Mcintosh amp suggestion


I have a fairly modest system, currently running an Onkyo Rz50 AVR into a Monolith (ATI) 5 channel amp and then into a 5 channel Klipsch heritage system (La Scsla/Heresy). 

I bought the Monolith Amp when I had the Klipsch RF-7iii which needed a good bit of power to sound their best.  Now that I've sold the Rf7 and just have the La Scala I'm wondering if the Monolith Amp is necessary. 

This systen is primarily home theater/gaming with some music listening mixed in. I have always wanted the blue power meters of the McIntosh and was wondering which amps I might consider? 

2 channel is probably fine, I can run the rest off my Avr.  Multi channel would be great as well as some type of trigger.  Something in the 2000-2500 range would be ideal.  I found the mc2505.  Anything else that might fit well in my system? 

johns21

Showing 1 response by james633

A 2 channel preamp will do a lot more for music than an amp will. Amps don’t sound that different (they do sound different) but that avr is sucking the life out of your music. You can use an integrated amp with a Home Theater pass through. The higher end macs have this function but I am not sure about the lower end models.  I use a preamp/amp combo for music and pass from a receiver for movies. 
 

I own both Klispch and Mac (among other brands). They are fine together but don’t expect anything too amazing. I have played the RP8000f (I owned it for a bit) off a $800 Marantz and a $30,000 Mac based front end (both my systems) in the same room and the difference was not near as big as the internet would tell you. But all AVRs short of very specialty items really kill the soundstage and transparency of the music. But your speaker will still sound like your speaker regardless of front end and better will just be more transparent. It just comes down to what is the biggest limiting factor. 99% it is the speakers but in the case of an AVR…. Probably the AVR.