Without measurement there's no obvious reason why this should be so.
But in any case they are both excellent amplifiers and either should give you a long, trouble free life.
If you spend more time here you should begin to learn how and why sighted listening can't be trusted to return reliable results..
 

cavillasenorl

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Without measurement there's no obvious reason why this should be so.
But in any case they are both excellent amplifiers and either should give you a long, trouble free life.
If you spend more time here you should begin to learn how and why sighted listening can't be trusted to return reliable results..
I was not looking for measurements, pure joy, so far Krell KAV2250 and KAV3250 are working fine for my 5.1 system.
But I am into headphones now due to not being able to stay close to home, you know, people has to work sometimes.
 

Sal1950

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I was not looking for measurements,
That's what we do here. and it is the goal of this site, to measure gear and see what can be learned from it.
We want people to feel welcome and enjoy their time here.
But if your not interested in measurement, you may find other sites more to your liking.
 

cavillasenorl

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That's what we do here. and it is the goal of this site, to measure gear and see what can be learned from it.
We want people to feel welcome and enjoy their time here.
But if your not interested in measurement, you may find other sites more to your liking.
I wish I could measure my equipment to verify electrically how good it is, but I don't have any equipment to do so, Multimeter and that's it, I don't know if I can send my equipment to be measured due to customs, I would really like to find out the measurements about those heavy amplifiers, or my portable MHA50, this site helped me to chooose Topping D50s, JDS El DAC, Atom and Drop THX AAA 789, in paper Atom is as good as the THX but in reality they have different sound, how do we measure that part?
 

cjm2077

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I wish I could measure my equipment to verify electrically how good it is, but I don't have any equipment to do so, Multimeter and that's it, I don't know if I can send my equipment to be measured due to customs, I would really like to find out the measurements about those heavy amplifiers, or my portable MHA50, this site helped me to chooose Topping D50s, JDS El DAC, Atom and Drop THX AAA 789, in paper Atom is as good as the THX but in reality they have different sound, how do we measure that part?

Well, what makes you say they do sound different?

We measure as much as we can. We can't measure every parameter under every possible condition. But we can create conditions that are as representative of real use as possible, and measure the parameters we have evidence can be sensed by a human being. And we do listening tests in a double blind method if we can, so we can know if we can actually tell a difference between things. Because our brains are excellent at filling in information that doesn't exist.
 

cavillasenorl

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Well, what makes you say they do sound different?

We measure as much as we can. We can't measure every parameter under every possible condition. But we can create conditions that are as representative of real use as possible, and measure the parameters we have evidence can be sensed by a human being. And we do listening tests in a double blind method if we can, so we can know if we can actually tell a difference between things. Because our brains are excellent at filling in information that doesn't exist.
The THX gives deeper lows, you can hear it with the Focal Clear but not with the Senns HD6XX, I guess the Senns don't give you those tones anyway, I will try to do blind tests but I am alone in this hobby at home.
 
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