Rocking it solid state
Sep 12th, 2008 by gene
I am fortunate in that I own three museum-quality McIntosh amplifiers: two MC30 tube amps, and one MC2505 solid-state amp. The MC30s are my primary amps — they sound wonderful, open and warm, and are completely non-fatiguing. Their midrange is nothing short of magical.
But every now and then I like to shift things around, so I put the MC2505 into the system. What a difference. The solid-state MC2505 controls bass very well, so the system’s soundstage exploded in all directions. The midrange isn’t nearly as magical as the MC30s, but it make up for that with tight bass and pacing. My Klipsch Cornwalls like to be driven by the solid-state as much as the tube amps; it must be that McIntosh/Klipsch synergy audiophiles frequently get teary-eyed about.
Most surprising is how the MC2505 is making me listen to different music. Rock stuff from the 90s and later sounds really good now — more punchier, more rocking, more energetic. I find myself dancing with my daughter more than I used to.