Good Power Amp to Pair with MX-110Z?

isRelative

Show Me What You Got
Hello Fellow McIntosh Lovers,

I recently came into possession of an MX-110Z and I'm absolutely smitten by the sound of it. Now that I've been bitten by the McIntosh bug, I'm curious as to what kinds of sonic improvements I can hope to hear by adding in a McIntosh power amp.

I'm currently running an Aragon 4004 mkII, to give you an idea of where my baseline is. I'm open to tubes/solid-state, but I still want some flexibility in what kind of speakers I can run because they're still not set in stone.

Let me see what you've got!
 
I'm working backwards from you. I almost went your direction and got a mx110. I'm eyeing a C11 now. I started with MC 60s. I'm not well enough versed in Mac stuff to point you in another direction. I'd be surprised if there were a consensus other than you really can't go wrong. Happy hunting!
 
Tube: MC225, MC240, or MC275 stereo amps would have been sold with the MX110 as a "set" - most commonly the MC225 and MC240.

Solid State: MC250, MC2505, MC2100, MC2505 - all first gen SS Mc amps that match up very well to the MX110.

I've had a bunch of MX110s over the years. I used an MX110 / MC240 for 5 or 6 years with outstanding results.
 
Tube: MC225, MC240, or MC275 stereo amps would have been sold with the MX110 as a "set" - most commonly the MC225 and MC240.

Solid State: MC250, MC2505, MC2100, MC2505 - all first gen SS Mc amps that match up very well to the MX110.

I've had a bunch of MX110s over the years. I used an MX110 / MC240 for 5 or 6 years with outstanding results.

Did you find that 40 watts/channel was sufficient to drive most speakers you threw at the amp?
 
Depends on the sensitivity of the loudspeakers.

FWIW - the 40 WPC of my MC 240 is plenty ample for the 90 dBW speakers that I am currently using it with. YMMV.
 
Yes, I never had any problem with that. To this day, I still own an MC225 - same deal. An MC240 can play as loudly on a pair of speakers rated at 100 dB @ 1W/1M as an MC402 can on a pair rated at 90 dB @ 1W/1M.

If you're looking to play Benny Benassi at club levels on inefficient speakers, then you'll need a LOT of power . . . like 62caddy says - it all depends on what you're looking for.
 
I just looked up the sensitivity on your speakers - 84 dB @ 1W/1M.

The MC240 likely will not be a good match. Honestly, I've never speakers with such a low sensitivity rating.
 
I just looked up the sensitivity on your speakers - 84 dB @ 1W/1M.

The MC240 likely will not be a good match. Honestly, I've never speakers with such a low sensitivity rating.

That's what I was afraid of haha. I've had a lot of speakers with really low sensitivity ratings (Dynaudios, IMFs, Platinum Audios, etc.) that I'd be afraid that a lower wattage power amp wouldn't have enough juice :(
 
Yes I agree you'd be better off with a solid state McIntosh amplifier.

Something like an MC 2200/2205 (200 WPC) & up.

McIntosh made some 300W tube monoblocks but you're talking some serious coin.
 
I have a friend who has some Celestion SL6's I think they are.....
They are 82db/W/1m.....

We ran them on my MC452, nice speakers, and certainly used more horsepower than I ever use with my speakers which are 94db/W/1m.....had the meters bouncing over 100watts and it wasn't particularly loud....

I think you need something around 300watts to give yourself some decent headroom if you like to turn it up every so often....

But if you are just into moderate levels, a MC2205/2200 would be a good place to start.....
You could always add another one later and run them as mono blocks for 400+ watts per channel.....
 
Or, you could sell your current speakers and look for something more efficient to pair with the killer MX110 + Mc225 all tube combo... :scratch2:
 
Or, you could sell your current speakers and look for something more efficient to pair with the killer MX110 + Mc225 all tube combo... :scratch2:

I was thinking that too, but these speakers sound so damn good lol. There's a MC225 in my hometown and a MC2205 up in NYC, hmmmmmm...
 
Well, an MC225 will be able to coax about 97 dB out of those speakers, an MC240 about 100 dB and an MC2205 about 107 dB.
 
Well, an MC225 will be able to coax about 97 dB out of those speakers, an MC240 about 100 dB and an MC2205 about 107 dB.

If I were go go with the MC225, I'd have to sell my Aragon 4004 mkII and my Platinum Audio Solo's and go with more efficient speakers :/ It's a dilemma haha.
 
MX-110 is designed to drive an amp with an input impedance higher than 150,000 ohms. So don't try the later SS amps as they have a much lower impedance designed to be used with Macs SS state pre-amps or todays hybrid tube pre-amps. I would probably look for a 2205, a pair of 275's to run mono, but the best deal for you would be a 2300 as I remember.
 
Get an MC275 and your problem will be solved. I've not met a speaker dual KT88s couldn't drive easily. Even Acoustats.

For what it's worth, I have two Mc240s I sometimes use to drive my stacked Quad ESLs. And they do it well. Better than the Quad IIs. Which I also have a couple pair of. What I'm trying to say is the Mac tube stuff works well with loudspeakers that can present a difficult load when pushed. They're like a rock and barely get warm. Specs mean very little to me. Try it. It's actually amazing what a single ended 5w/ch tube or class A amp SS will drive. Most folks don't realize that because someone tells them it won't work. 75 watts seems like a ton of power to me if it's done right. And the 275 is done right. I'm currently using single ended 12 watt tube monos and 4.5 watt/ch class A monos and my speakers are mid to high 80's in efficiency. And it's easily enough to rile the neighbors if I really wanted to. Not that my speakers in rotation are anything out of this world but it is surprising how good a little budget bookshelf can sound with single ended power and a nice sub. I am taking a different approach to all the huge horn systems I have here.
 
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Get an MC275 and your problem will be solved. I've not met a speaker dual KT88s couldn't drive easily. Even Acoustats.

For what it's worth, I have two Mc240s I sometimes use to drive my stacked Quad ESLs. And they do it well. Better than the Quad IIs. Which I also have a couple pair of. What I'm trying to say is the Mac tube stuff works well with loudspeakers that can present a difficult load when pushed. They're like a rock and barely get warm. Specs mean very little to me. Try it. It's actually amazing what a single ended 5w/ch tube or class A amp SS will drive. Most folks don't realize that because someone tells them it won't work. 75 watts seems like a ton of power to me if it's done right. And the 275 is done right. I'm currently using single ended 12 watt tube monos and 4.5 watt/ch class A monos and my speakers are mid to high 80's in efficiency. And it's easily enough to rile the neighbors if I really wanted to. Not that my speakers in rotation are anything out of this world but it is surprising how good a little budget bookshelf can sound with single ended power and a nice sub. I am taking a different approach to all the huge horn systems I have here.

How much did you pay for your MC240s? You've definitely put me at ease about having a lower wattage power amplifier, now it's just a matter of affording one haha.

And you're running them monoblocked, right? So you're getting 80 watts/channel?
 
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