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Model: | MC402 |
Category: | Amplifier (SS) |
Suggested Retail Price: | $5100. |
Description: | 400 WPC stereo amplifier |
Manufacturer URL: | McIntosh |
Review by Karl W. on November 05, 2005 at 06:48:57 IP Address: 67.35.236.119 | Add Your Review for the MC402 |
This was the second Mcintosh amplifier that I have purchased. The other being the MC252. Compared to the other amps that I have owned, this amp has a very natural presentation. What I mean is that the timbres of instruments sound like what I hear in unamplified music. The simplist explantion I can give is it is like hearing someone talk to you in person vs hearing that same person even at the same volume speak through a microphone. Amplified human voices have a different sound. This amp does the amplification without adding that artifical quality to sounds. I noticed that the piano especially sounds natural and unamplified sounding. I think this is a quality that few amplifers possess and perhaps one of the reasons for the rave reviews of this amp. The amp,like any amp has some shortcomings. What I notice most is a lack of detail compared to other amps I've owned. It's funny, the high are very extended, the music is extremely natural, but somehow it seem like you don't get the extreme detail that some amps are capable of inspite of the natural sound. It's a strange thing. On one hand that an amp give a sort of more "detail" when you consider how much more natural it sound. The extra naturalness but without the detail is hard to really discribe. In the end I would say that most will likely find the sound of the amplifier so pleasing that the trade off in extreme detail will not be an issue. It's not for me. Bass response is also very good but not as tight as my California MCA 2500 but no other amp that I've tried is either. Again, the bass is natural and you can sort of feel it in your body. It's deep and powerful. I think what impresses me most about the amp is the imaging. Wherever the singer is , damn, you can close your eyes and hear exactly where they are! This amp images better than anything else I've owned or heard. Really excellent in this regard. I mean REALLY excellent. Something else that strike me about the amp, is how cool it runs and the build quality. To peer insided the amplifier channels, it's not hard for me to imagine that this amplifier will last 25 years without breaking a sweat. I truly believe that if you want to use this amp that long you can. Most other amps are busy baking themselves to death. Touch them and they are very hot. If you really think about it, any electronic product getting that hot has to have a much short life span and be subject to much more breakage. I almost forgot. My wife loves it. Every other time that she has heard a new amp that I've purchased, she thinks that it sound goods. Usually that her only comment. "It sounds really good." A few times, she has commented on how extremely detailed some amps have been. This time, the first time ever, the first thing she did was start snapping her fingers and dancing in her seat.It was a Cd which she's heard many times before, but this was the first time I"ve ever seen THAT reaction. She's usually more analytical. So I'd sum things up by saying if you are looking to enjoy the music, buy this amp. If your looking for a scientific analysis, there are many amps that can be your microscope. She did make one other comment, "It's so CUTE. Looks much better than that other big black thing." LOL
Product Weakness: | Not as detailed as some amps I"ve used. |
Product Strengths: | The most natural sounding solid state amp I've ever heard. Imaging is also the best I've yet experienced. |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | California Audio labs MCA 2500 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | California Audio Labs SSP 2500, Audible Illusions L-1 |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | California Audio Labs CL-2500 |
Speakers: | Mcintosh LS360 |
Cables/Interconnects: | Lat International IC-200 |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz, R&B |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 25 x 17 x 9 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Large corner bass traps. 6 RPG Skyline on ceiling. Back wall 80% covered with RPG style QRD diffussers. Fabric wrapped fiberglass panels on side walls at first reflection points. |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 2 weeks. |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Follow Ups:
Your review is right on target, IMO.
I have struggled how to describe the sound of MC402, I think you have nailed it. Congratulations.I would like to add two comments:
The "first" watt sounds just wonderful, contrary to most transistor powerhouses.
I usually listen between 0.4 W and 4 Watts. I did NOT choose the MC 402 because of its power output, I bought it based on how musical it sounded on my system (by the way, a great match with Gallo Ref. 3 speakers).When I first connected it to my system, a new CD had arrived on the mail: Marc Johnsons's Shades of Jade on ECM (MJ the bassist, not the singer).
Anyway, I thought: this must be the best jazz CD of 2005.
I played the same CD on and off for the next 3 days.
During the weekend I received "Bob Brookmeyer and Friends", a Sony 8.99 CD.
All of a sudden it became the latest "record of the year",I kept listening to that same CD for several days (specially the ballads).
Then I re-connected my previous amp and realized the MC402 had renewed my enthusiasm for the music I love.
It is without a doubt the most musical SS power amp I have heard.
I have not heard them all BUT I have auditioned most of the usual benchmarks under 10K: Krell, Mark levinsosn, McCormack, Ayre, Classé, Bryston, Gamut, et al.
Carlos
Hi all,i have a question on the MC252 and MC402. The circuit configuration for the MC252 is Push-pull comp, and that of the MC402 is double balanced. May i know what is the diff?
also do you guys think it is wise to connect a CD player (with variable volume conrol) direct to the MC252 or MC402?
second part of your question......i tried cd direct but as often happen to me I prefer to use a preamp, provided of great quality.I found than dynamics and 3d is much better with a preamp.
Just my two cents
Cheers
As a confirmed tube head, really and truly, Mac's like yours are the ONLY SS amps I truly lust after! Dunno if it's nostalgia, or those big blue meters, or the autoformers...but they're the ONLY SS amps I think I could happily live with long term. Thanks for a great review.
I'm figuring my MC402 is good for at least 50 years +, based on my experiences with other McIntosh gear.
Nice review.
Unfortunatly the power supply capacitors typically last for far less.
Yep.I bought my MC402 to replace my 20 year old MC2255 amp (which I thought was as good as I could ever get). I was wrong. My MC402 is the best stereo amp I've ever heard.
"I bought my MC402 to replace my 20 year old MC2255 amp (which I thought was as good as I could ever get). I was wrong. My MC402 is the best stereo amp I've ever heard."I am still using a pair of MC2205's for my bi-amp system, about thirty years old, one has a bad blue meter on one side only, performance is unaffected by that, no plans to upgrade.
Vahe
Cool pic!
The dinosaur design using autoformers (an output transformer basically) is the nemesis of detail & ball grabbing bass.
I'll let my wife do the ball grabbing, thank you. Right now though she is dancing and loves the new amp. There are trade-offs with any design. Some other amps with superior bass are very sterile so the ball grapping bass still leave you impotent.
How would you compare this to the MC252? I have had the MC252 for about 3 months and your description closely sums up my thoughts on the MC252 driving B&W CDM7NT speakers. This amp has many tube-like qualities when it comes to the midranges. My room is much smaller, 15x12, with an 11 foot vaulted ceiling.
The MC252 is very similiar to the MC402. In my room, the MC402 gives a fuller deeper bass. That's the most notible thing. It's also more dynamic. The bass on the MC252 was just not quite enough. Now I'm curious about the MC501's bass!
To my opinion Karl made a great review. It sums up very well my opinion too.
I was exactly discussing with frieds like the first opinion is that it does not show off highs extension but after few minutes you realized that the details are present in spades and very natural too. It's like other amps tilt unnaturally highs to make them more present.About the 252. I also had it but decide to upgrade to the 402.
I found the major difference the better dynamic of the 402 and a very distinctive subjective sense of having all the spectrum pushed more energetically.
It's like the 402 have more energy overall the spectrum.
Hope it helps
The MC402 seems to be about dead on. It's a worthwhile upgrade over the MC252. The MC402 seems to have plently of power to give that sense of effortlessness to the music at reasonable volume levels.
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