2. amps-preamps
  3. 1238197017

are all amps equal

I have recently gotten the Mcintosh bug, but a friend of my who does a LOT or reading on the net says power output is the answer not the name. I am looking for the best sound I can get in the 3k$ range for my Usher Be 718s. I have looked at many used Mcintosh units in the 200 watt plus output area, but my friend says a new 250 watt Emotiva would be a better value. The Emotiva is around $800.
I would like some imput.. Thanks, Don
keslerd
Post removed 
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Yes, Tvad is right.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Reading is no substitute for listening.
danmyers
135 posts
 
Tvad is always right.
jax2
3,031 posts
 
Yes, Detlof is right about Tvad being right; "No", is the correct answer. Drubin is also right - your friend is wrong.

One could have a system which is not very revealing, or poorly chosen, where differences in amps may not be very obvious, or specific choices may not live up to their potential. It would not be worth the investment, IMO, to seek out a great amp to go with other components that severely compromise that amps performance, or do not allow it to live up to its potential. It would be like putting a 6.2l Hemi in a '71 Ford Pinto. That said, certainly your Usher speakers are very revealing, and are worthy of a good amp (with only that to go on - I'm assuming the rest of your system is of similar quality). The exception might be if you are transforming a system over time, component by component.

Marco
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