McIntosh C52, McIntosh MC301
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Few weeks ago I was working in my office and I got a phone call. "Hey, it's Marco speaking. If you are home tomorrow I’ll come with a lot of stuff for you". I was pleasantly surprised and I asked him what he was going to bring me. In the excitement of the moment I only heard two brands: McIntosh and Monitor Audio.
We will concentrate for the moment on the American brand that is always more than welcome in my room, and leave the Monitor Audio aside for another review. In Munich we have listened to their top of the line loudspeaker with great pleasure.
I invite you to follow this links to read a description of the McIntosh brand and my personal opinion about it, because I do not want to write a very long review, since I am convinced that readers attention easily wears out especially when reading on a screen: McIntosh C220 + MC302, McIntosh D100, McIntosh MCT450 McIntosh D150.
We will concentrate for the moment on the American brand that is always more than welcome in my room, and leave the Monitor Audio aside for another review. In Munich we have listened to their top of the line loudspeaker with great pleasure.
I invite you to follow this links to read a description of the McIntosh brand and my personal opinion about it, because I do not want to write a very long review, since I am convinced that readers attention easily wears out especially when reading on a screen: McIntosh C220 + MC302, McIntosh D100, McIntosh MCT450 McIntosh D150.
This time the couple pre amplifer and power amplifier is in reality a trio because the MC301 are mono amplifiers.
They are very simple, with the typical black glass front panel of the Binghamton Company with the incredibly good looking blu vu-meter in the centre and the two aluminum profiles at the sides. Instead of the usual knobs, they have two black buttons. The right button turns on the the device and the left button turns on and off the light of the vu-meter. Under the vu-meter, there is the green brand with the description of the device itself.
The rear panel has the IEC port, the balanced and unbalanced inputs switch, the XLR and RCA plugs, the 6 binding posts for the 2,4 and 8 Ohm outputs, the connectors to drive the device with a McIntosh pre-amplifier and the on/off switch to shut the amp of when there is no signal.
The technical specs that the designer states are: 300 Watt output for each channel at 2, 4 or 8 Ohm.
Frequency response:20 - 20.000 Hz +/- 0.25 dB.
Weight: 30.4 kg.
This amplifier is equipped with output transformers and uses the "Quad Balanced" technology.
The finishing of this MC301 is very accurate, no matter which side you look at.
When unpacking it, make sure you have someone that can help you. The device is screwed to the bottom of the box and you must put it upside down to unscrew it. As for the packaging it is very solid and protects the device from possible delivery damages.
Well, what else can I say? Power amplifiers involve audiophile interest, with their ability to transform a weak signal to a lot of power to send to the loudspeakers.
They are very simple, with the typical black glass front panel of the Binghamton Company with the incredibly good looking blu vu-meter in the centre and the two aluminum profiles at the sides. Instead of the usual knobs, they have two black buttons. The right button turns on the the device and the left button turns on and off the light of the vu-meter. Under the vu-meter, there is the green brand with the description of the device itself.
The rear panel has the IEC port, the balanced and unbalanced inputs switch, the XLR and RCA plugs, the 6 binding posts for the 2,4 and 8 Ohm outputs, the connectors to drive the device with a McIntosh pre-amplifier and the on/off switch to shut the amp of when there is no signal.
The technical specs that the designer states are: 300 Watt output for each channel at 2, 4 or 8 Ohm.
Frequency response:20 - 20.000 Hz +/- 0.25 dB.
Weight: 30.4 kg.
This amplifier is equipped with output transformers and uses the "Quad Balanced" technology.
The finishing of this MC301 is very accurate, no matter which side you look at.
When unpacking it, make sure you have someone that can help you. The device is screwed to the bottom of the box and you must put it upside down to unscrew it. As for the packaging it is very solid and protects the device from possible delivery damages.
Well, what else can I say? Power amplifiers involve audiophile interest, with their ability to transform a weak signal to a lot of power to send to the loudspeakers.
Time to speak about the C52 pre-amplifier.
It is a very complex device that can satisfy the need of all music lovers, even the more demanding.
You can do almost everything with it, and it is the most advanced McIntosh pre amplifier on the market … at least until someone will come up with a kind of super high resolution files, that will turn this McIntosh (and the other electonics on the market) into an old-fashioned machine.
It is very beautiful and, as I already said above, it is the most advanced solid state McIntosh pre-amplifier.
Let's make a list of the things that this device can do.
First of all, it is a pre-amplifier with balanced and unbalanced analog inputs and with an 8 bands analog equalizer that can be bypassed, as usual. There is a very good headphone output, as often available with the McIntosh amplifiers.
The digital section has everything: 1 USB input for PCM signals up to 32 bit/384 kHz, a 64 to 256 DSD and a 352.8 kHz DXD. There are also 2 coaxial inputs, 3 optical inputs and the proprietary digital input to connect the MCT450 - here is the link to our review - to play and decode the SACD signal.
We will describe thoroughly the characteristics of this wonderful music machine using the instruction manual.
The glass front panel has 2 Vu-meters that measure the dB exit level. They are less useful than the power amplifiers meters which measure the output levels, but they are very nice looking. They can be useful to control the output to the power amp in case of differences between the channels and also for those that do not have McIntosh amplifiers.
Between the blue Vu-meters there is the green logo. The lower part of the panel has the headphone output, the switches to enable the outputs for the power amplifiers, the digital display for the volume level, the selected input and for the input frequency of the incoming digital signal.
The last 3 buttons are for the equalizer, mute and stand-by.
Between the Vu-meters and the buttons described above there is a big knob to select inputs and programs, 8 small knobs for the equalizer and the volume knob.
The remote is beautiful and very well made.
It is a very complex device that can satisfy the need of all music lovers, even the more demanding.
You can do almost everything with it, and it is the most advanced McIntosh pre amplifier on the market … at least until someone will come up with a kind of super high resolution files, that will turn this McIntosh (and the other electonics on the market) into an old-fashioned machine.
It is very beautiful and, as I already said above, it is the most advanced solid state McIntosh pre-amplifier.
Let's make a list of the things that this device can do.
First of all, it is a pre-amplifier with balanced and unbalanced analog inputs and with an 8 bands analog equalizer that can be bypassed, as usual. There is a very good headphone output, as often available with the McIntosh amplifiers.
The digital section has everything: 1 USB input for PCM signals up to 32 bit/384 kHz, a 64 to 256 DSD and a 352.8 kHz DXD. There are also 2 coaxial inputs, 3 optical inputs and the proprietary digital input to connect the MCT450 - here is the link to our review - to play and decode the SACD signal.
We will describe thoroughly the characteristics of this wonderful music machine using the instruction manual.
The glass front panel has 2 Vu-meters that measure the dB exit level. They are less useful than the power amplifiers meters which measure the output levels, but they are very nice looking. They can be useful to control the output to the power amp in case of differences between the channels and also for those that do not have McIntosh amplifiers.
Between the blue Vu-meters there is the green logo. The lower part of the panel has the headphone output, the switches to enable the outputs for the power amplifiers, the digital display for the volume level, the selected input and for the input frequency of the incoming digital signal.
The last 3 buttons are for the equalizer, mute and stand-by.
Between the Vu-meters and the buttons described above there is a big knob to select inputs and programs, 8 small knobs for the equalizer and the volume knob.
The remote is beautiful and very well made.
The rear panel is quite huge but there are many connections. 3 balanced analog inputs, 1 unbalanced fixed output, in case you want to connect an HT processor with its volume control. Then, 4 unbalanced inputs, phono MM and MC inputs (yes the phono pre amplifier is included), 3 unbalanced and balanced outputs. In the lower part of the chassis, the chrome-finished, we find the IR connectors for other McIntosh devices, the data ports and the digital inputs that we have already described.
There is everything and even the geeks can be satisfied.
There are many functions therefore we will mention only a few. The volume digital control has a precision within 0.1 dB with 0.5 dB steps. The equalizer has a huge range of adjustment: +/- 12 dB and the C52 can keep the record of each input if we have set it to be equalized or not.
There is also the possibility to save the level of each input, so you do not have to adjust the volume when changing the source.
Every input can be renamed or excluded to have a shortcut to use when we choose. We can adjust the balance, save mono or stereo setup for each input, turn on and off the Vu-meter light, adjust the intensity of the display light, the load for the phono cartridge, choose from both MM and MC. Here we linger for a second on the specifications: the MC loads are adjustable for 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 or 1000 Ohms - to satisfy everybody - and with a gain of 60 dB that is enough for almost all cartridges, exception made for those that have a very low output.
With the MM input, one can adjust the capacity between 50 and 800 pF with steps of 50 pF. Here we have the classic 40 dB gain.
To use the USB port it is enough to download the driver from the McIntosh website and follow the complete instructions of the manual. Very easy and quick to do. The speed of this device in decoding whatever signal enters is really impressive. McIntosh engineers have done a wonderful job and there are no issues with the digital signal management.
To fully program this pre amplifier would have taken a lot of time and therefore I haven’t used the USB port. We did it though with the D150 with good results, here is the link to the review.
The C52 uses the same circuits and components of the 150. I think the output stages are different, because I have noticed a more neutral sound with this C52 while using a digital or analog source. The D150 is, according to McIntosh, a pre-amp with a DAC but this C52 has a sound that is on another level, even when connected to my reference amplifiers.
There is everything and even the geeks can be satisfied.
There are many functions therefore we will mention only a few. The volume digital control has a precision within 0.1 dB with 0.5 dB steps. The equalizer has a huge range of adjustment: +/- 12 dB and the C52 can keep the record of each input if we have set it to be equalized or not.
There is also the possibility to save the level of each input, so you do not have to adjust the volume when changing the source.
Every input can be renamed or excluded to have a shortcut to use when we choose. We can adjust the balance, save mono or stereo setup for each input, turn on and off the Vu-meter light, adjust the intensity of the display light, the load for the phono cartridge, choose from both MM and MC. Here we linger for a second on the specifications: the MC loads are adjustable for 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 or 1000 Ohms - to satisfy everybody - and with a gain of 60 dB that is enough for almost all cartridges, exception made for those that have a very low output.
With the MM input, one can adjust the capacity between 50 and 800 pF with steps of 50 pF. Here we have the classic 40 dB gain.
To use the USB port it is enough to download the driver from the McIntosh website and follow the complete instructions of the manual. Very easy and quick to do. The speed of this device in decoding whatever signal enters is really impressive. McIntosh engineers have done a wonderful job and there are no issues with the digital signal management.
To fully program this pre amplifier would have taken a lot of time and therefore I haven’t used the USB port. We did it though with the D150 with good results, here is the link to the review.
The C52 uses the same circuits and components of the 150. I think the output stages are different, because I have noticed a more neutral sound with this C52 while using a digital or analog source. The D150 is, according to McIntosh, a pre-amp with a DAC but this C52 has a sound that is on another level, even when connected to my reference amplifiers.
Time to talk about the sound of these devices that have been connected to the usual system:
turntable Basis 2001, tonearm Graham 2.2, cartridge Lyra Kleos, phono preamplifier: Einstein "The Turntable's Choice", CD/SACD player: Yamaha CD-S3000, multimedia player: Oppo 105 D, preamplifier: MBL 4006, power amplifiers: Bryston 7B ST mono, loudspeakers: JBL 4350B, interconnect cables: MIT Oracle MA-X Proline, MIT Shotgun S2 RCA, Transparent Super XLR, Transparent Super RCA, Cammino PH B 2.2 Ref XLR phono cable, loudspeaker cables: MIT Magnum MA, Vovox Initio, USB cable: MIT SL-Matrix USB, power cables: MIT Shotgun AC 1, Black Noise Pearl and others DIY, mains distributor: Lector Edison 230/8, mains filter: Black Noise 2500.
Before I speak about the sound, let me tell you once again that the overall view of these machines is really amazing. An added value that each one will consider on its own. As for me, every time I see these machines turned on in my room and I think that I'll have to give them back to the distributor, I feel a sudden sense of despair.
I start to listen to a Philips vinyl: Haydn Klaviertrios Nr 13,16,17 performed by the Beaux Arts Trio. In this ensemble there is a piano, a violin and a cello. The recording is very natural and the two (three) McIntosh are transparent and coherent. The mid-high range is just a bit in evidence but it is still sweet and smooth and the listening is relaxing and pleasant. To be honest this emphasis range is present at a volume that is too high for this kind of music. If you do not know Haydn, I suggest you to study its compositions, he's a great musician. While writing, I hear the double bass on the right and I am surprised by its realism. It is just like having it in my listening room.
In deep contrast with the noble elegance of these devices we now have on the turntable "Stormbringer" by Deep Purple (LP EMI). The Vu-meters dance with ample movements and reach high levels indeed. When needed, these devices can be very aggressive.
The sound of the electric bass and all the voice sibilants present in this record are played clearly by these machines. I use this profane music to play with the equalizer. Wonderful job, a beautiful transparent sound. With the controls in the flat position I do not hear differences if I activate it and deactivate it. The frequency controls are well focused on the basic home needs, the adjustments are even too ample to be used with discernment.
It is a useful device when there are flaws in the listening room, or in the recording, or in your loudspeakers.
Useful also to listen records of the 70's or the 80's like we used to do in the discos. If you have the right loudspeakers just use the first three knobs on the left, rising the basses, and you will be sent back in the past, thanks to the power of music and sounds.
As for the listenings I think that this can be enough. I want to briefly recap the sound characteristics of these world famous electronics.
The power amplifiers, with their 300 Watt on any load, can drive almost any loudspeaker in the market with a good dynamics and level pressure.
If your loudspeakers are a difficult load or need a huge amount of power, I suggest that you look at the biggest 601s, that have a double output power.
Generally speaking, these 301 will be enough, their dimension and weight are reduced, their look is fine and the street price is correct.
The preamp has particularly struck me. It is a real control center for audio and video two channel systems. It accepts and decodes all signals, has many inputs and outputs, has a good quality phono MM and phono MC pre, and a headphone output that is very accurate.
Its sound is a clear example of neutrality and transparency. I must say that in this case the price is really interesting, if you consider the price of each single device that it substitutes.
It is a preamplifier that I warmly suggest to buy, once verified the compatibility with the rest of your system.
Needless to say that these McIntosh will have a very good price also in case you will decide to sell them, to upgrade to higher level devices.
If you are looking for new amplifiers go to your preferred dealer with a friend - these devices are heavy to carry - and take them home for a test, leaving aside all prejudice (even a nice electronic can sound good) and not listening to internet gurus' opinion.
Angelo Jasparro
Manufacturer: McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
turntable Basis 2001, tonearm Graham 2.2, cartridge Lyra Kleos, phono preamplifier: Einstein "The Turntable's Choice", CD/SACD player: Yamaha CD-S3000, multimedia player: Oppo 105 D, preamplifier: MBL 4006, power amplifiers: Bryston 7B ST mono, loudspeakers: JBL 4350B, interconnect cables: MIT Oracle MA-X Proline, MIT Shotgun S2 RCA, Transparent Super XLR, Transparent Super RCA, Cammino PH B 2.2 Ref XLR phono cable, loudspeaker cables: MIT Magnum MA, Vovox Initio, USB cable: MIT SL-Matrix USB, power cables: MIT Shotgun AC 1, Black Noise Pearl and others DIY, mains distributor: Lector Edison 230/8, mains filter: Black Noise 2500.
Before I speak about the sound, let me tell you once again that the overall view of these machines is really amazing. An added value that each one will consider on its own. As for me, every time I see these machines turned on in my room and I think that I'll have to give them back to the distributor, I feel a sudden sense of despair.
I start to listen to a Philips vinyl: Haydn Klaviertrios Nr 13,16,17 performed by the Beaux Arts Trio. In this ensemble there is a piano, a violin and a cello. The recording is very natural and the two (three) McIntosh are transparent and coherent. The mid-high range is just a bit in evidence but it is still sweet and smooth and the listening is relaxing and pleasant. To be honest this emphasis range is present at a volume that is too high for this kind of music. If you do not know Haydn, I suggest you to study its compositions, he's a great musician. While writing, I hear the double bass on the right and I am surprised by its realism. It is just like having it in my listening room.
In deep contrast with the noble elegance of these devices we now have on the turntable "Stormbringer" by Deep Purple (LP EMI). The Vu-meters dance with ample movements and reach high levels indeed. When needed, these devices can be very aggressive.
The sound of the electric bass and all the voice sibilants present in this record are played clearly by these machines. I use this profane music to play with the equalizer. Wonderful job, a beautiful transparent sound. With the controls in the flat position I do not hear differences if I activate it and deactivate it. The frequency controls are well focused on the basic home needs, the adjustments are even too ample to be used with discernment.
It is a useful device when there are flaws in the listening room, or in the recording, or in your loudspeakers.
Useful also to listen records of the 70's or the 80's like we used to do in the discos. If you have the right loudspeakers just use the first three knobs on the left, rising the basses, and you will be sent back in the past, thanks to the power of music and sounds.
As for the listenings I think that this can be enough. I want to briefly recap the sound characteristics of these world famous electronics.
The power amplifiers, with their 300 Watt on any load, can drive almost any loudspeaker in the market with a good dynamics and level pressure.
If your loudspeakers are a difficult load or need a huge amount of power, I suggest that you look at the biggest 601s, that have a double output power.
Generally speaking, these 301 will be enough, their dimension and weight are reduced, their look is fine and the street price is correct.
The preamp has particularly struck me. It is a real control center for audio and video two channel systems. It accepts and decodes all signals, has many inputs and outputs, has a good quality phono MM and phono MC pre, and a headphone output that is very accurate.
Its sound is a clear example of neutrality and transparency. I must say that in this case the price is really interesting, if you consider the price of each single device that it substitutes.
It is a preamplifier that I warmly suggest to buy, once verified the compatibility with the rest of your system.
Needless to say that these McIntosh will have a very good price also in case you will decide to sell them, to upgrade to higher level devices.
If you are looking for new amplifiers go to your preferred dealer with a friend - these devices are heavy to carry - and take them home for a test, leaving aside all prejudice (even a nice electronic can sound good) and not listening to internet gurus' opinion.
Angelo Jasparro
Manufacturer: McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
