FRUFF1976: I have been an audiophile/music lover for about 50 years and have owned many fine amplifiers. Just to name a few: Audio Research D76a, D-150, Spectral DMA-200, Krell FPB 200, Edge M8, Luminance Audio 150, McIntosh MC30's, MC240, MC275 and I will say that overall, the MCINTOSH MC402 is the best sounding amp I've ever owned. MAC has a real winner with this amp. I also use the North American Products H-Cat P-12R (X7) preamp. a computer -based music system, Duntech Sovereign speakers and I absolutely satified with the sound and for the first time my wife (who has such great hearing that she can hear a rat urinating on a piece of cotton) says the sound for the first time in all these years sounds alive. When you get the wife to say that, you're in audio heaven. By the way power cables are very important for best performance and I use Prana Wire which INH0 is about as good as it gets, price be damned. Just my two cents worth. Enjoy the music and the hobby.