Help from M. Samra (long)

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Mr. Samra, recently you posted a detailed description of mods that can be made to a Mac 2105, one of which I own. I also have an ARC VT 100 Mk2. I interchange them, using the ARC on vinyl and the Mac on line inputs. I have an ARC SP8 pre, and feed the ARC thru the regular op, and the Mac thru the tape head op. Using the tape op, I find that all functions of the SP8 go inoperative except the selector switch. The line signal goes through unchanged apparently, since the SP8 need not be on at all. I assume it is acting as a passive input selector, with volume controlled through the source (TV, DAC, tuner.)
Recently, I decided, as a test, to listen to vinyl through the Mac and the tape op. The SP8's power must be on, but all other preamp controls were again inoperative, even the mute switch. I was curious to see if it would work, and if so, how much volume there would be. Listening, I first tried a recording of "The Sleeping Beauty" by Rozhdestvensky and the BBC, a fine recording but cut at a low level. There was oodles of volume. The volume controls on the Mac, set at 1 o'clock, were fine. I next tried Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel" with Kempe and the Dresdeners, mastered at a much higher level. The sound almost exploded into the room, and I had to turn the Mac down. Gosh it sounded good. The Mac's sound improved in this configuration, especially in the highs, where more detail was present. It approached the ARC in this respect, with much less sense of a "softer", high-end roll-off.
Questions 1: With the phono through the tape op, am I truly bypassing the line stage of the SP8, except for the selector? Is this simpler circuit path the reason for the Mac's improved sound, and the SP8 really now operating as a phono preamp only? (I tried to attach a pic of the SP8 circuit, but couldn't get it to take. Sorry)
So - I said all that to say this -
Question 2: Will the mods for the 2105 you suggest make the bass better defined? I love the clarity of the ARC's low end, but like the greater weight and richer tone color of the Mac's low end. If your mods make for better definition in the lows of the 2105, then I may be able to get the best of both worlds, with added benefit of the Mac's reliability and fewer tube worries and expense all the way through the system. Thanks for your time and help.
LowIQ

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Topic - Help from M. Samra (long) - dgaapc7 11:11:01 08/09/16 (5)

RE: Help from M. Samra (long) - Michael Samra 11:51:48 08/09/16 (4)

RE: Help from M. Samra (long) - dgaapc7 12:10:45 08/09/16 (3)

RE: Help from M. Samra (long) - Michael Samra 12:35:58 08/09/16 (0)

RE: Help from M. Samra (long) - dgaapc7 12:18:16 08/09/16 (1)

RE: Help from M. Samra (long) - Michael Samra 12:28:36 08/09/16 (0)

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