New HT amplifier: MC207

Alex F.

Member
I just discovered this new Mac amp, introduced last week, on the company website. It fulfills one of my product wishes discussed several weeks ago, when I asked Ron C for a multichannel HT amp with balanced inputs and more power than the MC206. Thank you, McIntosh!

Some details: The MC207 offers 200 watts at either 8 or 4 ohms x 7 channels. THD and IM are each rated at Mac's usual .005%; s/n ratio is -89 db when A-rated, and -112 below rated output. Input impedance is 20k ohms balanced, 10k ohms unbalanced. Unit weight is 83 lbs. Its three power meters indicate front-channel output levels.

Ron C:

I would welcome your reply to a few questions about this new amp:

First, what are the performance advantages of the MC207's new Motorola power transistors, and are these transistors utilized in any other current Mac amplifiers?

Second, this amp introduces "Dynamic Power Manager" (DPM), a circuit that provides the same rated power at 4 or 8 ohms, apparently akin to an Autoformer but without the cost and weight of same. I'm curious if DPM provides cooler operating temperatures and less stress on the amp under punishing multichannel output conditions. What were the reasons Mac developed this fascinating new circuit?

Third, my dealer doesn't yet know about this amp--could you supply the retail price?

Thank you!
 
The MC207 is the same size as the MC402 stereo amp. It weighs about 87 lbs. The amp is direct coupled without autoformers. If it had autoformers it would weigh about 300 lbs.!
The engineering design criteria for the MC207 was to make the worlds most powerful 7 channel linear amp that would deliver full power into either 4 or 8 ohms. This required a new circuit design, Dynamic Power Manager or DPM. On the rear panel of the amp there is a switch which is set for 4 or 8 ohm speakers. If the amp is set for 8 ohms and the speakers are 5 ohms or less it will adjust to the 4 ohm setting when the amp is driven hard.
The MC207 uses five large heatsinks of 2600 total sq. inches with 56 of the new Motorola 200 watt output transistors. These new devices are 30% smaller and 50 watts higher output than the usual transistor. This allows the dense packing used on the amp.
The MC207 has the stainless steel chassis design with exposed heatsinks as the high end two channel Mac amps. The power supply used a huge toroidal transformer mounted on its side and encased in an aluminum can filled with dampening tar. The power supply caps are two 67,000 mfd fast recovery long life devices which are also enclosed in an aluminum can with dampening material.
Since this is a very powerful amp a dedicated 20 amp line is advised as well as placement where an unobstructed airflow is allowed. The MC207 uses a 20 amp circuit breaker mounted on the rear channel.
The MC207 is rated at 200 watts per channel, all channels driven into 4 or 8 ohm speaker loads. Worst case actual power is 220 watts per channel into four ohms at 20HZ. Any two channels driven will deliver over 300 watts per channel. Any three channels will be above 270 watts per channel. The front three channels have two extra transistors per channel since they are driven the hardest.
If the MC207 is used in a 5.1 system the spare two channels may be used for a stereo 'B' zone and can be triggered on by the 'B' zone power control out, of McIntosh MX processors. The extra channels can also be used for passive bi-amping of many speakers.
The input options on the MC207 are balanced XLR cables, RCA unbalanced cables or DB25 balanced cable. The MC207 retails for $6000 and is shipping now.
Thanks,
Ron-C
 
Ron-C, Can you describe the transistors used in the 206? Any other differences between the 206 and 207 if you only need 6 channels? Thanks
 
Onemug,

The new transistor does not have any performance advantage other than the slight power increase. The advantage is more in packaging. This allows more of them to be placed on the heatsinks.
There are multi-channel amps rated more power than the MC207 but they never state, 'X amount of watts per channel ALL CHANNELS DRIVEN'. 300 watts per channel x 7 channels may mean 100 watts per channel all seven channels driven.
The MC207 uses the new fiber optic illumination and the inverted stainless steel chassis design.
The MC206 which is 200 watts X6 at 4 ohms and 120 X 6 into 8 ohms stays in the product line. The MC206 is $4600 retail VS $6000 for the MC207. The MC207 is 9" tall and the MC206 is 7" tall.
Ron-C
 
Ron, I have been looking for a MC207 and I have recently found a couple on Ebay. I am curious how a seller would have a "couple" completely new ones in the box for sale. This is a pretty new product. Have you heard of this happening from time to time? (Maybe I am just revealing my newbie status!)
 
Who knows if this person does have the MC207? Serial number? Is a picture that was used 4 months ago on Ebay? Maybe the same amp is being sold again or is it the picture? Usually you send the money and they go looking for one. Sometimes you send the money and get nothing. Oh well!

Ron-C
 
Beware of these guys. This is a major scam!! I checked this guy out and in no way is he for real. Zero transaction bidders, one transactions himself and an Mc207 going for $4300.00 is a joke. These are the kind of people who give eBay a bad name. I purchase from audiogon and eBay all the time. I've learned one thing. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and most of all looks like a duck, IT'S A DUCK!!!
 
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