I bought my mc602 from audio classics back east in 2010 for 6k. their current price is 7k. went up in value. I always thought that it's list price was 9k but I see some say it list at 8k. anyway this is a very heavy amp weighing in at 155 lbs. I can't really compare it to other high end amps because my first amp was a phase linear 400 which I bought back in the early 70's and a mc2205 which I bought back in 2000. I'm driving 4 bose 901 series 2 speakers. the 901's are rated to handle 270 continuous watts. I drivem my amp to maybe 400 watts but not more because I don't want to damage my speakers. at that volume they sound pretty good to me even though one McIntosh dealer told me "he's never heard of a McIntosh amp powering bose speakers". anyway I plan on keeping this amp for a long time.

I have experience of using MC500, MBL8011, ACCUPHASE P700 power amplifiers in my system. The different speakers used are ATC50, ATC100, B&W N802, B&W N801, Genesis 5. MC602 has given me the best performance than the others. It makes the sound very natural and live comparing to the too weak of MBL and flat of AQ. MC500 has similar sound but a little bit harder. This is the same situation for my different speakers. Oh I forgot the Class'e CA410 I also used for a long period. That sound is really too sharp for me. Of course this is only my experience and maybe different in other systems. My pre-amp are McIntosh C42, Gamut D3 and my CD players are Audio Research CD3 and Esoteric X-50W for your reference.

As an addition to my Mac system I bought the MC-602 last December from the original owner, after dealing 2 times with the Colorado Springs dealer to get all of the bulbs working I have really settled in to enjoying the amplifier. Speakers used so far are the Martin Logan SL-3's and the Definitive Technology BP-2000's with retrofit crossovers and new 15" 72 ohm, yes 72 ohm woofers from the factory.(The 602 killed the originals) I have stuck with the BP-2000's for the 602 mostly. The ML SL-3's I have hooked up to a Mac MC-352 and a second pair of BP-2000's hooked up to a Mac MC-202. The 202 amp only runs the mids and tweeters as I'm using the inboard amps on the speakers. The MC-602 immediately impressed everyone with a broader soundstage but overall clarity and bass reach were not that different between the 3 amps. I did 2 things to get more out of the system, especially the MC-602. First I changed the preamp from a Mac C-42 to a Mac C-46 which roughly doubles the output voltage to all of the amps. Second I upgraded the whole house electrical system from 100-200 amps so I was able to give the MC-602 and the MC-352 their own 20 amp circuits and split the original 20 amp and 15 amp circuits to feed the MC-202 and the peripherals. Above all the MC-602 really showed its colors with deeper bass and an overall better sonic presentation. I will never put down the other two amps because they too are awesome. I just met a guy who has been in radio for 30 years to believe it or not....inspect my house, he does a local "fix your house" radio show these days and after being exposed to studio sound equipment all of those years he just sat down in awe saying "I didn't know that instrument was in that song", ect. ect. I just smiled and said "welcome to the world of McIntosh"

After bring my McIntosh MR78 Tuner in for repair & paying the bill in full. I return home to see that it was not fixed properly and one channel was still out. So I go back and leave it with Richard Cox for him to take a look at it again. He fixes it and I call him into see if it's done. During the conversation Richard tell me Nick Jr. is mad at me and he can't let me pick it up. So I call Nick Sr. to ask why Jr. 's got a hair up his ass. Sr. tells me Jr. heard thru the grape vine I bought some speakers at Best Buy rather then at The Stereo Shop. So a few weeks pass I figure I'd let Jr. cool off.... I go back in today to try to pick it up my tuner and I'm told never to come in the store again, he hopes I die & that I should f_ck my self... Real Nice guy Hu... I've been a customer their for over 25 years I worked their out of high school as well. So I still don't have my tuner, so I call the cops and they tell me its a civil matter and I need to take him to court over a $800.00 tuner... So after a few hours I call my aunt and ask her if she was having them do work at here house based on my referral. She says yes she is working with nick on a new system. So I tell her what went down & that she should not pay them unless I get my tuner back. We will see if this leverage causes Nick Jr. to change his mind... BUYER BE CAREFUL NICK HAS DRIVEN THE SHOP INTO THE GROUND & HIS PRICES ARE WAY TOO HIGH....

I am guessing on the year of my MC602 because I bought it used.. I traded it in from my MC352 . I use Thiel #6 and the match is awesome. The Thiels are so detailed in sound and require a lot of current to make them stand out. The MC602 is the just that amp to bring the best out of a set of speakers. Other equipment is the Mcintosh C2200 pre amp and they make a great pair........ oogie

Build quality, value retention, tons of effortless power, customer service both national and local

"Hard to move very heavy" could also be a strength

I have been a long time McIntosh fan having gone up the chain from the MC 2105 to the MC 2255 and then a MC 300 and then the MC 500 and finally the MC 602 , It has been a long strange trip about 30 years worth but I think I am home, this amp does every thing that I ask of it and is the first piece of audio gear that ever gave me the wow factor twice once when I picked it up and said wow is that heavy and the second was when I set it up hooked it with my Thiel 7.2's at first it sounded very good then I left the room after it settled in , when I came back a short while later I actually said wow now thats how it is supposed to sound. Crisp airy highs tight and abundant bass and clearly enough headroom to drive any reasonable speaker to a desireable level.

Similar Products Used:

MC 2105, MC 2255, MC 300, MC 500, ODL HT-3,