McIntosh MC452 Review

[jdandy]

After ten days the MC452 now has 120 hours on it. For the past two days I have heard no change in the 452's presentation, so I believe it is now rendering its permanent sonic signature. Right out of the box during it's first two hours of play my immediate impression was that the MC452 reminded me of the sound I was getting from my MC501's, only weeks ago connected to the same SF Guarneri Memento's. I was instantly impressed.

The MC452 is installed in the two channel system in my studio connected to a C1000C/T preamplifier running Gold Lion 12AX7 tubes, an MCD500, a Bryston 10B Sub active crossover, PS Audio Power Plant Premier, Sonus faber Guarneri Memento speakers, and a pair of McIntosh XLS112 powered subwoofers. The studio is treated with ATS Acoustics 2x2 and 2x4 panels, plus floor to ceiling bass traps in the two front corners. All interconnects are Wireworld balanced Silver Eclipse, all power cords are Wireworld Silver Electra, and the speaker cables are Kimber 8TC terminated with WBT solid silver angled locking banana connectors.

As I said, my immediate impression of the MC452 sound was that it resembled the MC501, but this impression was short lived. On day one I let the 452 play continuously through the night with the MCD500 on repeat. By 10:00 AM day two my 501 impression was history, replaced with the thought that the MC452 was very bright sounding, almost to the point of being edgy and aggravating. It definitely was not the McIntosh sound I was used to hearing, nor the sound I would tolerate owning were it to continue in that vain. I closed the studio door and left the MCD500 playing. At one point during day two I turned the sound system off, and let the gear get cold, then two hours later turned the system on again. Still, the sound of the 452 was too bright to be able to sit and enjoy what was coming from the speakers. Days three and four were carbon copies of day two. By day five I began to hear what I considered music, although the brightness in the upper midrange was beginning to fade, it was still persisting. Day seven surprised me. I found myself sitting and listening for several hours in the late afternoon, beginning to be impressed with what was presenting itself. I was hearing a much smoother range of frequencues with the balance between lows, mids, and highs in closer relationship. The edgy, bright midrange had deminished enough that I began easing the volume up, and found that I was enjoying what I was hearing. As days eight, nine, and ten (today) came, the MC452's sound has smoothed a tiny bit more, but has remained in the same sonic window it settled into by the end of day seven.

So how does it sound? Not like the MC501's at all. I believe McIntosh has quietly revoiced this amp, and I would suspect the MC601 as well. I can't say whether it is the new ThermalTrak output transistors that have altered the sonic signature, or if the audio circuits have been intentionally redesigned to voice the amp differently. What I am experiencing is a sound that seems dynamically quicker, more analytical, particularly in the upper midrange frequencies. There is a sharper clarity to strings, grouped voices, drum snaps, and cymbals. Piano comes across slightly crisper in tone in the upper octaves, yet not in an objectionable manner. The 452 presents itself as more forward than the 501's, which by comparison now sound slightly darker to me in their presentation.

I used several different artists CD's, first played on the studio system with the MC452, then immediately replayed on the main system with the MC501's. Once I began to seriously compare the MC452 with the MC501's, I selected Dan Siegel - Hemisphere as my first CD to audition the amps. The drums. cymbals, and voices through the MC452 were slightly more dynamic, quicker if you will, and were presented more forward in the overall mix. The faintest of sounds, like a gentle tap on a triangle, rang perfectly, and diminished to silence with a greater clarity on the 452 than on the 501's. The sound of maracas on the CD's first track, drifting across the sound stage from right to left, were more distinct in their texture and presence through the MC452. By comparison, the maracas sound seemed slightly muted in the sound stage presented through the MC501's.

As I moved to Fourplay - Between The Sheets, the MC452's slightly forward presentation continued. Solo vocals, and harmonies had a certain crisp clarity not heard through the 501's. Fourplay likes to use various unusual sounds that drift across the sound stage in support of the instruments being played. These various sounds all seemed enhanced and at a closer position to me than when auditioning the same CD tracks on the main system with the MC501's.

I played Liz Story - 17 Seconds To Anywhere to get a feeling for solo piano through the 452. It presented Liz Story's talented piano playing in a more up close and personal fashion, again with a new found dynamic quickness as she strikes full chords, as well as individual keys. The MC501's do a fine job with piano, but the new dynamic quickness through the MC452 was not as present with the 501's. The MC452's sustained notes lingered effortlessly and faded to an absolute jet black silence as the notes diminished. It seems to me that between the new MC452's dynamic quickness, its effortless power delivery, and the ultra silent background, I am able to hear deeper into the music, picking up new sonic cues in music that I had previously missed.

Don't misunderstand my comparison of the MC452 to the MC501 amplifiers. The 501's are amazing amplifiers, detailed, dynamic power houses. I am not hammering on the 501's in any way, just simply offering my interpretation of what I experienced comparing the same music on two different amplifiers. The MC501's still rock the house, but when compared to the 452, the 501's do it with a slightly darker presentation.

There is definitely a new voice with the McIntosh MC452, one that places the entire musical presentation more forward, with dynamics that seem to be faster in their attack. The 452 is a bit more in your face, so to speak. The forward nature of the sonic signature, coupled with a sense of faster dynamic attacks leaves me believing the new MC452, and quite possibly the new MC601's, have been intentionally voiced by the McIntosh design team as a way of refreshing the amplifier lineup against the onslaught of so many other players on the field. Time will tell if my opinion has merit.

A few other things. The MC452 is a heavy amplifier. Get help when it's time to unbox or move this beast. The speaker terminals are new, and unique in their manner of clamping to spade terminals. McIntosh even supplies a small molded wrench to tighten the terminals. Since I use locking banana plugs, I discovered the holes in the terminals for banana plugs are very tight. With the banana plugs in the unlocked position, I had to push hard to get the WBT solid silver banana plugs into the MC452's terminal holes. Locking the banana plugs was only a half turn on the connector's knurled knob instead of the usual turn and a half. There may be some banana plugs that will not fit into the holes on these new termenals. Also, be aware that the MC452 has no provisions to allow bridging the amplifier for use as a mono block. It is strictly a two channel amplifier. The new balanced and unbalance line outputs on the rear that allow daisy chaining to another amplifier are a nice feature for those who may need this option.

Now the big question. Can a MC452 replace a pair of MC501's in a sound system and leave an owner happy? I believe it can. The MC452 has plenty of power, far more than the 450 watts advertised, and when coupled with the apparent faster dynamics and new forward presentation, is a strong candidate for a two channel replacement to a mono block setup. The power supply in the MC452 is not lacking in any way. Channel separation is as good as the mono 501's, and the sound stage is wide, deep, and 3 dimensional. There is no compromise in the current necessary to drive both channels to full output. I am thinking two MC452's might make the perfect bi-amp setup.

Ultimately, I am very impressed with the MC452. It has gobs of power, and with the quickness of its dynamics the MC452 sounds like it has more power than the MC501's. This power is delivered effortlessly without a hint of dynamic compression. When a drum slams, a horn blasts, or a guitar rips into a screaming lead, it is all there and then some. It doesn't disappoint in the softer subtle sounds, either. The new sonic signature has surprised me, and was not expected. It will take awhile for me to absorb and adjust my old expectations to the changes. Now that the MC452 has settled into its permanent voice, I am thoroughly enjoying listening to it. The new MC452 voice is like living in the same building, but moving up one floor with a slightly better view. The MC452 is a winner.

[dcanlas]

Dan - awesome review!

[Vintage Pete]

Great review, Dan, on what I am quite sure is a great amplifier from McIntosh. I'm relieved (as I think others may be) that there is no need to rush right out and replace our MC501's with this amp. If one wants to save rack space or real estate, that may be another matter....

Great review Dan, and very enjoyable to read, as always.

Pete

[djwhog]

Very well put Dan! I was waiting to hear your point. I knida thought it was just me, but I too feel that the 452 is like a in your face, listen to me type of amp, but in a good way.

Very fast and effortlessly with a wide deep stage is the adjectives I would use to describe my 452. Any yep the uppers mids are a tab brighter and I think that is the main reason it is the in your face a little more up front effect in tonal quality.

I was thinking today if I was to get two used 501s to drive my current subs and replace my Parasound amp, or just get a 452. honestly, no bad ill to the awesome 501s, but this 452 is a beast of a 2 ch amp. I would image that the MC601's would be like a big brother to the 452 if I could afford 2 of them vs 1 452 as either a main or a sub amp.

Dan, again thanks so much for all the time effort etc, I know you have a better sound stage room than I, and you can probably exploit a more full accurate test.

I would love to hear a MC601's review.

[Vintage Pete]

Originally Posted by djwhog

I would love to hear a MC601's review.

That will be along shortly...

Give it a couple of weeks, a month at the outside.


Pete

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by djwhog

Very well put Dan! I was waiting to hear your point. I knida thought it was just me, but I too feel that the 452 is like a in your face, listen to me type of amp, but in a good way.

Dave.......It is a difficult task to evaluate a new amplifier accurately without bias. Admittedly, I am a huge McIntosh fan, but I wanted to describe the sonic nature of this new amp without rose colored glasses. I struggled with my descriptions about the forward presence of the MC452's sound because I did not want to give a false impression of my surprise, yet I wanted to convey my pleasure with this new sound at the same time. It is typical to assume that using words like forward, bright, and in your face, might mean something negative, and initially I had those feelings. Once the amplifier got past 100 hours it seemed to smooth out in the upper midrange, but never became a true mirror image of the MC501's sound. I think I was expecting that the 452 would mirror the 501's, and when it did not bear fruit I had to decide if I truly liked what I was hearing. The truth is, I do like the sound of the new MC452.

I am glad you let us know that you were hearing similar characteristics with your MC452. That lets me know that my new amp isn't doing something out of the norm. I believe this new sonic signature was purposely designed into the new MC452. Naturally, I am very curious to discover if the same is true with the MC601 amplifier.

[djwhog]

Yep Dan. I have owned several older models and I can say that I do like this 452 a lot, and not just because I own it right, but I still feel compared to the older 7270 and a newer 2300 it just seems more warm in the mids.

I like and have Dynaudio driver based speaker systems. They are kinda known in the mega high end drivers as tight crisp in the tweeters, and their mids are like if you were sitting at a concert you would feel the vocals are like you are 2/3s of the way back from the stage. Not forward at all in the mids and very very clear. So if one (like me likes the Dynaudioo and Focal driver laid back mid sound) they are one of the drivers of choice, very very clean. But almost to laid back for some.

But driving the same speakers with the 452 in a way I can put it, compared to the 2300 I sold, and the 7270 I still own, is like I moved 10 rows closer to the stage in a 100 row theatre if that comes across right? And not to much mids, but more alive and even for me I think it actually makes the speakers sound a tab more realistic in a way a 6 sting unplugged sounds in real life Vs reproduced.

And again, not in a bad way, it is way quicker than my old amp and obviouly more power too boot. Took me a tab getting used too, but I think I was used to an old amp that was tuned and built in a very different time and way of sounding. Also the 7270 is like not new 22 years of age, and works it seems 100% perfect, but still I am sure it is worn and not in top spec.

I quess kinda what I am saying, and sorry to bable, is I think with listening being so personal and subkective, a person can be happy or kinda get used to wrong. I think the 452 is more right on the way it should be.

(Power) My 7270 at a McIntosh clinic when I got her was suppose to be a rated 270 per ch amp, 350 was a breeze, and in typical McIntosh fashion I would say 500 is not even a push on the 452. Runs so cool you thnk it is not on, it is like comparing the pulling power of a deisel to a gas engine.

I think we both have a similar feel in what this amp projects as the main focal points. Quad circuits in the design I feel are the key.For me it is the best amp I have ever owned and GOD willing someday a pair of 601s or 1.2kws in the future.


Again Dan thanks for all the details, I wanted you to know that I have a similar experiance and dont want you to feel your 452 stands alone, I think they way you put it is what they, the 452's are.

I could not have stated it even a tenth as good as you put it thanks

[m.tonetti]

Great review Dan.

I like reading what you write, your passion and precision is admirable.

Thanks.

Substantially I understand that, using a mathematics proportionality, MC501 : MC402 = MC452 : MC501.

[Ritmo]

Dan -

Thanks for sharing. You clearly invested a lot of time in this review to articulate the amp's sonic characteristics with lots of detail. It appears that this amp is as good as many of us had expected.

Enjoy!

Mike

[turntable]

Nice review JD.

Is the 452 more forward in a toe tapping musical way, or in a upper mid/lower treble way.
While I admired the 501's, I could never get musically excited with them. Perhaps this is part of the new voicing of the 452?

Which amp is more fatiguing over time?