MULLING over bi-amping your system, and getting some sweet tube tones as well? You can kill two of those birds with one stone, thanks to the McIntosh MC451 dual mono amplifier, which marries tube and solid-state tech through the company’s Hybrid Drive process.
On board the MC451 is 150-watt tube amp and a 300-watt solid-state one, “which is more than enough power to drive virtually all speakers… the vacuum tube section drives the speaker’s midranges and tweeters, while the solid-state section drives the woofers,” McIntosh Labs assures us.
“The MC451 joins the MC901 in offering the ultimate solution to bi-amping a loudspeaker. Like the MC901, the MC451 uses our Hybrid Drive technology that combines a separate vacuum tube and solid-state amplifier onto one single chassis to produce the best possible sound performance from a bi-ampable speaker.
“Unlike the larger MC901, the MC451 has a more conventional McIntosh form factor and size, allowing it to fit into home audio systems, racks, and furniture more easily. Adding a pair of MC451s to your stereo system will allow your prized speakers to perform like never before.”
McIntosh had made the bi-amp process a breeze. “No longer do you need fiddle with two separate amplifiers, an external crossover, and a lot of trial and error to properly configure the two separate amplifiers with often times only so-so results.
“The MC451 solves these hassles thanks to its internal, adjustable crossover, which tailors the output frequency range of each amplifier section to the attached loudspeaker.”
Just tweak the Crossover Point knob on the back of the MC451 to the loudspeaker’s crossover point, so that frequencies below the crossover point will be sent to the solid-state amplifier and frequencies above it will be sent to the vacuum tube amplifier. Task accomplished!
The MC451, retailing at U$14,000 per unit, can be ordered at your local authorised dealer; shipping has started this month.
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