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MA-6200 vs MAC 4100 same internal parts?

monkboughtlunch

monkboughtlunch

Super Member
I've heard the MA-6200 is based on the MAC 4100. Setting aside cosmetics and the fact that one is an integrated amp and the other a receiver, are the pre-amp and amp 100% identical in the MA-6200 and the MAC 4100? Do they have the same exact electronic innards in the amp and preamp sections? If not, does one use higher quality or better parts than the other?
 
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Yes, same guts but somewhat different layout inside. Some prefer the 6200 because it looks more "McIntosh" with its glass front and traditional cabinet. I think the 4100 is the "best buy" in the vintage Mac world. It's cheaper than a 6200 and it has a MR 74 tuner in it. Why pay more money for less McIntosh?
 
chef free said:
Yes, same guts but somewhat different layout inside. Some prefer the 6200 because it looks more "McIntosh" with its glass front and traditional cabinet. I think the 4100 is the "best buy" in the vintage Mac world. It's cheaper than a 6200 and it has a MR 74 tuner in it. Why pay more money for less McIntosh?
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I thought the 4100 had the equivalent of the MR 75 tuner -- which is apparently an off the shelf ALPS Japanese tuner that McIntosh bought, customized a bit and inserted into the MAC 4100 (i.e. it's not a true "in house" MAC tuner)?
 
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KentTeffeteller said:
The MAC 4100 has the equivalent of the MR 77 tuner in it. Yes, it is all McIntosh.
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http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3306111

dewickt said:
MR75, MX117, and MAC4100 use a tuning capacitor and front end circuitry that was pre packaged and ready to go, this was made by Alps. There are 2 versions, a narrow early one that is not to common, and the wider circuit board version that is most common. I have found the same front end assembly in several high end Japanese tuners and receivers made in the 70's.
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If you check the schematics you will see that the amp and pre circuits of the mac4100 and ma6200 are the same. Boards may be different. Power supplies are different.

The mr75, mx117 and mac4100 tuners are the same, made by mcintosh, using an externally sourced variable tuning cap assembly, I assume from the same supplier that provided the same thing for all their other tuners.
 
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c_dk said:
If you check the schematics you will see that the amp and pre circuits of the mac4100 and ma6200 are the same. Boards may be different. Power supplies are different.

The mr75, mx117 and mac4100 tuners are the same, made by mcintosh, using an externally sourced variable tuning cap.....c1205 in the mac4100.
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Is one power supply better than the the other? Or should the amp and preamp of both the 6200 and 4100 sound 100% identical?
 
There is no preamp equivalent......you have to look at the preamps as a whole.

Yes the integrated units share many circuit designs but they are not the same preamp.

While many owners started with a Mac4100, added an amp later, all.....to my memory updated to a stand alone preamp as soon as they could budget it.

For multi room installs I did often use a ma6200 as a preamp with a big amp to drive xrt speakers. The internal amp of the 6200 would drive other speakers throughout the house.
 
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c_dk said:
There is no preamp equivalent......you have to look at the preamps as a whole.

Yes the less equipped units share some equivalent circuits but they are not the same preamp sections in the integrated units.

While many owners started with a Mac4100, added an amp later, all.....to my memory updated to a stand alone preamp as soon as they could budget it.

For multi room installs I did often use a ma6200 as a preamp with a big amp to drive xrt speakers. The internal amp of the 6200 would drive other speakers throughout the house.
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So, if I don't need the amp section of a 4100, I would be better off with a tuner/preamp unit? (mx 113) Would those be closer to a stand alone pre or the same problem as a receiver?
 
steelgtr said:
So, if I don't need the amp section of a 4100, I would be better off with a tuner/preamp unit? (mx 113) Would those be closer to a stand alone pre or the same problem as a receiver?
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If you don't need the main amp section and care about having the traditional "Mc look", you may as well consider one of the tuner-preamps. They're a lot lighter than the MAC too. I doubt you'd ever hear any sonic difference between a MAC 4100 and MX 117 which is its closest kin, section for section.

No glass front keeps the price of 4100 low - not sonics. Not sure of what "problem" you're talking about.
 
I have had the opportunity to compare many Mc receivers, and hands down the 4100 has the build quality and sound quality beat over any of the other Mc receivers - 1500,1700,1900,4280,4300, etc. It must have cost a ton to make the 4100 as it's really an amazing piece - and if I was into receivers this is the one piece I would have kept. My 4100 sold in 10 minutes at $850 though it was the nicest one I had ever seen. Extremely well made and crafted.
 
CountD said:
I have had the opportunity to compare many Mc receivers, and hands down the 4100 has the build quality and sound quality beat over any of the other Mc receivers - 1500,1700,1900,4280,4300, etc. It must have cost a ton to make the 4100 as it's really an amazing piece - and if I was into receivers this is the one piece I would have kept. My 4100 sold in 10 minutes at $850 though it was the nicest one I had ever seen. Extremely well made and crafted.
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That's good to know. I may just take a chance on a clean, local 4100 and if it does the job I could sell the 2105 and have a complete, all in one, spare room 2 channel setup.

bob
 
Thanks for the update. The ALPS front end and tuning capacitor must have been loved by McIntosh The MAC 4100 is my favorite McIntosh receiver.
 
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