It's a hybrid amp so of course the real amplification is coming from chips. I can tell you this; I have owned dozens of amps in my life, this one takes the cake. It's so good I had the wife's approval to buy another one. Can it compare to a McIntosh? I don't know since I have never heard one. But to get this amount of amplification with a Mc would be 4x the price. I cannot believe it would be that much better.

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