The MA2375 is a 75 W, KT88 integrated amp with 12AT7 driver tubes. The preamp uses 12AX7A and 12AT7 tubes.
This American brand's cultural identity is as important as its engineering pedigree.
"Welcome to the Garden of Eden" goes the first line of Jack White's crunchy, bouncy opener to his latest album, Frozen Charlotte. Listening to the warm, meaty presentation, you know this sound was wrought by a man in love with classic tube gear. Indeed, celebrated blues-rocker Jack White is famous for his love of McIntosh, notably demonstrated by his wall of classic Mac amps.
Speaking of walls of amps and hard-driving musicians, another connection is the Grateful Dead and their 1974 unveiling of the infamous 28,800-watt Wall of Sound, built with 48 McIntosh MC2300 amps. Five years earlier, it was McIntosh amplifiers that powered a certain landmark music festival in upstate New York. (Yes, Woodstock.)
As you can see, long before the allure of its blue VU meters in listening rooms, McIntosh had acquired a cultural significance that only billion-dollar brands could dream of. As an all-American brand founded in 1949, its significance was greatly helped by a design aesthetic that irresistibly combined muscle and panache.
Look at the all-new MA2375 integrated amp above. It would be instantly recognizable to an audio enthusiast of the 1950s, and yet looks utterly contemporary. McIntosh's signature black glass, green-illuminated logo, and, of course, blue VU meters announce to even non-audiophiles that here is a person who cares about sound. Notice how none of the products, not even the digital streaming ones that don't need exposed transformers and tube cages, is designed to hide away. With chunky knobs and monster casings, McIntosh units are meant to unequivocally and unashamedly occupy a large amount of physical and visual space.
The MSA5500 is a 100 W streaming amp for those looking for turnkey solid-state solutions.
Blue Meters Forever
McIntosh is a brand that has figured out how to survive today in what is definitely the most complex, bewildering, and fast-changing era for a specialty brand. No matter what direction McIntosh takes, hi-fi enthusiasts must remember that its engineering expertise runs deep. All its products are built on solid hi-fi principles combined with an understanding of the art of music reproduction. Output transformers are hand-wound. McIntosh's famous autoformers deliver the amp's full power independent of speaker load. Everything is properly overbuilt, and reliability is legendary. McIntosh units from the 1960s, '70s, and '80s can be serviced and kept in top condition. Indeed, long-term ownership is part of the McIntosh culture.
Join us in welcoming McIntosh to Upscale Audio, and reach out to our sales team if you've always dreamed about getting those blue VU meters to dance to your tunes!