McCormack DNA 500 vs DNA 225 upgraded

Thanks for the input.

Heat could be an issue as the equipment is in a cabinet. I could add in a fan if I had to.

My current preamp is actually a digital processor, an Anthem D2 with Arc room correction. I am not sure how this would match impedance wise, (I am a complete novice at this area). Steve McCormack suggested that I also add in a preamp though.

As to matching either amp for sound quality the equipment I currently have is more digital at this point
McCormack HT5 amp (5 channel)
McCormack UDP1 universal disk (Deluxe)
Anthem D2 processor with Arc
Dennon DVD 3800 Bluray
B&W Nautilus N804 fronts, HT2 ctr, SCM surrounds
HD DTV receiver
Audioquest cabeling.
etc.

Thanks for any suggestions

Allow me to clarify things a bit.

Both the DNA-225 and DNA-500 are fine amplifiers in stock form. SMc Audio offers a variety of upgrade options above and beyond the stock versions for those audiophiles looking for even higher levels of performance. These upgrades are outlined on our website - www.SMcAudio.com.

Although the DNA-500 is not mentioned, I have developed an upgrade package for it and have done several. The owners have been very pleased. Please call for additional details if you are interested.

The input impedance of *all* stock McCormack amplifiers is 100K, except for the DNA-500 which is 10K. For DNA amps upgraded by SMc Audio to include balanced inputs or monoblock configuration, the input impedance is usually 10K (with a small number of amps configured for 40K).

Still_Learning, your Anthem D2 processor will drive any of these amps properly. As I outlined to you in an earlier e-mail, I suggest the addition of a good quality 2-channel preamp simply because I believe it will give you an overall improvement in sound quality. Any regular preamp can be used in a surround / home-theater setup, but this does add a minor (in my estimation) bit of complexity that you may or may not be comfortable with. I mention this because I took sound quality to be your main goal.

With a 10K input impedance, you do have to pay some attention to the output impedance characteristics of the preamp you choose. All solid-state preamps will work well, as will most tube preamps and TVC-type (transformer or autoformer-based) passive preamps. Tube preamps with an output impedance of 800 Ohms or less will work well.

The DNA-225 Platinum will outperform the DNA-500 in overall transparency, low-level resolution and detail, top-end extension, harmonic texture and richness, and toe-tapping musical engagement. Subtle dynamics and inflection are also rendered with greater clarity. The DNA-500 is obviously more powerful, and its sense of authority, bass weight and impact, and sense of ease in driving difficult speakers is world-class.

Neither the DNA-225 or the 500 gets particularly hot under normal use. The 500 runs a bit cooler at idle because it has a lot more heat sink area. The 225 gets rather warm, and if you locate it in a small enclosed space, you might need a small fan to keep the air circulating (but this is rare in practice). The 500 is considerably larger and heavier - check the specs for the details.

As mentioned by other posters, either amp will do a superb job for you.

Best regards,

Steve McCormack
SMc Audio

Steve,
Is there a balanced transformer upgrade for the DNA 750 as well, or is this a true balanced amp design?

Thanks for your feedback,
Stefan

Hi Stefan,

Like the DNA-500, the DNA-750 monoblocks are fully balanced with differential outputs. The input is transformer-coupled using the same circuit as the DNA-500. Input impedance is 10K.

Best regards,

Steve McCormack
SMc Audio