2. amps-preamps
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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
kennyc
1,760 posts
 

Whether stereo or monoblock, it’s the best amp I could afford first, then monoblocks second.  

dman777 OP
37 posts
 

@jeffreyw I was going to ask in a private message but I don’t see a way to send a private message on this site.

Doing research on McIntosh, I came across this post by you

https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2558077

I was going to ask... it was only about 2 years ago. You mentioned that you prefer a warm sound at the cost of some detail.
1) Do you feel that your tastes have changed that much since then where now you would take the more detailed at the cost of warmth?
2) How do I know if my tastes won’t change like that later? I ask because it looks like we are on similar paths. I was trying figure out ahead of time to try and save money. But to be honest, I need to listen to a system for a few months to really get to know if I like it at my house which is not feasible in real life.
3) Do you think with the C 12000 preamp there would be enough detail where I would not wish I had a system with more detail? For instance, my current system is Yamaha AS-3200 and Luxman 595 class A that I switch between with when I get tired of the same sound. Both are used on Focal Sopra N1s.

jeffreyw's avatar
jeffreyw
298 posts
 

@dman777 

I believe my tastes have changed in regard to how music is presented. In my audiophile journey, I always preferred warmth. I loved tubes, but they have limitations. McIntosh was the closest solid state, sounding like tubes but with tremendous balls. The only other amp I have heard to provide bass similar to the MC 611s was a Gryphon Diablo 300. 

I did have a Luxman 590 AXII, which was a disaster in my system. My current McIntosh system is far superior. 

I believe the C12000 is a great preamp, and my recent audition presented as 'cleaner and more detailed than my C2700' albeit at a $16K cost. However, I did audition the Luxman M10X which sounded glorious. I believe the Luxman presents as the middle-ground between a McIntosh system and Soulution. Still, from what I recall, the Luxman did not provide the magic that the Solution did.

I would spend a lot of time auditioning different components to do it right the first time!

tomcarr
1,591 posts
 

+1 for all of the above who voted for monoblocks. I love mine.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,074 posts
 

@dman777 'Warmth' and detail do not have to be a tradeoff. 

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