Expierence with my new MC 152

[barsur]

Last month I decided to change a little bit my bedroom and to buy a new 55 inch LG OLED TV which is really breathtaking. To put my new tv on its place I had to stack my MCD 301 over my MC 252, which didn´t look very good and was also a little bit unstable, because MC 252 is not very deep.

So I decided to replace the MC 252 with the MC 152, which I thought is the perfect match if you want to stack your equipment. Now since some weeks I am the proud owner of the MC152. Before I bought it, I was a little bit concearned about it, because you couldn´t read any review at all for this amp. It seems that this amp has no attention at all. The only attention, which it get so far, was that people in forums complained about the new buttons.

Which expierence do I have now after one month?! Answer in one sentence: The MC 152 is perfect!

Why?
1. Soundwise this amp is extremly smooth and transparent and so far it was never fatiguing listen to whatever kind of music. Bass, middle and highs are all there in a perfect way. In our blindtest session it was one of our best amps so far.

2. The amp is one of the best looking amps of all. Ask my wife! This is a very modern looking and slim amp. And the buttons look great.

3. Fit and finish is great, almost better than the MC 252 with the tradional buttons. Don´t forget that the traditonal buttons are always a little bit skew/inclined.

4. This amp has really power, I assume far more than the offically 150 Watts. Easily I could achieve in our blind test session more than 105dB and the Powerguard lamp didn´t light.

5. It is still heavy, but not so heavy like my other Mcintosh amps (I am getting old, I don´t want to carry 50 or more kg any more)

6. Price/performance relation is for a High End amp excellent.

7. I can stack perfectly the MCD301 over the MC152

My only idea to improve this amp, would be to include for the blue meters a peak funtion.

I think Mcintosh has a absolut winner with this amp. Go out listen for yourself and you will know what I mean.

Best regards

Martin

PD: Photos and link to the amp shootout page with the blind test results will come later

 

[nalthien]

Thanks for sharing your impressions! I was, at one point, considering an MC152 as an option for powering my center channel; but, like most of the current generation mac amps, it can't be bridged.

I think it gets ignored because 150wpc sounds fairly pedestrian these days (and I'm sure you're correct that it'll do more than that). It gets lost when put up against the MC302 and MC452 that are its contemporaries. And people who want 150wpc might also lean towards running MC275 tube amps in mono configuration.

 

[diononiz]

I too considered this amp for bi amping my B&W center channel. Great to hear that it performs so well.

 

[barsur]

And as promised here are some photos from the MC 152:






Best regards

Martin

 

[barsur]

And here are the results from the blind test session:

http://www.amp-shootout.com/2.html

It is shootout # 44.

Best regards

Martin

 

[chrisinsc]

Martin. Just read your shootout results. Thanks for posting them.

 

[twiiii]

I'm glad to read about the qualities of the MC 152. For those of us with efficient speakers or don't like to damage our hearing the MC 152 with 225 watt+ peak capability should be more than enough. Even with some of the smaller XR and xrt speakers the 152 would be a perfect match. I just don't have room for 7 pairs of them so I'll stick with my 207's. If I had a request to be full filled by Mcintosh, it would be that the multi channel amps have another magnitude, 10 db of signal to noise.

 

[scanido]

Thanks for sharing. I too like the minimalist look of the Mc152/mc301 amps. It's great to hear this amp, and likely also it's cousin Mc301, share the same sonic signature as the mc452/mc601.

 

[adebartolo]

Is the MC 152 built to the same quality standards as say the MC302 or MC452 power capability not withstanding?

 

[nalthien]

Is the MC 152 built to the same quality standards as say the MC302 or MC452 power capability not withstanding?

I can't imagine why it wouldn't be.

 

[adebartolo]

I really love the form factor of the MC152 and it sounds great, more powerful then it's rated power. I'm hoping to get one later this Autumn as the foundation for a second system I plan to install in "studio" Apt in NY. We're Space is at a premium.

 

[barsur]

This morning I was listing three hours to the MC152/MCD 301 combo. And I have to say, that is as an amazing amp. One of the best I ever had (and I have really a lot of amps...). It was so nice listing to this amp, the music is so smooth and liquid but still has a lot of dynamics and power.
At the end of the session, I thought this amp is so good like an Accuphase A70 which for many people here in Germany is one of the top amps ever produced on earth. But ofcourse without blind test it is all nonsense what I am mentioning...; maybe in the next days I should do the comparison, lets see.

Best regards

Martin

 

[diononiz]

Just curious to see if you had a chance to compare to the MC302

 

[barsur]

Just curious to see if you had a chance to compare to the MC302

Last week we did a fast blind test comparison between MC302 and MC 152. Absolut no sonic differences at all. Crystal clear sound!
We did the test only with 85dB SPL. Ofcourse with higher SPL there could maybe a difference for the higher power output of +3dB for the MC 302. If you ever can hear this, is another question.

Best regards

Martin

 

[diononiz]

Thanks for the info. The size of the MC152 fits my cabinet better but I am concerned about matching the power of the 8207 for home theater. Did you get a chance to measure the output of the 152?

 

[adebartolo]

Did you notice any differences in the size and shape of the soundstage? I'd agree that it's tonality and texture are the same but it sounded to me that that the 302 created a greater sense of space.

 

[barsur]

Thanks for the info. The size of the MC152 fits my cabinet better but I am concerned about matching the power of the 8207 for home theater. Did you get a chance to measure the output of the 152?

No, I didn´t have the chance to measure them.
Actually right now I am working on a database for all power measurements of amps which I own or which I read the results in a Audio Magazine. So far I have in the database almost 500 amps between 1970 til 1990. I hope that I will finish the project til chrismas. Than I will put a link here in audiokarma.

Best regards

Martin

 

[barsur]

Did you notice any differences in the size and shape of the soundstage? I'd agree that it's tonality and texture are the same but it sounded to me that that the 302 created a greater sense of space.

Oh, oh, space is a very "dangerous" topic. After all the blind test which we did, I can say, that in general the differences between the amps are very subtle. And that there is almost no difference at all with a greater sense of space. I think you will not believe me, but do a blind test on your own and you will be shocked. And I have to say how should Volt and Current change the space...?

Space difference I can hear if I change the room or the placement of the speakers. But almost never you can hear the difference from the amps. I know a lot of people will disagree, but we couldn´t hear a difference in "space".
Yesterday we compared again MC302 to MC 152, this time our golden ear guy from the Berliner Philarmonie was also there, but we could hear absolut no difference at all. Sorry for this.

Best regards

Martin

 

[damacman]

Martin,

It really is too bad when reality trumps audiophile beliefs, isn't it? Blind testing is humbling. Some folks (me) walk away from it and think - Well, I didn't know what I thought I knew. Others walk away and think - That was a bunch of BS, I know what I can hear and I don't need any testing to validate it.

 

[kevzep]

Good call man, you know what you hear right?
Not knowing what amp you're listening to can indeed be a real leveler and change everything you thought you knew.....

Oh, oh, space is a very "dangerous" topic. After all the blind test which we did, I can say, that in general the differences between the amps are very subtle. And that there is almost no difference at all with a greater sense of space. I think you will not believe me, but do a blind test on your own and you will be shocked. And I have to say how should Volt and Current change the space...?

Space difference I can hear if I change the room or the placement of the speakers. But almost never you can hear the difference from the amps. I know a lot of people will disagree, but we couldn´t hear a difference in "space".
Yesterday we compared again MC302 to MC 152, this time our golden ear guy from the Berliner Philarmonie was also there, but we could hear absolut no difference at all. Sorry for this.

Best regards

Martin