Initial impression: Adire Extremis 6.8

Oh, yeah.  I suppose if I had paid attention to those model numbers I would have realized that.  Plus it makes more sense than running a set of Sony tweeters and Kenwood mids.

How much power is that amp?  Why do you think you don't have enough power?  Is it because the mids are bottoming out early?  If that is why then I would recommend running a high pass filter on them.  That will allow you to play them at a higher volume level. 

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Personal opinion here.  Many amps will push any driver, including the extremis, to the best sound quality possible.  Look at brand typically known to be honest with their numbers and get one with a reasonable s/n ratio and thd.  Any amp of appropriate wattage for your listening habits with these three characteristics should sound excellent.  The audible differences between amplifiers that meet a minimum level of competency should approach nill.  That said, even very good amplifiers can produce slightly different sound.  However, in my brief experience with audio, these differences aren't measured in 'better' or 'worse' just subjectively different.  I feel the speakers and the application have MUCH more to do with the sound quality of your system than amplification, assuming, again, that the minimum level of competency is met. 

In sum:  I'd spend more money on speakers and their application before looking to very expensive brands like McIntosh.  Even with very expensive brands, I think the audible differences will be near nill.  Those differences that are audible are going to be very slight and very subjective. 

What basis do you have for your opinion?  I think you have none.

MANY MANY amplifiers have dead flat frequency response, higher damping levels than can have an audible effect on sound, and lower than audible s/n and thd numbers throughout the entire frequency range at full rated power. 

Take speakers, a TOTALLY different story.  Even the most expensive drivers in the world cannot begin to approach a completely flat frequency response.  They ALL have higher distortion levels than even moderately priced amplifiers.  Every slight change in listening angle, distance, alignment, and any other number of variables alter their sound quality. 

I think you're dead wrong and that you have absolutely no basis for your opinion.  Please find me some credible reference that supports your view.  You'll find there is none.

You disappoint me, I thought you'd put up a better counter than that.  :-) You want me to find a reference?  Give me 2 seconds on google and I gaurantee I can find one.  Yep, here it is.  Mr. Linkwitz, an expert in the field of audio reproduction, lists components in order of importance by the effect they have on accurate reproduction of music.  His list is:  1) Loudspeaker  2)  Listening room   3)  [Turntable]   4)  Amplifier  5)  D/A / Transport  6)  Cables, etc.   See Siegfried Linkwitz, Sound Reproduction at: http://www.linkwitzlab.com/reproduction.htm.

I don't follow the logic of your argument.  You posit that a) amplifier specs are useless but that b) all amplifiers add character or not to the sound reproduction and c) because of this unknown character X amplifiers are more important than speakers.  You make too large a jump from (b) to (c) and disregard the fact that (a) bites you in the ass.  ;-)  You're totally right, amplifier specifications _are_ largely meaningless past a certain point - you help my argument nicely.  As the specifications improve, audible differences in amplifiers decrease.  The next logical step is that as these audible differences decrease, the 'character' an amplifier adds also decreases.  i.e. as their variables approach these certain orders of magnitude that many amplifiers can obtain, and as these same variables between amplifiers also approach one another, the audible characteristic differences heard will approach 0. 

If _you_ can pick out the best amplifier in a room, much less a car (snicker), blind, among an array of competent others, then you, my friend, are the psychic.

If your argument is really just that with McIntosh you _know_ that you're getting a very high end, well built, and accurate product, then fine - I appreciate that.  However, if this is the case, I'd urge you to reconsider your opinion that loudspeakers are less important than amplification.