This would be my first foray into McIntosh gear beyond looking and admiring. A tech friend I know and trust ranks these among the best value in terms of reliability/musicality of any amps ever built and are basically solid state versions of the earlier tube offerings. Is there some merit to these claims?
IMHO - I think your friend's views are valid.
If they had the "musicality" of a tube amp, an MC2100 would cost $3500 like an MC275.
Hmmm.... I wouldn't be too sure about that...
I think if more AKers would subject themselves to A/B/X comparisons, they'd be mortified at the outcome. I dare ANY AKer to A/B/X an MC250 vs a MC240 and hear the difference. Of course, both amplifiers need to be functioning to spec and gain matched so that both amps make the exact same power at a given volume setting.
Dare ya.
+1 and Amen.
I've been intending to start a thread on this subject but still want to try A/Bing with a humble amp section of a 1980s receiver I have - but haven't gotten around to yet.
Whereas tube vs early SS McIntosh is concerned such as the considerations listed by the OP, I can only relate my experiences - to date - and for whatever it may be worth:
In direct real-time A/B comparisons between an MC 240 & MC 2505, any sonic differences between the two have been utterly, completely (& frustratingly) undetectable - at least to this listener's ears.
I have experimented with both high efficiency horns as well as modern tower Boston Acoustics T1000 speakers. I have experimented with all different types of material - ranging from rock, to classical, to blue grass to opera, to piano solo, vocal solo and even test tones - the result was the same - nothing.
Obviously I know which amp is being played and I frequently found myself thinking I heard something slightly different ("more musical") from the MC 240, but then when I'd flip back to the MC 2505, I'd realize I really wasn't hearing anything different at all.
There is something to be said about the placebo effect - it's simply near impossible to eliminate personal bias from what you're hearing...or what you
think you're hearing. It's powerful and it's very real. I really expected to hear a difference - even
wanted to, I daresay. But in the final analysis, I'd be lying if I said I could discern between the two and would be very surprised if anyone could.
Again, this has been my experience to date.
This is not to say I regret purchasing a several thousand dollar MC 240. I bought it because I wanted a historically significant piece - from a period when McIntosh was the best that money could buy - as well as for it's aesthetic & classic beauty. And as far as I am concerned, that is 80% of what you're paying for when investing in vintage tube McIntosh.
One man's experience. YMMV.
**EDIT: I should have specified for the OP - the MC 2505 used in my comparo is the metered version of the MC 250, otherwise the two are electrically identical.
