Which integrated amp for rock/metal (and why McIntosh?)

From 25 years of experience with no. 333 driving AudioStatic ES300R and DCM-5. Mark Levinson still “Balls to the Wall”.  It’ll put musicians from Accept to Vivaldi live in your living room. TBH, Krell FPB 600/700, Boulder 2060 and Audio Research Classic 150 mono’s would as well.

I got here to late to give you my recommendation so I’ll say congrats on a very nice Integrated and a very nice system as a whole! That’s a system to be proud of for sure. I haven’t listened to these components but if they sound anywhere near as good as they look I’m sure you are a happy guy!
If you were wondering what I was going to recommend it was going to be the McIntosh MA352. A very powerful integrated at a price where even after shipping would be much less than the MA9000. Yes it doesn’t have all the built in bells and whistles but it is what I think of as a true “Rock & Roll” amp! Huge power (265 watts into 8 and 530 watts into 4 ohms), just a straight forward old school amp that gives beautiful mids and highs and big time slam!

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/integrated-amplifiers/MA352

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/-/media/Files/mcintoshlabs/ReviewAwardDocuments/MA352-Hi-Fi-World-Febru...

You're welcome @waltersalas 
I had the REL before the Fyne's. I doubt I would buy the REL if I had the Fyne's first. They manage really well, it's surprising but as you now, they have a 360° / downfiring approach; Works well.
No weakness experienced, looks good and sounds even better.
I can record a song on iPhone for you, but it won't be the same as the real stuff.

@koenvingerhoets   ---   Thanks for your detailed response to my question and congrats on a very nice, well thought out system. I think the T + A is a great choice.

I believe your T + A integrated is up there on a tier with the Boulder 866, Gryphon Diablo 300, and a few other "holy grail" integrateds that would cost a fortune to beat. I have a good friend who has one and absolutely loves it. For what it's worth, I was a separates guy for years and years, but since I bought the Boulder 866 last summer, I haven't given separates another thought. Now I am curious just how great it might sound driving the Fyne F703 or F704. Do you really need a sub with those massive F704s? I'm guessing your bass must be bone-shaking.

Do you find any weaknesses at all with your new speakers? What has been your experience with breaking them in?

Thanks for your patience in answering these questions. As you can tell, I'm very curious about these speakers. :)

UnderwoodHiFi has a few Wyred4Sound integrates that should be great for you
https://www.underwoodhifi.com/specials

These are nice amps @mofojo ! And slightly more portable than the 40kg of the PA 3100 HV. Looks nice indeed. I admit I love the sober bulkiness of the T+A. Nothing fancy - just music. 

I thought about separated amps @arcticdeth.  I even considered monoblocks. But in the end, the T+A factory is 2 hours drive away. Stepping up to spending big money (speakers, MP and amp are each more expensive than my wife's car), I really wanted to pay attention to guarantee and repairs. REL sub is new, T+A covers guarantee for 3 years after repairs, etc. 
Honestly, to christen the speakers I was looking for music that would be subtle, vocal, and heavy as well. I eventually settled for Light Field Reverie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J72wtM8d1DM Give it a shot - amazing to feel how the music builds up tension and how accurate the speakers throw it in my living room.

Not too many integrated will give you the power you need into 8 ohm. 

Thought bout a separate amp?
***YES, go to a nice A/AB amp. ***


Cool speakers!

McIntosh would be great!
Sunfire is an amazing powerhouse.

Make sure to christen the new speakers with Darkness descends, pleasure to kill, or consuming impulse. ,,/

Those are pretty efficient. One of the Lyngdorf integrated amps would be amazing. You could sell you dac as well if you have one. Really tights up fast metal like you wouldn’t believe with the best in class room correction.

Hi @waltersalas ,
Reading the feedback about McIntosh, I started digging deeper on shipping requirements and after care. The unsettling higher cost finally tipped me over to look further, for a more local brand.
Eventually, I went for a German brand: T+A. Their PA 3100 HV (A+B integrated amp) has excellent reviews and I could buy one for a fair price. As the enclosure was damaged way beyond the dealer’s promises, he had it completely replaced at T+A. They showed an amazing customer service - excellent open and transparant contact.
While I started on a BlueSound node, I meanwhile bought a brand new T+A MP 3100 HV as well. Very multifunctional and highly integrated with the PA.
The speakers work awesome now. They have not blinked an eye, the looks are truly gorgeous and stunning. I replaced the spikes with GAIA I feet and put them on a 30 kg marble slab (my wooden floor is not that even). My dad brought Pink Floyd with him last week, to test the Mediaplayer with the Amp. The depth of the sound is amazing, you can point where the instruments are played. I used to listen to music, now I really take an entire evening to listen to this setup. Fyne did a great job with these massive speakers.

My complete setup
- T+A PA 3100 HV & T+A MP 3100 HV (both on an oak slab, supported by Herbie’s Big Fat Dots to avoid damaging the closet on which they stand).
- T+A Quad XLR interconnects, standard powercables but I plan to move to T+A Carbon. WireWorld UTP cable.
- Fyne Audio F704, on Gaia I feet.
- Pure silver bare bi-wire cables from Tempo Electric (USA)
- REL Carbon Special, on Herbie’s gliders, connected with the REL AirShip.
- iFi Audio PowerStation to clean the electricity

(If my wife reads the above, you're all invited to my funeral)

Any further thoughts on your speakers after living with them a few months? What amp did you settle on?
The Fynes are interesting speakers, but since they are fairly new, there isn't much user feedback yet in the forums I've read. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Thank you for your reaction @chayro . I'm alas from Europe. Which also means the price of a McIntosh is 150% of the USA. (MA9000 = 11.000 USD => more or less 9.500 EUR ; retain price here is 14.200 EUR = more or less 16.500 USD). I bet it's the same the other way around, for EU audio brands.
I'm looking at second hand, it's the part of my system I didn't settle yet :s

I think the MAC might be a good choice for you, assuming you live in the US, where they can be serviced forever, but more because they have tone controls that can be very important in tuning the sound to your taste for individual recordings. Heavy rock and metal are often mixed with different priorities than acoustic music, so it’s really nice to be able to get the sound where you want it. It’s not so much of what is a "better" amplifier. Think more in terms of what suits your listening tastes. It would also be a good idea to arrange a home audition, which any decent Mac dealer should do for you.  Same with any of the high-dollar amps you are looking at.  Service is included in the dealer's margin and the customers of high-ticket items have every right to avail themselves of what they are paying for.  

Thanks @stereo5 and @archguy for your concern. I can pick it up in the original box - so all ok on that side.

After reading reviews and comparing technical sheets for hours, I'm focusing on
- Hegel H590 (has all the connectivity I need)
- Gryphon Diablo 300 (as the amount of positive reviews are just massive)
- McIntosh MA9000 (as it started my hunt for the next amp)

I guess I'll contact Fyne Audio too. After all, their speaker are fairly new in the market, not much "mix & match" to be found yet.

If you buy a used McIntosh amp, make sure it has the original box and packing.  If not, run away from it as no amount of packing and bubble wrap will allow the glass front to arrive in one piece.

All of those are top-notch, and very powerful amplifiers. I think you’ll be happy with any of them.

When it comes to shipping glass-front McIntosh amps, specific requirements apply and they are ably described in the following PDF guide:
http://0343d7e.netsolhost.com/AAK/How%20to%20ship%20a%20McIntosh.pdf  
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I’m also available at any time for free consultations on this matter! Best Regards

Thank you for your feedback already. While I set out to see if the MA9000 would be a good match, the last 6 hours I got very interested in the Hegel H590 (power & connectivity), the Gryphon Diablo 300 (mentioned as the best amplifier ever).
Thank you for the feedback @jjss49 and @verdantaudio for the references, thx @kenrus and @g_nakamoto for vouching for the MA9000.

naim
hegel
parasound
devialet

new nad m33 well regarded too

no affiliation

I also have McIntosh receiver. At 200 watts it is plenty to play rock music very well. 
And, I, too, got it down to Krell or McIntosh. To me, the McIntosh sounded more natural with a fuller sound. The Krell was a little too thin and analytical. 

i have a mcintosh amp in my 2 chanell setup. what i like about mcintosh is it's power guard! i like my rock music loud and i don't have to worry about distorsion!!

From what I hear (I have not heard them yet myself) the Fyne speakers are more forward and can benefit from warmer, smoother amplification.  

That being said, those speakers are efficient with a 96dB sensitivity.  You should not need a lot of power to drive them.  I wonder if they have some wonkiness with the impedance curve that is making them difficult to drive.  Realistically 20w of power should be able to make them unpleasantly loud, 180w should deliver 115dB in volume.  

This may be an amp matching issue and you might need to look for a warmer, richer sounding amp.  

I would look at 3 solid state brands.  Naim, Pass and AVM for solid state.  They are lovely, warm, rich sounding amps and ought to work well with the Fyne speakers.  I would also consider looking at tube amplification.  It can add more richness and dimensionality to the sound.