Looking for a McIntosh amp that gives a great example of the “McIntosh Sound”


What is a good vintage or newer amp that has that “McIntosh sound” everyone loves.  My budget is $3k and I want to stay solid state.  I don’t want to debate McIntosh, I am looking specifically for McIntosh.  The amp will be powering JM Lab Mini Utopias.

128x128justinrphillips

The McIntosh sound that I enjoy is not Solid State but Tube.

The Mc30 or 60 monoblocks would be my go to.

But alas McIntosh is not something I covet thank goodness.

I have enough of those already.

It’s my opinion (which is worth nothing) that the house sound comes with McIntosh amps that have Autoformers. I’ve had non autoformer MAC amps (MC7106 and MC7100) that, while super clean, just didn’t have the house sound. All 4 of my autoformer amps I have now have that intangible house sound. The 7100 series amps are no longer around...

I spent quite a bit of time behind an MC754 back when those amps were fairly new and never really warmed up to that amp...and maybe that was due to it not being an Autoformer design.

My advice is look out and try the Mac 2205. 200 watts of clean Mac power.  I’ve had several over the years and never regretted it. Nor will you. 

MC 500. It’s my reference amp, a 114 lb 500 watt per channel beast but a beast wearing a tuxedo. Smooth, powerful, articulate, at any volume. I could go on and on. Vintage now, but worth it if you can get one! I’ll have mine forever, literally, it’s built like a tank. End game for me.