McIntosh Labs MC152 2-Channel Solid State Amplifier
The MC152 delivers clean, spacious clarity with a remarkably three-dimensional soundstage, pairing fine detail with smooth, fatigue-free control. Pursuit of The Perfect System found it composed and expansive at high levels, while Gramophone noted quieter backgrounds, textured dynamics and welcome forgiveness for imperfect recordings. Its Autoformer-equipped 150W output brings authoritative ease to demanding speakers.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
88/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Clean, highly detailed yet smooth presentation, with low-noise backgrounds and no harshness or grain reported.
Convincing three-dimensional imaging and enveloping layering that extends beyond the speakers.
Stays balanced, controlled and increasingly alive at high volume, with textured dynamic swings.
Its forgiving tonal character can make poorer recordings more listenable without sacrificing transparency.
Cons
The reviewer found the sound slightly leaner and less richly fleshed-out than preferred without additional isolation tuning.
Rear binding posts can become very stiff, making a spanner helpful for tightening or loosening speaker connections.
Its deep, 75-pound chassis demands careful rack-space planning and is not easy to move.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers describe an exceptionally clean, smooth and spacious presentation, combining abundant detail with a forgiving edge on imperfect recordings. It remains composed at high playback levels and is credited with bringing convincing depth, layering and listener-enveloping scale to the system.
Transparency Resolution
93/100
Pursuit of The Perfect System heard a clean, clear presentation from bass through treble, with “masses of clarity” and both micro- and macro-detail. Gramophone likewise reports quieter backgrounds that reveal musical details previously masked by noise, while retaining enough transparency to expose the character of recordings.
Tonal Balance Musicality
90/100
The sound is repeatedly described as smooth, clean and clear rather than clinical. Gramophone notes a touch of “McIntosh Darkness,” giving less-than-ideal recordings some welcome forgiveness while preserving the sense of hearing deeper into the music.
Dynamics
92/100
Reviewers found the MC152 increasingly alive, expansive and eventful as volume rises, yet still smooth and balanced. Gramophone specifically praises more realistic, textured crescendos and movie effects, and the amplifier is said to stay composed when played very loudly.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
Pursuit of The Perfect System reports substantially improved space, depth and layering, with sounds extending beyond the speakers while retaining their authenticity. The reviewer describes a convincingly three-dimensional, enveloping presentation in which the speakers themselves seem to disappear.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
88/100
The reviewer found the construction very good, citing thick metalwork and a notably well-made, substantial feel. Its engineering package includes a 75-pound enclosed-steel chassis, balanced input, output autoformers, illuminated power meters and remote-power control, though the supplied reviews offer little long-term reliability commentary.
Value for Money
85/100
At a listed $6,500-$8,490, the MC152 occupies a premium power-amplifier segment. The reviews are enthusiastic about its performance, but neither compares its asking price directly with competing amplifiers nor makes a clear value judgment.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- FTC Power Output Rating
- 150 W
- Power Output per Channel
- 150 W into 2, 4 or 8 ohms
- Number of Channels
- 2
- Total Harmonic Distortion
- 0.005%
- S/N below rated output
- 118dB Balanced115dB Unbalanced
- Dynamic Headroom
- 2.0dB
- Damping Factor
- >40 Wideband
- Rated Power Band
- 20Hz to 20kHz
- Frequency Response
- +0, -0.25dB from 20Hz to 20kHz+0, -3.0dB from 10Hz to 100kHz
- Remote Power Control
- Yes
- Multi-Channel DB25 Cable
- No
- Circuit Configuration
- Push-Pull Complementary
- Circuit Design
- Solid State
- Mono Bridge
- No
- Mono Parallel
- No
- Output Type
- Autoformer™
- Meters
- Yes
- Meter Light Switch
- Yes
- Balanced Input
- 1 Stereo
- Front Panel
- Glass
- Illumination
- LED Fiber Optic
- Chassis Style
- Enclosed Steel
- Speaker Binding Post Type
- Yes, New Style McIntosh
- Unit Dimensions (W x H x D)
- 17-1/2" (44.45cm) x 6" (15.24cm) (including feet) x 21" (50.8cm) (including front panel and cables)
- Unit Weight
- 75 lbs (34 kg)
- Shipping Weight
- 85 lbs (38.6 kg)
Manufacturer's Description — McIntosh Labs
- Type: Solid State
- 150 Watts x 2-Channels
- Autoformers™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™
The McIntosh MC152 stereo amplifier delivers 150 Watts of power into two channels at 2, 4 or 8 Ohms. Both balanced and unbalanced inputs are included for connecting your preamplifier. Our smallest current model solid state stereo amplifier in terms of power output, the MC152 is perfect for modest sized systems where higher power output levels are not needed or in home theaters to power surround channels.
Featuring a space saving design with a slim 6” tall chassis, it can fit where larger models can’t. While it may be physically smaller than our other amplifiers, it's still full of all the technology McIntosh is known for and will perform to the same high standards as any of our amps. The McIntosh output Autoformer ensures every speaker receives full power regardless of its impedance while our unique Power Guard circuitry prevents clipping that could damage your speakers. Our speaker binding posts provide a secure connection to your speaker cables
The MC152 is completed by the classic McIntosh black glass front panel, silver end caps and a pair of large, easy to read blue watt meters that are globally recognized as a symbol of quality audio. Bring the MC152 home today and introduce your friends and family to the performance only McIntosh can deliver. Contact your local dealer to learn more.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for McIntosh Labs MC152 2-Channel Solid State Amplifier
- Absoulute Audio plus Video — in-store — Aiken, South Carolina, United States (website)
- Holt Hill — online and in-store — Andover, Massachusetts, United States (website)
- Resolution A/V — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- A Tube High Fidelity — online and in-store — Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Acoustic Designs Inc. — in-store — Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (website)
- Advance Audio — in-store — Wichita, Kansas, United States (website)
- Ahead Stereo — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- Ajasom — online and in-store — Amadora, Lisboa, Portugal (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
and 226 more verified dealers