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Help choosing my next amplifier

Which amp would you choose?

  • Total voters
    35
Dony

Dony

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Hello Ak members,

I would like to ask for your recommendations about my next used amplifier purchase. I have three options to choose from.

1. Nakamichi PA-7 v1 (will be recapped and serviced)
2. McIntosh MC2105 (basically new in box with recent refresh)
3. Bryston 4B sst2 (serviced but not recapped)

I will be selling off some of my other vintage equipment to fund the purchase so I would appreciate some help from members that have owned one or more of these amps.
 
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Well so far it seems like the McIntosh and Bryston get the most votes. I will need
to see which has the best price. Both are more expensive than the Nakamichi.
 
Well actually all three of these amps are used and local to me in Canada, so I am not really thinking about where they were manufactured as they are all somewhat vintage in my mind and therefore to me the support for manufacturing costs have long since past...

I look at it like I'm buying one of these used amps from a neighbor in Canada as none of them will be crossing borders or be shipped from outside Canada.
 
Dony said:
I look at it like I'm buying one of these used amps from a neighbor in Canada as none of them will be crossing borders or be shipped from outside Canada.
Click to expand...
Since they're from a "neighbor", ask if you could try them in your system first. :)
 
Mac hands down .

Its been said that you can try Mcintosh for free because their value steadily climbs in line with inflation.
If you don't like it, sell it and get your money (or more money) back.
You won't be selling it but its nice to know you wont lose your pants on the deal if you decided to...
 
MC-2105. Not just for the quality, great sound and name but also because the company still supports their legacy products. I have new, not new old stock, faceplates on their way for my 2105 and my C-28 preamp. What other company does that? These are each at least 50 years old! That's just crazy cool that they believe in their stuff that much. Now I do too.
 
I have no skin in this game but how many posters have heard all 3 of these amps in similar conditions.... how about 2 of them?
As the answer will be virtually none, this becomes a popularity contest.
Agree w @jayvis , try like hell to get a demo - w yr speakers in yr room if possible.
I fully realize this is not always possible.

Good luck to the OP.
By reputation, those are all quality choices, you can't go wrong.

Just to play the game, I'd pick the Nak.
I always wanted to try a Nelson Pass amp.
His work is legendary.
 
Bob in WI said:
I have no skin in this game but how many posters have heard all 3 of these amps in similar conditions.... how about 2 of them?
As the answer will be virtually none, this becomes a popularity contest.
Agree w @jayvis , try like hell to get a demo - w yr speakers in yr room if possible.
I fully realize this is not always possible.

Good luck to the OP.
By reputation, those are all quality choices, you can't go wrong.

Just to play the game, I'd pick the Nak.
I always wanted to try a Nelson Pass amp.
His work is legendary.
Click to expand...
The Nakamichi is great, there is one for sale here locally that's like new and priced very well. I've been tempted to buy it but I have the MC-2105. I chose the 2105, with the C-28 preamp and MR-65B tuner, over the Nakamichi system which also included the matching Nakamichi tuner and preamp. Very nice stuff and I bet it would've won against most stuff. The Nakamichi system also would've saved me a bundle over the Mac plus I preferred the way the Nakamichi stuff looked, simple, stealth. I did not like the black and green of Mac. But when I closed my eyes there was no other choice for me. They were each demo'd using my speakers but not my space. You can't go wrong either way. I've never seen or heard a Bryston.
 
@qguy does the q in front stand for question because you asked a very good one.
To the op, without more information your basically asking which amp is peoples
favorite, or lusted after. Will it be yours?
 
Between those three amps, why would choice of speakers be a concern?

All three can handle just about anything.

One or the other may have better "synergy" with the OP''s speakers, but synergy is mostly a matter of personal preference at this level of performance.

And, if the OP is considering amps of this class, it seemed safe to assume he confirmed all three are capable of meeting the technical requirements of his speakers.
 
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