2. amps-preamps
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Mcintosh with Ayre pre-amp

I have always wanted a Mcintosh power amp and love the way they sound, but I don't know if it would pair well with my Ayre K-5xe preamp. I haven't been able to find anyone with this combination. Maybe this is an indicator that mixing Ayre with Mcintosh is a bad idea? Before I drop a few G's on a Mac amp, what would you guys advise? Thanks.
cfaille
cfaille OP
23 posts
 
I meant 200wpc, not 250.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
Why don't you get an Ayre amp??
cfaille OP
23 posts
 
I would settle with an Ayre V-5xe if I could find a black one for the right price (my preamp is black). However, I think I would rather go with a Mcintosh amp. I've been around Mcintosh equipment pretty much my whole life and love the way their amps sound which is why I'm toying with the idea of buying a Mcintosh amp to go with my Ayre pre.
miner42
709 posts
 
You may be able to get a used MC352 for $2200. I have been told the matching has to be a 1:10 ratio pre output impedance to amp input impedance

When matching preamps to power amps, a general rule of thumb is for the load (amp) input impedance to be at least 10 times higher than the source (preamp) output impedance to provide a suitably flat frequency response. Many prefer using a minimum ratio closer to 20 to 1, or having an amp with input impedance 20 times or more greater than the preamp output impedance. YMMV.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
If the impedance issues are within reason then I would guess it will sound good. Mac amps and Klipsch speakers have a certain synergy that is well known. I own some older Mac and Klipsch gear and can attest to the combination. Ayre sounds pretty clean and nuetral to my ears so I can't see why it would be a problem.
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