McCormack DNA 500

Well, I wish I had an endless supply of cash as somebody up above said... :-)

I do own the DNA-500 and I am using it with a Tact 2.2x preamp, VMPS RM 40 speakers, and an Empirical Audio modified Sony S-7700 as a transport directly into the Tact.

The DNA-500 is effortless in its presentation while being very musical. It gets the harmoincs of the music right. The overall presentaion is well balanced and not any one area stands out or seems deficient.

I have found that it excels regardless of the music and handles whatever I throw at it. In a typical session it isn't uncommon for my to go from The Bad Plus to Tori Amos to Wilco to Ben Harper to Sam Cooke to Roland Kirk to Vivaldi. In all cases the amp keeps me emotionally involved in the music while squeezing out tons of detail.

Other amps I have owned or tried in my system include:

Kora Cosmos Reference Mono Blocks
Rowland 201's
Pass X250/350
Plinius 250
VAC 100/100
Sunfire Stereo
Mesa Baron
Krell KSA 100
Meridian (can't remember the model number but it was big)
Sherbourn 5/1500A
Adcom GFA 555 MK ii
Spectron (original model, not current one)

George

Zybar, that's an impressive list of amps! Does the DNA500 flat-out beat all of them, or were there any of those other amps that did some things better? Any you regret selling?

Overall the DNA-500 beats them all.

No regrets at all!!

THE Kora amps had the magic in the midrange that only Class A Triode tubes can produce.

The DNA-500 is very liquid without a hint of grain or harshness I usually hear in SS amps, but it isn't tubes.

George

(Chip Stern reviewed the DNA-500 at 6Moons, and basically calls the DNA-500 the best solid state amp he's heard).You think old Chip has heard a H2O or Audio Research T class amps BET NOT. I think McCormack makes great gear too. I'd like to hear the DNA500s.I did like the DNA225 but the ARC 150M was just a lot better amp.

George! The DNA500 is on my current "short list". Just wondering if you have heard any of the latest X .5 series Pass amps & how they might compare?

Thanks,

Dennis