Price Paid:  $5000.00 from Audioconcept Caracas

Summary:
I just purchased the MA6900 to be paired with B&W703's... it's an awesome match. I researched, read about and listened to thousand options for the 703's, including Classe CAP-2100, Krell KAV-400xi, NAD Master Series M3, McIntosh MA6500, Musical Fidelity A5. At the end, I couldn't be happier with my final decision.

Right out of the box, the first thing that impressed me was the build quality, it seems as it will last forever. It's a beautiful piece of equipment and it surely sounds like such.

I hooked it up and immediately heard a big difference... sound was detailed, awesome clarity, highs are clear but not overpowering, not harsh... bass is defined, tight, solid. It's not the bass that will "hit" your chest though, but it's very defined. MIDs, however, is where I found the biggest leap... very very impressive. Smooth, sweet, real.

My favorite CD's have changed already. This thing will reveal everything... look for Chesky Records SACD's... NOW I understand why are they such good recordings. Candido & Graciela's Conga Jam, or Rossa Passos and Ron Carter "Entre Amigos". You can pinpoint every instrument.

B&W's tend to be a bit forward sounding in the high range and that's why the MAC is such a good complement to them. If you are looking for strong hitting sound, very transistor like, POP... then go for Krell. If you think music should be musical, smooth and not fatiguing, just go for the MAC.

One important note... make sure you hook the 6900 at the right impedance level. Even though 703's specs say they run at 8ohms, the truth is that they go down significantly. At 8, the amp overheats and tries to clip. At 4, it works beautifully.

Strengths:
Awesome sound, clear, true with lots of depth and a very nice image.

Weaknesses:
Remote could be nicer for the price range. Is that relevant?... not much really.

Price Paid:  $4000.00 from Recycled Audio

Summary:
The McIntosh MA6900 is the top-end McIntosh integrated amplifier. It replaces the MA6800 and MA6850 models. I purchased this unit new and have owned it for approximately 1 year. I have it mated to a pair of B&W 703 speakers using the 4 ohm taps from the amp. My source is the Sony XA77ES CD player.

The MA6900 is a marvelous piece of audio engineering. Build quality is second to none, and the visual presentation is nothing short of stunning. It's really a statement piece - and you will not want to put this gear into some hidden equipment rack where it cannot be seen or appreciated. Once you get this piece set up - you should plan to never move it. It weighs 75 pounds, but feels much heavier than that when you are trying to position it.

The audio is fabulous, of course - at low and high volumes. Music comes across as detailed, highly present, and captivating. For critical 2-channel listening, this is my "go-to" system, and it gets turned on several times during a given week. The only way to improve on this system is by going to separate amp / pre-amp solutions.

The unit is expensive - but it helps to consider the long-lasting value you are buying. If you're serious about 2-channel audio - the MA6900 deserves an audition.

Strengths:
Highly detailed audio amplification. Extremely low-noise. Extremely easy to use, and includes a well-thought-out, illuminated remote. Plenty of power to drive almost all speakers types. Superior build quality to nearly all competing products. Beautiful presentation, including glass front panel with green-illuminated lettering, and large blue-illuminated power meters. For an audiophile - this the MA6900 is the definition of joy.

Weaknesses:
Amp does get very warm when playing bass-heavy music. Be sure to use the correct speaker taps (8, 4, or 2 ohms) that best match the type of speakers you are connecting to, or risk potential thermal shutdown. Also, be careful using the XLR input. McIntosh got it right - but some consumer audio companies that provide XLR outputs on their CD players (i.e., my Sony XA77ES) wired the XLR conductors according to an obsolete European standard - hence, I have to use the "unbalanced" line-outputs from the Sony into the McIntosh.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer SX-1250, Sansui 9090DB.

Price Paid:  $4000.00 from Recycled Audio

Summary:
The McIntosh MA6900 is the top-end McIntosh integrated amplifier. It replaces the MA6800 and MA6850 models. I purchased this unit new and have owned it for approximately 1 year. I have it mated to a pair of B&W 703 speakers using the 4 ohm taps from the amp. My source is the Sony XA77ES CD player.

The MA6900 is a marvelous piece of audio engineering. Build quality is second to none, and the visual presentation is nothing short of stunning. It's really a statement piece - and you will not want to put this gear into some hidden equipment rack where it cannot be seen or appreciated. Once you get this piece set up - you should plan to never move it. It weighs 75 pounds, but feels much heavier than that when you are trying to position it.

The audio is fabulous, of course - at low and high volumes. Music comes across as detailed, highly present, and captivating. For critical 2-channel listening, this is my "go-to" system, and it gets turned on several times during a given week. The only way to improve on this system is by going to separate amp / pre-amp solutions.

The unit is expensive - but it helps to consider the long-lasting value you are buying. If you're serious about 2-channel audio - the MA6900 deserves an audition.

Strengths:
Highly detailed audio amplification. Extremely low-noise. Extremely easy to use, and includes a well-thought-out, illuminated remote. Plenty of power to drive almost all speakers types. Superior build quality to nearly all competing products. Beautiful presentation, including glass front panel with green-illuminated lettering, and large blue-illuminated power meters. For an audiophile - this the MA6900 is the definition of joy.

Weaknesses:
Amp does get very warm when playing bass-heavy music. Be sure to use the correct speaker taps (8, 4, or 2 ohms) that best match the type of speakers you are connecting to, or risk potential thermal shutdown. Also, be careful using the XLR input. McIntosh got it right - but some consumer audio companies that provide XLR outputs on their CD players (i.e., my Sony XA77ES) wired the XLR conductors according to an obsolete European standard - hence, I have to use the "unbalanced" line-outputs from the Sony into the McIntosh.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer SX-1250, Sansui 9090DB.

View Comments (1)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.