This is a great sounding McIntosh power amp for what it is.- 24 hour mobile mechanic

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last year the system started to get a buzz when it was turned on but played normaly.the buss got louder with time and one day the system at moderate level of output stoped producing sound.the instantainious distortion alert lights both lite bright for the first time ever.the rear speakers,a pair of klipsch forta,a rather expensive set of hardware showed a glowing in the woofers which quickly turned to flame.the mid and high components were uneffected by this.the bass section in the klipschorns blew the fuse in both speakers.highs uneffected as well. t Avon Towing Pros

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Musically deep and satisfying, drives my B&W 702s2’s with authority and clarity. At reference levels it brings a smile to my face playing a myriad of tracks from classical to EDM and everything in between. Can’t say enough about this amp.It is an upgrade in my system. I started with an Anthem MRX 1120, then adding an Anthem Statement A2, with the power amp driving my B&W 702’s in front and the MRX1120 driving the centre and back channels consisting Of Definitive Technology BP9000 series speakers.

Can run hot. Clips at really high levels.

This is a great sounding McIntosh power amp for what it is. This is the biggest small amp they make and the cheapest. It is good for driving inefficient loudspeakers like Magnepan. I thought that the amp was voiced to be pleasant sounding but now that I have a MC 452 my opinion has changed. This amp has a different and softer overall perspective. Pleasant and full almost to the point of being tubey. Where the 452 is very crisp and transparent and very open with more than enough power for bass.

The 302 will be a little short of power on inefficient speakers but will be more than compatible. Good investment if you buy right. Should get your money back out of it.
Very nice cosmtics and beautiful to look at. Make sure you shut the meter lights off as the sound will improve to a whole higher level. Try it you will like it.

This is a stunningly good amplifier built to last a lot longer than I am and the potential foundation of your system of a lifetime. I bought brand new in box along with C48 pre-amp in 2012 and added an MCD-500 CD and MR88 tuner a couple of months later. I spent big bucks on tube gear in the past and my Mac sounds better in every conceivable way than my previous top of the line ARC system and that's before you come to the issue of no re-tubing and no heat generation. I have Focal Mini Utopia speakers which are stated as being 91.b sensitive. I was originally going to get the MC452 because of the quad balancing feature but I needed 450 watts per channel like a hole in the head so I bought the 302. I have absolutely no regrets. My large McMeters say I never I rarely get over 1 watt/channel and maybe the 452 is incrementally better but I have no idea how it could possibly be. This system is musical in a tube like way, quiet as a tomb, dynamic and completely non-fatiguing on any kind of music you might like.

I had an older Mac based system in the 1980's (MC2105, C29, MR78) and I have always been a fan of the company but the current products perform at much higher and level and the old stuff wasn't shabby. On top of all this, this is best looking high end audio gear being made by anybody in my opinion. It is expensive gear but its worth every nickel. I should mention the MR-88 Tuner may be the best $4K of audio bucks I have ever spent. I live in a mountainous area with horrible FM reception. So I got the MR88 and a $65 XM outboard adapter. You simply would not believe how good satellite radio can sound through this tuner and you get access to almost every type of music there is.

All I can say is WOW!! This is the best amp ,Ive had. It's just magic. The sound comes through unhindered. Pinpoint imaging, incredible bass slam, musical in every way. It just gets out of the way and you hear whats on the CD. all the air, hall ambience, decay. Everything you read about in High end magazines is there. This amp is as tube like as solid state can get. Non fatiguing, smooth , open. Built like a tank. Needs 2 people to lift it and get it into place.
It comes in a very heavy duty double box surrounded by blocks of foam. Bolted down to a pallett inside the inner box, it takes a little doing to get it out and in position. I put it on a dolly after unpacking.

The only negative is that the lighted meters are very bright. If you dim the room lights they glare. there is a switch to turn off the lights, although the meters will still register. I used lighting Gels , Dark blue acetate to cover them giving a sexy dark blue glow.

Second the top plate rattled when I gave it the knuckle rap. I took it off and put a thin strip of 3M rubberized tape under it, screwed it back on. Now it makes a dull thud. So no resonances.

Also I upgraded the power cord to a top of the line PS audio cord.

Other than that Im still awed.

I have an MC2205 and trading up to a new MC302 Ill let you know. ARC tube preamp, B&W M802.3 spkrs