Power supply differences of MOHR and Max?

[dparrish]

I just got my Maxed Out Home Reference with stepped attenuators today!

Based on feedback I got from both Tyll at the Dallas show and Todd over the phone at HeadRoom, I ordered this amp with the recommendation that it was VERY close in sound to the Max with stepped attenuators, the primary difference being the different power supplies.

I know many have asked about differences between the Max and Maxed Out Home, but I haven't seen any discussions related to the Maxed Out Home Premium with stepped attenuators (i.e., fully tricked out) versus the Max with stepped attenuators.

The Dallas show didn't have a Maxed Out Home in this configuration for comparison to the Max.

Have any of you out there made this comparison? If so, is there a difference in sound between these two?

I made my choice primarily based on cost---I am a school music teacher and don't make big megabucks. On the other hand, I like to do things right the first time, if possible. Should I have gotten the plain Max instead and waited until I could afford the stepped attenuators as a later upgrade? What do you think?

 

[AndreYew]

dparrish,

I believe the only difference between the two are the power supply transformers. The MOHR uses Talema xformers, while the Max uses Avel-Lindberg xformers. I don't know how much of a difference that would make, but it is probably very subtle.

--Andre

 

[dparrish]

Thanks, Andre.

Gotten any new Mahler recordings recently? I'm enjoying the San Francisco/Thomas 6th Symphony.

Anybody else out there actually heard a Maxed Out Home Reference and a Max and was able to tell the difference?

 

[AndreYew]

dparrish,

No new Mahler recordings, but I've been revisiting some older ones, and some other composers. I can't listen to Mahler 6 too often or I get into a really rotten mood, but I'm glad to hear you like the MTT recording. Recordings I've been listening to include the Korngold Symphony (Previn on DGG), Korngold piano concerto (Shelley on Hyperion), Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, and Hilary Hahn's Bach album. Three weeks ago, I got to hear the Los Angeles Philharmonic perform the Mahler 1 under Esa-Pekka Salonen, along with Hahn playing the Brahms violin concerto, and both have always been a treat for me. I brought my SACD copy of Hilary's Brahms and Stravinsky concerti for her to sign, and she'd never seen or heard of the SACD release before! Last week I heard the LAPO do Salonen's new piece, Foreign Bodies, Prokoviev's 2nd piano concerto (Yefim Bronfman pianist), and the Tchaikovsky 4th symphony. So lots of live music, and not too much time spent in front of the stereo

.

Next year, the LAPO is doing Mahler 3, and I'm very excited about that! Have you heard Salonen's recording of it on Sony? It's very good.

--Andre