I have been auditioning the MA8900 at home for about two weeks now. I am coming from a Prima Luna DiaLogue One tube integrated, which I love. I am using both with Sonus Faber Elipsas SE’s and an Oppo 105. Cables are mostly Nordost.
The Mc is a wonderful integrated. I am selling the Prima Luna (here) but my goal is to upgrade to the Premium version of the same amp instead, because I’d love to have both SS and tubes in my system, and both amps have their strengths (a testament to the Prima Luna, which cost me $2400 back in the day, vs. the $7500 that the Mc retails at... still, for an US-made amp with all the features and quality on offer, the Mc is fairly priced, I believe). I will write in more detail later, but a few words I would use to describe the 8900 are:
- musical, warm, non-analytical. Wonderful midrange.
- In many ways, it sounds more tube-like than my tube integrated. But not as "chunky" and without some of the "glow" that I get from my EL-34’s. Still, very smooth and warm.
- non-fatiguing (you can listen to it for hours and hours, and I have been doing just that lately)
- not overly detailed (which explains the above), but not "flat" nor "lifeless", either. Just seems "right" (most of the times).
- contrary to what I thought, it sounds wonderful with jazz and classical. Strings, in particular, have a very tactile and vibrant quality. Rock and metal sound great, too, but it does not have the merciless and gut-punching "slam" that you may be expecting from a 200 watt SS amp. (at least, not in my small room and with my speakers).
- the DAC is great. I am going straight from the Oppo 105 to the Mc’s DAC via digital coax. Love the fact that I can streamline the entire signal path.
- Not a vinyl expert, but what I listened to sounded very good through the built-in MM phono stage. Much better than my $200 external Pro-Ject phono preamp, for sure.
From what a Mc tech explained to me over the phone, the MA9000 is exactly the same amp, with the same dac, same everything else, etc., but it has an extra 100 watts, more EQ bands, and the front handles. I would say if you can swing it and have a big room go for the 9000. If not, the 8900 should be more than enough in 90% of cases.
Hope that helps!
The Mc is a wonderful integrated. I am selling the Prima Luna (here) but my goal is to upgrade to the Premium version of the same amp instead, because I’d love to have both SS and tubes in my system, and both amps have their strengths (a testament to the Prima Luna, which cost me $2400 back in the day, vs. the $7500 that the Mc retails at... still, for an US-made amp with all the features and quality on offer, the Mc is fairly priced, I believe). I will write in more detail later, but a few words I would use to describe the 8900 are:
- musical, warm, non-analytical. Wonderful midrange.
- In many ways, it sounds more tube-like than my tube integrated. But not as "chunky" and without some of the "glow" that I get from my EL-34’s. Still, very smooth and warm.
- non-fatiguing (you can listen to it for hours and hours, and I have been doing just that lately)
- not overly detailed (which explains the above), but not "flat" nor "lifeless", either. Just seems "right" (most of the times).
- contrary to what I thought, it sounds wonderful with jazz and classical. Strings, in particular, have a very tactile and vibrant quality. Rock and metal sound great, too, but it does not have the merciless and gut-punching "slam" that you may be expecting from a 200 watt SS amp. (at least, not in my small room and with my speakers).
- the DAC is great. I am going straight from the Oppo 105 to the Mc’s DAC via digital coax. Love the fact that I can streamline the entire signal path.
- Not a vinyl expert, but what I listened to sounded very good through the built-in MM phono stage. Much better than my $200 external Pro-Ject phono preamp, for sure.
From what a Mc tech explained to me over the phone, the MA9000 is exactly the same amp, with the same dac, same everything else, etc., but it has an extra 100 watts, more EQ bands, and the front handles. I would say if you can swing it and have a big room go for the 9000. If not, the 8900 should be more than enough in 90% of cases.
Hope that helps!