Best current McIntosh product...

playdrv4me

Active Member
I was giving this topic some thought yesterday after again happening across the page for the MAC6700 receiver... The more I think about it, the more I feel like it is the best current product, of any category you can get from McIntosh right now.

It can power a virtually limitless number of VERY good speakers on the market today (perhaps even my 802 Diamonds reasonably well), and it combines several thousands of dollars worth of other McIntosh product categories in one gorgeous unit that most people can reasonably afford, perhaps with a little saving here and there... You don't even have to sacrifice meters! Plus you get a tuner, to boot. I could get rid of ALL my other McIntosh if I had to and be happy with this single unit alone.

Even if you wanted a step up in power in an integrated unit, the BEST you could possibly do is the MA8000 and you only gain another 100 watts which in the grand scheme of things, won't make a hell of a lot of difference. Worse, you lose the tuner in the USA (the MAC6700 is a USA only product due to the built in tuner), AND you get hit with a not insignificant increase in cost. Instead, you could just grow to a separate power amp(s) and continue using your MAC6700 as a solid preamp for many years after that. Its only weakness being a lack of balanced outputs...

I hate to always sound like a product brochure for the damn thing, but I really do feel it's the best representation of what McIntosh is best at at a very reasonable cost.

What's your favorite Mac product? If we went outside the current timeframe, I'd expand it to the MI350/MC3500...
 
Last edited:
I agree with you. I thnk it is th best bang for the buck from McIntosh. A real bargain. I had a C48, MC302, and MR88. It cost $15,5000 and the MAC6700 cost $6,500. All you gain is 100 wpc. Which is not really even audible. It also takes up only about one third the space. It is the way to go unless you need a ton of power. :thmbsp:
 
Last edited:
I've got an MA6600 and a D100 and am very happy both units. The only things I don't like are the lack of full lighting on the D100 and I'm not crazy about the TM-2 tuner in the MA6600. If I were to do it again today I'd opt instead for the MA7900 with an outboard tuner. I'd gladly give up the integrated tuner in my MA6600 for a nice equalizer like the one in the MA7900. I sometimes use an old C32 now just for the equalizer and variable loudness.

I think the MA7900, MAC6700, and D100 are all in the 'best bang for your buck' category.

-Matt
 
Last edited:
My that MAC6700 definitely looks like a sleeper - I've really never paid it much attention. I'd have a hard time arguing with that choice even though I've never been much of a stereo receiver guy.

I think I'll concur that the current model MC275 is also a bargain when looking at new Mc. I've never heard one personally, but they sure get glowing (ok, that was bad) reviews. 75 WPC is really a lot more power than most need.
 
My that MAC6700 definitely looks like a sleeper - I've really never paid it much attention. I'd have a hard time arguing with that choice even though I've never been much of a stereo receiver guy.

I think I'll concur that the current model MC275 is also a bargain when looking at new Mc. I've never heard one personally, but they sure get glowing (ok, that was bad) reviews. 75 WPC is really a lot more power than most need.

I like mine and the new ones are 90 wpc or 180w bridged:thmbsp:
 
For those of us with electronics getting a little old in the tooth and wanting to up grade our sound, the MC152 is a great piece. There are over 14,000 2105's out there that could be up graded to a MC152. JBL, Klipsch, and Bozak speaker owners who want to step up should take a close look at a 152. But other wise I agree with a choice of a good integrated unit.
 
For current products I vote MC275. For not so current product I vote MA2275. Such a great integrated
 
I would vote for the MT-10 turntable. I have the MT-5 (couldn't afford the MT-10), but man that MT-10 sounds fabulous in the vacuum tube system (Marantz 7C, 9's) that I heard it in.
 
Great suggestions all around. I like the MC275, and didn't know it was up to 80wpc now.

It's a tough decision between a pair of MC275s or MC2301s. There is no doubt that sitting perched up on a nice stand or table, the MC275 is a drop dead gorgeous product. And truly is, especially bridged, probably as much amplification as *most* people would need. Moreover, it's a hell of a lot easier to move an MC275 around than a 2301 or a 601!
 
I own a 275 and it is a great amplifier. IMO the 2301's are in a different league altogether. They get my vote for best current McIntosh product. If you want a classic tube sound, the 275 or a pair of them is a great option. If you want a super quiet, super clean amp, the 2301 is the ticket. But they are very heavy and hard to move around.
Tom
 
MC 300 is from a different time and generation. The 152 has the latest solid state devices, and autoformers, and I maybe be wrong but I believe its fully balanced. I'm looking forward to auditioning one soon and hope your predictions are not true. I guess you could own 2 275's in its place and be perfectly happy.
 
I've had about 15 different McIntoshes and my favorite are the MC240 and the MC7200. The later models missed the mark for me so I hadn't tried any recent ones until buying an MC452. I was so excited about it but then I didn't like it and ended up selling it after a year. It lacked the cohesion necessary to make great music, in my opinion, and my other amps made that pretty obvious. Such a bummer because it looked magnificent, but alas that wasn't enough to win me over. I'm considering trying the new MC152 since maybe a smaller amp would sound better, but the 452 experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't care for the new cheap look of the 152/302. Oh well, at least I still have my MC240.
 
I don't have much interest in a tuner, so if I were looking for the best value and was able to buy only one new Mac component, I'd seriously consider the MA7900. It has plenty pf power for my needs and includes that very unique 5 band EQ, a must-have for me.


MC 300 is from a different time and generation. The 152 has the latest solid state devices, and autoformers, and I maybe be wrong but I believe its fully balanced. I'm looking forward to auditioning one soon and hope your predictions are not true. I guess you could own 2 275's in its place and be perfectly happy.

Far as I know, its not fully balanced, at least not according to the speaker taps.

XL_MC152_Back.jpg


There's a particular shop about 2 hours away from me that sells Mac, and oddly enough the owner says his customers have had no interest in the MC152. It seems his customers would rather pay the extra and get the MC302, or go all out and get the MC452.


I've had about 15 different McIntoshes and my favorite are the MC240 and the MC7200. The later models missed the mark for me so I hadn't tried any recent ones until buying an MC452. I was so excited about it but then I didn't like it and ended up selling it after a year. It lacked the cohesion necessary to make great music, in my opinion, and my other amps made that pretty obvious. Such a bummer because it looked magnificent, but alas that wasn't enough to win me over. I'm considering trying the new MC152 since maybe a smaller amp would sound better, but the 452 experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't care for the new cheap look of the 152/302. Oh well, at least I still have my MC240.

Wow, you're the first person I've heard who's not happy with the sound of the MC452.

From what I see, the MC7200 has the same cheaper looking case chassis as the 152/301; unless you're referring only to the buttons in place of knobs.
 
I've had about 15 different McIntoshes and my favorite are the MC240 and the MC7200. The later models missed the mark for me so I hadn't tried any recent ones until buying an MC452. I was so excited about it but then I didn't like it and ended up selling it after a year. It lacked the cohesion necessary to make great music, in my opinion, and my other amps made that pretty obvious. Such a bummer because it looked magnificent, but alas that wasn't enough to win me over. I'm considering trying the new MC152 since maybe a smaller amp would sound better, but the 452 experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't care for the new cheap look of the 152/302. Oh well, at least I still have my MC240.

I couldnt disagree more with your assessment of the MC452, I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone that does....
However if that's how you find it then of course you are entitled to your opinion....
Interesting though....
 
Yeah it was interesting. I expected it to be great, and at first it seemed like it, but then I gradually started noticing subtle issues with timing and soundstaging and eventually I was only listening to my tube amps, so I decided to give up on the 452. I've since heard a solid-state Pass Labs XA30.5 in my system and now I'm convinced the 452 simply wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. That 30.5 has really changed things for me. It sounds like I'd hoped the 452 would sound.

I've always been a big fan of McIntosh, wearing the shirts and hats and all, and for a long time I was one of the very few McIntosh supporters on another audio forum, doing all I could to keep the brand in decent standing back in the day when people thought McIntosh was crappy. To this day I enjoy my MCD301 and MC240, but the 452 didn't do it for me. To each his own. It sure was beautiful though.

I think getting rid of the knobs was a mistake. They had become part of the icon that is McIntosh. They should have known better.
 
Back
Top Bottom