Mcintosh MC240 impression, is it as good as they say it is?

#hifi #audiophile #stereo #audioreviews #highfidelity
Be careful of people impersonating me asking for shipping charges / money

Gear used in this review :

Exasound E28 DAC
Mcintosh MC240 Tube power amp
Mcintosh MAC6700 intergrated amp
Willsenton R300 tube integrated amp
Burmeister 897preamp
Silverline Sonata speakers

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Track: Left Alone — Airixis [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
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[ThomasAndStereo]

Check out my other channel www.galion-audio.com and also please be careful of scammers pretending to be me.

[jean-pierrethibaudeau]

Congratulations, Thomas, you nailed it pretty well! Fantastic music intro that honors the MC240. Nice work, carry on with this diversified musical human approach.

[stevenburke]

You have an Mc240 mid. There were 3 versions early, mid, and late. I can tell by the placement of the speaker terminals and the lettering on the side. The early version is similar but the lettering in slightly different. The late version the speaker terminals are almost in the middle with same lettering as the late model. The early version is the best of the 3 versions in my opinion and I have owned one for years. As you know tubes can really make a tube amp magical. I'd suggest tube rolling and do another review. Pre amp matching also is important. Modern tube preamps sound the best to me. Gotta love this hobby (sickness lol!).

[runboyrunboy]

As one time I had MC275, MC240, MC225 and a Marantz 8 all together in a system. They all sound actually quite different. MC275 had the power and control. Drive the speakers with true authority with lush. MC240 is as you mentioned, musical. It plays music. Not particular authoratative, not completely sweet or the raw power to give you everything. It's a right in the middle musical amplifier that you can listen for a long time. MC225, be is small but it is the sweetest of them all. Driving the right speakers, it's like listening to music with sugar coating. Delicate, sweet and playful. It's actually my favorite out of the 3. As for Marantz 8, it's totally opposite of all the MAC amps. It's quick, dancing around and feels like a wind just blowing through your system. But over all, all 4 amps are awesom!. At the same time I had other amps in my system as well including Krell KSA-80 (1 pair), Audio Research Classic 120 and Spectral DMA50(a pair). But I still loved the tube ones.

[soowat]

Glad to meet Mr. Carver with his Amazing speaker. This speaker was made to compete with the Maggies and the Apogee, really amazing! Thanks for another great vid.

[RadThings]

My dad passed away and gave me his Mcintosh 240. I used it for a year and one of the capacitors burnt out. I tried finding a local repair person but couldn’t find one. I found one on eBay but the person informed me that it wasn’t repairable so he ended up posting it on eBay and sold it for parts. I ended up getting $1900 but was really sad because the amp was more sentimental value being it came from my dad. I hope to one day buy a 240 in the future. Loved the sound!

[bikemike]

I love that you give us listening samples with always the same (cool) track …great to make comparisons. Thx Thomas 👍🏼

[kindngentle]

Have had a vintage MC275 in almost daily use for last 30 years and have built my system around this amp. Have gone through speakers from KEF, (ok) Celestion (ok), Thiel (surprisingly good with his amp), Merlin (ok) and, Klipsch Heresy (amazing). The amp came with original MOS Gold Lion KT88s (amazing) which still test good. I bought another quartet for the next 20 years. Have also run them with Svetlana 6550Cs (good), Penta Labs KT88s (so-so), EI KT 90s (so-so) and reissue Gold Lion KT 88s (best next to original MOS). The amp came with original Telefunken (12 ax7, 12au7, 12az7) and RCA (12BH7a) small signal tubes. I have replaced most with various NOS Teles, RCAs, Brimars and Sylvanias. The only way I replace this amp is if it blows up.

[robfrancis]

McIntosh vintage valve amps and vinyl will always musically touch my soul more than most.

[skoffco]

I actually owned a MC 240 back in the early 2000’s and if memory serves me right I sold it for less than I paid for it. The market will bear only what the market will bear at the time. No guarantees it will continue to go up in price. Also, as the amp ages it will need restoration work and that gets very expensive. It’s like a classic car there comes a point where it may cost more to restore than what it is actually worth.

[budgetaudiophilelife-long]

THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH US THOMAS…AND VERY GLAD MR CARVER AND HIS SWEET 🍯😎👀 COOL LOOKING MINI GOT IN THE PICTURE…we have a newer version…The wife’s car 👩‍🦰😁 …I HOPE YOU KEEP DOING THESE INTERVIEWS… honest and spontaneous 🤗 I can tell by your reaction of surprise …and that he has never heard tube amps before …same thing for me … still showing as you stated it’s a matter of taste and you should make the mug😁👍😍😍😍

[BobTrainor]

Enjoyed your break down, really liked the outdoor section. I’m a tube guy myself - can’t help it. Got an R8 and I really like it, but I’m very curious about your Galion.

[st.michael]

Hi Thomas, I am delighted that You found some nice Words
for the Willsenton R300 !
Will You give us a full Review on this Amp ?
Thanks, Ralf

[rhapsodyd]

My favorite reviewer wearing the jersey of my favorite team...

[RealHIFIHelp]

You should make some projects where you take stuff like Mc240 & 270 and E.A.R type of gear, and hardwire them or a powerbar or random amp and hardwire them or just resolder them with Audio Note soldering tin, I think that you would be surprised how much the sound improves. Just by removing all of the clips in these Mcintosh type of amps and low quality speaker terminals, it really helps connect more with the music and get more life/drama/information.

[ozkaar]

In hifi it is all a matter of taste. Thomas your declaration encapsulates every individual's quest for the perfect sound. As with everything, no two people will have the same preference if given a 2 dozen point criteria of the music they like. Unless of course their taste have been cultivated by the same set up and equipments. There is no perfect sound as there is no perfect sound reproduction of a live music. Then there is our changing taste, degradation of hearing, degradation of equipments, etc. My hifi quest ended when I learned how to EQ music I love to how I want it to sound. I'm in a happy place now.

[rickp]

Best I've ever heard are the Whammerdyne Audio Tube Amps from the USA ! 😍
Best Amps on Planet Earth 😇

[welshrarebit]

6L6 tubes are by far my favourite……the best available now are the Tungsol 7581 A
See ..Wall of sound 6L6 shoot out …cheers

[marksmusicobsession]

In the intro you didn’t mention the MC60 mono blocks, which I feel are the best of the amplifier bunch.

[waynert]

Great video Thomas. To chime in on your question about vintage Competing with modern, I don't think one "Competing" with the other would be the characterization. IMO, they simply sound Different. I've been switching out modern and vintage amps. This is the realization I've arrived at. The gear I've been switching out all sounds good in their own unique way.