See previous review

Please note that the price paid was for used system.

Detailed, but above-all, balanced and smooth sound that makes you forget that you might have had plans to be somewhere other than in front of the stereo.

It's an excellent amp for the money, but it's still $1600. That's not really a weakness, though... quality costs money.

I love this amp. I've wanted a McCormack for about 5 years now, dating back to the original DNA 0.5. I always found the sound to be detailed, and yet inviting. I used to have B&W's (603s1's and then 601s2's... good for the money, but harsh and unrefined), but I recently got myself some Dunlavy SM-1's (which I love). To me, McCormacks have always been about presenting the most detailed, balanced, while at the same time smooth, music you can get for anywhere near the amount of money we're talking about. It's an amp that doesn't color the sound, but presents it honestly, and in the right space; the smoothness puts it right in front of you, but not annoyingly in your face, and not too distant.
After spending $1600 you may expect to be "Wowed" and you will be, but probably not right away. My amp didn't sound very good for the first 50 hours, and to this day (and I assume, forever) it doesn't sound right unless you've left it on for quite a few hours... and of course, it sounds best when it's been recently worked out. The idle power consumption is only 80 watts, so even here in California, I prefer to leave it on rather than turn it off between listenings.

The build of this amp is solid, and it's design and craftsmanship are simple but elegant. I expect this amp to last a long time, and I can't imagine getting rid of it... it has so much power, when asked, and so much grace at the same time. I'm not sure I've ever heard an amp I liked more, and I've certainly never heard one I liked more for nearly this amount of money.

Buy this amp and you can forget about it for a long time... if something's bothering you about your system, it's unlikely to be the amp's fault.

Similar Products Used:

I listened to a lot of amps, but I can't say that they were all that similar...

Everything

None

Very sweet and warm sounding like tube amps but with very good dynamics and mid bass. Looks beautiful. This is simply the best amp for the money. Highly recommend.

Similar Products Used:

Arcam, B&K, Onkyo, Classe

Very well built in an understated way, classy and quiet. Very well balanced and truthfull to the musical event.

None.

How can they produce such a amplifier at this price I ask myself. It is QUIET and revealing of my cd collection. I am an all digital guy, so I cannot comment on how vinyl sounds. The midrange is truely remarkable, and compares to anything I heard before, beating my expensive previous all-naim system by a wide margin. Great build quality. May not be as brick-like as the expensive Rowlands out there,but it's better than most, it's sound won me over. Sweet highs, deep lows, what else can I wish for. A superb amplifier in every way, even beating it's more powerfull brother, the DNA-125 for soundstaging, in my humble opinion ( I tried both) Another success for Steve McCormack. Still, what's HIS secret for putting out killer amps like this? Top marks.

Similar Products Used:

too many to list them all, but my search is over, but includes Musical Fidelity amps and Krell integrated.

Wonderfully musical amp to listen to, quiet operation, relaxing to listen to at night.

none

Well, everything that's been said here is true. This amp rocks! I was looking for an amp I could listen to for hours without fatigue. I've listened to this amp everyday since I've bought it. Wonderful and relaxing to listen to at night. Balanced sound and quiet operation. It seems to disappear in your room. This amp is a keeper. Love the appearance too. Allow a few days for break-in. Only draw back is you won't want to do anything else but stay in your house to listen to music.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom 5802

Excellent bass, very clear and great amount of details.

none

This amplifiers does everything if not perfect very close to. The sound is definately on the warm side and compare to the much more expensive amps as stated by other reviews. By no means at high levels this amps gets bright, harsh or edgy and works great with all kinds of music. Voices sound vivid and airy, bass very well define and details that you do not want to miss. I am very impress with the price/performance of this amp. After ten years listening to high end equipment I may not be an expert but I definately know what is good sound, and this one sounds excelent.

I was able to do a side by side comparison with the Krell KAV-250. First let me say that I am a krell fan, but I immediately noticed that the McCormack has a sweet and much more involving sound where the Krell comes out on the neutral and slightly to the bright side. Keep in mind that I owned both units. The only department that the Krell slightly betters the Mccormack is in the bass control. Again I have a pair of speakers that by no means are easy to drive and the McCormack does an excellent job with the 65 amps.

Mr. McCormack has done an excellent job by putting this puppy to compete out there with the higher end/expensive amps and I truly believe that he is succeding.

For your information and since I know that audiophiles like to know the music used in listening sessions I am providing them to you.

Music used:
Diana Kraul (Boulevard of Broken Dreams)
Gabriela Anders (Fantasia & Wanting)
Buena Vista Social Club
Natalie Merchant (Carnival) for bass definition purpose
Eric Clapton (Layla and running on Faith)
Eagles Live
Bob James (Grand Piano Canyon)

System:
McCormack DNA-125 - AMP
Marantz DVD-930
Lexicon Processor
B&W 802 Series 3 - Main Speakers
Tributaries Interconnects
Tara Labs Cables

Similar Products Used:

EAD, Krell KAV-250, Levinson, Sonographe by Conrad Johnson, B&K, NAD, Parasound, Adcom and others.

Soundstage quality that rivals much more expensive gear. Truth in timbre, voices

Musically, no weaknesses.Takes a few days of congested sound breaking-in before getting top performance.

There isn't much I can add to what has already been said in the previous reviews. I do totally agree that this is the steal of the new century in high-end audio. My friends are in jaw-dropping mode when I tell them how little I paid for it. This is not a budget amp by performance standards. It ranks with the very best at any price, provided you feed it top notch material. Wonderfully musical in every way, and very powerfull as an added bonus. How much better can it get? A very relaxing amp to listen to late at night. Low level resolution is awsome. I am done selling my gear. This amp I will keep at last. What else but 5 stars, it's a great value and a great performer.

Similar Products Used:

Rogue Audio, Bryston 4b

engaging, lively sound, emotion flow freely

nothing that a cheap tweak wont fix (racing cones)

What a fantastic product this DNA-125 is. It does EVERYTHING well in spades. Lush midrange, sweet highs, powerfull, authoritative lows. I had doubts, but this amp does it all at fraction of what anyone should really be paying for this kind of stellar performance. I hesitated between a Con Jon CAV-50 (integrated) and the McCormack with a Sim Audio preamp. Both are fine products, but the DNA-125 ended up in my living room. Conrad Johnson may have a very slight edge if any, in soundstaging, but everything else is no contest in favor of the DNA-125. Try the McCormack with racing cones, it's truely magical. What a deal. Top marks.

Similar Products Used:

too many to list them all

Dynamics, soundstage, neutrality

Generates heat and ideally needs to be left on all the time

I've only had the McCormack a month and I have to say I'm impressed. After the Musical Fidelity, which I auditioned for three weeks and then returned, the McCormack is quiet and powerful. Slightly on the warm side of neutral, with no harshness in the high mids like the Musical Fidelity, the McCormack seems to disappear into the system, allowing you to hear the other components and ultimately the music (I've been switching components a lot lately so I've been able to hear this effect clearly). Soundstage -- not something I normally care much about -- is superb, with plenty of depth as well as breadth. There is air and transparancy here, but it never feels like anything is added.

The unit does sound best when left all the time and it does generate a lot of heat. Probably not as much as many big units out there, but I'm not used to it.

I give this amp an unhesitating recommendation. My only reservation is that it might be a little expensive compared to Bryston at the same general level, but I hear those are brighter and more "SS" sounding. So check out the McCormack. Looks amazing too.

Associated equipment:

Thorens TD-145 turntable with Grado Prestige Gold cartridge
Ah! Tjoeb CD player with AC NoiseKiller and SuperCrystal
Rogue 66 preamp retubed with NOS Amperex Holland in both stages
Cardas Microtwin interconnects
MITerminator 2 biwire cable
Klipsch RB-5 speakers

Similar Products Used:

Musical Fidelity A3 CR

High quality build and rock solid looks. Palpable midrange, power seems enormous, very neutral and well-balanced.

Even at twice the price, one would be hard pressed to admit to any major fault.

This is one beautifull piece of high-end gear. As one famous reviewer said of a previous McCormack amplifier "a totally no-bs product" I completely agree with this point of view. Before purchasing, I called the manufacturer where I was told that the DNA 125 is a newer generation design that beats the previous DN-1 WITH THE REVISIONS in all respects except power. As for the DNA 125's power beleive me, this thing MOVES, but gracefully at all times. It does most of the things audiophile gear is supposed to do so I will spare you the details. It just doesn't do EVERYTHING well like a megabuck ( read: $10,000 ) amplifier.
I sincerely think that there is no competition at the DNA 125's price point, and at 2 or 2.5 times it's asking price. It's that good. I dont agree with a previous review that the unit gets hot, it get's lukewarm at best. But I do agree that it should be left on at all times. After about 40-50 hours, my amp "opened up" and revealed it's magic. If this thing had a more esoteric name on it, it would sell for much more, that I am certain of (and it will get up there in price as I am told McCormack is barely able to meet market demand)so get one while it's still the bargain of the new millenium.Other previous McCormack products are also good buys on the used market, but sorry, the new DNA series is in a different class and definitely worth the money (actually, they are no more expensive than the previous generation) There are fancier amps out there, and let's face it, most newer amps these days are pretty good. But if you want a good reliable, solid performer that you (and your significant other) can live with for years, and be able to say "bye-bye" to this buy-sell-buy high-end audio rat race, this is a no brainer for keeps. Very highly recommended by me. Bravo Steve McCormack! (Do you make any money on these?)

Similar Products Used:

Classé, Bryston, Krell 300i (ouch!), Sim Audio W3.