McIntosh MA5200

This is getting old.

" I believe there are others who think this way too. In others words, yours isn't the last word pal."

You're right. Its not about me or you, its about the OP.

"What I can't figure out is why you are advocating this model if you don't trust reviews either?"

Once again, its not about me advocating anything, its about the OP. I don't really care for McIntosh myself, but the amp isn't for me. Also, I'm not trusting any reviews. A review is an opinion. I just quoted the specs. They don't support your argument, so you don't count them as valid. If the same exact specs supported your argument, they would be fine. You're only concern is to win the argument, and in doing so you missed the point of the discussion. And that is to determine if the MA5200 will have enough power to drive the OP's speakers properly. Given everything we looked at, the answer is yes. In this application, it won't lack for power.

I still don't believe for a second that you actually tested both amps, side by side. If you did, it would have been in your first post. Pure BS on your part.

Also, I'm not trusting any reviews. A review is an opinion. I just quoted the specs. They don't support your argument, so you don't count them as valid. If the same exact specs supported your argument, they would be fine.
You're only concern is to win the argument, and in doing so you missed the point of the discussion. And that is to determine if the MA5200 will have enough power to drive the OP's speakers properly. Given everything we looked at, the answer is yes. In this application, it won't lack for power.

The above quote is yours. And it is absolutely senseless.

You don't trust reviews and then you say you quoted specs. Whose specs? The ones from the review? If so, they rate the amp into 4 Ohms. But you don't trust them. So did you quote McIntosh's specs? If so, these are clearly expressed into 8 Ohms. You know the OP has 4 Ohm speakers, yet you say this amp will be OK. You even continue this assertion in your most recent post above. Do you even understand what your writing?

I have no idea who the hell you are other than someone with a weird compulsion to comment on just about every post on this website. I really don't care either. But I do care when you lash out against someone simply because they don't agree with your position. In this case that someone was me so do me a favor - mind your business, OK? I know you will be disappointed in knowing this but again - I was not even addressing you. My post that invoked your confused ire had nothing to do with you.

Finally, I could care less whether you believe that I auditioned the amp or not. To an intelligent person, the continuity of my two preceding posts suggests that I do.

Now, just like a child would do, go ahead and get in the last word. I'm bored with this.

To Jimmymac, follow your initial instincts and be leery of this model. Don't listen to me but do take Effischer's advice seriously - he is a Mac owner and doesn't recommend it. Good luck to you Jimmymac.

"To Jimmymac, follow your initial instincts and be leery of this model. Don't listen to me but do take Effischer's advice seriously - he is a Mac owner and doesn't recommend it. Good luck to you Jimmymac."

Now does that really make sense? You're proving my point that you just want to be right at any cost. Why take Effischer's advice seriously, but not yours? You just happen to offer the same advice. The way I see it, no one has to take anyones advice. We have the OP's speakers and specs, as well the info on the potential amp. The match seemed questionable so we have Stereophiles review of the speakers that includes measurements. JA's measurements show the speakers to be an easy load for just about any amp. We have the measurements on the amp from the German magazine showing the amp is fully capable driving a 4 ohm load. So what more do you want? Its a relatively simple call. You're just pissed because you wanted to be the spec guy and you turned out to be wrong. You made the call without knowing the OP's speakers and you turned out to be wrong. Better luck next time.

I'll bring this up one last time. Over and over you say I don't trust reviews. You're correct. I don't trust reviews. Its too hard for someone to put into words exactly how something sounds. Factor in their personal taste, experience and equipment, and you have an equation that I don't feel you can rely on. At no point in this discussion did I reference a review. Measurements are not reviews. Its not the reviewers opinion that the Mac amp put out 200 watts into a 4 ohm load. He took a measurement, and those were the results.

You may have the last word on this. I don't have anything else to say on the matter that I didn't already say several times. The only thing I'll add it to Effischer. In the first part of my post, I mentioned you. It wasn't meant to be an insult or anything similar. I was just making the point that with all the info the OP has, he doesn't need to take anyones advice on this matter.

Hi folks. Thanks for the input. I contacted McIntosh via email and Chuck Hinton replied that the 5200 would work just fine with 4ohm speakers. I need to go and listen and hear for myself. Again, I appreciate the feedback. I'm the type of Audiogoner who like high end sound but doesn't always understand a lot of the science behind the specs. :)

"I'm the type of Audiogoner who like high end sound but doesn't always understand a lot of the science behind the specs. :)"

Its like my dead grandmother always said: "You don't have to be a scientist to listen to music."