I need quick help- Bi-amp Threshold/McIntosh


I was giving strong thought to bi-amping a set of B&W 802 Matrix Series III speakers presently running on a Threshold S350E single amp. I was going to go with a tube top amp bi-amped, and a guy I know is selling a McIntosh MC2700 amp (200 w/pc)which he thought was tube, and offered it to me for a reasonable price. However, in checking this amp out, I found it was SS. I still want to bi-amp this system, but I can get Thresholds for less used if I want to stay SS, and possibly verticle bi-amp if I can find an S350. Or is the MC2700 a great amp which would sound tube like? or even a great bottom bi-amp as my Threshold is silky smooth anyway? ASAP help would be great.... Thanks, Tom. I know nothing about McInstosh. I though they were all tube too.
trich727
Trich, in view of the very high probability that the MC2700 has a different input sensitivity than the Threshold amp, you will probably be creating a level-matching problem if you go that route. You would likely have to address this issue with any tube amp you would use on the top as well. It could be dealt with by inserting a passive preamp in line with the amp with the higher input sensitivity and then turning down the volume slightly to match the level of the less sensitive amp. Of course if you used another amp with the same input sensitivity as the Threshold there should be no need for the level matching.

My guess is that if your Threshold is "silk-smooth," you would derive little or no benefit from adding a solid-state McIntosh unit.
Plato,
Altough I am not familiar with the 2700, all McIntosh amps that I know of have gain contols, so matching gain should be easy.
Also your statement that bi-amping will be of little or no benefit, is wrong. There are are many reasons why it will be of benefit. Two big ones are:
1. Twice the power (you can never have too much)
2. Either more separation between frequencies (each amp only having to handle limited bandwith with horizontal biamping) or more separation between channels (with vertical biamping)

I personally would probably use two Threshold amps rather than mixing with the McIntosh....but I am not a fan of McIntosh.
Richard
I agree with sticking to Threshold.I don,t think its neccesary with the 802s.I tried it with the 801 matrix and preffered the single Threshold. ( s/300 series 2)