McIntosh 6600 or 7000 to replace Pass Int-150
default -- Sun, 08/30/2009 - 17:00
So my wife isn't so much into the looks of the Pass INT-150 that I currently have. Of the gear that I've shown her (trying to steer this ship a little, if I can) she really likes the McIntosh look. I love the INT-150, but if she's happy, I get to keep playing, so I'm contemplating a chage.
I recently heard the McIntosh 6600 with some Sonus Faber monitors and thought it sounded great. I heard the ma7000 with some Totem winds and thought it was very dynamic, but something about that setup (the dealer's room setup precisely) I think was keeping it from sounding organic. I am planning on going back to the dealer and listening to the amps side by side, and I'm sure they'll let me try one out in my system before purchasing, but I'm curious to know other people's opinion. I have Dali MS-4 Euphonia's with Purist and Harmonic Tech cables, a pc-based digital source with a bel canto e.one dac3 and a clear audio performance TT with sim 5.3 phono pre, shunyata pcs and hyrda 6.
So, forgetting the difference in price between the two for a second, what do you feel are the compelling reasons to get one over the other--do you feel the 7000 is a much better amp than the 6600? Are there major sonic difference, if so, what? Functional differences? Build quality? Obviously I'm going to go through them both as thoroughly as possible, but I'm curious to know other people's opinions. Does anyone not like either amp, and if so, why? Do you think it's a mistake to get rid of the Pass? In the past I've owned Aesthetix and Bat gear, but need to stay with an integrated. Any others I should try with high WAF? I'm most interested in the McIntosh one's I've mentioned, so anything with their kind of looks that have a minimum 150 wpc. Thanks in advance for everyone's help!
Cheers!
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Consider proposing the following idea to her please: You keep your Pass Labs gear and buy her something of comparable value or cost to what you would spend on the new piece inclduing sales tax, installation perhaps, etc. (a fair trade or compromise ? ... you get to keep what you want and she gets to have something or do something or go somewhere that she wants) It might work. What have you got to lose by asking her ?
Tom
I own a MacIntosh MA-6600 integrated amp. (200 watts solid state power) bought about 3 months back.
I was also planning to buy Pass INT-150 but ultimately bought Mac 6600
Before buying i auditioned BAT integrated amplifier which was good. Also I auditioned Pass INT-150 with Sonus Faber floor standing speakers.
The Pass amp. was very clean and detailed sounding and i found it a little bright for my taste and also soundstage was not so big. Luckily the dealer also sells MacIntosh gears and I saw MA6600 sitting next to Pass INT-150. So I requested him to demo the Mac amp. which he did willingly. I was immediately taken by surprise listening to the sound of MA-6600 which was a bit tube like very smooth but dynamic and it threw a much bigger sound stage compared to INT-150. In short it was much more musical compared to INT-150. Listening to INT-150 for about 45 munutes caused me some headache as i felt it was a bit on bright side. Where as 6600 was very smooth and one could listen to it for much longer time.
If you buy MA-6600 you must have patience as it needs very long time to fully burn-in. In my case it took almost 6 to 7 weeks to get best from this amp. with average about 6 hours a day. Now it is really singing and makes a magical match with my Quads 2805 electrostatic speakers.
I would like to comment about your Shunyata Hydra-6. Please take it out of your system and try some good power receptor. Best being Wattgate 24 carat gold plated model 381. Actually I also have hydra-6 and it was doing more harm to music quality and it is better to take it out and JUST USE ONLY GOOD QUALITY RECEPTORS. I am not in favour of power conditioners and really do not understand how these are recommended so highly in review magazines. Just try it out and you will see the result for yourself. I feel Wattgate 381 to be the best as it gives a solid image and huge soundstage and is very dynamic. There is no harm in trying.
SKR