McIntosh Amp

janmike
janmike Posts: 6,146
edited May 2006 in Electronics
Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the McIntosh MC7106 6CH amp. I am looking to purchase a HT amp and wondering if this amp (100 wpc - 8 ohms) would size up against the Rotel at 200 wpc. I know McIntosh is well respected, just having a difficult time differentiating between power and quality.

Any thoughts as to how this amp would drive a HT (5 CH - LSi9's, LSiFX's, LSiC) compared to a Rotel 1095.

Thanks folks.
Michael ;)
In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
NORTH of 60°
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    So, any comments folks?
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Lsi9
    Lsi9 Posts: 616
    edited April 2006
    I have to agree with you that the toshs might be able to power match the Rotel, Ive heard 50 watt toshs sound like 200 watt solidity

    Audio Physic Scorpio II
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,794
    edited April 2006
    McIntosh or Rotel......hmmmmmmmm I'll take the Mac.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2006
    Mac :)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Vintage Mac for sure, but is their current line up still all that?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2006
    Not to derail this,but did you see the movie with Jack Nicholson,"As Good as it Gets",notice the Mac gear in his apartment?
    Edit; If you own Macintosh,I think it is a requirement that you have to smoke a pipe and sip a fine brandy while listening :D
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited April 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    Vintage Mac for sure, but is their current line up still all that?


    New or old it all is top notch. Go over to AudioKarma and read all you need to know. There is alot of Mac folks over there. It just plan sounds good and lasts forever. And so far is a great investment.
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    Hell, I am almost there George.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited April 2006
    george daniel wrote:
    Edit; If you own Macintosh,I think it is a requirement that you have to smoke a pipe and sip a fine brandy while listening :D
    So if you are more upscale and drink Cognac, what do you need to have in the equipment rack? ;)
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    You probably require Halcro, Jeff Rowland, Mark Levinson.....
    The price alone makes me quiver. But I bet they sound out of this world.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    jfb4548 wrote:
    New or old it all is top notch. Go over to AudioKarma and read all you need to know. There is alot of Mac folks over there. It just plan sounds good and lasts forever. And so far is a great investment.
    Will take a look. A while ago I was fairly active at AK (mostly in the TT, vintage speaker and music sections), but what I remember from the Mac section were all old-school Mac discussions.

    Don't know if you're old enough to remember when AudioCraft (on Carnegie Ave, I believe) was great. When I was cutting my audio teeth at CWRU, I spent many hours "drooling" over their Mac gear... and Thorens... and...

    Stopped in there a couple years ago and sadly it had turned into Sony boom box city...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited April 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    Will take a look. A while ago I was fairly active at AK (mostly in the TT, vintage speaker and music sections), but what I remember from the Mac section were all old-school Mac discussions.

    Don't know if you're old enough to remember when AudioCraft (on Carnegie Ave, I believe) was great. When I was cutting my audio teeth at CWRU, I spent many hours "drooling" over their Mac gear... and Thorens... and...

    Stopped in there a couple years ago and sadly it had turned into Sony boom box city...


    I think I paid for the store remodeling! AudioCraft is still on Carnegie but I haven't steped foot in there since I've been married. I did visit the store in Mayfield Hts. several months ago and it was pretty much all Home Theater with a bit of 2 channel Mac stuff here and there but sure not what I remember it being 15 years ago. It's a Cleveland thing. Nobody has any real taste they just spend money on big inch tv and one box home theater set ups. Hey as long as it plays really loud it's got to be good.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    LOL... Funny how the internet makes a small world even smaller.

    I'll be visiting the old homestead in the June or so. Maybe we can get together a little mini-meet. I think there are a half-dozen NE Ohio CP'er's or more. And if all goes as "planned" I'll have BDMP's Mon 11's in tow to contribute to an event.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited April 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    LOL... Funny how the internet makes a small world even smaller.

    I'll be visiting the old homestead in the June or so. Maybe we can get together a little mini-meet. I think there are a half-dozen NE Ohio CP'er's or more. And if all goes as "planned" I'll have BDMP's Mon 11's in tow to contribute to an event.


    June, If all goes well why not! Athough the way things are going around here I might not last till June.
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited April 2006
    I'd be up for a June meet. I'm 2 hours South in Pittsburgh.
    Carl

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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    So what other multi-channel (looking for a 5 CH) amps would be in the MAC class?
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited April 2006
    george daniel wrote:
    If you own Macintosh,I think it is a requirement that you have to smoke a pipe and sip a fine brandy while listening :D

    best post of the week.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
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    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    schwarcw wrote:
    I'd be up for a June meet. I'm 2 hours South in Pittsburgh.
    So what makes you think a bunch of Clevelander's would want you there? ;)
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited April 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    So what makes you think a bunch of Clevelander's would want you there? ;)


    Just don't ware a Steelers jersey:laugh:
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited April 2006
    If you can listen to both side by side that would be the best.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    Not possible here in Yellowknife. That is the biggest problem living where I do. I did see a Sunfire 5CH Grand Cinema and wondered where it stood with regards to driving LSi series speakers. I think i wanted to move upward from Rotel, 1095 that is.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    At 1200 wpc into 4-ohms and 60+ amperes peak to peak of current per channel, the Signature Cinema Grand Sunfire would laugh at the LSi's supposedly difficult load...

    At 600 wpc into 4 ohms and ~40 amperes, the regular Cinema Grand would at least chortle...

    Carl, you know we're just messin' with your Steeler lovin' (we assume) head, right?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited April 2006
    Tour,
    Do you think the Signature Cinema Grand would be overkill for HT (LSi9's, LSiFX's, LSiC)? How would you compare this to the Rotel 1095.

    As well, I am reading that the LSi series (I am looking at the 9's, CSiC, LSiFX) will go to ohms. I am not sure the MAC MC7106 will go to 2 ohm.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    LOL... if Ithought the Sig Cin Grands were overkill, why would I be running two of them? :D Seriously, of course two are overkill, but WTH, you only live once (unless you're Hindu). Plus how many times have you seen, "BIG PROBLEM: I have too much amp", posted?

    I only know Rotel amps by reputation... and a fine one it is... I did a look up of one of their amp's specs a year or so ago, and was surprised at its current capability... Not positive, but I want to say it was 70 amperes or so.

    While I'm sure the 9's dip to 2-ohms, it's not like they live there. Plus you will likely end up with a sub handling all the info below 60 Hz or so, where most of the power requirements are and from where the low impedance dips spring. So I would not concern myself too much about the impedance dips.

    Best advice I can give you is to move to civilization, but assuming that is not an option, I honestly can say that I do not see serious mistake potential in any of the three amp brands you are honing in upon. Obviously I know Sunfire, know Rotel by reputation and don't know much about "modern" Mac's, but folks seem to be saying the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.

    Seems to me that now you're down to number crunching. I think that used Sunfire is a great value. And the added beauty of used is that, if you shop patiently, you can resell any disappointments without serious injury to your wallet.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • jeffwalter
    jeffwalter Posts: 43
    edited May 2006
    The Mac is pure power. You will not be disappointed over the Rotel. There is nothing wrong with the Rotel just that Mac knows how to make serious amplifiers. There is a reason the price has always been where it is on their gear.
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited May 2006
    Well, the MAC thing did not work out and ended up purchasing a Proceed AMP5. Extremely pleased with this amp. Now I am looking for a decent processor.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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