I’m late to the party here, but wanted to add my observations about the MA8900. I bought one a year or so ago based upon reviews and frankly for the appearance. I was so excited to bring it home and enjoy it. I pulled out my existing Hegel h360 and turned it on. To my disappointment, It sounded really dull and lifeless and I attributed that to a need to break in. So I left it on playing in the background for a couple of days. After waiting, it still sounded flat and lifeless to me. It was a very noticeable difference. Long story short, I never took to the sound and returned it. When I put the Hegel back in, the music returned. To MY EARS, the Hegel sounds much more refined and natural. It really broke my heart because the Mac looks fantastic and I believe it’s a well-made product, but I just didn’t care for the sound. I’ve since upgraded to the h390, and it’s just fantastic and a significant upgrade to the h360. But we all listen with our eyes as well as our ears, and I understand that all of that plays into our enjoyment of our systems. The Hegel certainly doesn’t look as nice as a Mac and I doubt it will last as long or retain its value as well.
Like everything else, it’s all a matter of personal preference. My suggestion is to disregard professional reviews or the opinions you read on forums like this (including mine). Listen for yourself.
Like everything else, it’s all a matter of personal preference. My suggestion is to disregard professional reviews or the opinions you read on forums like this (including mine). Listen for yourself.