Mcintosh MC500 or Accuphase P800

I haven't heard the MC1000, but I have heard the the MC500 with B&W Nautilus 802. The combination is excellent, as to my ear the MC500 "warms-up" the B&Ws a tad, together making really good synergistic balance. The 500 has plenty of power, and I would doubt you need to go to the 1000.

My experience with Accuphase products in general is they are more detailed than McIntosh gear, but flatter and more "technical" sounding. From your description of listening preferences, it seems that McIntosh would be a better match.

"I did hear the MC1000 but I do not know if the MC500 would be as good..."

The 500 would be almost as good as the 1000's. (I owned them both at the same time.)

Basically if you liked the 1000's, you'll like the 500 so, short of getting to listen to both amps and deciding then, you have a known vs a gamble. I'd go with the known.

Regarding Left Eye's comments, I went from a McIntosh ss amp to Accuphase, and found the result to be quite the opposite. To be fair, though, I have one of their Class A amps. I've never heard one of their A/B amps.

Well, seems I missed out on the auction for the MC500...
Had the comment from onemug been a day sooner I would have gone for it. Now I decided to leave as is as a hifi salesman told me the older mcintosh gear sounded more hifi, with a loudness effect and the newer gear is more transparent. I dont know however if the MC500, from 1992 was considered as the "older" gear...
I heard the MC1000 only once on a totally different system (a capella horns) and the P800 on JBL everests...
I do have a new runner however, being the Mark Levinson 432. It is at 4000 euros, from the dealer mentioned above... I heard this once too with 320s preamp on wilson sophias. Sounded really good. I have made an appointment to compare it with the MC452 on 30-07, both fed by my mcintosh c46, on b&w nautilus 800 speakers. (totally different then my matrix 800's of course)but the best I could do...
Feel bad about the MC500 though, it went for only 2600 euros...P800 is at 3400 and Levinson 432 at 4000...

Who in the hell mated a Mac 1000 watt amp with Acapella horns??