damacman
Resident Psycho
The MC2600 continues to have a cult following, long after its production run ended (almost 30yrs ago now). Why is that? I have a few ideas . . .
A few facts . . .
Production on the MC2600 ended in 1995. When first introduced in 1990, the amplifier had a retail price of $5,300. By the end of production, that had risen to $6,000. It was the last of the BIG McIntosh power amplifiers to utilize the 6 rack space tall, fan cooled 19" wide rack mount chassis - MI-350 / MC3500, MC2300, and MC2500 were the others. The MC500, introduced in 1994, was destined to replace it.
According to members here that worked for McIntosh dealers when the amp was introduced, the MC2600 was a significant step up from the MC2500 as it had two new features - high current capability and autoformers designed to facilitate delivery of that to the loads. The MC2500 was rated to deliver 55A/ch whereas the new MC2600 was rated at nearly double that at 100A/ch. From an engineering standpoint, this was surely an accomplishment. The speaker output barrier strips were upgraded to specially designed ones which could accommodate cables up to 4 AWG in size and the amp included both XLR and TRS input jacks in addition to the RCAs.
The fan cooling is thermostatically controlled and particularly difficult to trigger in a domestic setting. [I'm sure in my house party days we would have had the fans running in HI.] I can tell you first hand that this is true. The combination of fans, heat sink mass, the chassis layout, and the autoformers made the amp equally suited to the rigors of professional and industrial applications. According to McIntosh at the time, The McIntosh MC 2600 is truly the finest amplifier produced by McIntosh.
Some opinion . . .
I've owned a pair of these amplifiers for some time. I remember vividly reading Bascom King's assessment of the MC2600 as it graced the cover of Audio Magazine BITD. He measured some 850wpc at the onset of Power Guard. Crazy. I was determined to own one at some point. After a decade of looking, I found my first in 2014 (2nd pic - #6 off of the production line). They are quite unique. Some time ago, I penned a thread on the MC2500 as being the best value in used McIntosh. My opinion on that hasn't changed. While the MC2600 is certainly the most unique power amplifier I've ever owned, its capabilities are simply not needed by most. I run my pair bridged mono to a pair of XRT22s, mainly because I can. They mostly mock me - even during spirited listening sessions. They have bigger balls than I, and significantly. If you believe you own a pair of loudspeakers that could tax an MC2600 in a domestic setting, you'd be wrong. However, there is some level of understanding required here to understand how to lever the amp's capabilities.
Firstly, you should understand how McIntosh derives its current capability ratings for this amplifier as well as the dynamic power capabilities. Read #3 and #4 carefully from the specs I copied from the inside of the OM. You can't replicate that with any pair of loudspeakers in a domestic setting and no pair of speakers I know of can handle that kind of power to begin with. Then, when it comes to tap selection, see the pic with the graphs. This is copied from the MC7300 Owners Manual, but Mc did not supply this with the MC2600. Then, keep in mind that the MC7300 simply doesn't have the thermal capabilities of the MC2600 (no fan cooling, much less heat sink mass, etc.). Show me a case in a domestic setting where one would choose anything other than the 8 Ohm taps on an MC2600 - regardless of the speakers connected.
Given what I've attained with even a single MC2600 in my listening space, I've always wondered what an MC602 would be like as it reportedly has even greater capabilities. [I did own an MC500 for a period of time.] However, the MC602 lacks the thermal management system of the MC2600.
Now, if you compare the MC2600 to the MC2500 which it replaced, the differences are subtle in a domestic setting. In my space, it is possible to drive a single MC2500 to levels which can flicker the Power Guard Lamps, but not often as you really have to try. And we're talking about playback levels which I would deem as uncofortable for most. I've been unable to ever do this with an MC2600. Rich Andrews (long ago member here) uncovered some manufacturing changes in the latest MC2500s which involved the relocation of a harness internally which brought the S/N closer to that of an MC2600 but I've never seen the need to do this in any of the four MC2500s I own.
If you own loudspeakers which are particularly difficult to drive, amps beginning with the MC7200 are more suited to drive them than prior designs. I've never admired such speakers, as Infinity Kappa 9s for example, whereas the impedance curve is IMHO more of a result of improper crossover network design than a mettle test for a power amplifier. However, I would love the chance to power a pair with one of my MC2600s - that may be a match made in heaven.
Last pic is my pair.
A few facts . . .
Production on the MC2600 ended in 1995. When first introduced in 1990, the amplifier had a retail price of $5,300. By the end of production, that had risen to $6,000. It was the last of the BIG McIntosh power amplifiers to utilize the 6 rack space tall, fan cooled 19" wide rack mount chassis - MI-350 / MC3500, MC2300, and MC2500 were the others. The MC500, introduced in 1994, was destined to replace it.
According to members here that worked for McIntosh dealers when the amp was introduced, the MC2600 was a significant step up from the MC2500 as it had two new features - high current capability and autoformers designed to facilitate delivery of that to the loads. The MC2500 was rated to deliver 55A/ch whereas the new MC2600 was rated at nearly double that at 100A/ch. From an engineering standpoint, this was surely an accomplishment. The speaker output barrier strips were upgraded to specially designed ones which could accommodate cables up to 4 AWG in size and the amp included both XLR and TRS input jacks in addition to the RCAs.
The fan cooling is thermostatically controlled and particularly difficult to trigger in a domestic setting. [I'm sure in my house party days we would have had the fans running in HI.] I can tell you first hand that this is true. The combination of fans, heat sink mass, the chassis layout, and the autoformers made the amp equally suited to the rigors of professional and industrial applications. According to McIntosh at the time, The McIntosh MC 2600 is truly the finest amplifier produced by McIntosh.
Some opinion . . .
I've owned a pair of these amplifiers for some time. I remember vividly reading Bascom King's assessment of the MC2600 as it graced the cover of Audio Magazine BITD. He measured some 850wpc at the onset of Power Guard. Crazy. I was determined to own one at some point. After a decade of looking, I found my first in 2014 (2nd pic - #6 off of the production line). They are quite unique. Some time ago, I penned a thread on the MC2500 as being the best value in used McIntosh. My opinion on that hasn't changed. While the MC2600 is certainly the most unique power amplifier I've ever owned, its capabilities are simply not needed by most. I run my pair bridged mono to a pair of XRT22s, mainly because I can. They mostly mock me - even during spirited listening sessions. They have bigger balls than I, and significantly. If you believe you own a pair of loudspeakers that could tax an MC2600 in a domestic setting, you'd be wrong. However, there is some level of understanding required here to understand how to lever the amp's capabilities.
Firstly, you should understand how McIntosh derives its current capability ratings for this amplifier as well as the dynamic power capabilities. Read #3 and #4 carefully from the specs I copied from the inside of the OM. You can't replicate that with any pair of loudspeakers in a domestic setting and no pair of speakers I know of can handle that kind of power to begin with. Then, when it comes to tap selection, see the pic with the graphs. This is copied from the MC7300 Owners Manual, but Mc did not supply this with the MC2600. Then, keep in mind that the MC7300 simply doesn't have the thermal capabilities of the MC2600 (no fan cooling, much less heat sink mass, etc.). Show me a case in a domestic setting where one would choose anything other than the 8 Ohm taps on an MC2600 - regardless of the speakers connected.
Given what I've attained with even a single MC2600 in my listening space, I've always wondered what an MC602 would be like as it reportedly has even greater capabilities. [I did own an MC500 for a period of time.] However, the MC602 lacks the thermal management system of the MC2600.
Now, if you compare the MC2600 to the MC2500 which it replaced, the differences are subtle in a domestic setting. In my space, it is possible to drive a single MC2500 to levels which can flicker the Power Guard Lamps, but not often as you really have to try. And we're talking about playback levels which I would deem as uncofortable for most. I've been unable to ever do this with an MC2600. Rich Andrews (long ago member here) uncovered some manufacturing changes in the latest MC2500s which involved the relocation of a harness internally which brought the S/N closer to that of an MC2600 but I've never seen the need to do this in any of the four MC2500s I own.
If you own loudspeakers which are particularly difficult to drive, amps beginning with the MC7200 are more suited to drive them than prior designs. I've never admired such speakers, as Infinity Kappa 9s for example, whereas the impedance curve is IMHO more of a result of improper crossover network design than a mettle test for a power amplifier. However, I would love the chance to power a pair with one of my MC2600s - that may be a match made in heaven.
Last pic is my pair.
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