Has Anyone Compared the 2 McIntosh Integrateds?

Even though I clearly favored the 6900 in my listening session with the B&W, I want to make one qualification (which goes for most any hi-fi set-up): depending on your speakers and room acoustics, there could be reasons for preferring the sound of the 6500 -- also, they are both fabulous sonding amps, and I believe one could legitimately prefer one over the other.

Dear Pardales,
To answer your specific question, "can the 6500 drive maggies"? The answer is a resounding "YES"! I have the MA6500 driving Magneplanar 1.6qr's, in an average size room with very high ceilings. This is absolutely the best sound I have ever owned, and I have had some pretty esoteric & exotic stuff.

Nothing, I repeat Nothing, can touch the McIntosh amplifiers for "overall quality". The sound is so rich, full, detailed, pleasing and musical, and the controls are so very useful. Buy a Mac, you will never go back! Worth every penny!

Also a nice match w/ my Maggies.

Thanks hififile! I found a slightly used 6900 and bought it -- I am waiting for it to come back from Mac, and can't wait. I also found a MR 85 tuner on ebay recently and am waiting for that to come back from Mac as well. Do you think the 6900 could drive the 3.6's?

I will have my Thiel 2.3's for a while, but someday, I hope to own a pair of 3.6's maybe.

I have not tried either 6500 or 6900 with the 3.6 maggies.
Their efficiency is quite similar, and both amps put out the same power to 4 ohms.

What I can tell you is that the McIntosh amps are so conservatively rated that yuor 6900 should do justice to just about any speaker I can think of, especially with your autoformers in the 6900. They do make a difference. The power supply is enormous in that unit.

The other thing I can tell you is that there appears to be a magical synergy with McIntosh amps driving Magnepan Speakers. There is a certain warmth, musicality and Richness that just can't be beat in my opinion.

Best Regards, and Happy Listening,
Hififile