800d with Mcintosh c220 and mc275?

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  • FALCODEAN
    Junior Member
    • May 2009
    • 20

    800d with Mcintosh c220 and mc275?

    Dear BW club members,
    I am currently driving my 800d with Classe cp700 preamp and 2x cam 400 amps with good results. I am wondering though wether a classic Mcintosh tube preamp-amp combination would lead to even more satisfying sound. Also - would the proposed mc combination be strong enough to drive the 800d?
    Any advise highly welcomed.
    FALCODEAN
  • htsteve
    Super Senior Member
    • Sep 2004
    • 1216

    #2
    Falcodean,

    You ears will give you the best advice. Hopefully, you have a Mac dealer nearby that will allow you to demo this gear. When putting my current system together, I demo'd Krell, Classe and Mac. For me, the Mac and B&W combo worked really well for me.

    I've not extensively auditioned tube gear, let alone with 800D's. Hopefully someone with that combo will chime in. You might consider the C220 tube pre with a pair of MC501's. These would provide lots of current, while the tube sound is maintained.



    Hope this helps.
    Last edited by htsteve; 13 December 2009, 07:43 Sunday.

    Comment

    • Antus
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2008
      • 141

      #3
      i think B&W doesn't match well with tube amps. I have demoed a pair of 802D with Mclintosh 60th year special edition tube pre and tube amp combo and it sounded horriable.

      I found b&w match well with Pass Labs. if not considering the cost, i actually like it better than B&W Classse combo.

      Comment

      • Horacio
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2005
        • 142

        #4
        I drive 804S with MC275 and love it. I used to have Rotel 1080 (200W pc) and the 275 sound better in every respect (even bass!). I demoed 804S with the 275, a McIntosh MC252 (solid state) and a Classe of similar rating, and to my ears the 275 was the clear winner. The preamp used for that comparison - same room, same speakers, same source - was a C220. I love tubes with B&W and even more after I rolled some better tubes. :T

        Having said that, I don't think the 275 will have enough power to drive the 800D. I wonder if even 2 MC275 driven as monoblocks would have enough power. It seems to me you are trying to match top-of-the-line B&W with middle-of-the-line McIntosh. It will work, but I doubt you'll get all there is there to get out of the 800D. If you want to try tubes, maybe also audition McIntosh MC2301, large, top of the line monoblocks. I've heard 800D driven by $30k VTL monoblocks (tubes, of course) and would hesitate believing "B&W are a bad match with tubes" - old fashioned "I can't believe how good this sounds". Yet, it's just a bit too much money for me
        In the solid state realm, like Steve said, MC501 or 1201. Large Pass Labs. Large Rowlands.

        At the end of the day, trust your ears, so try to audition. At this level the difference between tubes and solid state is taste rather than one sounding bad.

        Enjoy the chase!

        Comment

        • specialized
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2008
          • 332

          #5
          Originally posted by Horacio
          I drive 804S with MC275 and love it. I used to have Rotel 1080 (200W pc) and the 275 sound better in every respect (even bass!). I demoed 804S with the 275, a McIntosh MC252 (solid state) and a Classe of similar rating, and to my ears the 275 was the clear winner. The preamp used for that comparison - same room, same speakers, same source - was a C220. I love tubes with B&W and even more after I rolled some better tubes. :T

          Having said that, I don't think the 275 will have enough power to drive the 800D. I wonder if even 2 MC275 driven as monoblocks would have enough power. It seems to me you are trying to match top-of-the-line B&W with middle-of-the-line McIntosh. It will work, but I doubt you'll get all there is there to get out of the 800D. If you want to try tubes, maybe also audition McIntosh MC2301, large, top of the line monoblocks. I've heard 800D driven by $30k VTL monoblocks (tubes, of course) and would hesitate believing "B&W are a bad match with tubes" - old fashioned "I can't believe how good this sounds". Yet, it's just a bit too much money for me
          In the solid state realm, like Steve said, MC501 or 1201. Large Pass Labs. Large Rowlands.

          At the end of the day, trust your ears, so try to audition. At this level the difference between tubes and solid state is taste rather than one sounding bad.

          Enjoy the chase!

          I also tried MC275 with my B&W 803s. While vocals was fantastic, very clear, very natural, when there was more dynamic music it was lacking with 803s. It was not sound bad, but on a bit louder side there was some bass mudding..

          In this moment im driving my 803s with two Rotel RB-1080 biamped, and i think it sound a bit better then MC275 (MC275 sounder better on vocals i think, but overal this combination is better for my ears).

          I think for 800D u can try two MC275 (it was my idea as well for my 803s, but i quit becouse if spend that money, i'll get MC501).

          Im pairing this with McIntosh C2300 Tube Preamp.

          Darko

          Comment

          • Horacio
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2005
            • 142

            #6
            Darko,

            Yeap, as I said before, it's a matter of taste. To my ears the 275 don't run out of power, but then my speakers are less power demanding than yours and I rarely listen above 85 dB SPL. And to my ears the RB1080 + 804S were very fatiguing; the trebble was unbearable...personal taste again!

            I want to try experimenting with biamping: MC275 for mid/highs and RB1080 for bass (and REL for low bass). Need to get an external crossover, though. I'm going to try this more as an experiment than anything else, as I've read very interesting things about biamping.

            However, I don't think Falcodean should go down this route. Better to get an amp (or monoblocks) you know you like with your speakers, and then maybe (only maybe) down the road experiment with biamping.

            Regards,
            Horacio

            Comment

            • altanpsx
              Member
              • Nov 2008
              • 63

              #7
              Even 2 mc275 will not drive 800d fairly. Of course you can drive them but 800d's deserve better matching.

              Comment

              • specialized
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2008
                • 332

                #8
                Originally posted by Horacio
                Darko,

                Yeap, as I said before, it's a matter of taste. To my ears the 275 don't run out of power, but then my speakers are less power demanding than yours and I rarely listen above 85 dB SPL. And to my ears the RB1080 + 804S were very fatiguing; the trebble was unbearable...personal taste again!

                I want to try experimenting with biamping: MC275 for mid/highs and RB1080 for bass (and REL for low bass). Need to get an external crossover, though. I'm going to try this more as an experiment than anything else, as I've read very interesting things about biamping.

                However, I don't think Falcodean should go down this route. Better to get an amp (or monoblocks) you know you like with your speakers, and then maybe (only maybe) down the road experiment with biamping.

                Regards,
                Horacio

                I totaly agree with u Horacio.. But try two RB-1080 biamped (One Rotel Per Speaker), and u'll be totaly suprised.. No more harshness, a lot of details and much better bass.. I was thinking to try two MC275 in mono, but this combination is perfect for now (Bang for money), and ilm not sure there is such a big difference any more..

                If u can do it , try two RB-1080.. Im interested how u gonna like it..

                Darko

                p.s. I'm pairing this with C2300 Mcintosh

                Comment

                • FALCODEAN
                  Junior Member
                  • May 2009
                  • 20

                  #9
                  Thank you all for the great input,
                  I will drop my thought of MC 275 and start with a tube pre-amp and compare this to my cp-700 and the monoamps cam-400 and go from there, it may take a while but I will keep you updated
                  falcodean

                  Comment

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