My first listening experience with the new (3) MC601s and (1) MC452 amps.
I went into this experiment on trying to take my HT to the next level. I had heard from a few HT enthusiast that an amp is an amp and save your money... or better yet put it towards your speakers. I was basically taking a leap of faith that if I bought higher end amps, basically ones that are supposed to be better than say my B&K amps and cost a lot more money, that I was going to hear a difference. There is really no way to test this out at a retail store because they are not going to have all of the variables that you have at your home. And no dealer that I ran across in Houston has 3 601's and a 452 just sitting around for me to take home and demo much less would I be able to tear down two 69" MA racks to hook these bad boys up.
Lets also remember that I was very happy with the performance of my HT and my B&K amps.
So enough of the small talk this is what I actually heard:
First up was a Disney movie, Prince of Persia. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant, it is a typical Disney movie with great surround sound. I immediately noticed the sound out of my mains was fuller, deeper, and had a larger sound stage. When a group of horsemen came galloping on their horses down a dirt road from right to left on the screen it sounded more intense, and with purpose. The vocals where a little bit clearer but all of the sounds I heard where more distinct, sharper, and with more meaning.
As the movie progressed with knives being flown across the room, or the whip snapping several times in the air it was the first OMG experience with these amps. I was hearing brand new sounds that my HT system had never played before. So I told my non audiophile wife that at times I would hear things that I had not heard before, but I did not tell her what it was. Well even she immediately noticed these scenes and commented on how much better it sounded, and agreed that these sounds were not present previously. By the way she was against me buying these amps for we have plenty of places to spend that kind of money when it comes to decorating our new home.
I felt like I was being more thoroughly entertained with this movie playing with these new amps. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this movie, and liked it a lot more than I did the first time I saw it.
Next up was a blu ray concert by David Foster called Hit Man. If you do not have it I would recommend it among others like Andrea Bocelli live in Tuscany. I noticed that the band sounded better. The notes from the orchestra had more punch, with a more fuller and dramatic sound. I have heard others mention earlier about monoblocks having headroom, which I was not familiar with. But what I noticed now was the music seem to fill the room from the top of the ceiling to the bottom of the floor and touch the side walls and completely encase me. So if that is the headroom he was talking about now I get it. The vocals also seemed smoother, and more alive. The whole concert seemed like they were in the room with us.
The biggest compliment that I can say is that I have heard this Blu ray, Hit Man, many many times and listening to it with these new amps was like I was listening to it for the first time!
I am looking forward to hearing more on what these amps can bring to my HT. But for now I am very happy! Wife says it sounds so good that there is no need to upgrade the speakers!
Even though the racks are not in my theater I can see them through the reflection on the glass door into the equipment room when I leave the HT doors opened, which I do occasionally when lighting is not as important to what I am watching.
Couple of photos of building the rack and the view from the HT. The 458 is not mine, but I wish it was! What can I say champange taste and a beer budget... Isn't this how I got into this mess to begin with.
Cheers,
Jim
For some reason I am having trouble downloading photos. It says upload failed. Then I tried using Photobucket but there has got to be a better way than copy one URL number at a time and paste on attachment link in open window. It would only allow one photo. I need better computer skills...
