McIntosh & Klipsck RF-7's


Hi.....

I've been longing for a McIntosh/Klipsch system for years but my only exposure to this combination was over 20 years ago when my brother had some Klipschorns and a Mac tube amp as as I remember the sound was incredible.

I've just bought the first piece of the new system....a pair of Klipsch RF-7's and now I'm on the hunt for a good suitable amp. I originally thought of a McIntosh MA2275 tube integrated amp but have been told that it doesn't have enough power for these speakers and that I need at least 200 watts per channel.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this or have experience with the McIntosh/RF-7 combination?

Thanks for your comments.

Regards,

Jack
jackstakes
I'm running Rotel RB-1090 amp and Rotel RC-1090 pre with the Klipsch RF-7 and I am very pleased with the excellent sound this gives. It has taken the RF-7's to a stunning level of nirvana sound I've been searching for many years and finally found. I'm no longer complelled to look for nirvana by changing gear or speakers anymore, this is it for me! Doesn't get any better than this!!
ive ran klipsch/mcintosh rigs with both tube & solid state mac amps,what matrix is telling you i also believe to be true.

sensitivity of klipsch speakers is in my experience to be a false pointer leading people down all the wrong roads,i own heresy's & have owned khorns & cornwalls & all of the models sounded their best when running higher power high current solid state mac amps.

i tried amps from krell,rotel,adcom,carver,golden tube,dynaco & im sure a few others i cant think of right now but mcintosh solid state amps were always the best,i personally think that the non autoformer mac amps sound best with klipsch gear.

mc 122

mc 7100

mc 7200

mc 7104

mc 7106
McIntosh and Klipsch is the way to go. Any McIntosh amp or integrated will work well. At 102db sensitivity the 75 watts of the MA2275 will be plenty. I'm using a MC352 with Khorns and my meters barely move.
RF-7
Specifications
FREQUENCY RESPONSE:
32Hz-20kHz ±3dB
POWER HANDLING:
250 w max continuous (1000 w peak)
SENSITIVITY:
102dB @ 2.83 volts/1 meter
They are 99 db or 100 db I believe, and Mac is the best for any Klipsch speaker, I have first hand on this, Also owned RF7's and were very difficult to get balanced sound, the horns always took over the low frequency.. but anyway this will be fairly liquid with any mcintosh, but yes what you think is power requirment is not, its CURRENT delivery, the Higher the Current amp you can use the better even if its 50 watts with 100 amps of current this is far better than the Suggested 200 watt amp with 15 amps of current, it is all about controlling the Woofers, and Higher current will keep them in place or they will be jumping out of the cabinet on the RF7's and not producing the best bass. I have put several extensive cost amps on the 7's and they are tuff to get right without tubes or Mcintosh solid state, everything is far to anylitical sounding, Forget Rotel, Denon and all this stuff that many think can work, because the only way 7's sound right in general is with the Surround sound system and Subwoofer they were developed with and thats the the truth. I do not consider them an excellent 2 channel speaker, Klipsch heritage are far better for that. go safe stay mcintosh, ANy model with decent power and current will work well, Or the best solution is a Mcintosh Preamp with 5 band EQ built in, that will fix all the problems. Which is what I did.
Don't those speakers have 96 or 98 dB sensitivity? If so, you definately don't need 200W - even with a 4 ohm impedance. I think the 2275 would be just fine.