Has Anyone Compared the 2 McIntosh Integrateds?

MA6900 is backordered! I was just at a local McIntosh dealer to demo the 2 integrateds being discussed in this thread. The dealer had just sold his last MA6900 to another customer that had ordered it a few weeks ago. They just learned from McIntosh that because of the press that the MA6900 is getting the demand is running very high worldwide. This model is expected to be backordered for several months. If you're ancy you may have to settle for the MA6500 for now. BTW, I preferred the MA6900. This being a long-term purchase I was willing to invest more for the long haul.

A difference there is! I drove 80 miles to a dealer that had them both on display. I first listened to the 6500 driving a pair of B&W Nautilus (the $3600 ones). I don't much like these speakers but they told me what I needed to know. The 6500 sounded good....very good. Full, clear, deep, great soundstage....nothing objectionable. Then we switched to the 6900......very, very nice.......smoother.....the voices were much more real to me, life-like.....the sound was less etched than the 6500......fuller, stronger base.....clearer high notes....more open midrange....I really, really liked the sound much, much more. These amps do sound different.....enough so for me that I will be going with the 6900.....whenever I will be able to get one! I'll wait if I have to.

If your dealer only has the 6500, ask them to let you hear the C42 preamp with one of the seperate Mac amps that has the autoformers (like the MC202). You will get a good feel for the difference that way. Good Luck!

If you look in the dictionary under the word sweetness you'll see a picture of the MA6900. It is audio ecstasy (to my ears).

Even though I clearly favored the 6900 in my listening session with the B&W, I want to make one qualification (which goes for most any hi-fi set-up): depending on your speakers and room acoustics, there could be reasons for preferring the sound of the 6500 -- also, they are both fabulous sonding amps, and I believe one could legitimately prefer one over the other.

Dear Pardales,
To answer your specific question, "can the 6500 drive maggies"? The answer is a resounding "YES"! I have the MA6500 driving Magneplanar 1.6qr's, in an average size room with very high ceilings. This is absolutely the best sound I have ever owned, and I have had some pretty esoteric & exotic stuff.

Nothing, I repeat Nothing, can touch the McIntosh amplifiers for "overall quality". The sound is so rich, full, detailed, pleasing and musical, and the controls are so very useful. Buy a Mac, you will never go back! Worth every penny!

Also a nice match w/ my Maggies.