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Talk me out of buying Monoblocks and into a stereo amp instead

I am planning on buying a McIntosh system. It is a system I have been wanting a very long time. No need to suggest any other brand... I am set on this one.

I am going to get the CP 12000 preamp for sure. However, I can’t decide between a pair of MC611’s monoblocks or the MC-462 stereo amp. It seems like for $6k, the mono blocks are not much more in price and I get a lot more audio for the extra $6k.

Talk me out of buying the monoblocks! Tell me your experience if you had both? Do you like stereo amps better after owning monoblocks? Tell me why.

dman777

Showing 3 responses by immatthewj

immatthewj
2,663 posts
 

I kind of wish I hadn't sold my mono blocks.  

immatthewj
2,663 posts
 

Mono blocks are for very demanding speakers in very large rooms.  You are talking about a practical way to deliver massive quantity, not necessarily quality.  

Not necessarily.  I know that there are, and have been, some way low powered SET monoblocks designed to drive extremely efficient speakers.  As for myself, the monoblocks that I owned were ARC VTM 120s that were only rated at 100 wpc but they sounded great, and I sometimes think that they sounded better than the comparably powered stereo amp I replaced them with.  As a matter of fact, I'd still own those ARCs if they were not so unreliable and when I flipped the switches I never knew whether I would be listening to music or soldering in new grid resistors.  

immatthewj
2,663 posts
 

Again, some context here.  

If you have 90db sensitivity speakers in a medium sized room, a robust 200 WPC stereo amp is more than enough.  

If you have 84db 2 ohm min load large tower speakers in an extra large room, mono blocks are a practical way to get more power.  

I am pretty sure that there are high powered stereo amps out there, as well as low powered monoblocks.  

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