McIntosh MC30 Vs. MC60

Both fine amps but ........ Had to chose between MC-60 and MC-30 last year. In the end the MC-30 was an easy choice.

Of course it is better to not have the choose.

As stated above great with the C-20 preamp.
 
I could not wait until the weekend, so I took half day off today to listen to both amps.

First of all, music preference is very subjective, each person has his or her own taste. I try to address both amps as neutral as possible.
 
The MC60:

I warmed the amp about 30 minutes, then went through my collections started with jazz, then male vocal, female vocal, pop, modern classical, drums, and then punk rock. Both amp benefits from warm up, perhaps 1 hour is better but time was tight, wife and kids will be back soon.

10 minutes into music with MC60, the sound signature is very recognizable, unmistakly Mac house sound as a whole, which can not be said the same with MC30. The MC30 has different un-Mac sound signature. I think I heard MC60's sound somewhere before, ahh...the MC75 (but also different)
 
Tubes in MC30 are RCA 6L6GC black plate, Telfunken, RCA long black plate, RCA long black plate, RCA long black plate, RCA 5U4GB
 
MC60 has more (much more) spark on the top end than MC30 but less/rounded compare to modern MC75. The top end of MC60 is a rather controversial subject, but it is for sure more vivid, natural, and enjoyable than MC75. The HF of MC30 is round off by comparison to the other two but extension is NOT lacking, just a less forceful presentation (more of this later).

The bottom end of MC60 is deep and impactful with a nice little vintage mid-bass hump, the sub-bass perhaps even deeper and more forceful than 2015 MC75, the MC75 have minimal mid-bass hump; the MC30 on the other hand, the bass is not as deep (in extension) as MC60 also the bass imaging sits higher from the floor at 80 db, while both MC60 and MC75 's bass imaging intergraded into floor at lower listening level. If I turn the volume up more than 80db, the bass image of MC30 will connect to the floor and shake the house. It maybe due to my speakers lack of full rage at bottom end that are only rated at 34HZ. I believe MC30 can do better with Tannoy Canterbury. The Bass of MC30 "feels" lighting quick, it has less bleeding into other frequency and natural compare to MC60. BTW, I do feel the chest pumping bass with all three amps, but MC60 is a clear winner with a hammer for party monsters.

Mid range, there is no contest here, at least with current tube set in the MC60, MC30 is more forward but much more natural than other two amps. The definition, presentation, and believability are unreally good. An DIY friend visited to my house with his proud 350B amp, he was surprised he was listening to a pair Mac (MC30), he has been a Mac hater all his life before this moment. Both MC60 and MC75 high lighted the top end the same way, a little forceful than I would like (YMMV), more of hi fidelity sounding; which in the process, masked the mid-range a little bit and gave me a false feeling of recessed vocal compare to MC30.

MC60 present a mild "U" shaped presentation, where MC30 is more balanced but little roll off on HF with current tube set.
 
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I can see some people will love MC60 and others loves MC30. MC60 is more like a female gymnastic, graceful and powerful, but her body is outlined with more muscle than a regular female. MC30 is like a well-built ballet dancer (definitely not a skinny one), with more fluid movements and grace. Some may think MC30 is more layback sounding, MC60 is more lively and also drier in vocal, MC75 is even drier than MC60.
 
While MC30 made me more connected to music.

With all due respect, that's about the only comment I'v seen from you that mentions Music.

But how can you Listen to the Music with
Far to much listening to gear if you ask me, but I guess some like to psychoanalyze different sounds as part of the hobby. Personal subjective sound quality is at the moment one listens to the gear. That same gear that was chosen as best side by side one day can change with ones mood another day, month or year down the road. All it is, is a vicious cycle that there is no end to or best, just different that day, to fit that days mood.

But the music? that goes with the mood swings as well, but we feel it, it's ingrained in us it's hard not to like it no matter what we listen to it on. Well that's if we're listening to it with focus on the music.

Just my two cents...
 
I may roll the first two tubes in MC60 with vintage ones and give an other shot this weekend.

BTW, MC30 is a not wise choice for punk music:jump:
 
With all due respect, that's about the only comment I'v seen from you that mentions Music.

But how can you Listen to the Music with
Far to much listening to gear if you ask me, but I guess some like to psychoanalyze different sounds as part of the hobby. Personal subjective sound quality is at the moment one listens to the gear. That same gear that was chosen as best side by side one day can change with ones mood another day, month or year down the road. All it is, is a vicious cycle that there is no end to or best, just different that day, to fit that days mood.

But the music? that goes with the mood swings as well, but we feel it, it's ingrained in us it's hard not to like it no matter what we listen to it on. Well that's if we're listening to it with focus on the music.

Just my two cents...

That is where good Whisky come into play to help the mood:music:. Also, the propose of the this thread is about gears. I reviewed those amps without mood attached, just technical opinions.
 
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I'll just have to disagree with that and I think you'l agree with me. Technically any amp tubes or SS that Mac builds today blows the MC30 and MC60 out the water. Subjectively you might prefer them over todays offerings, but that's just today.

I agree with you, new models are technically superior by any mean, but musically otherwise and also depends on person. BTW, my mood does not sway that wildly to like McIntosh todays offering for the most part. It may also be my speaker of choice, that does not work well with modern Mac gear, perhaps a pair of Harbeth works better.
 
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I agree with you, new models are technically superior by any mean, but musically otherwise and also depends on person. BTW, my mood does not sway that wildly to like McIntosh todays offering. It may also be my speaker of choice, that does not work well with modern Mac gear, perhaps a pair of Harbeth works better.
The only point of my first comment is to maybe slow down and acclimate to what your hearing over weeks at least. Enjoy the music and leave the system bake into your brain a minute. Swapping tubes and amps all night, every day, really only points to how you feel that moment.
 
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based on the initial assessment on their sound signatures, I dropped in a pair of Brimar Yellow T 12AU7 in MC30, and a pair of Mullard M8136 in MC60, will report back......


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The Brimar Yellow T really wakes up the MC30, much more expansive sound, dynamic, neutral, sub bass is more pronounced (also added texture). The HF is very lively and detailed but at same time is little too hot for my taste with Telfunken in #1 position. But for people prefer brighter and more lively sound, this might be the ticket. This combo is very nice for piano and classical with some serious dynamic sways. The Piano Guys albums really shine here! Female vocal is little too hot on the top end (for me) even with Mariah Carey and Sade.

Dropped Telfunkens for Holland Miniwatt in #1, I hope to tone down the HF and driness a little bit, maybe Mullard latter
 
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Miniwatt did took the sharp edge off the HF of Tel a lttle bit (not as much as I hoped for through), added some warm and mid bass support, transparency and dynamic are retained. Now move on to MC60 before I got tired to take notes.

A side note: old Macs are more responsive to tube rolling than modern Mac tube amps, interesting.
 
I like Mullard M8136 much better than Telfunken 12AU7 in #2 position with MC60, more natural. I just make sure I don't miss judge MC60, I decided to move the same tube set from MC30 to MC60 -- Tel, RCA, RCA, RCA to mimic the "dark" sound signature of MC30 with this tube set.

This set sound different when in MC60, dah......

The Tel and all RCA set sound more lively in MC60, at the same time it brought MC60's vocal forward that make the amps more balanced. The MC60 sound relatively more modern than MC30, high light on HF still there but more smooth without pocking my ears. Male vocal has nice foundation with some genuine support of mid bass and sub bass. Female vocal is lighter than MC30 but still has very nice timbre to it. Overall MC30 vocal is more forward and relaxed than MC60, quality is about same, it only depends on the listener's reference.

The bass on MC60 is very lovely but can be over whelming some times in the mid bass range, it sound more like a pair of guitar amp than Hi Fi amp. MC60's bass is very weighty, MC30's bass is lighter, a hair quicker, and cleaner. MC60's bass has longer decay with thump.

Other quality such like imaging, soundstage, instrument separation, timing, etc. are about the same. I don't have a AB switch box so I can't compare the two set of amps on fly. BUT I am sure there are slight differences in those qualities.
 
Sum up the difference only:

MC30 is darker and more natural sounding. MC60 has little high light on HF and bass. MC60 is more muscular sounding than MC30 also brigher. With different tubes MC30 can sound very close to MC60 except mid bass hump. But I can see it is very hard for MC60 sound the other way, because there are only few good dark sounding tubes out there. Both amps are more natural and warm sounding than MC75/MC275. MC60 has more bass than modern Mac tube amps, yes more! MC30 has more even top to bottom frequency response while MC60 high ligh the HF and bass between the two. The midrange timbre of MC30 is more attractive IMHO
 
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Side notes on my gears:
The Anticales 6.2 is neutral sounding cable especially compare to copper and pure silver based cables, also they don't have the density of the copper cables. My speaker cables are slightly warm. Tannoy speakers are lively and neutral sounding in amount of British speakers, with wrong amp they sound shouting on upper mid vocal. My pre is slightly warmer than neutral with some serious bass attack for a tube pre. The Mcintosh D150 sound pretty smooth and neutral to my reference for others may think it sounds warm. MC60 may work better with warm speakers IMHO.
 
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Hello every one, I would like to know, if any one, has had experience with Allison 1s or Allison 2s. I, Have a pair of Mc60s with a Mcintosh C22. Would love to hear your thoughts.Thanks
 
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