McIntosh is a lot like Rolex. Expensive for what you get, there’s better for less in terms of function, to some comes with status, can have long wait times to get, but they hold their value incredibly well and are very easy to sell (great if you’re into upgrading), made to last, and look stunning. Personally, I’d go with the MC12000 for a little more over a pair of these. Great review, as usual!
😢😢😢 The reason I'm crying is because I know you're right. I love this piece and I wanted to be more but it does have its limitations I'm very intrigued with your recommendations of the TSA 75 Thomas really hit that out of the park. Once again, fantastic review. Good luck. Jay, you're the best!❤👍🥰 Ps. I have the mc152 solid state entry level amplifier which I think is incredible. It has all those great attributes that you talk about
I have two of these things working with C2600 as pre, driving keg blades 2 meta. No way I’ll give up this combo. I’ve tried A LOT of “flavor of the month” and “best thing since the sliced bread” equipments, including the very much hyped AGD amps. I always come back to the McIntosh combo because it just plays music and makes you smile. That’s why nothing beats personal audition- can’t just rely on someone else’s “review”- you have to like what you hear.
I find out best thing to do with hifi. It's to audition gear at home and live with it for a little while. Well said. Nobody out there has my specific tastes in sound.
Well said. I agree and you are correct, two MC275 with the C2600 should sound damn awesome. Personally I've never been a fan of KEF with McIntosh but a lot of people love that combination!
@@JayiyagiI know you didn’t like the Blade 2 metas at the show, but you should check it out when it’s set up properly. They’re pretty remarkable. Let me know if you ever visit Baltimore / DC area. I can make you some Korean dishes, and we can hang out listening to some stereo systems!
Hi. I have a McIntosh 275 MK6 bi-amped with the Mac 7200 integrated amp on B&W 803 D4 speakers. I find that the McIntosh 275 adds more fullness to the sound, especially in the bass. Sure, you don't get that super sharp details in the music that you would get from a solid state amp, but what you do get is a luscious, broad sound. The McIntosh 275 gives the speakers a horn sounding flavor in my space.
This I felt was one of your best videos. Just unbiased opinion , clear and concise. Mcintosh reviews are hard to come by , would you be able to do some of their integrateds such as MA8950, MA9500, MA12000?
The MC275 is a purely nostalgic buy for anyone interested. It can't touch the performance of modern solid state technology, especially with regards to bass articulation. Sure, it might present a "sweeter" midrange and treble, but is that an accurate representation?
What in the world "accurate" in this context? There are too many variables. Nobody has come up with a working definition of "accurate" when it comes to home audio.
I heard this amp at Best buy and they still have it paired with the martin logan electrostatic speakers and it sounds amazing. this is probably one of the best tube amps I've heard so far in real life and on youtube.
Right now I have a MA352 hooked up to an old pair of Focal 1008be bookshelf speakers, and in my space it sounds fantastic. Thick and detailed is the only description I can think of. I have never been a McIntosh guy, past amps have been Hegel, Krell, Forte, A21, etc but I'm a bit of a mac fanboy with this current setup.
I was going to get the MA-352 but purchased the MA-252 and used the difference for XR50 speakers, which sing with the MA-252. This is a basic, entry-level McIntosh system that sounds wonderful.
The MA352 is quite interesting. While I was working at the store, I remember putting it into one room and thinking "holly crap that's way too boomy and thick sounding" Knowing THAT specific room (that we used for theatre set ups at the time) was also a pretty bloated room in the mid bass, I decided to bring it over to the next room (the Wilson room, where we had various Wilson speakers and Dan Dagostino pieces)... It sounded more normal there but still a bit too "bloomy" in the mid-bass, so I tried the tone control and brought down the 125hz knob few notches and BOOM! Just the perfect amount of bloom and great music flowing. The only thing I would say is that both myself and the co-worker heard a noticeable compression of the soundstage (aka smaller width of the soundstage) but personally for me, it was a worthy compromise to make. Now with your Focal 1008be, which I also had the pleasure of having listened to a few pairs that came in as consignment while I was working at the store, I think that may be a blessing in making it sound more rich and thick like you've mentioned but maybe you want it slightly less or even MORE thicker! Try playing with that 125hz tone control and see what you think! Enjoy!
I think that some people,particularly me listen to music with my eyes as well. Im sure it has and influence on the complex experience of listening to music very important. Macintosh its legendary im going to buy one just to have it ,if I like the sound its a plus. 😂😂
I love the MC275, the McIntosh dealer paired it with the McIntosh C53 solid state preamplifier and a pair JBL L-100 speakers on JBL stands, all McIntosh cables for connections, he told me the system was entry level McIntosh prices but the sound had me thinking to myself I could live with it for the rest of life, I think of it like I think of the tape cassette era, by today's standards tape cassettes should be a completely dead format but it's not like that! Audiophiles still love tape cassettes there's something about the sound of it and the McIntosh MC275 now in the 6th generation is the same way, those transformers are heavy custom built and potted in tar, no humming, no vibration going into or out of the McIntosh, the MC275 is 67 pounds most of it due to transformers! I don't know why other audio brands don't pot the power transformers in tar, I bet your tube amps hum Jay! And you know how microphonic tubes are with vibration. The MC275 is the amplifier that refuses to die
Firstly, that's awesome! Like I said in the video here 6:54, The MC275 MKVI sounds more McIntosh in an all McIntosh system like you've heard. Secondly, Actually none of my tube amplifiers hum because I do not have a grounding issue. I agree McIntosh transformers are very nicely made but humming and vibrational issues are two separate matters. Ones electrical and ones physical. Yes both affect sonic and preferred sonic functioning of the amplifier. Thirdly, you might be right about the MC275 being an amplifier that refuses to die. They are quite reliable (although I find vintage McIntosh pieces more impressive in that regard), only 3 of the 6th generation (as I recall) has ever come in for repair while I was working at the store
In recent years I have felt that McIntosh has altered its voicing a bit. Less velvety than what I remember earlier generation of products to be, newer pieces seem to have an increase in precision and a smooth satiny texture. Still pleasing for the most part and not analytical by any stretch, just not as rich and lush as the pieces I recall from the 70's and 80's.
Sorry McIntosh strength is all in its Hybrid Drive platform (Tube and Solid State). You really need to spend upwards of $14k on this McIntosh MC451 Hybrid Amplifier to appreciate what McIntosh does.
The schematic is different from the genuine 275........to me the real thing is the original . My 240 still sings with nos tubes for over 6 decades.....many that heard it raised their eyebrows when listening , not understanding why this sounds so much better than their own modern high end amplifiers .
the green lights are tacky but can be turned off. Thanks for your opinion. I have been on the fence about this amp, it has some things I like and others that I feel other equipment can do for less, even going the vintage route within the brand.
If I already have Willsenton R8, which I am very satisfied with, after purchasing Galion TS-A75 will I experience another improvement in sound quality, or will it be at a similar level?
Hi thanks for your Chanel. I owned a 275 in 1984. I found the sound to be glare y. And with an upper midrange hardness. Since then after listening to a lot of vintage gear is found the smaller macs. to be a lot better. Best of them for my ear was a 225 with all of the dirty 20% carbon resisters replaced. These awful amps are plagued with multiple feedback loops. When it comes to the classics the one I love to listen to is the marantz model 9.
Great review! Liked informative alternatives depending on one’s preferences. Does the Mark VI have point-to-point wiring or printed circuit board(s)? Does the bias need adjustment over time or does it have auto biasing?
I have been seeing a lot of used ones on Facebook lately,. I never heard them in action before but hear different opinions on them. I have been looking at Guzman because it's affordable and I saw one on Amazon for $1000 but I don't know if it has enough power for my speakers. They are like 90 db 4 ohms I designed and built them they're efficient but when I hook up my Crown xls that's for my sub to them i can see what that kinda power does to them. They just get moving with no distortion.
joesph crowe, pronounced like the bird.... the e is silent. now for the review..... would love to see a blind a/b test with this amp and an older unit.
There’s a person on RU-vid that bought the top end integrated, in my country that’s a $25,000 piece. It was faulty and I think failed to fix it so they replaced it. The second one became faulty so they have it in to see if they can fix it, meanwhile they gave him a unit to use, that also has a fault. That is 3 for 3 with faults all within about a year.
yea reliability has been quite bad back when I used to work at the store as well. We would often get units for repair work or warranty and a few of them were new units that just came out of the box. But I've had far better experience with vintage McIntosh pieces, some models were truly built like a tank and stood the test of time
Jay, does the Galion TSA275 pair well with the Totem Element Metal V2? If not, what might I consider instead? Aiming to upgrade my twenty-year-old Totem Winds currently powered with the McIntosh MC8807 & MX122. Appreciate your feedback, thank you!
I noticed MC275 amp use no fancy cap or oil cap but Wima cap all over the place. No wonder it sounds modern, but it will not have warm and rich sound that McIntosh amp are known for.
Normally I like your videos. But this one makes no sense to me. Years ago (at the Shop) you spoke disliking the sluggish old McIntosh Sound. In this video you told us, that you wanted to buy a McIntosh Amplifier with the old original McIntosh Sound. Best invest is e.g. in classical live events. And then listening to equipment. And then arrange the mindset and get away from sharper than reality Sound systems and components.
@Jayiyagi Please recommend a steamer DAC for music that would be a great upgrade over Denon x3700H. Only Apple music is available for lossless listening in my country, so I was thinking Eversolo dmp-a6, would that be a significant improvement for music over Denon x3700H?
I would say the DMP-A6 will serve you very well. Lots of functions as well. If you are looking to use the internal pre-amplifier and can stretch the budget, I'd advise on going the DMP-A8 route. I have made a review on both so do check it out. cheers
That McIntosh sound…. LMAO You’ve fallen way off the cliff. This review if you can call it a review was not objective . Yes this is truly just your opinion.
My experience with McIntosh gear is this. Out of all the equipment I have owned over the years since the 90’s I find that McIntosh gear forces me to stop directing my attention on the system and simply enjoy the music . That said yes there are manufacturers that image better, more bass, whatever … I don’t think that is the goal of McIntosh. The goal is for you to enjoy your music and forget the system . It makes music . That’s the magic folks. If you want to keep buying and dissecting gear for the purpose of entertainment then look elsewhere. If you want to just enjoy your music and have a beautiful, well built system to hear it through give McIntosh a listen and enjoy the music it will make you forget about the gear.
Meant to mention that while changing tubes in a C22 I once owned the quality of the parts were very UN-IMPRESSIVE leaving me feeling like I have been ripped off.
definitely more boutique parts in some more niche/smaller brands that are up and coming but you have to also give credit where it's due, McIntosh probably hold more patents and know-hows over the years than many of these younger brands
Yes I have. Every year. Currently my hearing is as good as when I first did the test 5 years ago. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rLvpVMeORns.htmlsi=6z-sIL0pA_c-cC0x
Hey, love the content. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for a preamp for a pair of PMC Twenty5 24i, lets say sub $5,000 Canadian. DAC/preamp and or just preamp. I think my end game piece would be the Linn DAC preamp streamer but that will come down the road. If anyone in the comments want to chime in as well that would be great. Thanks!
Yes I have. Way more McIntosh Sounding but with great technicalities too. Probably my least favourite McIntosh in terms of the looks but definitely one of my favourites in terms of sound signature and performance. Very expensive though
I have always felt that McIntosh is over rated and over priced, this coming from a person who has owned at least four McIntosh pieces and yet never felt any of them were end game. In this journey I have found components at half there price that have been mainstays in my system for well over ten years and counting. I've learned to accept that McIntosh is just o e of LEGACY brands, much like Harley Davidson or MAC when much better can be had at real world prices. For those who have McIntosh your loyalty and admiration to the brand is fully understood, I just don't see the value especially when they have lost there character and core sound.
Well I don't think the magic is lost with every component they make and like I said in the video, in an all McIntosh system, the sound becomes more "McIntosh" for sure
The McIntosh Mc275 is AWESOME.....but so is organic beef.....but you ate Waygu (read: Audio Note higher-priced gear).....so, you can't go back......YOUR EARS ARE RUINED NOW and you won't be happy much outside Audio Note....JUST DON'T REVIEW ONGAKU....the pinnacle of sound
