McCormack DNA 0.5

JPete

So I have been reading on the forum how highly recommended the McCormack amps are. I finally came across a good deal on a mint condition DNA 0.5 and made the jump. This will definitely be replacing the trusty Adcom 555 in my main 2 channel system.

I just want to thank all of the people that have shared experiences with this amp and McCormack amps in general. This forum has taken my system to a nice level.

All amps don't sound the same and decent cables make a difference. Thanks.

dkfreebird

Congrats on the McCormack, and Skip I think I might be ready for one of those.

breal74

I too am glad I bought my DNA 250 on the advice form the forum and mainly Tony! The amp is a beast and makes my speakers it's ****!

Congrats on the new amp! Enjoy.

JPete

DSkip wrote: »

Awesome Jeremy! If you want another step up, you should consider the Marantz SA-8005.

Ha. Thanks for keeping my head in the game Skip.. I'm going to let the new-to-me amp play with the current setup for a while. Next big spend will probably be sending this thing to SMc for the upgrades, but I'd say that's a good way down the road.

I may be hitting you up soon for some Wireworld stuff. Need to outfit the other systems with new XLRs and RCAs.

indyhawg

Congrats on the killer new amp.

MrBuhl

Congrats on your new McCormack, something tells me that you won't be in such a hurry to "upgrade" in the food chain. You're already at great white shark.

11tsteve

Sitting and listening right now.... I hope your amp makes you as happy as mine makes me. Congrats!

sucks2beme

McCormack is a great amp. But if you want SMC to upgrade it, better
start selling some blood now! It's on my list to do, but not any time soon.
Enjoy your new amp.

halo

I'm happy to welcome you to the McCormack owner's club

That said, I'm a fairly new inductee myself and I'm still pleased with my decision to give the McCormack brand a try.

As was recommended to me, you may want to start looking for a tube pre to go with McCormack DNA 0.5. There's a nice one available in the for sale section (no affiliation): http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/172405/dared-sl-2000-tube-pre-amp-fs#latest

I will agree that the mods by SMC can be expen$ive but, if they're on your radar, start saving up to get them done when you feel the need to do so.

11tsteve

Yeah, the upgrades can stretch a budget, but every listening session since I had them installed, I have a lot of "those moments". Not even just the ones where I notice something I had never heard, but a moment in which I realize I have never heard music reproduced on this level before. The breath behind the vocal, the wood in a drumstick, the windings on a guitar string..... and at certain times the dynamics, in a quiet to loud passage, will make me physically jump in surprise.
I was nervous when I said yes, more nervous when I PayPalled the cash.... and I haven't looked back in regret since. I am enjoying the **** out of this amp.

.... now just imagine if I could upgrade the rest of my system .......

tonyb

Congrats to the OP, glad your digging it. Glad all you guys are digging yours too. Very few products I can whole heartedly recommend to anyone, these amps are one.

JPete

May have to sell more than some blood to upgrade with SMc. They're increasing price again according to one of the techs. Luckily after spending about 6 straight hours listening to this thing yesterday, I have no urge to upgrade at the moment.

I now understand what everyone means when they say "bass grip" or "better bass control".. There are some stand-up bass lines on a few John Scofield songs that used to bug the hell out of me. Just sounded sloppy and made me think I didn't reassemble my CRSs properly or that it was recorded poorly.

Yesterday, those same lines were tight and I could hear the resonance of the string clearly instead of the "sloppy" sound before. That specific reference brought a nice smile to my face, among many others. Sweet freaking amp.

jdjohn

Nice! That's quite a jump from the Adcom to the McCormack. You leap-frogged several in-betweeners, but made the right choice

dkfreebird

I'm running that Dared with the Brimar with my McCormack 0.5 deluxe and they are a great match with my 1.2tl's

11tsteve

JPete wrote: »

May have to sell more than some blood to upgrade with SMc. They're increasing price again according to one of the techs. Luckily after spending about 6 straight hours listening to this thing yesterday, I have no urge to upgrade at the moment.

I now understand what everyone means when they say "bass grip" or "better bass control".. There are some stand-up bass lines on a few John Scofield songs that used to bug the hell out of me. Just sounded sloppy and made me think I didn't reassemble my CRSs properly or that it was recorded poorly.

Yesterday, those same lines were tight and I could hear the resonance of the string clearly instead of the "sloppy" sound before. That specific reference brought a nice smile to my face, among many others. Sweet freaking amp.

Agreed. I have noticed with music from Tom Waits, to Chet Baker.... Uncle Tupelo... the bass has come back to being a listenable instrument instead of a "wash" of low tones.
Since I recapped the Lsi9 and have the McCormack, the crossover point on my sub is nearly as low as can be..... off a lot, but still, with NIN it seems kinda fun.

halo

11tsteve wrote: »

with NIN it seems kinda fun.

Trent makes music fun!

dhart86

JPete... congrats on the McCormack and welcome to the McCormack club. I love my DNA 0.5
(thanks TonyB !!!)

halo

@tonyb is an enabler!

MrBuhl

+3 on @tonyb - truer words have never been spoke... enabler, enhancer, egger!

jdjohn

halo wrote: »

@tonyb is an enabler!

+4 !!!

tonyb

Hey now...lol. I should work on commission around here.

If anything, I'm happy you guys are realizing the audio terminologies we throw around that many new to the hobby don't understand. Layers of bass notes instead of a convoluted mess down low. Listening to the clarity, absence of noise, and many other colorful adjectives we use. You hear things for yourself in the music your familiar with and can pick out sounds that you may not have noticed before. That's a plus by any measuring stick.

This will give you a good base line moving forward. You'll know what to listen for when auditioning another piece or listening to others systems. Bottom line, your musical enjoyment has improved and that puts a big grin on my face. That and naked women .

halo

Thanks for sharing the audio knowledge @tonyb