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RE: Some advice? Left Naim, tubes aren't working and McIntosh is a dissapointment

Posted by DominicPorter on August 10, 2016 at 08:55:47:
Fair points. But if it sounds like the speakers could be the issue I've failed english writing haha.
They've been one of the most positive ingredients in the system since they went in. They really fit the room soundwise and have allowed quite a bit of interesting gear to shine behind them.
Anyway, the Naim stuff seemed to be the cause of the change but less for its sound and more for the fact that he was too much money in and Naim was still dangling a carrot. Like there's always a new version of the amp you've got or a better version of the power supply.
The Cary wasn't his jam for two main reasons, while it added some smoothness and finesse over the main gear it gave up apparently more 'oomph' in the most common tube vs SS kind of ways. Bass a little less weighty and authoritative, and didn't quite have the "PRAT" of the Naim. We disagreed on the matter of degrees, but I had to admit the Naim was a tough one to beat on that front.
The other thing was that the 300b took too long to really get up to speed. This is when he got stuck on his memories of the 70s and McIntosh 275s. The nostalgia factor was pretty strong. So not wanting to spend what Mac is asking for their current tube gear and wanting the convenience of SS back he chose the entry level 5300. Once he got it in the system he called me up and said something to the effect of "Dom, I gone done messed up!" And when I went over to listen I had to agree. It was all the worst things people say about solid state. It was flat, grainy, and the image just wasn't. It did manage to get some toe tapping going but I really struggled with it. He's been complaining to me for months. Interestingly the digital side of the system (which I can never remember as I haven't been interested in spending any money there myself) was the most pained by the downgrade. It's a frustrating notion since it's fully as pricey as the Naim without the power supply and way more than he paid for the Cary.
So yesterday he calls me up and he's asking about getting a McIntosh MA7000, which now has 300w, seems like it would be forgetting the first couple watts to an even greater degree?

I hope that helps a bit.