McIntosh MA6500

Hello all,

Anyone have any experience of McIntosh amplification?

Specifically the MA6500 as I am looking to upgrade from my Nait5i. To be partnered, for now, with CD5i and Dynaudio Contour 1.3mk2's. My tastes range from jazz to rock via electronica...

Opinions welcome.

Thanks.

 

Dreadnaught build, sounds great and looks flaming marvellous. What else do you need to know

 

Someone said it was like sitting at the front row of a gig/concert...

 

I've read 2 reviews and they both have rated it!

 

I have a whole McIntosh system since 1980. Ever so often I go and hear the new stuff.
If you like the sight of McIntosh or you love to see the VU-meters moving then get it. If you heard it a like the sound and it's better than anything you've heard then get it.
Otherwise I will recommend you to listen to it first.
My opinion about McIntosh otherwise doesn't fit in this forum.

 

That's it. I'm getting one! I love the big blue VU's. Been told it's got a nice 'big' sound and haven't heard a bad thing said about the brand too.

 

I heard a great demo with an all McIntosh rig in Gothenburg last year, speakers were by a Canadian company called Verity Audio (Sarastro's I think).

It gave a very natural presentation but seemed to produce a huge amount of space/air/separation between the individual instruments, one, if not the, closest sounds to a live performance I've heard from a HIFI system.

On the down side all their boxes are massive and could be described as having a very unique styling concept. Still at least anything you buy off them will still be in production for the next 10 years or so (new formats excluded in that statement).

 

Is this a McIntosh Valve amp.... I have Cary 805Aniversary and SLP 98L Pre expensive but now I am getting an old man I can Manage it. Valves are just fantastic I have had top Naim kit and its great but these are something else. I also heard a McIntosh set up at the Manchester Hi Fi show, I just had to keep going back to that room again and again and again.
Malc

 

Nope! It's pure solid state. However, I've been informed, it has a 'valviness' to it (because isn't that where McIntosh's roots lie?). No bloom but a rich and powerful sound with a good sense of bounce and pace.

Interesting comments above and on other fora. Lots of people have heard McIntosh set-ups at shows and have nothing but praise for 'em (and shows are notorious for poor sound!) and every single McIntosh owner is a proud one (but of course I've never heard of an unhappy Naim owner either).

I'm, hopefully, getting it within the next couple of weeks. Will have an update as and when!

Very few reviews of their kit in UK press however...

 

Probably because most McIntosh production (and classics) seem to end up here in Japan, where the cult of McIn is STRONG.
I don't think the amp will revolutionize your listening, but it is a beautiful thing to have, to keep and to behold (and don't take any notice of Titian, he's sore because his mini-system keeps breaking down ).

 

a great exageration as usual. I know at least 5 McIntosh owners (me inclusive) who are NOT proud about it.
They are great units, no doubt, ... until you find, concerning the sound, better stuff.
Everybody has to do his own evolution in Hifi. McIntosh is a nice step.

 

I love the look of the Mc stuff and the sound is nice. I preferred it to the Naim pre/power at £3kish as it was a more easy to listen to sound but I bought the Nuvista M3 as it was more 'musical'. Can't really describe it but make sure that you listen first. They are also very big and you need a rack big enough to take it. MF and Quad are good alternatives but do not look as good. I now own a Quad 909. Have fun.

 

Some user reviews here

and if you're into porn:

 

thats the one that I had for a weekend - lovely!!!!

 

That's the one I'm getting!

Well, Titian, until your post I thought every McIntosh owner had been fairly proud and for me it is another step on that long and winding road...

Anyhow, I'll be getting mine next week. Thanks for the user reviews Narabdela (great picture by the way). Read those already but I find the reviews on that site a little sychophantic, if only because the reviewers/owners need to justify to themselves, and to everyone else, just how great their kit is.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that amp looks ugly? More like a piece of lab equipment than a piece of HiFi to look at surely. They sound good though...

 

I'm not keen on its looks either...

The last thing we would want is for everyone to have the same tastes though.....

 

yeah, it does kinda resemble a 70's radio shack cb...

 

McIntosh amps are stunning in the metal and glass. There is nothing low-cost about them. 99% of amps look like cheap, naff toys in comparison.
McIns are also built to last (if not quite as well as Accuphase or Luxman IMHO).

 

I think it looks great.Different people veiw things differently, take my wife. She thinks my target rack looks like a scaffolding, my Michell Orbe looks like a camping stove and she says there are things like my Cary Anniversary power amps on show in the aircraft museum she visits. Arnt wifes great when it comes to Hi Fi.