McIntosh XLS340 Loudspeakers Review

[Audioholics]

<P><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/McIntosh-XLS340.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 70px" alt=[mcintoshXLS340] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/mcintoshXLS340_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The McIntosh XLS340 loudspeaker system have much to recommend, but not without some caveats.&nbsp; In the upper midrange and treble, the speakers have many of the fine sonic qualities that one would expect from speakers in this class.&nbsp; But whether by design or otherwise, these speakers will require a good subwoofer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Without it, they have anemic bass response and take on a chesty feel in the upper midrange.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Overall it is a nicely crafted loudspeaker system that handsomely serves the dual purpose of floorstanding or wall mountable to accommodate a wide variety of installation options.</SPAN></P>
<P>[Read the Review]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>[Measurements &amp; Analysis]</FONT></P>

 

[jcPanny]

HTML Issue

Clint,
At the beginning of the review below the Pros and Cons it says the following:
"Mirage Omnisat v2 FS - MSRP: $1000 US/ pair"

 

[gene]

THX we fixed it.

 

[Sheep]

Hm, I expected the value rating to be much lower considering its performance.

SheepStar

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

David,

Nice review. You've got a knack for this. Hopefully we'll see more higher end speakers reviewed in the future. Great choice of music BTW.

It's hard to believe a $7000 pair of towers that feature dual 8" woofers and a 6.5" midrange cannot excel without a subwoofer for two channel listening.

I've heard these towers, along with a few lines above them. All of them were powered by their own McIntosh MC1201 monoblocs. What was amazing was the wattage the VU meter was hitting at normal listening levels. These VU meters go from 120 watts to 1200 watts. The meter does not move at lightening speed (it's easily read). The meter was at minimum halfway between 120 and 1200 watts when pushing the 340's.

McIntosh keeps referring to making sure their towers can handle power. If one has to purchase a pair of 1200 watt monoblocs to drive these towers, I think many will be taking their hard earned money elsewhere.

Not that a 128 watt dual/mono amp couldn't drive a pair of 340's, but that type of amp wouldn't do justice to speakers that I've seen require a pair of MC1201 pushing them to a half kilowatt output.

 

[badabing]

I think you should do a review on some Roger Russel designed speakers. I personally would take a pair of ML-1C's over anything made today. I think there was a bias in the review from the beginning. You used sub par equipment. Rotel always has been known as junk, and PS audio is a new bee in the audio world. Look at those amps, they should be in the trunk of a Celica! Ever think that the Mc speakers are designed to work with equipment consummate of its heritage? I'd guess not. You guys seem to think that all amps are created equal, as long as they aren't overdriven.

 

[ricocetj]

Rotel always has been known as junk

Yeah!

wait...

What?

I hope we are not trolling down the river here...

If anything, I enjoy this site for its very fair and objective reviews. It is not too common that you see anything negative said in a review, instead reviewers tend to come up with creative, non-negative phrases to describe weaknnesses in audio products (IMO). I say, keep up the good work AH!

 

[Sheep]

I think you should do a review on some Roger Russel designed speakers. I personally would take a pair of ML-1C's over anything made today. I think there was a bias in the review from the beginning. You used sub par equipment. Rotel always has been known as junk, and PS audio is a new bee in the audio world. Look at those amps, they should be in the trunk of a Celica! Ever think that the Mc speakers are designed to work with equipment consummate of its heritage? I'd guess not. You guys seem to think that all amps are created equal, as long as they aren't overdriven.

Well, been good knowin' ya.

SheepStar

 

[badabing]

Yeah!

wait...

What?

I hope we are not trolling down the river here...

If anything, I enjoy this site for its very fair and objective reviews. It is not too common that you see anything negative said in a review, instead reviewers tend to come up with creative, non-negative phrases to describe weaknnesses in audio products (IMO). I say, keep up the good work AH!

Rotel has always been at the bottom of the Hi-Fi food chain. I guess you don't remember the 70's.

 

[badabing]

Well, been good knowin' ya.

SheepStar

Not so kiddo.

[Edit: Stop coming back here under new user names. You have been banned 3 times for attacking/accusing the admins and you are not wanted here. Get a clue. - Admin]

 

[Sheep]

Not so kiddo.

I see an edit, some funny business going on?

SheepStar

 

[gene]

You used sub par equipment. Rotel always has been known as junk, and PS audio is a new bee in the audio world. Look at those amps, they should be in the trunk of a Celica!

What a load of crap and typical attitude of an audio elitist who thinks you require exotic equipment to drive a pair of speakers. If that was the case. then its more an issue with poor speaker design, NOT poor electronics.

Rotel makes good amplifiers, certainly good enough to drive a wide gamut of well designed modern speakers today.

There are some design attributes to this speaker that IMO are responsible for the sonic signature David experienced such as the horizontally mounted tweeter away. This is a challenging design to get to sound right, especially when placed near a wall which is an application these speakers are supposed to be used for.

You guys seem to think that all amps are created equal, as long as they aren't overdriven.

Not sure whose behalf you are speaking on, but this is NOT an opinion shared by anyone on our staff.

 

[Johnd]

Rotel has always been at the bottom of the Hi-Fi food chain. I guess you don't remember the 70's.

You get him Gene!

What an antiquated, simple ideology. It's really irrelevant what a particular manufacturer did (or did'nt do) 35 years ago. The only people that don't realize the quantum technological leaps made in electronics in the past 35 years (let alone the past ten) have been living in caves!

 

[badabing]

What a load of crap and typical attitude of an audio elitist who thinks you require exotic equipment to drive a pair of speakers. If that was the case. then its more an issue with poor speaker design, NOT poor electronics.

Rotel makes good amplifiers, certainly good enough to drive a wide gamut of well designed modern speakers today.

There are some design attributes to this speaker that IMO are responsible for the sonic signature David experienced such as the horizontally mounted tweeter away. This is a challenging design to get to sound right, especially when placed near a wall which is an application these speakers are supposed to be used for.



Not sure whose behalf you are speaking on, but this is NOT an opinion shared by anyone on our staff.

You guy's used a 128w unit for speakers designed for much larger amps, and you wonder why the bass is lacking? Take an old MC300 and drive those speakers, they will come to life. Rotel does not make good amplifiers,they never have, never will. Take a look on e-bay, see how well they hold their value.

 

[badabing]

You get him Gene!

What an antiquated, simple ideology. It's really irrelevant what a particular manufacturer did (or did'nt do) 35 years ago. The only people that don't realize the quantum technological leaps made in electronics in the past 35 years (let alone the past ten) have been living in caves!

Quantum leaps in audio? Please. For $40 in thfift store equipment I can put together a 2 ch system that will sound better than any $1000 system you can build out of today's High tech equipment. This is not a subjective claim. I'd be willing to make full system measurements.

[ADMIN] despite my warning to you, you continue bashing a manufacturer and being a troll. We will see you in 2 weeks. Enjoy your sabbatical from the Audioholics forum.

Update: It turns out Badabing is our pal MacManNM and he even registered as MacManNM2. Looks like its a permanent sabbatical after all.

 

[Geno]

Quantum leaps in audio? Please. For $40 in thfift store equipment I can put together a 2 ch system that will sound better than any $1000 system you can build out of today's High tech equipment. This is not a subjective claim. I'd be willing to make full system measurements.

Gee, this is going to be a fun thread!

 

[Johnd]

Yeah, Geno, I'm with you one that one. I have more meaningful things to do today...I'm done...I'm toast...at least as far as this thread goes. Cheers.

 

[Sheep]

ROFL. I had a feeling its Mac, considering I know his opinion about old school speakers.

SheepStar

 

[Johnd]

I'm still trying to figure out what a "thfift store" is!

 

[Sheep]

I'm still trying to figure out what a "thfift store" is!

I thought you were toast?

SheepStar