Review: McIntosh MC-275 reissue Tube amp

Hello: pehaps you can guide me a bit. I own quad 988's and currently use the quite good and the undervalued quad 99 electronics. (ss) i am considering the mac 275 and c 2200. I ave neve owned tube gear. ( A Naim user going back quite a few years). I have heard the ARC gear and one or two pieces of CJ gear and am considering the Quad monoblocks which do not have the wattage at any rate of the 275. Can you enlighten me? Thanks,

Rick

rdcap@earthlink.net

I own the McIntosh 2102 tube amp. Wonderful amp. Oh, McIntosh amps respond well to tube rolling.

hello its funny, i have had the small quad amp and have owned a fair amount of naim gear...I just find I like the Mac gear much better...the 2200 with the 275 is a great match..probably will drive most speakers...but not all.

I find Mac gear just so fun to listen to...very musical, because it makes me want to listen to music and buy more cds. I know there are other good brands out there...but for money you cant go wrong with Mac.

SHB, The 275s can be used as mono amps which will take them to 150w per side. That should drive most speakers with no problem.

in any incarnation, the 275 is an amp for the ages

your pair would improve bass and pretty much drive any conventional speaker pair. its hard to improve on the amp itself. i use it with a c22 ll and i know the newer mac pre is even better, but i will not let go of the 22 unless of course i get my hands on a marantz 7.

A few years ago, I was terribly strapped for some emergency cash...., can you say "divorce". I owned a MC-275 and a C-2200, which I sold to a friend for $3,000.00. My 'GOD' did he make a killing off of me.., but business is business. Both units were in excellent condition.., show room floor presentation pieces. Needless to say, after I was in better financial shape later on, my friend wasn't willing to cut me any deals on some extremely desirable components I was interested in. That's life.

After about a year, I dove into the low budget world of 'Dynaco', which fit my wallet like your favorite pair of dress Sunday school shoes. I purchased some excellent pieces like a pair of custom mono block 60 watt MK-III's, a ST-70 and two PAS-3 pre amps. The amps were beautifully redone, beefed up and tamed by the famous 'Will Vincent.., the king of Dynaco. Through these components, I enjoyed the haunting but smooth 'Mcintosh' sound quality..., at a price I could afford. After all, I did not stray too far from home. I remained 100% thermionic valve, and 100% American made. This is why I chose Dynaco.

Today, I am proud to say that I again own a MC-275 reissue and a MX-110 to listen to it through. As far as I am concerned, its a match made in heaven..., listened through a pair of 1970's Infinity Quantum Concert Series tower speakers (4 ohm connected).

The MC-275, with a quad set of 'blued' JJ/Tesla KT-88 output tubes is not only a sight to view in the dimness of you living room, but a sound that haunts your soul beyond description. The lows through the infinity's are tight and commands attention, while the mid-range represents itself as unique and definable. The highs linger in the realism of life itself. When this amp is in full bloom, with it's blued KT-88's, you will be definitely blown away!!!!!!

Need I say more? Have I been descriptive enough? Well here is the statement of modern times. In comparing my Dynaco MK-III's with the Mcintosh MC-275 as far as a detailed overview of both...., there is hardly any measurable difference to.

Thank you 'Audiophiles'

Darren

Cant go wrong with McIntosh