Over the last two weekends I have spent some time listening to some McIntosh amps and pre-amps. I've been curious to learn more about the comparison between the Mac's, Pass amps and Krell. I'm definitely more familiar with and more used to the Krell sound. That being said I get it now why some like the Mac's so much, the mid-range is great and very articulate. The Mac mid-range to me sounded very alive and natural, impressively real and musical. The top end was extended pretty well but not as sweet as I was expecting and a bit brighter than my on Krell's, I have not listened to them as much yet but the Pass amps seem to be the treble masters, very sweet and yet nothing is missing. For the BASS, I noticed right way that the Bass was not as articulate as I'm used to, what I liked in the mid-range did not extend into the bass. I could distinguish the separate bass notes but it was like there was a blanket between me and the woofers. Both the Pass and Krell were easily more articulate, crisp and powerful in the bass and the krell seemed like it could add a few lower notes.
I'm happy with my little Krell world except for them kicking Dan out. But the Mac amps do look nice and run cool and probably do not consume near the power of the Pass or Krell amps? All the amps I heard so far are great, so don't get me wrong here. Personal taste, I like the Pass amps a lot they really have a very sophisticated sound but as far as living together, they are about the same as the Krells. The Krells seem very honest to me and extremely controlling of the speakers themselves, like the Pass amps they arn't bad at anything but a little different from the Pass amps. I'm still happy with the Krells but I do admire the Mac mid-range and the mid-range and treble of the Pass amps. Imaging, depth and height the Pass amps are more clear to me that the Mac's, Both the Pass and Krell can have a huge soundstage that is more pinpoint accurate then the MAC's but I'm afraid I'm exaggerating too much the difference. Drum sets, Piano's and singers were mainly what I was listening to on all three so far for imaging, the Mac had slightly bigger images and kind of blurred the drum set together a bit, with the Pass and Krell amps I could point to each individual drum or cymbal. On the Pass and Krell amps I could not only hear the singer like I could on the Mac but I could hear which way they were projecting their voices and if the were walking around. My wife is a harsher critic, she did not like the Mac amps as much because of the bass mainly.
Just some completely subjective thoughts here, I wish I could hear the Pass amps some more they are very nice.
Rob
