McIntosh Laboratory
Encyclopedia
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton
, New York
. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh,. The "classic" vacuum tube
components of the 1960s include the MC275 power amplifier, the C22 preamplifier
, and the MR67 tuner
. Later McIntosh solid state power amps are known for their distinctive blue colored meters.
In 1956, the company moved to its current location of 2 Chambers Street, Binghamton, NY.
Dave O’Brien joined McIntosh in 1962. He led the McIntosh Amplifier Clinics for the next 30 years.
McIntosh created a Loudspeaker division 1967
McIntosh amplifiers were used at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969.
The Grateful Dead's “Wall of Sound” reputedly utilized forty-eight 300-watt per channel McIntosh model MC 2300 solid state
amplifier
s for a total of 28,800 watts of continuous power
Frank McIntosh retired in 1977 and Gordon Gow became President of McIntosh.
Early 1980s MC 2500 Power Amplifier 500 WPC Power Guard and similar chassis to MC 2300
Around 1990 MC 2600 Power Amplifier 600 WPC Power Guard final version on MC 2300 Chassis
Around 1990 MC 7300 300 WPC and much smaller than MC 2300
The company was purchased by Japanese car audio maker Clarion
in 1990. McIntosh components, particularly the early tube models, are highly regarded in Japan. In a speech shortly after the purchase, Clarion president Yutaka Oyamada told McIntosh employees, "...we like McIntosh as it is, and we have no intention of changing what has made it so successful."http://www.roger-russell.com/mcintosh2.htm#mcintoshsold Since the Clarion purchase, McIntosh has expanded into car audio and home theater.
In May 2003, McIntosh was sold by Clarion to D&M Holdings
, also of Japan. McIntosh continues to operate independent engineering, design, and production operations in accordance with the company's tradition.
/FM
controller, and an external DAC
.
Unique features such as the Fast Responding Wattmeter and the patented Power Guard circuitry set their amplifiers apart from others' products; currently, there are seven models, offering from 75 to 2000 watts, divided amongst one to six channels. High quality power supplies
, powerful circuit topologies, and balanced inputs
complete each amplifier.
At the end of the chain lie their hand-built drivers
, which come in standard 5-1/4″ and 6-1/2″ nominal sizes; all current models are two-way systems, utilizing either an MS10 or MS20 tweeter
. All applicable car products are finished with McIntosh's signature glass plate displays.
A few vehicles are available from the factory with McIntosh sound systems, including Subaru Legacy
/Outback
models (starting from the BH & BE Legacy chassis's and the 2005–2006 Ford GT
.
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh,. The "classic" vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
components of the 1960s include the MC275 power amplifier, the C22 preamplifier
Preamplifier
A preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
, and the MR67 tuner
Tuner
Tuner may refer to someone or something which adjusts or configures a mechanical, electronic, or musical device.- Electronic :* Antenna tuner, a device to adjust the resonance frequency of an antenna or transmission line...
. Later McIntosh solid state power amps are known for their distinctive blue colored meters.
Company history
In 1946 Frank McIntosh, a design consultant for broadcast and TV stations, hired Gordon Gow to help him design a high power, low distortion amplifier needed for his clients. This amplifier would become the 50W-1. It included McIntosh’s first patented circuit, the Unity Coupled Circuit, still used by current products.| Year | Product |
|---|---|
| 1949 | 50W-1 power amplifier |
| 1950 | AE-1 preamplifier |
| 1953 | A116 power amplifier |
| 1953 | C108 preamplifier |
| 1954 | MC30 power amplifier |
| 1954 | C4 preamplifier |
| 1957 | MR55 AM-FM tuner |
In 1956, the company moved to its current location of 2 Chambers Street, Binghamton, NY.
Dave O’Brien joined McIntosh in 1962. He led the McIntosh Amplifier Clinics for the next 30 years.
McIntosh created a Loudspeaker division 1967
| Year | Product |
|---|---|
| 1960 | MC240 stereo power amplifier, |
| 1962 | MX110 tuner-preamplifier |
| 1963 | MR67 tuners; |
| 1963 | MR71 tuners; |
| 1964 | C24 preamplifier; |
| 1965 | MC250 solid state power amplifier |
| 1967 | MC2100 solid state power amplifier |
| 1967 | MC2505 solid state power amplifier |
| 1967 | MC2105 solid state power amplifier |
| 1968 | MX112 solid-state tuner-preamplifier |
| 1965 | MAC1500 receiver |
McIntosh amplifiers were used at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969.
| Year | Product |
|---|---|
| ML1 Loudspeaker | |
| ML2 Loudspeaker | |
| ML4 Loudspeaker | |
| 1972 | MR78 tuner |
The Grateful Dead's “Wall of Sound” reputedly utilized forty-eight 300-watt per channel McIntosh model MC 2300 solid state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
amplifier
Electronic amplifier
An electronic amplifier is a device for increasing the power of a signal.It does this by taking energy from a power supply and controlling the output to match the input signal shape but with a larger amplitude...
s for a total of 28,800 watts of continuous power
Frank McIntosh retired in 1977 and Gordon Gow became President of McIntosh.
More notable products
Early 1970s MC 2300 Power Amplifier 300 WPCEarly 1980s MC 2500 Power Amplifier 500 WPC Power Guard and similar chassis to MC 2300
Around 1990 MC 2600 Power Amplifier 600 WPC Power Guard final version on MC 2300 Chassis
Around 1990 MC 7300 300 WPC and much smaller than MC 2300
Japanese years
Clarion (car audio)
is a Japanese manufacturer of car audio, automotive navigation systems, AutoPCs, visual equipment, bus equipment, and communication equipment.Up until the end of 2005, products in Japan were marketed under the brand name AddZest, while outside of Japan the same product typically carried the Clarion...
in 1990. McIntosh components, particularly the early tube models, are highly regarded in Japan. In a speech shortly after the purchase, Clarion president Yutaka Oyamada told McIntosh employees, "...we like McIntosh as it is, and we have no intention of changing what has made it so successful."http://www.roger-russell.com/mcintosh2.htm#mcintoshsold Since the Clarion purchase, McIntosh has expanded into car audio and home theater.
In May 2003, McIntosh was sold by Clarion to D&M Holdings
D&M Holdings
D&M Holdings is a Japanese corporation that owns several audio and video brands. It was formed in 2002 from the merger of Denon and Marantz. It has acquired several other companies since that time. In 2008 it was acquired by K. K. BCJ-2, a Tokyo corporation owned by investment funds advised...
, also of Japan. McIntosh continues to operate independent engineering, design, and production operations in accordance with the company's tradition.
Car audio
Models currently available include a CD changer, CD changer/AMAmplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
/FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
controller, and an external DAC
Digital-to-analog converter
In electronics, a digital-to-analog converter is a device that converts a digital code to an analog signal . An analog-to-digital converter performs the reverse operation...
.
Unique features such as the Fast Responding Wattmeter and the patented Power Guard circuitry set their amplifiers apart from others' products; currently, there are seven models, offering from 75 to 2000 watts, divided amongst one to six channels. High quality power supplies
Power supply
A power supply is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. The term is most commonly applied to devices that convert one form of electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of energy to electrical energy...
, powerful circuit topologies, and balanced inputs
Balanced audio
Balanced audio is a method of interconnecting audio equipment using impedance-balanced lines. This type of connection is very important in sound recording and production because it allows for the use of long cables while reducing susceptibility to external noise.Balanced connections use...
complete each amplifier.
At the end of the chain lie their hand-built drivers
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
, which come in standard 5-1/4″ and 6-1/2″ nominal sizes; all current models are two-way systems, utilizing either an MS10 or MS20 tweeter
Tweeter
A tweeter is a loudspeaker designed to produce high audio frequencies, typically from around 2,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz . Some tweeters can manage response up to 65 kHz...
. All applicable car products are finished with McIntosh's signature glass plate displays.
A few vehicles are available from the factory with McIntosh sound systems, including Subaru Legacy
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
/Outback
Subaru Outback
The Subaru Outback is a station wagon manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries since 1995. Its original concept originated with Subaru of America, which was suffering from slumping sales in the mid-1990s partly due to a lack of an entry in the then-burgeoning sport utility vehicle market...
models (starting from the BH & BE Legacy chassis's and the 2005–2006 Ford GT
Ford GT
The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car. Ford Motor Company produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40 race cars of the 1960s.- Development :...
.