The sound has an incredible clarity, power, and excellent instrument separation, see more..

None . .

this amp has great power and was in near mint conditon when i got it. i took the unit apart before replacing the fuses and cleaned it very well. for all intents and purposes i have a 200 watt per channel amp and all it cost me was 4 bucks worth of fuses. Residential Christmas Lights Installation

None . ..

Unity gain cathode follower output configuration handles the complex speaker impedences easily. -- Concrete Countertops

None so far

The MC225 is simply the best amplifier for Klipsch or any horn systems. Mine has been fully restored, both capacitors & out-of-tolerance resistors. It provides a realistic soundstage with my highly modified Klipschorns, with amazing depth. It was built to last with high reliability. I have a stash of vintage McIntosh labeled 7591 tubes, and couldn't ask for more. Being involved with high-end audio all my life I've had the opportunity to try many amps, but none come close to the MC225-KLIPSCHORN combination.

All MC225's need to be fully restored by a qualified tech at this point. If you're using one that hasn't been restored, you're fooling yourself and asking for trouble. Also, the chrome chassis should be treated with paste wax for protection against moisture.

This is a very special amplifier, and still one of the best to have come out of Binghamton, NY. It offers a modern, refined sound quality that few amplifiers can match. My career has been in the Electrical Engineering field, specifically Audio Engineering. I worked for a McIntosh dealer while in college, and ran a service center, servicing many brands, including certification for McIntosh. When I first heard the MC-225, I knew it was special. I've owned and collected many amplifiers (Marantz 2, 5, 8, 8b, 9), Audio Research, SET, and have tried many others, but always come back to the 225. With a 25 WPC amplifier, you're limited to higher efficiency loudspeakers. There is a special synergy between the MC-225 and Klipschorns. I've updated my Klipschorns with higher order crossovers, Tractrix midrange, and JBL 2404 tweeters. I've also restored my MC-225 amp with new electrolytic capacitors, coupling caps, and replaced some out-of-tolerence resistors. The MC-225 presents a detailed stereo image with impressive depth and space. Many musicians & audio enthusiasts have heard my system and been very impressed. Regarding tubes, this amp runs very cool & tubes last a long time.

The weaknesses are at about 55 years old, every MC-225 needs to be restored to new condition by replacing capacitors & out-of-tolerence resistors. Don't fool yourself, passive components deteriorate over time. Also, good 7591a tubes can be costly. NOS McIntosh tubes sound great.

I PURCHASED A MCINTOSH MC 225 COUPLE MONTHS AGO. HANDS DOWN IT IS THE BEST TUBE AMP OR SOLID STATE AMP MCINTOSH HAS MADE PAST OR PRESENT. THE DETAIL SOUND TIMBRE IS BREATH TAKING. PEOPLE HAVE COMARED THE 225 TO THE BIG 2301 TUBE MONO BLOCKS AND SOME OF THE BIG TIME SS MACS.THEY JUST CANT MATCH THE MAGIC OF THIS LITTLE GUY. I HAVE SWITCHED OUT THE 12AU7 TO 6CG7 ALSO USE SYLVANIA TRIPLE MICA GOLD LABEL GILD PIN 5751'S. UN FREAKIN BELIEVABLE. TRUST ME IT IS THE REAL DEAL. MY FRIEND HAS A MCINTOSH C 2200 AND A MC 352. WHEN HE HEARD MY SYSTEM HE COULD NOT BELIVE HOW GOOD IT SOUNDED. HE SAID '" IT SOUNDS TWICE AS GOOD AS MINE"" NO JOKE. SONY XA 5400 ES, MCINTOSH MX 110 Z, JBL STUDIO 590'S AND OF COARSE THE MIGHTY 225 IN ALL ITS SWEET GLORY. ANYONE IN VEGAS??? I WANT TO PUT MY 225 AGAIST A PAIR OF MARANTZ 9'S.

Unity gain cathode follower output configuration handles the complex speaker impedences easily.

The 7591A tubes were a problem until recently. They have been reissued by Electro Harminix and Sovetek.

The 225 matches excelently to My Klipsch Belle's and My Klipschorns. The 104 db/watt efficiency of these systems is a must for an amplifier of this size. 118 db peak passages are possible without clipping - a must for any realistic reproduction of music. Try to get 118 db peaks from any of the low efficiency speakers ( less than 100 db/watt ) and you end up with an impossible situation.
The 225's have fixed bias, this should be critically set as I have found that amplifier signatures change with as little as 5ma. differences. The Sovetek 7591A's (not XYZ) are better sounding tubes than the NOS stuff being sold.

Similar Products Used:

Audio Note Kit-4, Harmon Kardon A30, Dynaco ST-70, Dynaco MKIII, Etc.

This unit has a powerful and dynamic sound that belies its rated 25 watts. The soundstage is wide and deep. This unit replaces a Golden Tube SE-40 in my system. I was supprised to hear a thiry year-old push pull amp that sounded as smooth and all around better than my much loved SE-40. It is a very revealing amp, also. Any failings in other components will show up clearly. The 7591A output tubes are a somewhat rare and expensive at this stage.

I have been using MC-225 for more than 5 years and that is the part I think I will use it for my whole life (I guess my next generation can still use them by replacing some parts). It gave you great and smooth sound especially in the mid to high range. Very impressive for playing songs by female singer. Don't think that 25 watts is small, it can still gives you very solid bass and sound stage.
Currently I have two sets of MC-225 to drive ProAC Tabelette 50 Sig. Other components include:

CD : Pioneer DV-S5
D/A : PS Audio Ref. Link
Pre-amp : Matisse Fantasy Line MkII.

Cables :
CD to D/A : Straight Wire InfoLink
D/A to Preamp: Straight Wire Virtuso
Preamp to MC-225 : XLO 1.1S and Aural Sym. Generation V
Speakers Cable : AudioQuest, Jade and Black

With this HiFi Set, I can now really enjoy my music especially live recording. It makes me feel like in the show!!!

Great detail and warmth.

None noted. Maybe in time 25 watts may be an issue.

Over many years of experimenting with many products -solid state vs tubes I much prefer the tube sound. I recently purchased a 30 year old MAC 225 Amp and was amazed at the quality of the sound.My then current Cary SLA70 did not compare. I was hearing things I had never heard before on some favorite CD's with the MAC 225.Can I realistically improve the sound of my system by moving up to a MAC 240 or 275? Replies are appreciated. Also to maintain the MAC 225 sound signature should I continue with my Audible Illusions MOD 3 Pre amp(Tube) or move to a Mac 33 pre amp (Solid State). Any comments,suggestions or recommendations are appreciated.

Similar Products Used:

Cary SLA 70 Tube Amp,Audible Illusions Mod 3 Pre AMp