McIntosh MA 2275 – High End Stereo Equipment We Buy

McIntosh is one of the most dependable brand names when it comes to high-end audio systems. For years the brand has been recognized by audiophiles throughout the world as equipment that delivers clear and consistent quality in music. McIntosh is probably best known for its amplifiers and preamps, but the company produces many other components and parts for stereo and home theatre.

What are the specs for the McIntosh MA 2275?

Power output:
75 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response:
10Hz to 50kHz
Total harmonic distortion:
0.5%
Damping factor:
18
Input sensitivity:
4.4mV (MM), 450mV (line)
Signal to noise ratio:
89dB (MM), 97dB (line)
Valve complement:
4 x 12AX7A, 2 x 12AT7, 4 x KT88
Dimensions:
17.7 x 10.1 x 18.7 inches
Weight:
77 lbs

What else to know about the McIntosh MA 2275?

"Here it is, right up front: Mac's new MA2275 tube integrated amp is one terrific piece of audio gear. My modified Quads sound better using the MA2275 than with any other solid-state or tube amplification that I have ever used, including my Audio Research preamp and amp which have been my reference components over the past three years. At $6,100, the MA2275 isn't cheap but it undercuts the Audio Research units by $4,000 making this Big Mac, at least relatively speaking, a super bargain. Description and Operation Mac amplifiers tend to be rather large and heavy; the MA2275 is no exception. Although rated at only 75 watts per channel, it has the substantial weight of 77 pounds. You will need to add another 33 pounds for its shipping cartons. And its dimensions, 10-1/4 inches high, 17-3/4 inches wide, and 18-3/4 inches deep, make it too big to slide into most equipment shelves. Years ago Mac discontinued point-to-point wiring and now uses heavy-duty circuit boards through out. A pair of 12AX7As are used in the high-level circuitry and another pair of 12AX7As in the magnetic phono stage. The power amp employs two 12AT7s and four KT88s, although it can also use 6550s. The amp is self-biasing and McIntosh sees no potential problem when or if an owner replaces the original output tubes when they eventually wear out with a non-Mac tube product. Incidentally, a Mac rep suggested a rather long life expectancy for the KT 88s of over 4000 hours, about double the usual estimate. The MA2275's front panel consists of Mac's traditional black glass but it is now illuminated from within by fiber optics rather than small bulbs. The upper corners of the panel present four-inch "blue-eyed" 75-watt power meters, one for each channel. Below the meters is a row of six rotary knobs which provide for the selection of six input sources including magnetic phono, bass and treble tone controls, each giving a boost or cut of up to 12 dB and an option to completely remove them from the circuit, a three-click meter knob that allows for a choice of "lights off", "watts", and "hold," balance, and a volume control. At the bottom of the front panel are pushbuttons for "Record/Monitor", tone control "Bypass", "Mono", "Mute", "Standby", power, and a headphone jack. If you like to listen in the dark, the supplied remote lights up. It is designed to control a McIntosh tuner and CD player as well as a Mac preamp but with the MA2275 only the standby on/off, input selection, volume, and mute buttons are operational. Too bad, I think, that the balance function wasn't included. This is an adjustment that really is best done from one's listening position. The rear of the MA2275 has a standard three-wire a.c. power input receptacle, five pairs of RCA input jacks and a sixth set of inputs that accept either XLR-type balanced or RCA interconnects. There are also line level RCA output jacks for making tape recordings and a pair of preamp output jacks. Jumpers connect a second set of preamp out jacks to amplifier in jacks. When the jumpers are removed, it is possible to use the preamplifier and amplifier sections as separate components. Sitting on a shelf above these jacks five-way gold plated binding posts offer 2, 4, and 8-ohm speaker connections. For owners of other Mac gear, data and power control ports round out the rear panel. Because of its size, I had to place the MA2275 on top of an equipment stand, which was just as well since the tubes and transformers do produce some heat. With no shelf above the unit, the tube cage and transformers grew warm after several hours of use but never so hot that I couldn't rest my fingers on them. With its unconventional illuminated black glass front panel, bright blue power meters, mirror- polished steel chassis, large transformers and glowing output tubes, the MA2275 is striking in its appearance. It is hard to imagine that anyone who buys a MA2275 would not take great pride in ownership, so having the amp sit out in the open, for all to see, might not be a bad thing at all." - HiFi Review

Brief History of McIntosh

Long mapped-to Binghamton New York – the current headquarters and manufacturing center for McIntosh Labs – not many people know the brand was originally launched outside of the Nation’s Capital in Silver Spring Maryland, in 1949. In 1956, the brand built their original facility in New York, according to the official brand website.

Other McIntosh Products We Often Buy

Typically, StereoBuyers purchases mostly used amplifiers, especially the vintage amps and high-end McIntosh models such as the MC202 or MC252, and the C220 preamp, for example. We have also purchased many pre-owned tuners from McIntosh over the recent years, including the MR67 and MR78 models, for example.

StereoBuyers has purchased tens of thousands worth McIntosh brand equipment since 2014, with individual buys ranging from $100 to well over $50,000. If you are moving, ready to upgrade, or have McIntosh equipment you do not or will not be using, why not contact us today to find out if it is worth good money?

If you are interested in selling your used McIntosh equipment to us in the greater NYC area or Colorado, please click here to fill out a Free Quote Form and we will get back to you. If we agree on terms, we come to meet you where you want, and pay cash.

The following images show actual McIntosh equipment purchased by StereoBuyers.