Mcintosh MVP871 vs Krell SACD

i have a chance at a mac for the same price as upgrading the Krell.....SACD is the important format factor i am interested in with it.

I have read comments on Audio Review that indeed Mac is using Denon transports. One fellow removed the cover of an 871 and it showed the transport sporting the Denon name. However, the electronics were Mac's own. They are owned by the same company, D & M Holdings.

Your really asking about two different kinds of sound. I've owned two complete systems, one Mc one Krell. Both are great with the Mc more tuneful and Krell more complete. I found myself turning the volume down on the Krell and up on the Mc. All this depends on the rest of your system. Unless you need DVD you should consider the Mc 201 or 301 instead.

I have the MVP861 McIntosh and got rid of a 22 year old Meridian 506. I liked the Meridian sound better. The mac is a forward in your face cd player

Based on reliability I would go with the Mac (vs. the SACD standard, which was/is unreliable and prone to failure).

For sound, I would probably also go with the Mac unless you are going way up the krell line. If you are looking current model entry level Krell players, many are being made in China.

FWIW, I love Krell and if the question pertaining to amp I would be recommending the Krell amps or even the preamps (non-KAV series).