Comparing MA-6900 to the DK Design VS-1 MkII. . .

Mike:

I think you're confusing "Build Quality" with longevity. The McIntosh is superbly built gear, and probably one of the best in the business on build quality. I HAVE heard the DK, and I have popped the top. I can tell you that the build quality on the DK is equal to the best I have seen. It's not as chunky as a McIntosh in terms of 3/4 faceplate and all, but it's built as good as anything coming out of Levinson's doors.

As far as longevity though, no one really knows, and probably no one will ever be able to take that from McIntosh.

Even though this thread has gone "cold," let me say that I had a DK VS-1 Mk II in house for about 3 weeks and then a Mac 6900 for about 5 days but not at the same time.

Based on sound alone, I was way more interested in the Mac than the DK...and by a wide margin. My DK sample could have been sub-standard with possibly something wrong with it, but I was completely disappointed in its performance. The Mac has some redeeming qualities in its sound and basically got most things right but still did not have enough going for it for me to give up my separates.

Kalan, when you say that your sample could have been sub-standard or that something may have been wrong with it, what do you mean by that?

Kalan, thats interesting. I did exactly the same comparison in my system and my impression was quite the opposite. The Mac sounded like hifi, the DK sounded like music.

Audioaril, I mentioned that something could have been wrong with my sample because my experience with the DK amp was so contrary to the positive reviews and with Larry Staples' and Daniel K's take on the amp that both Daniel and Larry concluded that something must have been wrong with my sample DK amp. That could very well have been the case.

Since I did not have access to another DK amp to try out, I was willing to give DK and LSA the benefit of the doubt enough to mention that my impression of the DK amp could have been formed by a non-representative sample of the product. That is all I meant by my earlier comment.

Along those lines, another A-goN'er, who actually was asked (by DK) to write a review for posting on AudiogoN, also did not really care for the amp. Daniel K claimed that his sample must have also been defective. So...I am not sure what to make of all of this. I am willing to go along with the possibility that both our samples were, in fact, not up to normal operating condition...up to a point.

On first impression, it is almost as if you have to like the amp or the amp is considered a bad sample. I am willing to go along with that, to some extent, if I could actually get a good sample DK amp to listen to and fully give it its due. But after my first experience AND the hassles I experienced in returning it (as I was promised I could do), I am reluctant to try any more DK products.

I hear that LSA is changing both the quality control issues and the customer service issues. Fantastic, good moves in the right direction.