McIntosh 50th Anniversary MC275 Tube Amplifier Preview

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admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
McIntosh popped out a new 50th Anniversary edition of its popular MC275 tube amplifier. This edition features the same great quality of the MC275, but also comes in an elegant gold-toned chassis. As we learned with teh now all-but-extinct 100th Anniversary Edition Denon products, the specially created amp is being offered in a very limited quantity. The amp will come with a commemorative history book and deluxe packaging. But that's not all the 50th Anniversary Edition delivers, there are some other improvements as well. First off, the Limited Edition MC275 comes with a gold-toned chassis and features the classic 1961 tube circuit design of the original, but there are "under-the-hood" improvements as well. The 50th Anniversary Limited Edition McIntosh MC275 tube power amplifier is available from authorized McIntosh dealers for a suggested retail price of $6,500.


Discuss "McIntosh 50th Anniversary MC275 Tube Amplifier Preview" here. Read the article.
 
S

scott911

Full Audioholic
if you can count on this running for 60 some years, like the initial runs apparently did - a good deal over time for the price i would say!
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
This is an odd duck for Audioholics. Based on performance, why would anyone buy a tube amp, other than for aesthetic value? Given the data-driven, science-first orientation of this site it is odd that a product like this would be given preview stature. Just saying...
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
This is an odd duck for Audioholics. Based on performance, why would anyone buy a tube amp, other than for aesthetic value? Given the data-driven, science-first orientation of this site it is odd that a product like this would be given preview stature. Just saying...
Some people like the colored sound of a tube. When they clip the sound is pleasing and warm whereas a solid state amp clipping can be harsh. Of course a solid state amp typically is a lot harder to clip b/c it usually has more headroom.

We preview all relevant new products from CES. Why discriminate against a brand so many audiophiles are fond of?

One thing to consider is whether you buy a Mcintosh amp today or 20 years ago, it holds its value. Try doing that with a mainstream A/V receiver or amplifier. It doesn't happen! McIntosh retains and sometimes increases value overtime. That alone is IMPRESSIVE!
 
GranteedEV

GranteedEV

Audioholic Ninja
This is an odd duck for Audioholics. Based on performance, why would anyone buy a tube amp, other than for aesthetic value? Given the data-driven, science-first orientation of this site it is odd that a product like this would be given preview stature. Just saying...
I'm not huge on tubes either but there's some good ones out there too... good amps sound more similar than not whether they are PWM, tube, or solid state. Tubes however glow. Tubes are inherently inefficient but also linear, which makes them a good candidate for bad amps IE zero feedback. But you can make a good albeit inefficient tube amp too.

It's no excuse for a bad amp but if it operates with flat response, is run below clipping, doesn't change the speaker's response meaningfully, is free from meaningful crossover distortion - hey why not?

Some don't even clip 30wpc amps anyways depending on their room and speakers.
 
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Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
One thing to consider is whether you buy a Mcintosh amp today or 20 years ago, it holds its value. Try doing that with a mainstream A/V receiver or amplifier. It doesn't happen! McIntosh retains and sometimes increases value overtime. That alone is IMPRESSIVE!
This is a good point. Mark Levinson & Krell are this way too. I just sold my 15 year-old Levinson CD player for $2500. No, I didn't misplace the decimal point. :) Resale value - and bullet-proof construction - are reasonable arguments.
 

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