McIntosh MA 7900 impressions/experience?

The 7900 is virtually identical to my MAC 6700 (which is itself a minor
evolution from the MA 6600) with the 7900 giving up the built in tuner in
exchange for the 5 band eq. Typically excellent McIntosh build quality, the
built in dac is actually quite nice, same for the dual phono stage (mm and
mc). Power is abundant. Not hyper detailed which I consider a positive. I'm a
tube guy and this is the first SS integrated I have been able to drop in to one
of my systems that I have found enjoyable over a period of time. The user
interface is logical and full featured. Some owners of the 6600 seem to mourn
the loss of some knobs since the new integrated lineup consolidates some of
those functions but everything is accessed from the remote. While not
inexpensive, the pricing is reasonable compared to alot of offerings.

Is it the best integrated Ive ever heard? Probably not but I like it VERY
MUCH....I had a Nagra 300b integrated that was pretty special but its power
limitations predicated speaker selection to a point I was unwilling to accept.
Every integrated in this price range has some redeeming qualities and a set of
compromises. I like that it has the built in features that most desire, its easy to
live with on so many fronts and will drive just about any speaker made. I
wanted the tuner and was ambivalent about the eq which is why the MAC
6700 made more sense for me. Speakers are Wilson Benesch ACT and I also
have a McIntosh MEN 220 Room Correction System. One feature you will enjoy
is that the tone controls can be accessed from the remote, are specific to the
input (meaning you can have different trim levels on cd versus your turntable)
and probably most important for your application, the preamp outputs can be
switched on or off from the remote which will enable you to defeat your
subwoofer from the listening position. My wife will actually use it, which
reaffirms it is easy to live with and the learning curve reasonable. Good luck
and go demo for yourself.

I got one and have only done some cursory listening so far. Seems much clearer in the mid range, better defined bass, and all around more refined.

I actually did not want to like it, but the difference was readily evident with just a short listening A/B session at the dealer on my speakers, and at home.

Other owners out there? I am excited to see how it develops via break-in.

I'm new to McIntosh and have been looking at the MA7900 & MA6600. I'm curious about dealer costing. For example, the list price on the MA7900 is $7K, one of the dealers in NYC has a 1 year old demo unit that looks new and includes the full warranty, he wants $5600 (20% off list).

What do you guys think? I was leaning towards the MA6600 as I don't need the EQ but if this is a good deal I'm willing to go for it.

Any guidance you can provide is appreciated.

I would grab it. The Mac dealers I have worked with don't discount off new.

I would ask the New York dealer that has the 1 year old MA7900 demo amp how many times the unit has gone out for demo. How many times has it traveled in the trunk of someones car. Or, has the MA 7900 just stayed in the store for the one year.

I suggest you ask about the history of the unit before you buy it. If you buy it, please review the full warranty to ensure everything is covered. How long is the warranty period? I would ask the dealer to certify in writing the unit is 100% to ensure everything is working before you take it home.

Most likely, I would accept the 20% discount assuming the dealer certifies the amplifier's operation in writing. It sounds like a great opportunity to own a McIntosh.

I recently purchased the MA8900 which is essentially the MA7900 with an upgradable DAC.  In short, I'm disappointed.  I had a Hegel H360 before this, and to me the Hegel is head and shoulders the better sounding amp.  To my ears, the Mac sounds lifeless.  A lot of the detail, three-dimensionality, and "air" that the Hegel brought out with ease is lost with the Mac.  Some people might call this effect "warmth", but to me it just strips the music of life.  I've lost the ability to get lost in the music, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a good stereo in the first place.  Just my $.02.