[pianoman84d]

Good morning,

This is my first post so be kind to the newbie please 

My main stereo system is below and I'm looking for thoughts on the weakest link and what to upgrade next for maximum hifi enjoyment.

Marantz 2220 (Used only as a Tuner)
Mcintosh C34V (Preamp)
Mcintosh MC2155 (Amp)
X-SLS Classic (Palisander Rosa) upgraded to Encore w/ ninja master networks by Skiing Ninja (http://www.skiingninja.com/x-sls-Encore-Upgrades-p/xslsenm.htm)
Apple airport express fed from iMac - Apple Lossless files
Perpetual Technologies P-3a dac (with Modwright level II Mods)
Some basic acoustic panels for first order reflections

The pre/amp and dac were all purchased used, so I certainly still consider myself on a budget.  Any thoughts/suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Danny Richie]

Welcome to AC.

A good quality sub to cover that first octave might be something that you'd enjoy.

[pianoman84d]

Thanks Danny. An interesting thought and not one I'd considered for downstairs. 

[pianoman84d]

And I just realized that I have a typo in my thread title.  I'm actually running X-SLS, not X-LS

[SoCalWJS]

Did you put any absorption inside the speakers? (Polyfill or No Rez)

What kind of speaker wire and IC's you got?

Did you go with Electra Tubes on the speakers? http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=94014.0

[Danny Richie]

And I just realized that I have a typo in my thread title.  I'm actually running X-SLS, not X-LS

After you have had a few posts approved then you no longer will need approval, and I think you may see a "Modify" button in your posts that will allow you to correct typo's and stuff.

[Skiman]

I second the Electra Tube connector recommendation and adding a good sub ( or subs). Just like real estate, location is everything, i.e. experiment with placing the sub(s).

[Danny Richie]

Are the speakers lined with No Rez?

[Skiman]

For what it's worth, here is an old discussion over on A gon about the Mc2155:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1194405909&read&keyw&zzmcintosh

[persisting1]

You can always convert your X-SLS to floor standing N2Xs.

I'm sure you can find a buyer for your Ninja crossovers.

[Danny Richie]

You can always convert your X-SLS to floor standing N2Xs.

I'm sure you can find a buyer for your Ninja crossovers.

Actually the driver cut outs and driver spacing are different for those. So the boxes do not interchange.

[pianoman84d]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.  As to the MC2155, i haven't noticed it being "slow" as described in the Agon post. So far, it has been very musical and presented excellent base and dynamics. I had actually read that thread before taking the plunge on it.

To briefly respond, no added absorption, i/cs are all from Blue Jeans Cable, speaker wire is signal cable's ultra wire.

I'm thinking about the cabinet upgrade kit from skiing ninja and no rez.  Seems like a good next step? 

Also, I read about folks filling the bases of the x-sls with sand. Worth doing?  Thanks again all.

[persisting1]

Actually the driver cut outs and driver spacing are different for those. So the boxes do not interchange.

I should have mentiond that mod meant cutting a larger hole. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember someone a few years back converting their X-SLS to the N2X.

[Danny Richie]

It might be pretty tough to cut a new larger hole higher up on the cabinet for the Neo tweeter with another tweeter hole already there. MDF is not expensive. I think I'd just build another box.