RC-1070/RB-1080 Combo vs. McIntosh MA6300

[Turkish1480]

Hello I currently have a an RC-1070/RB-1080 combo powering a pair of 804S and I am looking for an improvement for about $1500. If I sell those two pieces I should be bale to get about $1,000+ for them and my dealer would take $500 off of the MA6300 sticker. Has any one had experience with these two set ups on any of the B&W 800S series?

Cheers!

[sirbogey]

now, that's a different story.! You are entering the 8th dimension.. think superstring theory and gamma rays :??

[scanido]

If you can do it i would get the MAC no doubt! There's just something really special with listening and owning a McIntosh!

...But before you go and do that i would at least listen to the Mac on your sysem. It may very well be you like the Rotel setup more.

[MoonSpin]

I have a Rotel RC-1070 & RB-1080 setup and this year I bought a very horribly over expensive McIntosh setup. I thought spending that much money that I was going to be blown away with it's performance. What shocked me was that I was disappointed. I lost the wide sound-stage of the Rotel but then found out that McIntosh sound is more focused in the center from other McIntosh users who say it's been McIntosh trademark for years. I also noticed I lost some detail I was used to because of McIntosh sound does a more refined sound that eliminates some details in favor for the refined easy on the ears sound. It was too refined for my likes though some love it. The build quality of the McIntosh was excellent, hefty, and very heavy.

What I didn't know until later, that there is a love or hate thing with people for McIntosh that I hadn't known about. I ended up going back to my Rotel RC-1070 and RB-1080 because the McIntosh wasn't to my liking like I had so hoped for, especially for the very large amount it cost me. Good Luck.

[MoonSpin]

Oh, just thought I would share my experience with the McIntosh because it really made me learn just how subjective sound can really be for each of what we like or don't like. It taught me a good lesson, just because it's much more expensive, doesn't mean I'm gonna like it!

[meltdown]

Hold your horses Turkish, MoonSpin is on to something. I too had the RC1070 and a RB1070, good little combo, a friend wanted it and I sold it. Was using them with B&W 602 s3's with a Project TT. So now what. I go to the dealer in the hopes of upgrading to the new RC1082 and a RB1080, money in pocket. You cannot beat Rotel for cost-Performance ratio, noway nohow, period. So as I glide past the new Mac 6300 on my way to the Rotel rack, I pulled back on the stick and put down my flaps, cause I was coming in with my sights on the Mac. They were playing her through a pair of Martin Logans, and it was sweet. In your face clean unaltered Mac sound. Driving ML's with the needle stiff at 1 watt. I would of liked to crank that new puppy up to see what she'd do, but I was affraid they would toss me out on my ear. So.... like the pack rat that I am, I bought it and got her fired up now. Its not better or worse then my Rotel's or my older Phase Linears, just different. Different Imagining, depth and headroom. Its uncolored and natural and easy on the ears. I believe that a lot has to do with speakers and cables selected too. With no tone controls you tend to get a little antsy, and just have to sit on your hands and enjoy the music as the artist wanted it to be listened to. But I hooked up a sub to her for those times when you want a little more thump. In conclusion. Not bad for a Integrated amp. You can buy alot of different boxes for 2700, but any way you stretch it, it just wont be a Mac, will it? Beside if I get lonesome for my Rotel's I got the 1090 and 1095 downstairs,hehe.