Mcintosh or Classe

Classe` is a more refined sound, but the McIntosh is "beefier" sounding yet tinny / brighter. This really can change with different speaker types and one might decide one or the other just on the pairing.

Each will sound completely different in your room and with type of speakers.

We do quite a bit of work with both of the manufacturers and they both build a solid piece, so I certainly agree with Rpcoins.

If you can get an audition or a great return policy with a dealer, I would certainly try before you buy.

Hope this helps!

I listened to the Classe 200 watt 2 channel and the mac 402 - like night and day - CLasse makes bigger amps but the 200 watt just could not compare with the mac. TO me it just did not have the power - it was driving B&W 802's - just couldn't do it. But - I tend to listen a little loud - they are completely different sounds so it is worth a listen - everyone's tastes differ.

musicnoise, you are not comparing apples to apples. classe's omicron and its $25k amps are much better than the ca-200 also. the mac 402 has twice the power so it should sound better. take the classe's ca-300 or ca-400 and you will get a better comparison. i used to own macintosh and i did have the mc202 amp and it was gutless, the classe was much better and they were very close in power. don't get me wrong, i like both products and i think the 352,402, 501's, and the mc1000's are great amps. but you can't compare the mc1000 to the ca-200 and say mac's are better than classe!

I'd like to hear from someone who went from a Classe CA-300 to a Mac 402. That is the amp I have and the one I'm currently looking at swapping out for.

I'm steering towards Mcintosh now. Only because Classe has a 200w amp and Mcintosh has the 400w amp. I don't want to spend 5k on a new amp for less power than the ca 300 that I am use to. The CAM 400w are 10k, which is too much. The Mcintosh retails for 7k. I can't imagine the CAM 400w amps being that much better for 3k more.