Mcintosh Ma8000 or Ma9000?

I am new to the hifi world, I bought a dynaudio contour 30 speakers. I am now in a situation picking the right amp. I am in New Zealand, its hard to listen to the amps before I buy in this country. Any one have listen to both amps? Is 9000 only have better DAC? I have a very good offer for old 8000, but I really don't want make mistake when spend this much. Thank you guys for your opinions, I am a beginer, everything is new for me. Excuse my english, not my first language.

 

1) I wouldn't buy anything McIntosh because of the DAC.
2) Can you buy the MA8000 and not continue to think you should of bought the MA9000?

If you save enough on the MA8000, maybe put the savings into a real good external DAC.

 

Personally I'm a firm believer that DACs should be a separate outboard unit and not built into foundation system components. This way, the DAC can easily be upgraded/serviced as needed without putting your system out of service, let alone the sheer inconvenience of dismantling the system transporting a 100 lb McIntosh unit if and when the built-in DAC goes on the fritz.

Otherwise, I sincerely doubt there will be any audible benefit from going from an MA8000 to an MA9000.

 

The new MA8900 has a removable and upgrade-able DAC module.

 

Beware of this. I have seen equipment like this before, only to have the new design not be compatible with the old unit.

 

The one thing if favor of having a DAC built in is convenience. Also, DACs have a pretty long lifespan, AFAIK. Otherwise, I would prefer my preamp not to have a DAC. My preamp doesn't have a DAC and will never have a DAC.

 

It's convenient to route my TV signal through it because of the McIntosh remote. That's where it ends for me.

This might be one time were it actually happens. The USB chipset and implementation that McIntosh uses is such absolute crap, they have to come up with something better.