McIntosh MC152 HiFI Power Amplifier Full Review - Long but worth watching with a cup of tea

Welcome to the Full Review of the McIntosh MC152 Stereo Power Amplifier.
www.mcintoshlabs.com/us/Produc...
This is a long review because there is a lot to talk about with this stunning amplifier - You might need a cup of tea to have with for it but it will be worth finding out about such a Great Product
Please also see the Playback demonstrations Videos in the channel to hear how this amplifier sounds in our Reference Systems across a wide variety of music. Below is the songs we have used in the demos
Susan Boyle - I Dreamed a Dream
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Nora Jones - Nightingale
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Bria Skonberg - Que Sera
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Ace of Bass - All that she wants (One for the Summer)
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Greg Porter - Hey Laura
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Kristina Train - Saturdays are the Greatest
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John Campbell - Down in the Alley
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I want to Thank Nintronics the excellent dealer for the loan of this Amplifier for Review. To buy this amplifier please see their site
www.nintronics.co.uk/Search/?q...
If your looking to buy any new HiFi or Av products please contact them for amazing service and the largest selection available - they are a Great Company to deal with
www.nintronics.co.uk/
There will be More Reviews coming soon, please subscribe to the channel to get them hot off the press
/ @pursuitperfectsystem

[@hobo1452]

I run this amp with the equally impressive C49 preamp, through Klipsch Cornwall III speakers. It is a phenomenal sounding system and has ended my personal quest for audio nirvana.

[@stephencosta6814]

💯 percent

[@marcusaurelius2988]

wide soundstage?

[@hobo1452]

@@marcusaurelius2988 I would say so. It's very 'honest' sounding duo. I constantly find myself hearing subtle nuances that I never noticed on familiar tracks.

[@stephencosta6814]

@@hobo1452l love that

[@hwirtwirt4500]

I own the MC352 which is very similar in design to the MC152 . Your description of the sound quality is spot on and very well expressed. The MC352 has no red led above the McIntosh logo, the power guard lights illuminate momentarily on power up then extinguish. Never had the power guard circuit operate in my 5 years of use even at incredibly loud volumes. I often listen to the amp with just the nomenclatures and logo illuminated and it looks very nice. Friends and relatives always want the see the meters working which is fun but can be distracting at times. Thank you for sharing this comprehensive review.

[@hanklandsberg3373]

I just bought an MC152 and an MCD550 SACD player. The outputs of the SACD player are connected directly to the inputs of the MC152, which drives a pair of Goldenear Tech. Triton One speakers. WOW! Incredible sound! Very natural, transparent, and musical. The speakers and hardware just disappear and all you hear is music. It's a bit expensive but worth it! My dealer let me try the "Mac" stuff before buying it. I thought I'd have a hard time determining if there was any real improvement over my previous gear. Nope! It took about 5 seconds to make my decision to keep it!

[@kevinpwoodward]

How can you have nothing to control the volume? Am I missing something? No preamp?

[@scottrose1979]

I have had this amp for about a year...love it!

[@robrozek9265]

Great review just picked up my Mac 152 amp yesterday. This review really helped my decision and yes everything stated in this review is solid and true and it noked the snot out of a parasound a 21 amp not even close . Thank you for your dedication.

[@kevinpwoodward]

hi, was it the a21+, been looking at parasound or this... thanks...

[@stephencosta6814]

@@kevinpwoodward I had a Parasound 21+ Macintosh beats it hands-down on every category

[@yarmoth6]

Dang. Glad I found this comment here. I’m trying to decide between this and the a21+ too. Powering Kef R900 in a 20x14 room. I’m worried the 160 watts will not be powerful enough, whereas parasound is 300. Powering an older Mac 200 watt now. Worried to go lower in watts. Any advice on that?

[@davidstein9129]

Thanks again for this wonderful introduction to the MC-152 Power Amp. I just picked up a used one in decent shape. It's being shipped.. I am looking forward to hearing it. Thanks for informing me about this product and for sharing your enthusiasm for this fine piece of gear.

[@samspade03]

Brilliant review I think I will get one more money 😅this amp sounds fantastic in your set up I am getting c47 pre amp this week will have to wait for the 152 it’s 6000 pound now

[@davidstein9129]

Thanks for this concise and informative review of this Mac amp.

[@davidstein9129]

When you're talking here about this Mc Amplifier's timing, precision and layered soundstage, I think you're also talking about its coherence..its ability to reproduce music in a way that makes sense & rings true to our ears as authentic.. as real. That's why we may like & enjoy the 'Macintosh Sound'.

[@experiment54]

nice kit. Great you got to play with it :)

[@davidstein9129]

I did purchase this amp used based on your recommendation. Thanks so much again. The amp will come here soon I made my decision after a lot of research & thought. Your explanations & listening impressions were tremendously helpful and reassuring I can't thank you enough for your assistance. I'm quite sure this amplifier will be a great performer in my audio system. I am looking forward to hearing it. Regards! D'

[@spencerlatham7836]

Hi there I hope your well love the channel and information. I own a pair of mission pilastro speakers that are 500w in 6 ohms. I'm currently looking at buying a mclyntosch mc452 or mc462 to power my speakers properly. Would you be able to do a review on the mclyntosch mc452 or mc462 as I really want to be sure that this would be the right power amp for my speakers. Or perhaps you would have a better suggestion to power my speakers thanks for your time spencer Latham

[@dannykl6883]

Some years back I heard a full McIntosh system at a show I think the entire rig weighed in at £150,000 it sounded excellent 👍 Re the styling, I love it ... I have always thought that McIntosh kit looks like it might of been designed by uncle Fester of The Adams Family fame🦇🕸

[@xiksmen]

Can I use it with Naim Uniti Atom as preamp??? Thx

[@revelationsoundstudio]

I was able to hear a Macintosh with my Focal Aria speakers at a stereo store. The first thing that came to my mind was the amp provided a pleasant sound. The highs are not bright but more natural. It has a smooth sound in the highs which made it sound almost like a tube amp. But this is not a warm or dull sounding amp (thankfully) On some speakers like B&W I think the Macintosh amp would be a great choice in order to control some of the bright character of the speakers. With my Focal speakers which are already smooth sounding, the highs are very pleasant. With the extra low THD, this helps the sound to be easier on your ears. I was thinking the NAD C298 amp initially, but once I heard this, I was very happy. There was no turning back. I confirmed the wattage is actually higher than the 150 watts as the Hi-Fi World review confirmed which found it to be even a little higher than 200 watts. This is their less expensive solid state amp but it maintains the quality and sound that all the McIntosh amps have. I highly recommend this amp.

[@revelationsoundstudio]

I just bought the MC152. I heard it again and just love the gentle color character that is refined

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Nice amp big money though! If your on a budget Like me then the Integra M-504 is hard to beat st price The HULK at 50 pounds 165 watts at 8 ohms and .0003 THD, M-304 is a dual transformer Beast that doubles power at 4 ohms to 330 watts and 100 percent made in JAPAN, Nice review thanks for the videos I know it's hard work !!

[@mengirex]

Greetings, Great video, as usual. I need your advice regarding something. As someone who listened to, and reviewed the MC152, do you think 2 of them will provide enough power for my Atmos channels? Thanks, Reggie

[@marvinchanghawaii]

How do u compare this amp with Lucian 509x?

[@charlesjacques750]

Appreciate your reactions since I've never owned a Mc but you never forget hearing one ever. What is the US model/price point of the amp in your video? Thanks, the vid was perfect for me.

[@DeadSeaGenesis]

$4,500.00 as of 3/1/2018

[@keithgregson9573]

Autoformer is interesting, did i miss class amplification & specific PSU transformer?

[@davidstein9129]

Can you describe a bit more about this amplifiers bass response? Would you call it punchy & tight? Thanks!

[@millanus]

Nice review! How do you see this amp with a pair of JBL 4315B?

[@benevolentautore4463]

Can anyone comment on this vs something like Bryston, Anthem or other mid/high-fi amplifiers?

[@KosmicHRTRacingTeam]

Wonder how this compares to the older MC150 or MC202 (some claim that the mc150 was a very “special” amp given its relatively low price and sounded better than a few of Macs more expensive higher output amps).

[@MrPRScollector]

They don’t compare with the new amplifier. Simply compare the weights of the 152 vs 150. Also, headroom greatly enhanced in their newer models; MC312...

[@dr.zoidberg4313]

Could an LED blackout thingy help with that red light?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Dr. Zoidberg a light dim quite possibly, good shout. Would be worth a try. Its not that bad and most people dont listen in complete darkness like me so it would be a non issue. Its just a shame they overlooked it as the Mcintosh glow in green looks ace

[@davidstein9129]

My McIntosh MC152 will be set up soon in my av rack by a av home contractor. I'm wondering if you think that this McIntosh Amplifier reproduces the micro details in the music well? A good example is the decay of a thin crash cymbal. Any thoughts on this? Tx, D-

[@davidstein9129]

'What would you like first..the good points about this amplifier or the bad points?..Any bad points? No. No bad points here' lol

[@davidstein9129]

When you're free again, can you discuss the features and benefits of McIntosh MC-49 Preamplifier. It's an entry level preamplifier and it seems to be a good value as well as a good McIntosh performer too. Tx, David-

[@gw61]

What are the isolation devices you talked about?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Hi Gary the Isolators I use under my whole system, just not the speakers and subs are made by a company called plinth Design. www.plinth-design.com/ They are the Cera-Disc Model, I helped with the ideas and testing of these and compared to products costing far more and I preferred these. For the money they are really great. The seller is also a cracking guy. If you are interested in them please say the recommendation has come from me and you will be looked after - my name is Terry

[@ponch0068]

I just bought the McIntosh C8 tube preamp and was thinking of buying the MC152 to power my Goldenear Triton 2+ speakers that crossover from the mid range speakers to the powered woofers at 140 hrz. I’m thinking the MC 312 would be a little over kill. Would you recommend the 152 in my situation?

[@stephencosta6814]

I was thinking of the same kind of set up but without the speakers obviously

[@davidjames9143]

@@stephencosta6814 I ended up buying a pair of the Macintosh MC830 monoblocks!

[@apexhnttr]

@@davidjames9143 Getting ready to do the same thing MC830 X 2 with a C22 preamp.

[@charlesjacques750]

God, I would want to switch out those old school binding posts for some banana plugs. Is that even possible or practical? I want the sound described but at very low volume with carefully chosen speakers like Crites.

[@hwirtwirt4500]

That is unusual, I have the MC 352 and the speaker terminals accept banana plugs or straight wires.

[@michaelledford4751]

Charles Jacques I don't know what you believe your seeing but the binding posts are banana plug binding posts ,and clamp posts ,the banana plug fits snugly in the middle of each binding post and work best with L shaped banana plugs ,I own this amp as can be seen on my Google+ homepage powering my JM Labs center channel speaker in my 5 channel Mcintosh system ,the Mc-152 is a beast of an amp that using 100 watts sounds as good as 100 watts through the 1,200 watt Mc-1201 mono blocks powering my fronts .

[@paulkingsman8021]

Thanks for your great review, you mentioned ' Isolation devices' that you used what are they exactly? I'm thinking of getting this Amp.

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Hi Paul Thanks for your comments. For starters great choice of amp I loved that amp. I will do a video on the isolation devices I use, I have been waiting for a few updates from the company as some of what I am using is me testing things out. However the company is www.plinth-design.com/ Scroll the page down until you see the isolation devices and the Cera Disc is what I use under all my kit. I was involved in the design and testing of them - they are Great full stop let alone for the money. Good company to deal with as well. Let me know if you want any help with them - make sure you move them until they grip tight underneath whatever you put them under. If they are loose and you can move them keep moving them until you feel them grip tight. All the best

[@paulkingsman8021]

Pursuit Perfect System , Thanks again, I bought the Mac C47 preamp last year, so I'm looking to matching it.My speakers are B&W CM 9's which have a nice midrange sound.So you think this Amp should drive them ok? Currently using an old Rotel 2 x 200 watt power amp. But looking for more clarity. Thanks mate.

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Paul Kingsman Hi Paul I haven't properly heard any rotels so I wouldn't want to compare. The mc152 is a very good amp for clarity. Can I ask what dac your using?

[@paulkingsman8021]

Pursuit Perfect System Currently the DAC in the C47 Mcintosh Preamp, with Jriver software. What source are you using in your music videos ? , Sound pretty good even thru You Tube.

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Paul Kingsman thanks Paul. If you are using a computer as your source I can whole heartedly recommend jplay. I started with jriver moved to jplay years ago and have never looked back. Also the jplay forum is a great source of advice to getting better sound from a computer in general. There is lots you can do to get better sound. Jplay is free to try but go on the forum for settings advice it makes a huge difference. I do miss jremote from jriver but dont miss jriver at all. Also for dacs if you want more clarity the hugo 2 excels here and is worth a try if improved clarity is top priority. I would start with jplay though and start looking into the computer at the same time. Its fun and interesting even if a bit frustrating at times. Let me know if I can be of anymore help. All the best

[@davidf1985]

I would put a small piece of black electrical tape over the red led if it bothers me. I may consider getting a 152, but I need 3 channels of power.

[@jimmcclung9067]

McIntosh was founded in1949 not 1956. They moved to their current location in1956 (Binghamton, NY).

[@hanklandsberg3373]

Thanks for this review. Have you ever reviewed the NAD M22? Any comparison with the MC152?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Not yet, all the reviews I have done are on my website www.pursuitperfectsystem.com or in my You Tube Channel. I am planning to get as much kit in as I can and review it and Nad is on my list for sure. Thanks for the support.

[@hanklandsberg3373]

Thanks. I have a NAD M22, and it sounds quite good. I just wonder if the MC152 would sound any better. I listen to classical music SACDs using a Marantz SA8005 SACD player, connected directly to the inputs of the NAD M22. No preamp. "Less is more"! Thanks again...

[@hanklandsberg3373]

BTW, my speakers are Golden Ear Tech. Triton One's. Amazing!

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Hank Landsberg I think you have a good amp already but its doesnt glow blue :) the MC152 is very good and worth a listen to see what you think

[@hanklandsberg3373]

My local Mac dealer might let me borrow one. If I can do that, I'll let you know how it compares to the NAD. More to come! Thanks...

[@Drackleyrva]

Would this work well with a pair of Dynaudio Special 40s?

[@stephencosta6814]

💯

[@Skyshakerrrr]

I think it will work very well . Did you end up getting it?

[@Drackleyrva]

@@Skyshakerrrr No---I ended up getting a Luxman integrated. The S40s sound amazing with the Luxman.

[@Skyshakerrrr]

That's great the s40 its an amazing little speaker i have it my focal kanta1s its better but like a little better 18% better but they cost me 8800 vs 3600. I use a pma 110 denon. Somebosy sais it sound almost as good as a 8000 dollar Macintosh.

[@sonofmonstermagnet1645]

Where can I pick a McIntosh amp secondhand for a decent price, any ideas?

[@Boskibro]

Craigslist. It will take a lot of searching but you can get pretty lucky and find a decent deal on there. Mostly older amps but McIntosh will last forever.

[@Audiorevue]

if you're located in the United States great website to check out is audio classics. they're a McIntosh retailer and believe it or not they're actually located right across the street from McIntosh themselves and they do a great job selling their products and they sell a lot of nice used stuff I bought a pre-amplifier from them a few years back and it was great. another nice thing about the company is they completely check out electrically everything that they sell. so you're not buying some sort of junk that may work or that may not work, know what you're buying is going to work 100% like it's supposed to.

[@davidstein9129]

This unit has McIntosh Autoformers...Their output transformers .. equals a stable continuous flow of power....a key feature for me because my speakers are moderately inefficient.

[@daeejon3100]

Can you review MC901 Mono blocks amplifiers Please

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

That would be fun

[@stephencosta6814]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem I know this review is four years old would you still recommend this amplifier over the MC 275 tube amplifier from Macintosh which one do you think was better the tube or solid state greatly appreciated your advice

[@carlkrod1593]

Quisiera que en estos foros que mencionan sobre la calidad lo hieran en términos amplios, ya que dudo mucho que esta empresa tenga estándares de calidad de construcción, toda vez que en un video de la empresa se puede observar que la fabricación de sus amplificadores adolecen por mucho de la calidad en su fabricación, asimismo, dudo que cuenten con alguna certificación de calidad en fabricación.

[@scottbarker9058]

very nice c0verage,,,,im thinken of gettin 1 of these..the quest. i have is can i run 4 floof speakers on this????

[@stephencosta6814]

Of course you can What made you think you cannot?

[@dmcmaster3544]

What preamp are you using?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

This was a few years ago, I think a Meridian 861 V4 from memory

[@stephencosta6814]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem wasn’t you using the cord Hugo TT as the preamp or some kind of other dac?

[@JayDee-bz2ge]

Don't feel odd about the >red led< issue.... Myself, I have issues with the use of LED's on many audio (and other) products.Many are FAR to bright, others are the wrong beam. (not dispersed enough but with a very narrow hot spot) As you line your eyes with the unit, they burn a hole through your eyeballs.... LED's are soo inexpensive to have with changing colors & dimmable (or off) Anyway,... my dad has had his Mclntosh system since the early 70s' Marantz & JBL speakers as I grew up, but ended up with RBH speakers. At 50 yrs old, I'm a instrument builder, (30+ years) a musician.. I feel that growing up with such a pure AUDIOPHILE grade sound as the training for my ear, it was a huge advantage ... I've always been VERY nit picky about the recording quality of the music I like. As much as I LOVE Led Zeppelin, there recording quality was rubbish... Yet someone recording in the same day & age (STEELY DAN) , was brilliant with there studio work. The difference isn't so much over a 1980s DELCO car stereo, LOL... But over the Mac, it was crazy different. It also caused me to steer away from most "live recordings"... PINK FLOYD > DARK SIDE & THE WALL is a great way to show someone new to what true quality sounds like... Oh, and >>>STEREO

[@davidouellette6833]

PUT A BLUE LED IN

[@53patsfan]

Cover the light with electric tape.

[@smartazz61]

53patsfan I agree! And I'd bet you'd never even be able to see the tape.

[@hitechburg]

McIntosh started in 1949 in BINGHAMTON , NEW YORK

[@brianrich7828]

Brax,Audison,and Mosconi perform just as good (And in some cases better) for less than 1/2 the price. US Acoustics are hand made here in America and cost $150-700,and perform as good. The only thing McIntosh has that sets it apart is the cosmetics which represent 1/3 the cost of the amps (Source on that is McIntosh themselves). I would pay maybe 500-600 on one. There’s been a few on EBay lately for 400-600.

[@gsmd770]

This is there smallest and cheapest amp. That's why it looks so plain. The price however isn't?! It's almost 6,000 Euros in Germany at a high end shop here in Berlin. But after all it is high end!

[@HandbrakeBiscuit]

Take a shot every time Terry says 'this amplifier'...

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

That would make for a good session :) haha

[@HandbrakeBiscuit]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem I watched the video when it first came out 3 years ago. I only sobered up enough to post a comment today... :D

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

@@HandbrakeBiscuit hahaha

[@keithgregson9573]

'White paper' for design notes objective.

[@leonardread13]

I can't get my head around paying 10,000 for and amplifier

[@williammorales8204]

I think this one is 5k. The next up is probably 10k though.

[@stephencosta6814]

Just listen to it and you don’t have to wrap anything around your head anymore😂 just swipe the card please

[@Sams911]

that's a very low end McIntosh Amp... you can't expect high quality to the touch leads and connectors... check out the MC462 or even the MC362 and you'll see a night and day difference in quality, but then it's twice the price.

[@stephencosta6814]

Those more expensive models only have more power and slightly better performance than this one

[@patricaomas8750]

Slim are you on medication?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Depends who’s asking and what you might be selling

[@patricaomas8750]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem very good lol

[@smartazz61]

Here's the problem. Roughly fifty percent of the population wants the red light ON! So what do they do?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

smartazz61 I would say don't listen to the amp in a dark room. products up the range don't have that led by all accounts. :)

[@mkb7490]

Founded in 1949, not '56

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Sorry man haha

[@stephencosta6814]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem Hello my girlfriend do you still think this apple fire is all that now that you’ve reviewed so many I am planning to buy one is their integrated ones very similar

[@jobos98]

Pronounced Like Mick Intosh.

[@dmcmaster3544]

Nope, pronounced by McIntosh employees like Mack-intosh

[@jobos98]

Its not MacIntosh. Its McIntosh. Macintosh is an Apple.

[@hifijohn]

I have always heard it pronounced as macintosh-like the computer.

[@jobos98]

@@hifijohn its Mickintosh

[@hifijohn]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJnHgGNte996aaM Even someone who works at the company pronounces it macintosh. But mac or mick Im not paying $4500 for a GD amplifier.

[@dmcmaster3544]

Call the factory and see how the employee answering the phone pronounces it... Mack-intosh

[@dmcmaster3544]

@@jobos98 No it's not

[@tomtomyers]

1946? 1956? You state both. Try 1949. you're welcome.

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Tom Myers nevermind it was a while ago ;)

[@hifijohn]

$4500 ,no thanks.

[@stephencosta6814]

Are used to think the same way until i listened to one. worth every penny.

[@alltraxx7499]

17.00 min in before you get to sound quality?? Come on

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

ALLTRAXX sorry thats just my style. That review is particularly long had a lot to say about it. Great amp

[@leont4591]

Lol the man did a great job though

[@stephencosta6814]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem I think it was a sensational review. Excellent I loved every minute of it.🙌

[@antong3987]

Husky? Dude... you can't microphone or Post-produce with a *&^%

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

try 22.5 million views since this video 6 years ago

[@mb-electricalservices]

Isn't this just a Marantz in a fancy jacket....?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

Syntax Error marantz is part of the D&M group I believe that's the name denon marantz and some others. Mcintosh owned brands are sound Faber audio research wadia and some others

[@mb-electricalservices]

Pursuit Perfect System Morning pal. Wow, so most of these big name companies are actually owned by a big conglomerate.... interesting....thanks for your reply...👍

[@49watersleeps]

Next time skip the theatrics

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

next time, I have made about 700 videos since this one

[@samspade03]

Great mate don’t listen to the crap

[@stephencosta6814]

@@PursuitPerfectSystem what is 700 more

[@AndrewUnruh]

29:00 Donald Trump. Really?

[@PursuitPerfectSystem]

AndrewUnruh it was just a joke mate :)

[@AndrewUnruh]

Oh dear God! I'm losing it!

[@_Chev_Chelios]

AndrewUnruh, sounds like you may be suffering from a case of TDS. The best treatment is the Red Pill. You're welcome.

[@jimbeck3230]

Trump is a genius no matter what he does.

[@stephencosta6814]

Yes, really a great man

[@ricksanchezz8130]

Those buttons are ugly.

[@stephencosta6814]

I bet you it’s mother doesn’t think so

[@michaelconrad9457]

Did anyone actually listen to this guy yammering for three hours? Three or four hours right?

[@hwirtwirt4500]

Perhaps you should ask you physician for a prescription to treat your ADD.