2. amps-preamps
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Considering new amp - Mccormack

I've got the itch to upgrade my amps.

Currently I'm horizontally biamping with two modified Adcom GFA 555 II.

Rest of system as follows

B&W 803 Matrix SII - Recently refurbished
Sonic Frontiers SF1 Preamp
Music Fidelity A3 24 Dac
PS Audio P1000 power conditioner

Favorite Bands are:

Radiohead
Bon Iver
Fleet Foxes
Massive Attack

What I don't like about system: Raspy... especially with radiohead vocals.. The B&W combo with adcom and vocals of peter york are Harsh.

I'm considering the Mccormack amps, anything from the DNA .5's modified to mono's or DNA 2 or DNA 500?? Currently there is a DNA 2 Limited edition on Audiogon for about the same amount as the DNA 500.

My max budget is around $3k, but less would be nice, maybe I could get away with a single DNA .5 or DNA 125?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
koryodell
usblues
1,216 posts
 
His offerings are top-shelf.Highly recommended.I wont bore you with my choices.Good luck,Bob
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
DNA-500 would be my choice. I have 1 that has been replaced by tubes, but I'm keeping it. Best bang for the buck at around your price range, used, that I've found. Steve McC would be the 1 to talk to and I would also check out the thread referred to above for more info. Good luck
swanny76109
380 posts
 
I respectfully disagree with Tvad that Radiohead is recorded "hot." I think their recordings are amazingly well conceived and engineered, in the vein of all great Brit-pop. Especially "In Rainbows." I think you need a very musical system that can reveal the intricacies found in their recordings.

System synergy is a big part of all this. I'd venture that the Adcom amps coupled with the BWs are a lot of the problem--the grain combined with the brighter BW sound is probably not the best match. You'd want a more laid back speaker or a more refined amp. McCormack, Pass, Classe as mentioned earlier are all great choices. High current would be best to get you the bass and resolution you'd want from your favorite recording artists you mention.

I agree that the preamp could also be part of the problem. So many of the early 90s preamps are aggressive/forward sounding, perhaps due to their design and due to decline of caps simply due to age.

brownsfan
1,238 posts
 
I've had two Adcoms, the 535 and the 5500. I've also had two McCormack's, the DNA 0.5 and 1.0 monoblocks. The McCormacks are head and shoulders above the Adcoms in every way. I had severe listener fatigue problems with the Adcoms, which improved when I bought the fist McCormacks.
There is no doubt that will get you closer to where you want to be. Also, don't underestimate the 0.5's ability to drive demanding speakers. It did much bettery with my maggies (1.6QR's) than the 200 WPC Adcom did. Also, most of the unmodified amps have 100 kOhm input impedance, so any pre will drive them. I'd say go for it then see where you are.
soix
2,133 posts
 
Brownsfan makes a good point -- it might be the modded McCormacks that have a lower impedance input.
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