McCormack/Plinius/Krell with B&W N803

The Plinius's sound great. I currently have an 8200 integrated and it is really a great piece. There are often great deals on used Plinius's at this site. Can't imagine anything much better for the $1600-$1700 I've seen them go for lately. This amp has a lot of punch and sounds very musical. Not bright like some other famous SS amps I've heard.

Enjoy,

TIC

Adiorio,

Dude my dealer let me barrow that model of Krell integrated while I was waiting for my VTL int. to come in, just so I would have something to listen to. The Krell was better than nothing, but not much. It can play loud and thats about it. It is with out a doubt, one of the most none musical pieces I have ever heard...IMHO. Bad,bad,bad.
M

I've purchased about 5 amps in the last 18 months. I stumbled upon a 1998 copy of International Audio Review where Peter Moncrief had rated about 20 tube amps and then about 20 solid state amps. He really put down the Krells and Mark Levinson amps.

Anyway, he rated the McCormack DNA-2 Limited Anniversary Edition amp alone in class 1A as the best solid state amp. I found one used and have been very happy with it for the last 7 months. You can catch what P. Moncrief said about the DNA-2 LAE in audioreview.com and then look for the reviews on the DNA-2. I will say that from what I can tell, everything he says about this amp is true. Prior to the DNA-2 LAE I had owned a SimAudio Moon W-5 which IAR rated as class 1c. Another very nice amp and everything IAR said about this amp appeared to be true as well. IAR had also rated the Plinius 250 amp a class 1c along with the W-5. IAR rated the ML 33H and the Krell 350??? as class 2a or 2b. You don't want to know what IAR said about these amps.

I see in new ads that McCormack has a new amp DNA 500 where IAR rates it as the best amp in the world. I would not be surprised if in fact it was.