Looking for feedback on MC 7270

I've been using a MX-119, MVP-861, and MC-150 setup with ATC SCM-19 and ATC-C1 sub with excellent results. On dynamic passages, it seems like the speakers could use a little more power.

I was looking for a second MC-150 to configure in mono, but they are getting hard to find. So, went to plan B. Found a very nice MC 7270 at a reasonable price, which will get 270 watts instead of 150 watts. Will get it in a couple of weeks.

Looking for feedback on the 7270. How does it compare to the 150?

Also, would it make any sense to bi-amp the SCM-19s?, with the 7270 on the bottom, and the 150 on the top? My past attempts to bi-amp did not yield the results I had hoped for.

Well, the MC7270 is roughly double the power of the MC150 so you can expect just less than 3 dB of output gain. If you're repeatedly flashing the PG lights on the MC150, that would be less so often on the MC7270.

I'm unfamiliar with that speaker and there isn't much info on the factory's web site for it - IE, photos of the input terminal scheme, etc. I'd be inclined to play around with all the various possible combinations to achieve the best results.

Freo-1 said:

I've been using a MX-119, MVP-861, and MC-150 setup with ATC SCM-19 and ATC-C1 sub with excellent results. On dynamic passages, it seems like the speakers could use a little more power.

I was looking for a second MC-150 to configure in mono, but they are getting hard to find. So, went to plan B. Found a very nice MC 7270 at a reasonable price, which will get 270 watts instead of 150 watts. Will get it in a couple of weeks.

Looking for feedback on the 7270. How does it compare to the 150?

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Since you already bought it and are waiting for it to come, it sounds like you are getting some kind of post purchase nervousness. What can you possibly be worried about except shipping damage? It's a Mcintosh. :yes:

jlovda said:

Since you already bought it and are waiting for it to come, it sounds like you are getting some kind of post purchase nervousness. What can you possibly be worried about except shipping damage? It's a Mcintosh. :yes:

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No, I'm pretty sure it will sound great. Was more curious about bi-amping.

Freo-1 said:

Also, would it make any sense to bi-amp the SCM-19s?, with the 7270 on the bottom, and the 150 on the top? My past attempts to bi-amp did not yield the results I had hoped for.

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Bi-amping without an active crossover in the mix is not really going to net any results regardless of what amps you're working with.

I guess you are going to find out you really never go back in life. Sure you'll have 3 db more if your speakers can handle that, but if you want a really noticeable difference you are going to have to step up to a 452 or a pair of 601's. A 7270 never showed me much, it was a stripped 2255, and the sound was difference was un-noticeable to me, even on Mac speakers. A 7300 was quieter, but still didn't make that much difference. For sound from that period I would be looking for a MC 2600. Your going to wonder why the top octave doesn't sound as good as a 152 and the listening for long periods at normal levels you'll find a 152 a better amp, to. Its almost 20 db quieter and has lower distortion, but the main thing is the 152 will hold its poise better than a 7270, if its anything like 452"s I've heard. And unless the 7270 has been totally checked out and brought up to like new performance, it will be working with one hand tied behind its back. I can remember when the 2300 came along how disappointed I was. It was just a bigger 2105. 2 DC 300A's could blow it off the map while sounding better. It wasn't until the 2500 and 7200's came along that I was really happy with Mac amps. The 7200 for other speakers and the 2500 for Mac speakers. So just like back then your should have looked for at least a 452. That's 5db more power and something you can really hear. 3 db is a very small change unless you have a reference to compare with. Remember it takes an increase of 10 db to sound twice as loud.

Another thing to know is when your speakers start going into compression. Once you reach that point more power doesn't do you any good. Distortion just increases.

I read about your speakers, 85 db at 1 watt and 108 db at 300 watts which means they are already compressing the signal 1.8 db at 300 watts. meaning 200 watts is really all they can handle and you 152 will be close to that. Watch out that 7270 may be the death of your tweeters. To tell the truth I would be looking for speakers rather than amps. Something with 90+ db sensitivity would be a better choice. Then you could reach 112 db with the 152 or 115 db with the 7270 and preferably 117db with the 452. Unless space is an issue maybe a pair of B&W's, Mcintosh, etc would be better for you. Good luck.

twiiii said:

I read about your speakers, 85 db at 1 watt and 108 db at 300 watts which means they are already compressing the signal 1.8 db at 300 watts. meaning 200 watts is really all they can handle and you 152 will be close to that. Watch out that 7270 may be the death of your tweeters. To tell the truth I would be looking for speakers rather than amps. Something with 90+ db sensitivity would be a better choice. Then you could reach 112 db with the 152 or 115 db with the 7270 and preferably 117db with the 452. Unless space is an issue maybe a pair of B&W's, Mcintosh, etc would be better for you. Good luck.

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twiii, if you read the initial message, he already bought the amp and it probably cost him an arm and a leg. What do you think he should do when it arrives; send it back, sell it on CL or set it up as part of a basement system?

There is a lot more involved with speakers than the sensitivity. There are some very sound engineering reasons why the SCM-19's are 85db/w. They can go up to 108db very cleanly. The super linear driver is simply one of the very best drivers on the market, regardless of price. They are also very linear, something many higher efficient speakers simply are not. They sound cleaner when pushed than many speakers that have I have heard with more efficient specs. 90 watt tube amps on them with great results. They did not get a class A recommendation from Stereophile for nothing. :thmbsp:


From looking at the discussion forums, it seems like a lot of Mac enthusiasts seem to love the sound of amps from the 7270 era more than the later stuff. I'll just have to see how it is, but if it's as good as the 150, and handles dynamic transients better, then I'll be a happy camper.

I think the advice on needing a active crossover is sound. Will likely just use the 7270 stand alone.

Freo-1 said:

From looking at the discussion forums, it seems like a lot of Mac enthusiasts seem to love the sound of amps from the 7270 era more than the later stuff. I'll just have to see how it is, but if it's as good as the 150, and handles dynamic transients better, then I'll be a happy camper.

I think the advice on needing a active crossover is sound. Will likely just use the 7270 stand alone.

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Its all subjective anyway, you might find you really like it, or you might think it doesnt sound any different, or whatever, its up to you at the end of the day.

Yeah, bi-amping is a waste of time and amplifiers unless you actually use an active crossover.

Let us know what you think of the 7270 when you get it..:thmbsp:

twiiii tends to look at things from a practicality standpoint. He likely has more experience with McIntosh amplifiers than any of us here. That being said, he and I often have differing opinions when it comes to application. Your speakers certainly exude quality so I bet they do sound good.

I for one have always thought the MC7270 represents the single best value in a high powered McIntosh amplifier (I've owned four). The MC150 is two generations newer than the MC7270 and honestly I've heard so little feedback on that particular power amp. I'm one of those guys that will try things in my own system versus settling on why it won't work. Over the years, I've tried all kinds of stuff that others said wouldn't sound good. In most cases, they were dead wrong. For example, I had a die hard Mc tube guy tell me that there was no way using my pair of MC240s bridged could outperform my MC275. They blew it away. No contest. So much so that I sold the MC275 about two weeks later.

When it comes to matching speakers to amplifiers, I've settled on synergy being the single most important criteria. I drove my Altecs with an MC2300 for nearly 20 years before being able to track down an MC2600 that I could purchase reasonably. Both amplifiers have excellent synergy with the Altecs. The MC2600 is the superior of the two, mainly because it's quieter - that's a good thing when driving speakers with a horn that measures a foot tall and two feet wide. Also, the MC2600 seems to control the woofer in the speaker better giving the Altecs a more robust bottom end. Over the years, I tried every McIntosh amp that came through my hands (I've had a few hundred) with the Altecs. Only the MC2600 (and my MC500) bested the MC2300. Although the MC2600 is double the power, I did run strapped MC2300s for a long time as well - it's really hard to say which is more capable there. I think they're actually very close. The fact that I just love the MC2600 has me wondering how much I might love the MC602 - after all, that's two generations newer!

Audio is a hobby where certainty is not something that can be arrived at in a thread. That's why I typically encourage folks to try stuff and see what sounds best to their ears. If I were in your shoes, I'd be excited to take delivery of the MC7270. And, no matter what anyone tells you, I'd also try the bi-amp arrangements with the two amplifiers. Forget about volume gains. Think about synergy. When you find that perfect synergy, you'll know it right away.

damacman said:

twiiii tends to look at things from a practicality standpoint. He likely has more experience with McIntosh amplifiers than any of us here. That being said, he and I often have differing opinions when it comes to application. Your speakers certainly exude quality so I bet they do sound good.

I for one have always thought the MC7270 represents the single best value in a high powered McIntosh amplifier (I've owned four). The MC150 is two generations newer than the MC7270 and honestly I've heard so little feedback on that particular power amp. I'm one of those guys that will try things in my own system versus settling on why it won't work. Over the years, I've tried all kinds of stuff that others said wouldn't sound good. In most cases, they were dead wrong. For example, I had a die hard Mc tube guy tell me that there was no way using my pair of MC240s bridged could outperform my MC275. They blew it away. No contest. So much so that I sold the MC275 about two weeks later.

When it comes to matching speakers to amplifiers, I've settled on synergy being the single most important criteria. I drove my Altecs with an MC2300 for nearly 20 years before being able to track down an MC2600 that I could purchase reasonably. Both amplifiers have excellent synergy with the Altecs. The MC2600 is the superior of the two, mainly because it's quieter - that's a good thing when driving speakers with a horn that measures a foot tall and two feet wide. Also, the MC2600 seems to control the woofer in the speaker better giving the Altecs a more robust bottom end. Over the years, I tried every McIntosh amp that came through my hands (I've had a few hundred) with the Altecs. Only the MC2600 (and my MC500) bested the MC2300. Although the MC2600 is double the power, I did run strapped MC2300s for a long time as well - it's really hard to say which is more capable there. I think they're actually very close. The fact that I just love the MC2600 has me wondering how much I might love the MC602 - after all, that's two generations newer!

Audio is a hobby where certainty is not something that can be arrived at in a thread. That's why I typically encourage folks to try stuff and see what sounds best to their ears. If I were in your shoes, I'd be excited to take delivery of the MC7270. And, no matter what anyone tells you, I'd also try the bi-amp arrangements with the two amplifiers. Forget about volume gains. Think about synergy. When you find that perfect synergy, you'll know it right away.

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Very sage advice. Appreciate the insight. There is a already a great synergy with the MC-150 and the ATC speakers. I feel confident the extra power from the 7270 will further enhance the listening experience. :thmbsp:

Before "re-discovering McIntosh", had various Threshold and Pass Labs gear. Although one would normally think the later gear would sound better, that was not always the case with the Pass gear. The best sounding amp I came across was a refurbished S200, which is couple of generations older than the Pass Labs gear.

The McInotsh gear to me sounds better than any of the Pass gear I have owned. No longer feel the need to keep trying other amp/preamp brands. I have found a long term home with the Mac sound. :yes:

Amen to that. Many of us here agree vehemently. McIntosh is a part of who I am.

damacman said:

Amen to that. Many of us here agree vehemently. McIntosh is a part of who I am.

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Though I've only recently joined the McIntosh family, I feel exactly the same way. Recorded music has never moved me in the way it does when played through my McIntosh gear.

Here are a couple of pics of the unit.

That's a nice looking one! Like mine

I consider it to be one of the best bang for the buck Mac amps. I do like the newer amps, but they are either too big for my setup or too expensive for my pocket. One day I might consider going for the mono amps. I can always find space somewhere on the floor for those I suppose

With the Canadian $ going the way of the peso any potential purchases are on hold. Glad I bought most of my Mac gear when the $ was at or near par. I'm seeing most of my gear going up in price lol.

Freo-1 said:

Here are a couple of pics of the unit.

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Nice, I like the open chassis style, glad they went back to that with the MC352 and beyond.....gives it character...


You cant go wrong really, I was listening to my other system this morning with my MR80 and MC2205 through the JBL L7's got a Mackie 1202VZ Pro as a pre-amp, and I have to say its a pretty strong sounding system....

I am sure you'll like the 7270...:thmbsp:

Gorgeous amp. It looks like the seller has other fine examples of McIntosh as well.

You'll really enjoy it. When you get bored, buy a 2nd and bridge them.

His speakers with 85 db sensitivity may sound great if they are not over taxed. And published specs say they will be over taxed when pushed by the 7270 to its full potential. The difference between the two amps in signal to noise won't make that much difference as his speakers are so in efficient.

The issue with folks who like 2 way point source speakers is how to get more level. Changing to speakers with 3 or 4 way crossovers and misaligned drivers tend to fail miserably for these guys. They don't usually like horns either with the radical change of directivity between the HF and LF drivers with change in frequency. That's why I prefer line arrays, but they can have multiple issues, too. So its been my experience that folks that have found a 2 way speaker they like try to improve the sound by changing amps and tube guys additionally try changing tubes. Your speakers are the foundation for your system, and once they reach their limit, then they should be changed.

I realize he already has purchased the 7270. But as others read these entries, I was just trying to point out that to the next person that just buying an amp isn't always a solution. Of course we don't really know how he likes to listen. Is the MC152 only peaking occasionally, rarely, or consistently. Rarely doesn't require concern, consistently does. For an example my main speakers are 95 db sensitivity and I tri amp. 20 watts is about as loud as I ever get, with an extremely rare 50 watts. So at 15 ft listening distance thats about 112 db with a Dc of 10 ft. With his point source speakers at 15 ft and a Dc 6 ft it would take about 500 watts to reach the same level and he has no reserve, where I have the potential for another 6 db and amp for 8 db. If you figure the average home environment has a noise level around 30 db, I only need about 88 to to 96 db signal to noise. He would only need appox 88db. But where our ears are most sensitive , 2 khz octave is not where the room noise is centered. And I have found you need an additional 15 to 20 db to be noise free. Placing my numbers around 108 to 116 and I have 112 db. So you have to be 1 ft from the tweeters to hear a touch of noise. He should experience no noise from the 152 and just a touch from the 7270 at 1 ft. As for the sound quality, I'm basing it on the sound of the 452. A very smooth amp that doesn't get nasty when pushed continually. It doesn't get cloudy either. 7270 after they been pushed so they are toasty warm high frequencies just aren't as revealing and yet smooth like the century series amps. I was really surprised when I first heard a pair of 501'S compared to a 7300. And 452's are just a bit more revealing while maintaining their cool as compared to the 501's aT the same power level. So that being the case a 152 should easily out perform a 7270 at the same level. But that all depends on the speaker being driven by the given amp. As mentioned every system responds differently with different links in the chain, so I'll wait for his answer. Personally I'd would rather give up a little quantity for better quality.

Well, with the ATC SCM-19 speakers, one gets quality in spades. The speakers get to 108 db, and they do sounding much cleaner (and accurate) than the majority of speakers I've come across over the years. They are not a difficult load to drive, but they do like power. Combine them with the SVS SB13 Ultra Sub, and one gets a full frequency setup that plays plenty loud for the majority of audiophiles. :yes:

Once I get the MC 7270 in the system, will be happy to report the results. Although I really like the MC-150, there is some music (mostly classical) that I think the MC 7270 will better handle the crescendos. At 80 lbs, the 7270 is about as much of an amp weight wise I want to handle. I have every reason to think the 7270 will sound great with the ATC's.

Speaking of the multi driver speakers, I had Legacy Signature III's for some time, and I have to say that the ATC's are much more balanced sounding (except in the deep bass). However, with the SVS sub, no worries with bass performance.