MA9000 VS MA8900

I have a MA-7000 driving a pair of GET Triton Ones with a VPI Prime and I LOVE LOVE the Mac! I sold audio back in the 80's and 90's and was always taught how to sell against Mac but after my Classes audio CAP-150 was put to bed I tried a few different amps settling with the MA-7000 plenty of slam plenty of amazing mico dynamics and still smooth and enjoyable for long listening sessions. The build quality is amazing and Mac will ALWAYS hold it's value. Huge fan I love the amps and you will as well just make sure it has the autoformers as it seems to really  help with detail and warmth .. used to say I disliked Mac now I am completely sold on the look the sound and the build quality 

A couple of potential options if you don't mind hearing of something outside of McIntosh. You're mentioning initially about some fantastic integrated amps including the T+A 3100HV. I used to the have the T+A integrated just below it in my system, the PA 2500 R. A great piece for sure. How close is it to the 3100HV, I'm not sure as I never got a chance to play with that one, but the PA 2500 R is highly regarded. However, I'm now using the Bel Canto Black EX integrated, and to me it is in another league versus the T+A PA 2500 R. The Bel Canto Black EX sounds very close to the much more expensive Bel Canto ACI 600. Now, while the Bel Canto Black EX is more money than the T+A PA 2500 R, it is considerably less than the 3100HV and also comes with a world-class DAC including full MQA decoding which works great with TIDAL streaming. I had used the T+A PA 2500 R with the T+A DAC 8 DSD with a reference calibre XLR cable between and the Bel Canto Black EX integrated, in my opinion, exceeds this combo by quite a bit. Customers that have heard both setups have also agreed and are quite astounded by the quality of the Bel Canto. The Bel Canto Black series is in an entirely different league than what you may have heard from Bel Canto in the past. It is $14,990 USD ($19,500 CAD...we're in Canada). I don't know where you're located, but hopefully you have a Bel Canto dealer nearby and can get a chance to hear one.

If Bel Canto Black is too much money, consider also that Hegel does shows with KEF speakers (often Blade). The H360 integrated amp is well within your budget and comes with a great quality built-in DAC as well. Also, depending on timing, their monster H590 integrated is coming out later this year.

Before I went with separates I had a McIntosh MA8000, the older 9000, and it was pretty great. I had an opportunity to in home demo a Hegel H360 with my own equipment and after two weeks sold my MA8000 and went with the Hegel. It might be worth the wait for the Hegel H590 or you could possibly look at one of their smaller integrateds. I know sound taste is subjective, so your mileage may vary, but I’m pretty sold on Hegel. I’ve since swapped out to Hegel separates 

I was pretty sure I wanted a 8900. So, I went to a dealer and while I didn’t get to hear the 8900, the dealer played a MAC6700(200 wpc), which he indicated should sound much the same, into Wilson speakers . My impression was that it had all kinds of power, but I did not find it to particularly give that sense of actually listening to music, or to be very emotionally involving. Perhaps that was a function of the speakers. JMHO.

mtrot, ironically enough I have had the exact opposite experience in my system: in other words, the 8900 does not really sound *that* much more powerful than my 36 wpc tube integrated, but it does sound warmer, smoother and more involving. 

It's all a question of synergy.