There are moments like this, where all your HiFi problems collide…
Yesterday, willing to replace the OG earpads of my Susvara by full leather version from Dekoni (I can hardly stand suede in contact with my skin), I discovered this:
Yes, the magnet grill is broken! It surely is since the beginning, but just can’t be seen when the earpads are on. Also, by luck, the broken pieces have magnetically joined on the ear side and cannot touch the membrane. So the headphone is fully functional and no distorsion can be heard.
Yet, I’m pretty uncomfortable since then and avoid to use the headset.
I contacted my HifiMan reseller and will wait for support to reach out to me (it is still under warranty).
Now this morning, after I unplugged and replugged my whole system from the power outlet (thing I’m used to do on an every or every-other-week basis), my McIntosh C2800 refused to start!
I contacted my Mc reseller, and also send an email to McIntoshLabs support, as there is nowhere to find firmwares to download on their websites.
Here also, it is still under warranty.
I’m not too worried about the preamp: others have reported the same issue with the same models C55 or C2800 (the one I have with tubes).
McIntosh just introduced a network input with possibility to control the device through an app, and also to automatically update the firmware with those two new preamp models 2y ago.
This is most probably this automatic firmware update that failed.
Sending me the firmware so that it is updated the old way through an usb device should solve the issue.
And I will disable the auto-update from now on.
I have only heard B&W a couple of times several years ago at EMI Research Labs ( as was) and at Decca Recording ( also as was) where the original 800 was in use. I recall a very nice miniature using silver coils which I think was called “Silver Bullet” . Bullet being B&W’s title for the first speakers using that shaped external tweeter.
Back to life!
Kudos to my main Hifi dealer: she managed to get the firmware from the McIntosh distributor in France and directly sent it to me (whereas I’m still waiting for an answer from McIntoshLabs - I know US were off yesterday)
After two trials of 2 different usb sticks, the second one (Sandisk) allowed the C2800 to find a firmware and to reload it in its ROM, and then it restarted as new!
For the Susvara, I also had the news that HifiMan support will take it in charge. I’ll bring it to my local HifiMan dealer tomorrow.
Finally, the full end of the story:
My HifiMan reseller received my Susvara in the middle of the week from the European support facilities. To our good surprise (to the shop and to me) the unit was purely replaced by a brand new one!
This time the magnetic grills are intact, and -after a bit of a struggle- I was able to replace the ear-pads with the leather ones from Dekoni.
The “bad news” here is that I need to pass the burn-in period again, the sound of the headphone being quite “uptight” just out-of the box…
