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Has any heard the new McIntosh MA8900 integrated?

Hi everyone.  I wondering if anyone has heard one of these and compared it to the MA7900.  Seems like the same amp with the exception of minor cosmetic changes and the upgradable DAC.  The 7900 is much cheaper, so I'm hoping there's not much difference.  Would appreciate any observations out there.

Thanks!

Jeff


jeffp13
jeffp13 OP
6 posts
 
I'm using an Aurender server and plugging it straight into the Mac USB port.  Speakers are Harbeth Monitor 30.1s.  Speaker cables are probably 10 feet each.  I don't think it's an issue with cables because the same cables were used with both amplifiers and the sound is dramatically different. 

To me (and I emphasize that this is MY opinion, and I'm not trying to stir up a well-worn debate or hurt anyone's feelings), the Mac sounds unnaturally warm and flat.  I notice a real loss of subtle detail and "air" to use an overused and silly audiophile term.  I find myself turning up the volume thinking that the missing details are there, just at a lower level.  But they are not.  It's as if the information is somehow glossed over, perhaps by the autoformer output stage.  In short, the musical excitement is not the same for me.

But to be fair, a lot of people prefer the warm, smooth sound that Macs are known to deliver and that's 100% okay.  I suppose it's akin to a romantic tube amp.  I'm just finding that it doesn't suit my listening preferences.  The Mac sounds obviously colored to me, and I don't get the same emotional involvement with my music that I had with the Hegel.  But thanks to all on this forum for your suggestions!


emerald's avatar
emerald
26 posts
 
Forget the hegel and go for Accuphase E600. 
steve59's avatar
steve59
1,669 posts
 
BUMP, I just bought the h360 and after mentioning it to a fellow music lover he asked me if I had listened to MAC gear to which I replied "I can't find a dealer that will let me take a mac home", and sometimes you just know when it's as good as it gets. Hegel just came out with a h190 that sounded even better than the h360 in my system (more immediate) but my speakers need more than 150 wpc so if you're going back to hegel listen to the h190.
mtrot
804 posts
 
@jeffp13

What did you end up doing?  I heard the 8900 at a dealer in October and started a thread here asking for opinions.  It was paired with Wilson speakers and Nordost cables.  You can read my impressions here:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-mcintosh-ma-8900-integrated-amp

In short, I thought the 8900 had all kinds of power, but was just missing the "musicality" factor.  Not sure why.  I love the functionality of the 8900, but that has to be secondary to audio quality.
balcuthra
1 posts
 

I have heard with my ears, the same shortcomings of the MA6900, which prompted me to buy the Yamaha AS2100 and matching CDS2100. I guess you have to spend much more to have sound that betters the Hi End Yamaha integrated amps when buying Mcintosh. I think 6K for the amp and 6K for the pre amp.

Mcintosh is making a lot of low end gear that cost a lot for the money but is within reach of the more affluent middle class. So you either have to save more money to buy the good stuff; at least 12K or buy really good used gear or go elsewhere, like I did with Yamaha hi end gear.

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