Need some feedback on giving up a Mcintosh SS for a Cronus tube amp

B

Bruce X

Active Member
I have a McIntosh MA 6500 and was recently given the opportunity to demo a Cronus Rogue Magnum II tube amp for a week. I have a pair of early Cornwall's that I'm going to stick with because they just sound the best in my oddly configured listening room. I really liked the sound of the Rogue through the Corn's so I put my Mac up for sale. The Mac is no slouch but the Cronus sounded a little sweeter. I'm getting some serious inquiries on the Mac but now I'm having second thoughts about selling it.

Looking for feedback on whether I should move on to modern tube technology or hold on to the classic SS Mac. I'm the second owner of the 6500 (circa late 80's/early 90's) and know it's never been recapped. I wonder if that would make an appreciable difference in the sound the Mac puts out. Thanks.
 
Register to hide this ad
Lately I have adopted the attitude..."How much stuff do I really use?". The issue is many of us continue to accumulate more and can only listen to one at a time.

Now, maybe you can move the Mac into the garage????? Snort............
 
Having a backup amp is entirely justifiable, imo.

Sometimes when wondering whether a new piece is really an upgrade or a sideways move, it helps to go back to the old piece for awhile. I don't mean any rapid A/B switching, I mean living with both for awhile, and listening long enough to get used to one before changing to the other, or back again.
 
Solid state gear is great for long term use as it doesn't change, nor care how long it's been used. Solid state is effectively long term maintainance free, with emphasis on "free". Hours of use count and add up on tubes, especially output tubes, and "tube rolling", while optional, is a costly tail chasing distraction from enjoying the music. Performance gradually deteriorates as tubes age and lose their optimal operating characteristics. The owner should be willing to stay on top of routine maintainance and expect occasional spontaneous failures.
From a guy that uses and enjoys both technologies and doesn't tube roll.
 
Last edited:
sqlsavior said:
Having a backup amp is entirely justifiable, imo.

Sometimes when wondering whether a new piece is really an upgrade or a sideways move, it helps to go back to the old piece for awhile. I don't mean any rapid A/B switching, I mean living with both for awhile, and listening long enough to get used to one before changing to the other, or back again.
Click to expand...
I have other hobbies and definitely have more than one item as backups or for a different flavor. In the case of getting another amp the level of the Mac, seems like it's going to be at least $2500, and that's where having two is cost prohibitive at this time. I would love to have a tube amp, but as seems to be the consensus thus far, I would likely regret getting rid of the Mac. A friend turned me on to Raven and Decware amps and those seem really nice for the $2500 range. I believe he said Raven would let u demo a model. So, may try that and if a fall in love, maybe I move the Mac.
 
Pio1980 said:
Solid state gear is great for long term use as it doesn't change, nor care how long it's been used. Solid state is effectively long term maintainance free, with emphasis on "free". Hours of use count and add up on tubes, especially output tubes, and "tube rolling", while optional, is a costly tail chasing distraction from enjoying the music. Performance gradually deteriorates as tubes age and lose their optimal operating characteristics.
From a guy that uses and enjoys both technologies and doesn't tube roll.
Click to expand...
That's good perspective. Thanks. Do you notice any significant sonic differences between your SS and tube amp?
 
sqlsavior said:
Having a backup amp is entirely justifiable, imo.

Sometimes when wondering whether a new piece is really an upgrade or a sideways move, it helps to go back to the old piece for awhile. I don't mean any rapid A/B switching, I mean living with both for awhile, and listening long enough to get used to one before changing to the other, or back again.
Click to expand...
This is what I do, and let me add, sometimes if the only way to get something new is to sell what you have, maybe you should stay put.

Any fast A/B testing only shows that the two are different, acclimation is needed over weeks and then swap back. I don't know how many times I'v swapped out stuff only to go back to it months later after the newness faded.
 
Bruce X said:
That's good perspective. Thanks. Do you notice any significant sonic differences between your SS and tube amp?
Click to expand...
Good modern amps of similar power output tend to sound more similar than different.
Long term casual and critical listening shows up subtle differences that play into preferences. Some types of amps may have more obvious signature sounds, ie class 'A' single ended tube or solid state, FET vs bipolar silicon transistor, ultralinear distributed load output tubes vs pentode operation vs triode, ect, ect.
I will always keep an inexpensive console conversion tube amp as a parity check on what is possible with simplicity on a budget.
 
I'm biased and went through my tube phase many decades ago, so take this with a grain of salt. Back then great OEM tubes were still available and prices weren't crazy. Even so I constantly worried that my output tubes weren't as good as they were when new. If one is truly as fussy and sensitive as tube fanatics can be, and listens a lot, a new set every couple years isn't out of the question. Otherwise you're just listening to a degraded version of "what it could be". IMO, if one already has a decent solid state amp, money could be better spent on some room treatments or even just enlarging the music collection. I'd try to keep the Mac and listen to the new one for a year. At that point, if you want to sell the Mac, you'll be pretty sure of your decision.
 
When I scanned this thread I did not see what your room setup, speakers, or source is. I would guess that the Raven is a pipe dream. To spend that kind of money and have tube maintenance too, does not make sense.
 
Freddymac2 said:
When I scanned this thread I did not see what your room setup, speakers, or source is. I would guess that the Raven is a pipe dream. To spend that kind of money and have tube maintenance too, does not make sense.
Click to expand...
Raven has an integrated 20 watt amp for about $2,600 that recommended by an audiophile friend. The Cronus at 100 watts and $2500 is a good value, sounds as good as my Mac. I have a pair of Cornwall's I'm listening through along with a Rega 6 and NAD cd playa.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom