Monoblocked MC275s - Sound difference versus one in stereo?

lateralus462

New Member
Hi:

I'm pondering different options for my 2-channel setup. Love the 275 mids and highs but am left wanting more from the bottom end. If I add another 275 in the mix (along with C2600), what sort of upgrade can I expect? Better power and some overhead would seem obvious ... but what about on the low, mid and upper range?

Thanks!
 
Depends on speaker impedance, type of speaker, efficiency and how under powered or overpowered.

Strapping or bridging my MC2500s provided improvements across all bands and gave me an effortless sound. It improves most after 50 WPC.

Imaging and soundstage improves by increasing channel separation by separation of L and R signals.
 
Hi:

I'm pondering different options for my 2-channel setup. Love the 275 mids and highs but am left wanting more from the bottom end. If I add another 275 in the mix (along with C2600), what sort of upgrade can I expect? Better power and some overhead would seem obvious ... but what about on the low, mid and upper range?

Thanks!

It depends on whether you're running out of power with your MC275.
 
I currently have the MC302, which seems to have plenty of headroom versus a single 275 for obvious reasons. My room isn't huge in two dimensions (22' x 26') but the 35 foot ceiling makes it quite large. I don't crank my music a ton, so being able to go to 11 :) isn't a big concern ... however, with the $$ that this stuff costs, I want to be 100% happy with the sound. Another concern I wish I didn't have is the amount of space I'll have. I'm having a custom cabinet built where my intent was to put the C2600, MC302 and turntable on top of it (mid-century looking thing). If I switched from the MC302 to 2xMC275 something would have to give and I don't want to hide the C2600 in a cabinet. 1st world problems here, for sure.
 
Kinda hard to get amp suggestions without telling use what your speakers are.

I have two MC275 Mk VI bridged @ 180 WPC
 
Speakers are Sonus Faber Venere S. Sub is currently a REL T9 but I'm looking to upgrade to one or two of something bigger.

Im thinking if your hitting those speakers with 300 wpc, and you don't feel they have tight bass, it's really the speakers. This I can totally relate to as I personally don't like small driver speakers, don't care if they put 10 of them in there, it's kinda like listening to head phones laying on the table.

I like to "Feel" the music and for me that means a woofer thats at least 10 or more inches. Having a good sub system will help you out but really your trying to make up for what your speakers are not giving you. I use a sub sometimes but it's very low and I may use it like a tone control for specific recordings.

I would love to hear my MC501s and JBL L250s in your size room. So knowing that my mono blocked 275 are the hardest amps for me to match speakers to. And what I'v found is best with them is speakers that would be 90+ db but have a wattages rating of around 100 - 125 watts with a 10 inch or more woofer. This puts you into vintage speakers, it will hit them hard and control the big woofer.
 
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My room isn't huge in two dimensions (22' x 26') but the 35 foot ceiling makes it quite large. I don't crank my music a ton, so being able to go to 11 :) isn't a big concern ... however, with the $$ that this stuff costs, I want to be 100% happy with the sound.

I'm also thinking that your system is sounding good but get the feeling your not all that happy that it doesn't do everything good. Meaning some music and at certain times at a specific listening level will just immerse you in lovely sound quality. However when you want to rock and put Ted Nugent Stranglehold on or Dire Straits money for nothing, your not getting that deep tight thump of percussion's and snap snap of the snare drum.


I would love to hear my MC501s and JBL L250s in your size room.:rolleyes:

You might need to think about having two speaker/power amps for your main system, both selected with your C2600. This give you the option how and what your listening to by matching your mood and music.

Choices

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427: Thanks for the feedback. And just to be clear, the bass is fine with the 302 but I prefer the tubier sound of the 275 with respect to the mids and highs, which is why I'm trying to work a 275 or two into the mix. My REL T9 isn't really up to the task for the size of the room I'm in as I bought it when I had a much smaller space. I like my speakers but realize I need subwoofer help in the form of a powered sub or two. I've done quite a bit of demoing but it's hard to do a/b comparisons solo and with the weight of this stuff ... it gets old moving it in and out, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to get some feedback on a forum or two.
 
427: Thanks for the feedback. And just to be clear, the bass is fine with the 302 but I prefer the tubier sound of the 275 with respect to the mids and highs, which is why I'm trying to work a 275 or two into the mix. My REL T9 isn't really up to the task for the size of the room I'm in as I bought it when I had a much smaller space. I like my speakers but realize I need subwoofer help in the form of a powered sub or two. I've done quite a bit of demoing but it's hard to do a/b comparisons solo and with the weight of this stuff ... it gets old moving it in and out, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to get some feedback on a forum or two.
Do you have wood floors or carpet, I think your speakers can be bi-amped also.

Also what is your front end sources?

Posting your location could help as well, maybe other members are close to you
 
I'm in Denver, CO. My floors are mostly hardwoods. I mainly listen to vinyl (VPI Scout) and hi-res stuff from Tidal, which comes through a Bluesound Node2 via optical. My speakers can be bi-amped and are currently bi-wired, for what it's worth.
 
I have the same question which I have not seen answered here. Restated: has anyone noticed a sonic degradation or improvement with the bridged MC 275 vs. a single MC 275 other than the 3 dB more headroom improvement with two? A long time ago, I tried bridging a Bryston amp per the manufacture's instructions and it really sound much worse at any sound level. But this is a different amplifier and I've never had the chance to compare in my system. Having two transformers in the output circuit seems quite a bit different than having just one.

Another way to state the question, what would sound better, 2 bridged MC 275 or (say) an MC 152 as an upgrade from a single MC 275?

Thanks,
 
Really, when it comes down to it, "sound" is all subjective. Most of us that run mono-blocks, be they single channel amplifiers or stereo amplifiers operated in mono, find the following advantages over stereo power amplifiers:

- Increased separation
- Improved soundstage - width and depth
 
I'm also thinking that your system is sounding good but get the feeling your not all that happy that it doesn't do everything good. Meaning some music and at certain times at a specific listening level will just immerse you in lovely sound quality. However when you want to rock and put Ted Nugent Stranglehold on or Dire Straits money for nothing, your not getting that deep tight thump of percussion's and snap snap of the snare drum.


I would love to hear my MC501s and JBL L250s in your size room.:rolleyes:

You might need to think about having two speaker/power amps for your main system, both selected with your C2600. This give you the option how and what your listening to by matching your mood and music.

Choices

View attachment 870832 View attachment 870833 View attachment 870834
Dan - you need to rig up some motorized speaker platforms that would allow you to have all your speakers in queue. Just rotate the platform and wallah!
 
I haven't tried that because I haven't had both amps at the same time. Seems like a good next move though so I'll try to borrow it tomorrow and hook it up.

You can only do this if you have a active crossover so you can control the output of each amp independently. You can't even try it in a half ass way adjusting the amps gain control as they don't have one like some of the older mac amps.
 
Dan - you need to rig up some motorized speaker platforms that would allow you to have all your speakers in queue. Just rotate the platform and wallah!
LOL, did you see this? I brought the Monitor Audio and ADS home the same day, and sampled them.:rolleyes:

IMG_3373.JPG IMG_3364.JPG IMG_3366 2.JPG IMG_3371.JPG
 
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