MAC Reference ICs

[johnnycopy]

I have owned many MAC products including the power cords, Ag speaker wire, and IC's (Ultra Silver, Palladiums), and recently purchased the MAC Reference IC's.

My most recent IC was the Palladium which I really liked, and in my system they exhibited tremendous focus, frequency extension, and resolution.

Reference IC
Build quality is excellent. The XShadow RCA connections are outstanding and they fit my components like a glove (not like a tightened down wrench, but a glove, snug yet fogiving - feels expensive, and they should).

The sonic difference between the Palladiums and the Reference for me very quickly became less about focusing on any one specific area of the presentation (balance, soundstage, etc.), and simply realizing that with the References, the music is more organic, more musical, and more enjoyable. A bit more relaxed than the Palladiums with an ability to see deeper into the music, especially fine nuances.

This following statement is not fair to the Silvers and the Palladiums because at their price point they far beat any other IC's I had heard before them, but... I would say that I enjoyed the Silvers and the palladiums because they could sound impressive (expansive soundstage - my god), but I enjoy the References because my system sounds more like real music in the room than ever before.

Is the bass good? Must be - cause I turned Ed's Cube off when I added the references. I did that cause I didn't want to have even minor coherence issues mess up the organic musical capability of the horns (that and perhaps I am spoiled by OB bass). I left the CUBE off, and this is not a dis to Ed's excellent and high value product. Others may have left it on cause it really is quite a seamless integration, and I must admit there were cuts where I preferred it on to extend the frequency range...but I had begun listening for maximum musicality, and the horns do this very well on their own.

I heard similar improvements with the DUET's, tho here I preferred the Augies engaged (OB bass really does it for me, and I'm having trouble going back to sub boxes).

The music was engaging, comforting, and real. This wasn't just with those special parts of the music cuts that I always listen for, but in the remainder of the songs where new details emerged, not to impress me with their presence, but to become an important part of the overall presentation. I listened longer and to whole songs instead of parts of songs. Detail, but not drawing attention to itself as the silvers and palladiums sometimes did. Brilliant tonal balance, I was turning the music up frighteningly loud with no bad effects. I agree with Giorgino that the References have no hardness, where the palladiums or silvers could occasionally have that affect (may just be system synergies here).

From the listening I've done to date, the reference ICs are very highly recommended, as were the Palladiums and the Silvers I had, each just at a different price point, and each with increased sonic benefits as you extend up the $ scale.

John

[Andy Pants]

Hi John
I'm loving the palladiums I got off you - and look forward to moving up the Refernce IC's as $$ allow.
Steve at MAC makes extroardinary cables. Thanks for your thoughtful and concise listening impressions.
Kind Regards
Andy

[myaudiocables]

John - what can I say

Thank you for taking the time to really put together your thoughts. I wish I could write! @#%%@

The MAC Reference's are special. The more revealing your system, the more you get.

Andy - Those Palladiums will definitely serve you well. Enjoy!

Steve