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High powered integrated amp recommendations


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mcintosh, once you own one, nothing else will do....that is why resell value is so high, many times costing more than original price....higher retention rate than any other amps....

 

I am cheap, but i will always have a mcintosh..

 

2nd pick would be most anything by nelson pass, and i have personally tried well over 30 different amps, but never had an accuphase, but those are much more $$.

 

Would also consider Dartzeel and Audio Research

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2 hours ago, tgb said:

hi Kimo,

like you i was fed up with multi-boxes set up.

I was looking for a high power amp too.

I got the Classé Sigma 2200i, 5kEur : a bargain !

All-in-one box. Top notch digital inputs, network, usb, hdmi, coax, toslink... A lot of features like EQ.

Of course, power is really there, no fake watts.

 

i thought i heard classe went out of business?

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  • 5 months later...
12 minutes ago, Kimo said:

I have been able to get a few auditions in, and have learned a few things.

 

I believe high current, if for only brief periods, is even more important in my case, than high power.  With that said, I have broken the list down to Coda and Krell for domestics, and the Gryphon 120 and the T + A 2500 for imports.  I am going to try to get a home audition on a couple of these, but it won't be easy.  I need to compare them back to back with my high powered tube amp.

 

Mcintosh are high powered, high current amps, that live up to their name and have the best resell value if you find yourself a minority amongst mcintosh owners.

 

If your pride won't allow you to buy a big box amp that easily surpasses others in it's price range, i would go with the pass labs as in my a/b testing of dozens of amps, came the closest to depth, separation, and sound stage that mcintosh has.

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i have never ever heard macs don't have detail, and i always here a great deal of detail...even googling "mcintosh amp detail", you will find tons more that say they have lots of detail than those that suggest otherwise.  They are known to be warm, detailed, and not harsh, but what i find makes them unique compared to other amps i have a/b'd with is the spaciousness and depth.  Pass labs came close, but none surpassed the mcintosh in that area, and what i consider the most important aspect.  the depth, soundstage, spaciousness, detail and warmth is what makes the mcintosh stand apart from all others imho in their class...although i have never compared to the more expensive 10K up amps.

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6 minutes ago, Kimo said:

I did the line up a look through.  Read up on autoformers.  Seems like every model now includes a digital section, and I am not looking for that option with integrated.  

 

Also noticed the T+A is being sold at a bit of a premium here, and that causes me to lose interest.  

 

It may come down to the Gryphon and Pass INT 250.  I told myself no more 100 lb components, but at least with the 250 I only have to deal with one vs. two with Pass monoblocks.

not the 252...besides many have digital modules that can be removed if you don't want the digital inputs, but i won't try to convince you of something you don't want (grin).

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12 hours ago, Kimo said:

I have read a few reviews of recent units, and they still discuss the component in terms of not being detailed as other options.   

 

But, it really doesn't matter with them or Levinson, at least for me.  I don't plan on paying for digital facilities that I won't be using.  Looking into an audition of the Gryphon, at this point.  I have a pretty good idea of Pass sound.  The new Krell isn't out yet.  

 

Pay special attention to depth and soundstage...that is what sold me on mcintosh....pass came close, but nothing else compared in this area imho.

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29 minutes ago, Kimo said:

Actually, the 8900 and 9000 seemed to be priced "reasonably" given everything included, and the Digital Module is removable and can be upgraded.

you won't be disappointed, and even if you are, you can probably sell it for a profit 20 years later (smile)

 

how can anyone hate any product they can buy used, use the hell out of it for 10 years and sell it at a profit, when they are ready to upgrade....it's like getting for free....

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1 hour ago, Kimo said:

I am little surprised to see McIntosh divide is so strong on both sides.  For every lover, there is a hater.

 

 

 

if that was true, they wouldn't retain their resell value more than any other amp.

 

Haters are either jealous, never owned one, or paid too much for something else that they can't sell because they will lose too much money.......hell even if you are a hater, you can sell at profit years later....

 

Most haters support boutique shops out of ignorance...believe me there are a very small % of mcintosh owners that sell (unless they are going to an upgraded mcintosh product), which is why they retain their resell value. 

Hell, you will have a hard time even finding a used 8900 or 9000 and if you do, it will be very close to new price...can you say that of any other amp that has as many sales as mcintosh for a 1.5 year old product.

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11 hours ago, Kimo said:

I feel it my be tough to find a used 9000.  I did see a couple of 8000 models on Agon though.  I do have a local dealer, so I will give whatever they have hand a listen.

 

The list keeps shrinking: Pass INT 250, new Krell K300i, McIntosh 200-300 watt model.  Maybe, a Coda.  Imports have been dismissed for all the non-audio reasons usually encountered.  

 

I just recalled another reason that i was sold on mcintosh over any other.  It stood above all others in the separation of instruments even at very low volume levels....so if you want full range at low volume, look for that in your testing too.  I like to get loud sometimes, but more often i like soft and this is another area where Mcintosh stood above.....so when doing your comparison listen at low volume levels too.....make sure you are in the sweet spot and compare for depth and soundstage, and listen for full range at low volumes, and you will buy a mcintosh.

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19 minutes ago, SJK said:

 

 

 

A lot of people will refrain from buying Chinese or other imports, I am surprised you didn't know or understand that...this is not a new concept....there was a time I wouldn't buy a toyota, but now i will, but will respect others decisions either way.  I wouldn't personally have a hard time buying from anywhere, I am more about best bang for the buck.

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  • 3 weeks later...
23 hours ago, Kimo said:

I settled upon an option.  Working on getting it to the house.  Not an integrated, per se, but a DAC/Preamp & Power Amp combo from the same maker.  150 into 8 ohms, 250 into 4 ohms, and fine with a 2 ohm load.  First 20 watts class A, with an enormous SNR.  Not a Benchmark combo.

 

Will review and update upon audition.  

update?

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