Mcintosh Amp

[Hobbyguy]

Well I have been looking and looking and was going to go with an inexpensive amp, but have been given the ok by my wife! I have the opportunity to purchase a new Mcintosh MA 6500 for $3400. I have aslo seen a used MC2255 for $2400 ,a MC7205 for $2250 and a MC4000M for $3500. I have not (and probably won't) be able to listen to any of these amps before purchase. Is anybody familiar with these? I have not decided between 2 ch and 5 ch although I think it would be nice to have 5ch in case I decided later to use it for HT. For now I will be using the amp to power a pair of SDA-1B and/or LSi-15? My budget is $3000-$4000. Any other amps comparable?

[reeltrouble1]

BAT, but your going to need to go used. What kind of pre are you using?

RT1

[Hobbyguy]

pretty sure the 6500 is integrated so I dont think I need a pre-amp for this one. Haven't decided for others.... BAT is pretty good?

[reeltrouble1]

ah, well in your price especially if you go used there are many possibilities to consider, some other to start with Belles, Musicial Fidelity, Manley, Conrad Johnson, VTL, Paladian, Joule, ARC, just to name a few, there are others.

Check out

www.Audiogon.com to search and get your learn on. Just make an informed decision and if you decide on the Mac well you could certainly do alot worse.

RT1

[Face]

The MA6500 is the nicest out of the bunch, but wouldn't be a wise choice if there's the possibility of a home theater in the future. http://mcc.berners.ch/integrated-amplifiers/MA6500.pdf

The 2255 is a nice amp and has a big following in the Mac crowd, but that price is way too high.

The 7205 is a multi-channel amp and the MC4000M is car audio. Here's an informative page on McIntosh products: http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/en/Frame_Compendium.htm

If you're unsure if you want to build a home theater setup, you can always pick up a two channel amp now and then a three channel or five channel amp for the center/rears in the future.

[Hobbyguy]

Wow! Thanks for the advice! I think I am going to narrow it down to MA6500 or MA6900

[NJPOLKER]

Hobbyguy
I hope you understand there is no turning back once you head down this road.
Good luck and enjoy.
Just my opinion 2 channel is the way to go!!

[Hobbyguy]

Just like Kronk's shoulder devil says...."I'm gonna take you down the path that Rocks".
Of course now I see that Face has a Mcintosh amp for sale! Too many decisions. I wonder if my yamaha receiver or older Kenwood receiver would work as a preamp until I can get a decent preamp with Faces Mc

[Face]

Wow! Thanks for the advice! I think I am going to narrow it down to MA6500 or MA6900
The 6900 is a better unit due to having autoformers, it will drive just about any speaker.
Just like Kronk's shoulder devil says...."I'm gonna take you down the path that Rocks".
Of course now I see that Face has a Mcintosh amp for sale! Too many decisions. I wonder if my yamaha receiver or older Kenwood receiver would work as a preamp until I can get a decent preamp with Faces Mc
Yes, it's still for sale. Your receiver(s) could work as a preamp if they have preamp out jacks on the rear.

Here is more info on it: http://mcc.berners.ch/power-amplifiers/MC126.pdf

[Zero]

There is no shortage of fantastic integrated amplifiers available in the $3000-4000 price range. In fact, the number of options can be downright mind boggling. However, since it seems you've narrowed down your selection to McIntosh, I'd have to say that within your price range - the MA 6900 is where its at. It's got all the bells and whistles you could want, and has the best sound quality of the prior McIntosh line. No, you won't ever get 5 channels from it, but I can all but guarantee that you'll be listening to and enjoying a lot more music.

[Hobbyguy]

Hmmm....now considering Adcom GFA-7807. Less expensive. Seems like alot of people here like Adcom.

[Hawkeye]

I'd strongly recommend you look into the McIntosh MC352 for a 2 channel amp. You can still buy them NEW in the box for your budget. There is not much out there for $3.5K that can compare to a 352.


Gordon

[leroyjr1]

Hmmm....now considering Adcom GFA-7807. Less expensive. Seems like alot of people here like Adcom.


Not the newer models. If your looking at a nice SS amp look into Rotel 1095 very nice amp and alot cheaper used than the Adcom 7807. Also the Rotel-1095 is common ground so it'll work with your SDA's

[Hobbyguy]

Anybody know where I can buy a used Mcintosh MC352 (or used MC402)

[reeltrouble1]

www.audiogon.com

good luck in your search. BAT is better than Mc. so I would research them as well unless you just got to have the Mc. You might also look at some of the Levinson, Classe, Ayre, anyway, you can find them all on the audiogon site.

RT1

[Hawkeye]

Everybody thinks their kid is the best. :D Only you can decide whether the Mac or Bat is better. Try this link for new and used Mac gear:


http://www.audioclassics.com/

Gordon

[pearsall001]

www.audiogon.com

good luck in your search. BAT is better than Mc. so I would research them as well unless you just got to have the Mc. You might also look at some of the Levinson, Classe, Ayre, anyway, you can find them all on the audiogon site.

RT1

Say what???? These comparisons are so subjective. Hopefully you make decisions on what appeals to you & not on what others say.

[ND13]

These are pretty damn good, too.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1238291549&/Musical-Fidelity-NuVista-M3

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1238054203&/BAT-VK-300x

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1237059111&/BAT-vk300x-se

[reeltrouble1]

The subjective is born from growth beyond the comparative baseline of the objective. So then any decision based upon appeal is in fact subjective to the original objective.

Too Easy. Try harder. Aim Lower.

RT1

[heiney9]

These are serious contenders as well.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1237943350&/Pass-Labs-X-250-Price-Reduced!

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1237253745&/Pass-Labs-X-5-Multi-Channel-Am

H9

[Hobbyguy]

Thanks everybody for these excellent recommendations...I am pretty sure I want to go with the McIntosh. Diff to explain but sort of a gestalt.
As far as subjective...I like to think of these opinions as sobjective (subjective and objective). Subjective cannot be measured. Pain is subjective. Objective is measurable with great reproducibility.I ask opinions here because I believe that the ear can be trained just like the eyes. People that have been around excellent sounding audio equipment probably have a better trained ear than mine and probably know what the better sounding amps/speaker combinations are available for a particular price range. I have seen alot about how the Mcintosh and polk speakers sound good together so I think this is where I am headed. I just purchased a Rotel RMB 1095 so I will be able to compare. If I can't tell the difference then it might not be that there is no difference....it might be that my ear is not trained enough. I also understand that each amp has its unique sound and some might be pleasing to some but not to others.
Here is an example of what training does....we all feel that we see well but tell me what you see in the x-ray. My 19 years of experience will glean a lot more out of it than someone with no experience.

[reeltrouble1]

if your going to put up nekid pic's please leave a little skin on the bone for us............how about some x-rays of Jessica Alba's bones.

RT1

[michaeljhsda2]

Thanks everybody for these excellent recommendations...I am pretty sure I want to go with the McIntosh. Diff to explain but sort of a gestalt.
As far as subjective...I like to think of these opinions as sobjective (subjective and objective). Subjective cannot be measured. Pain is subjective. Objective is measurable with great reproducibility.I ask opinions here because I believe that the ear can be trained just like the eyes. People that have been around excellent sounding audio equipment probably have a better trained ear than mine and probably know what the better sounding amps/speaker combinations are available for a particular price range. I have seen alot about how the Mcintosh and polk speakers sound good together so I think this is where I am headed. I just purchased a Rotel RMB 1095 so I will be able to compare. If I can't tell the difference then it might not be that there is no difference....it might be that my ear is not trained enough. I also understand that each amp has its unique sound and some might be pleasing to some but not to others.
Here is an example of what training does....we all feel that we see well but tell me what you see in the x-ray. My 19 years of experience will glean a lot more out of it than someone with no experience.

1. X-ray on the right is missing the body position marker. That's a big no-no as the tech should have used one before shooting xray.
2. You can see soft tissue on the xray on the right.
3. The xray on the left is of higher density resulting in better resolution of the carpal bones.
4. Distal radius fracture?

[Hobbyguy]

nice try michael...both views are on one cassette so body marker is correct....
now what type of distal radius fracture and which carpal bones are malaligned suggesting injury to which interosseous ligaments. Is this a CID or CIND type injury. What else can you tell me about the TFCC?

[Hawkeye]

OK, after RT1's legalese and your medicalese which both are beyond my comprehension, what, other than McIntosh are you going to get?

Gordon

[Hobbyguy]

oh right. I already purchased a Rotel RMB-1095. It should arrive next week. This and the Mcintosh mc352 are what I am going to compare. I currently have a yamaha RX-V2700 receiver that I will use as pre-amp until I get a diff preamp. I have a pair of LSI-15s, SDA-1Bs, and 10Bs that I will test with the amps.

[leroyjr1]

Do you plan on running both amps?

[michaeljhsda2]

nice try michael...both views are on one cassette so body marker is correct....
now what type of distal radius fracture and which carpal bones are malaligned suggesting injury to which interosseous ligaments. Is this a CID or CIND type injury. What else can you tell me about the TFCC?

This was an interesting fact finding mission...I hope I'm even close to being correct as I'm not a rad tech...just an RN. I work in Nuclear Medicine in the stress test lab but I'm always interested in seeking knowledge, esp. in radiology. I was going to attend Nuc Med school but the market is so flooded and the tuition at SLUH is outrageous and I'm old.... Good luck with your pursuit of an amplifier. Here are my guesses.

1. Smith fracture
2. Scaphoid and Triquetrum
3. Scapholunate and Lunotriquetral ligaments
4. Dissociative carpal instability (CID)
5. The TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) is a segment of cartilage in the wrist joint. The TFCC is considered the 'wrist meniscus,' because it functions very similar to the knee meniscus.

Mike

[ND13]

Is this an episode of "BONES"??

[michaeljhsda2]

This was an interesting fact finding mission...I hope I'm even close to being correct as I'm not a rad tech...just an RN. I work in Nuclear Medicine in the stress test lab but I'm always interested in seeking knowledge, esp. in radiology. I was going to attend Nuc Med school but the market is so flooded and the tuition at SLUH is outrageous and I'm old.... Good luck with your pursuit of an amplifier. Here are my guesses.

1. Smith fracture
2. Scaphoid and Triquetrum
3. Scapholunate and Lunotriquetral ligaments
4. Dissociative carpal instability (CID)
5. The TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) is a segment of cartilage in the wrist joint. The TFCC is considered the 'wrist meniscus,' because it functions very similar to the knee meniscus.

Mike

How did I do?

[handyman28]

MC352 or even a MC252 would be nice

[Hawkeye]

If it were my money, I'd take a new 352 over a used 252.

Gordon

[Hobbyguy]

OK have still not purchased the mcintosh. I have looked at AR and BAT but I still want the Mc.
There is a mcintosh MC7106 that I can get for half the price of a MC352.
Does anybody know if it is worth the extra money to get the 352. I plan on using the amp to drive lsi15s or sda 1b or 10Bs.

[leroyjr1]

Hobbyguy

Have you been to Flanners yet? They have a ton of McIntosh gear.

[snow]

OK have still not purchased the mcintosh. I have looked at AR and BAT but I still want the Mc.
There is a mcintosh MC7106 that I can get for half the price of a MC352.
Does anybody know if it is worth the extra money to get the 352. I plan on using the amp to drive lsi15s or sda 1b or 10Bs.I will be the first to admit that I know next to nothing about Mc gear the only amp I ever tried I was highly dissapointed in the sound quality but it was old and most likely well used, and there are lots of people who seem to feel they are very nice units so I am thinking that the one I listened to was an anamoly. You might try going here to the Mc forum on AK lots of very knowledgeable people, not that there isnt here also.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54



REGARDS SNOW