McIntosh today introduced the MC451 Dual Mono Power Amplifier for $14,000 USD. It features McIntosh’s Hybrid Drive™ technology which combines vacuum tube with solid-state amplification. The new amp slots into the line-up just below McIntosh’s MC901, priced at $19,000 USD.
For $5,000 less, the MC451 is more compact and strategically built so that it is easier to place within an audio system, offering 150 Watts of power from the vacuum tube section and 300 Watts from the solid-state section. That’s half the power of the MC901.
The MC451 lets the user determine which part of the frequency range of their respective loudspeakers is driven by the tube amplifier section, whilst using the solid state amplification for the bass range.
The MC451 features a variety of McIntosh patented technologies including Power Guard® and Power Guard SGS®, Sentry Monitor™, Autoformer™, Unity Coupled Circuit, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, and a DualView™ Power Output Meter.
The MC451 is the latest model to incorporate McIntosh’s Hybrid Drive technology. The brand’s team of engineering experts took their extensive experience to seamlessly combine both vacuum tube and solid state to develop the company’s Hybrid Drive design that works to redefine sound performance. With Hybrid Drive from McIntosh, the highest level of sound reproduction is now available to offer flexibility in listening capabilities.
Key Features:
300W Solid State Amplifier
- Output Autoformer with 2, 4, & 8 ohm Taps
- Power Guard and Sentry Monitor
- Solid-state input doubles as the mono input when using the internal crossover
- Separate inputs for the Vacuum Tube and Solid-state amplifiers are provided for using an external crossover
150W Vacuum Tube Amplifier
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformer with 2, 4, 8Ω Taps
- Power Guard SGS and Sentry Monitor
- Direct Input for Using an External Crossover
- Illuminated Driver Tubes
Crossover
- 1 Knob for Solid State / Tube Balance
- 1 Knob for Crossover Frequency
Pricing & Availability
The MC451 will be available via authorized US & Canadian McIntosh Dealers for an MSRP of $14,000 USD beginning December 2022 and to the rest of the world shortly after.
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