• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

McIntosh Mc240

wildone

wildone

Learning as I go!
HI,

I am picking up a McIntosh Mc240 tomorrow and was wondering if this was the best amp I can get? I have decided to slow down and want to focus on setting up a very high end system.

For $2000 I want to make sure I am getting all I will need and not be wanting more later. I have some K-horns to Abuse and this amp will be my dedicated "Rock & Roll" system.

It is only rated at 40 x 2 watts and I have a Jolida 2002a that is rated at 40w ch but puts out about 60 and there are other tube amps with more for less. But I looked on ebay and this amp (Mc240) is a good buy. And the gent selling it me is a very nice man and stand-up guy. I have bought other stuff from him.

If you seen this guy's shop you would DIE!:tears:

Full of everything you could ever want :yes:

Anyway I hope I will be happy with this and stop trying to do better. (will make the wife real happy if I just stopped)

WO
 
Register to hide this ad
The amp is certainly up there in regards to quality and reputation. If it is a vintage MC240, you may want to make sure that it is fully recapped (at least all electrolytic capacitors replaced) before using it frequently, as old ones can still harbor 50 year-old can caps. Newly manufactured MC240s have nothing like that to worry about.
 
Thanks,

Is it really only 40w x 2 ?

It seems so dame large for just 40w. it looks like it should be 100w ch

Now don't get me wrong. i do know about quality! I used to do a lot of car stereo back in the late 80s and loved the Fosgate punch amps when they first came out.

Punch 45
Punch 75
Punch 150

These amps were very under rated as they did there testing at very high standards. The little 45 was 22.5w per ch and would kill a pair of 6x9 speakers. I mean kill them Poof. I sen whole systems running off those little amps.

So what I am saying is that is the McIntosh like this? Way under rated? The transformers are monsters compared to the Jolida same output?

WO
 
wildone said:
So what I am saying is that is the McIntosh like this? Way under rated? The transformers are monsters compared to the Jolida same output?

WO
Click to expand...

My second tube purchase was a 240. This is the amp that set the hook.
Except for my hk's, the rest of my purchases have been more of a novelty than a contender to the 240.

I paid a lot more for my one 240 than all my hk gear combined. No regrets.


Steve
 
The 240 is a nice amp with a solid rep. Rebuild the power supply and update a few key components and that is a very nice amp. The citation II and 240 are actually my choice for personal ampliers.
 
hey-Hey!!!,
I used to want amps like that until I discovered it would be easier to learn to build better than it would be to acquire that much money at one time. I parted with a 275, a pair of HF50's, and a pair of 75's and now all that's left is a Citation II.

next time you're under the hood of the 240, re-wire the 12AU7 heater so it can run a 6CG7. You won't be disapointed.
cheers,
Douglas
 
If I recall correctly, McIntosh was well known for very conservatively rating their amps
in the power dept.
Wish I had owned one myself. I keep looking for a 225 to appear on my doorstep, but so far no luck.
 
bricktop said:
The amp is certainly up there in regards to quality and reputation. If it is a vintage MC240, you may want to make sure that it is fully recapped (at least all electrolytic capacitors replaced) before using it frequently, as old ones can still harbor 50 year-old can caps. Newly manufactured MC240s have nothing like that to worry about.
Click to expand...

Just a detail, here: Mac still offers the MC-275 today as standard product in their lineup. The MC-240, however, was discontinued in the late 60s, IIRC.

Cheers,

David
 
wildone said:
Thanks,

Is it really only 40w x 2 ?

It seems so dame large for just 40w. it looks like it should be 100w ch.......

.......So what I am saying is that is the McIntosh like this? Way under rated? The transformers are monsters compared to the Jolida same output?

WO
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go on size alone. Power is a function of the power supply's ability to deliver sufficient current across a known impedance. However, any audio engineer will tell you that the magic for tube amps is in the transformer's ability to deliver wide band audio. The legendary tube amps of the past tend to have this aspect in common.

To be good, the physics of transformer design dictates the size. Here's a deep doo-doo discussion, if you have a few beers first to prepare yourself for the math.

Cheers,

David
 
I have a Mc240 and really like it.As was stated above,the amp.needs to be updated before it is safe to use and up to the original specs.Is the amp.that you are buying restored?Best of luck with your Mcintosh.
Dave
 
wildone said:
Thanks,

Is it really only 40w x 2 ?
It seems so dame large for just 40w. it looks like it should be 100w ch

<snip>

So what I am saying is that is the McIntosh like this? Way under rated? The transformers are monsters compared to the Jolida same output?

WO
Click to expand...

FWIW, an MC240 in good operating condition should be capable of ~50WPC. Not a significant increase in loudness but indicative of typical conservative Mac specs.
 
Best amp, Great amp?

That will be for you to decide in your system.
(no one can say whether you will like it)

Listen to it an come to your own conclusions, you might end up liking something better
that costs significantly less, price an power will have little to do with sound preference.
 
wildone said:
HI,

I am picking up a McIntosh Mc240 tomorrow and was wondering if this was the best amp I can get? I have decided to slow down and want to focus on setting up a very high end system.

For $2000 I want to make sure I am getting all I will need and not be wanting more later. I have some K-horns to Abuse and this amp will be my dedicated "Rock & Roll" system.

It is only rated at 40 x 2 watts and I have a Jolida 2002a that is rated at 40w ch but puts out about 60 and there are other tube amps with more for less. But I looked on ebay and this amp (Mc240) is a good buy. And the gent selling it me is a very nice man and stand-up guy. I have bought other stuff from him.

If you seen this guy's shop you would DIE!:tears:

Full of everything you could ever want :yes:

Anyway I hope I will be happy with this and stop trying to do better. (will make the wife real happy if I just stopped)

WO
Click to expand...

My tech said mine benched at 56 watts. He might have been pulling my leg a liitle. He thought it was execptional.
 
[

It is only rated at 40 x 2 watts and I have a Jolida 2002a that is rated at 40w ch but puts out about 60 and there are other tube amps with more for less. But I looked on ebay and this amp (Mc240) is a good buy. And the gent selling it me is a very nice man and stand-up guy. I have bought other stuff from him.

Don't go by power ratings. Listen to the amp first. There are as many different power rating systems as there are people in the audio world. Some amps rated at 50 watts a channel sound weaker in a real world application then others rated at only 25 watts per channel. Suffice it to say McIntosh was conservative in their ratings.
 
In college we reviewed the sound of each of our marching band performances. We had Klipschorns in our band room. the source of the sound was a top loading portable cassette deck that I doubt was putting out more than a few watts. The volume those speakers put out was incredible.

Now you can imagine what Khorns can do with a 40 wpc McIntosh tube amp.

I know people here have recommended a rebuild of the MC240 if it has not already been done. I would also recommend that you replace or rebuild the Khorn crossovers if the speakers are over ten years old. Google Bob Crites and Klipsch. He can get you anything you need for Khorns.

Sounds like you are well on your way to great sound. I will caution you that trying different components can become addictive. Once you are hooked there is no cure.
 
But it is McIntosh, leave her stock unless you want to reduce her value. Do make sure old tired caps are replaced, PM dewickt before you go further with her. It's a superb amplifier. And built to last. And drives Klipsch classics very well. .
 
Best is in the ear of the listener but the MC240 is a very nice amplifier. Do have it recapped - at least the power/bias supply and coupling caps - new diodes and out of spec resistors. You need to do this not only to get better sound but also to make it safe for the amp and yourself.

You have very efficient speakers which are highly revealing. If you can, you should consider auditioning a single ended amplifier - SET or SEP. There are some which are nice and cheaper than what you are looking at. I probably wouldn't go with a 45 based amp since you like rock but a 300B SET amp or EL84 SEP (there's an Almarro EL84 SEP amp which is nice and as I remember less than $1K) could provide plenty of power and get you into some pretty special mids/highs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom