2. amps-preamps
  3. 1080498867

WHOA This isn't what I expected.

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. I am bi-amping my setup because of the new speakers I am getting. I am initially keeping my old integrated amp (Mac MA-6500)to use with the mid/high speakers. I borrrowed/bought a Nakamichi PA-7 from a friend to try out with the bass speakers. The Mac can be used as a preamp for the Nak.

I don't have the new speakers yet, but was dicking around with my old speakers this morning. I wanted to see what the volume level difference was between the Mac and Nak. I connected the Nak to the Mac using fairly good interconnects (Audioquest Pythons)and used my existing speakers and speaker cables (Audioquest Volcanos)and connected them to the Nak. After listening for a while, I reminded myself of why I was getting new speakers. Then I connected the speaker cables to the Mac, and as expected, the volume did decrease slightly. BUT, the sound quality increased in everyway and was immediately noticed. The Nak did not hold a candle to the old amp, and in fact it sounded pretty pathetic.

Can anyone tell me if this should have been the anticipated result? Or do you think something could be wrong with the Nak amp? What else am I missing? Power cords? I don't know, other than there was a VERY big drop off in sound quality that I sure wasn't expecting.

Thanks for any input.
angiemima
rontube
44 posts
 
The MA6500 is a current model and is direct coupled, no autoformers. All McIntosh SS amps since the 70s have Power Guard, Sentry Monitor, and turn on inrush protection, etc.
Rontube
bemopti123
303 posts
 
Pa-5 and Pa-7 are different, soundwise. Not to continue trashing the PA-7s, but for what is worth, it does not sound horrible, per se, but it does not have the stamina to be expected for the mass of the amp. There are those out there that swear by the PA-7..for what I remember, when I connected to some towered speakers, with a decent preamp, SFL-2 and NOS...with a trio of racing cones, underneath the Nak, it did have a certain slam, that other amps, more expensives amps did not have. Just remember, the amp is worth about 700-1000 used, and how many amps out there that are about 15 years old can hold such a value in the used market? Good as a back up amp, but never as the ultimate reference, I will say. Careful to expect them to produce current, they cannot.
tuong9906
30 posts
 
Let it warm up properly, about an hour, then test it using quality classical musics from label such as Telarc...
I own a PA7 since 1986, driving a pair of B&W 802 FS, built my own passive volume control BEFORE anyone and the internet that showed you how to do it. I took great care in room placement and treatment around the speakers, and it sounded wonderful.
I have recently upgraded to Nautilus 802, thought that although the Nak can drive it plenty loud, but I wanna try something different just to make sure my N802 is as happy as it could be. So I borrowed a Pass Labs X150...
Well long story short, the Pass is wonderful and crystal clear, powerful deep bass and lack of hardness in the midrange, typical of many SS amps. In fact it sounds EXACTLY similar to the Nak, so...
I bought a second Nak, biamped my speakers and not looking back since. So much for Nak bashing although if i have money, a true Pass amp is in my wish list. Thank you, TN
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