McIntosh MA2275 - opinions

I have owned both the 2275 and the gsi75 although it was many years apart. Do NOT even think about getting a 2275. It was VERY disappointing. Your c22/275 combo is light years ahead. What kind of speakers?

the gsi75 is amazing but I cant speak to the phono stage, I never used it. The dac is also quite good.

what are you after? What is missing from your experience?

I have 805D3. I know it is generally accepted that 800s B&W are better matched with SS, and that they are very forward, but there’s something I hear in 800s that I don’t hear anywhere else, and I mean AIR and that floating ease with details. I had Sonus Faber, Magico, Tannoy Prestige (also fabulous), but the way I hear music in my head is the B&W way.

Nothing wrong with my combo per se, but I’d like a little more meat from the 805, and integrated speaks to me as using less room.

I am certainly done thinking about the 2275!

It all depends on what you are after. The gsi75 sure fits your expressed desire for fewer boxes and by extension, fewer cables. My recollection of the phono stage is that it was highly adjustable. It is a solid state phono stage however. The dac was actually quite good.

the downside of the gsi75 is what you get is what you get, zero ability to season the amp if it doesn’t check all your boxes. One manufacturer of kt150’s, one manufacturer of 6h30’s, no tone controls, about your only opportunity to affect the sound would be on the ac side and speaker cables. Maybe phono cartridge. Maybe through dsp with roon but that would be about it.

make no mistake, the gsi75 was arc’s all out assault on building a reference quality integrated and it is an exceptional piece, especially at used pricing. Biasing was no issue and it was rock steady. I had mine matched up with wilson audio duette 2 speakers and it was a really special setup. As i type this Im trying to recall why I moved on from it and frankly, I must have been crazy LOL.

good luck and best wishes.

ghasley great imput! I never heard and ARC amplifier, but heard a Ref preamp on Boulder and Wilson Sasha 2 and the image was crazy good.

Is ARC better than McTubes? How would you name its sound?

I own both the MA 2275 and the PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium.  The MA2275 is head and shoulders above the PrimaLuna.  I’m not knocking the PrimaLuna in the least.  It’s excellent.  If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t own it.   I’ve had some amazing listening sessions on both.  As for the MA2275 being veiled, nope.  It’s simply not.  It’s big.  It’s refined.  It’s  smooth.   As for the MA2275 phono preamp: it’s excellent but it’s MM or HOMC only.  I’ve used the reproduction SUT from Audio Classics for MC carts.  It’s very good but it’s not as good as a dedicated pre.  I’ve settled on the Manley Chinook and use one on both the Mac and PL systems.