Which amp to buy (if either)?
Big Dawg
Posts: 2,005
I'm being offered the chance to buy 2 different amps from 2 different sources. I don't know much about either, other than they are both very well regarded brands.
First offer is for a Mark Levinson ML-2 for $700 (still negotiating down)
Second offer is for a McIntosh MC162 for $600.
Anyone have any experience with these? Are they substantially better than, say, an Onkyo M-504 or a Carver M1.5t or M500t?
I think that they are both probably really great deals, but both a tad more than I was hoping to spend, so the question is are they such good deals that I should stretch a tad to grab them? Eventually I'll be driving some sort of SDA with them, but short term I will be using Monitor 10.
Any other suggestions as to amps to look at in the best-bang-for-under $500?
Also, suggestions on value preamps? I've been eyeing some Onkyo Integras (p-304, p-306, etc.).
First offer is for a Mark Levinson ML-2 for $700 (still negotiating down)
Second offer is for a McIntosh MC162 for $600.
Anyone have any experience with these? Are they substantially better than, say, an Onkyo M-504 or a Carver M1.5t or M500t?
I think that they are both probably really great deals, but both a tad more than I was hoping to spend, so the question is are they such good deals that I should stretch a tad to grab them? Eventually I'll be driving some sort of SDA with them, but short term I will be using Monitor 10.
Any other suggestions as to amps to look at in the best-bang-for-under $500?
Also, suggestions on value preamps? I've been eyeing some Onkyo Integras (p-304, p-306, etc.).
Post edited by Big Dawg on
Comments
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So, just touch the top of my range. Is that a deal to grab?
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The Mac would drive your M10's just fine, I'm not familiar with the ML though."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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That ML is a pure class A amp- it'll run hot as hell an not put out a lot of wattage... and SDA's love wattage.
I had an Aleph (similiar to the ML) on mine at one point and I definitely preferred my bryston & adcom on the SDAs.... but on something that doesn't suck down power, it'd probably sound better.
Face is the Mac expert, so I'd defer to him on that.Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
Backburner:Krell KAV-300i -
I currently have similar version of that amp(MC-126) and have used it with a few different speakers here.
I'm not sure if I would team it up with the larger SDA's(SRS 1.2's, etc...) or anything that dips down to 2 ohms, but for a pair of Monitor 10's, it should barely get warm."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
I have owned amps from Levinson; Belles, Bedini; Rotel, Carver; Hafler; Adcom; Denon; Marantz; Yamaha, Aragon and a few other I can’t recall at the moment.
In my opinion the absolute best amplifier you can find under $ 500 is hands down the Pass designed Adcom GFA 555 & GFA 545. Personally I like the Mark II version better and they are more capable at driving lower impedance loads. I can also say that the Adcom GFA’s work very, very well with vintage Polks’; especially the SDA.
My current Levinson amp; a 332 has a right channel issue and has been in the shop since January. I just recently bought a Rotel Rb-1080 to use for the time being and should have simply bought an Adcom GFA 555 Mark II instead and put the extra money towards the Levinson repairs….I think the Adcom is a much more enjoyable amp than the Rotel.
Adcom's are also fairly bomb proof and relatively cheap and easy to fix if something unlikely does occur. I will never buy a Levinson product again. -
WOWOWO a Mcintosh MC162 for $500? if you dont take it please PM me with where that unit is selling for $500.Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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There is a scammer runing around on Craigslist with a MC2300 and MC162 for $600 each, will allege that he will only complete transaction via eBay, then sends a fake message that looks like its from eBay saying that the paypal account is having difficulties and it is OK to send Western Union because you are protected by eBay. It is FAKE and a SCAM. If a deal looks too good to be true it usually is. Don't let greed get the better of you. NEVER send western union!
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Thanks for the waring! I was like man that was a great price for that.Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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That was exactly what was going on - I was trying to ascertain the validity of the offer. It sounded screwy as I was pursuing it - how did you learn of the scam?
The ML offer was genuine, but he corrected himslf and told me it is the ML-9, not the ML-2. My understanding is that the ML-9 is much less musical than the ML-2, so I'm completely off the fence. -
Personally, I am seriously in love with any Carver or Adcom amp. I really want to check out Rotel amps, but I have yet to see a good price to wattage/current capability on their amps, even in the used market.SDA 1C, SDA 2A, SDA SRS 2, CMT-340SE, Swan M200MKII, Swan D1080MKII, Behringer MS40
Outlaw Audio M2200 x2, GFA 555 II, BGW 750C
GDA 700, Outlaw Audio Model 990, Sansa Fuze, X-Fi Platinum Fatality
