14
McIntosh Laboratory, the company who introduced
the world’s first amplifier that could be called “High
Fidelity”, has done it again. The McIntosh engineering
staff has created a power amplifier without compro-
mise, using the most advanced McIntosh circuit design
concepts.
The MC302 has a continuous average power output
rating of 300 watts per channel, with a peak output
current of 60 amperes, making it one of the most
advanced amplifiers available today. The distortion
limits for the MC302 are no more than 0.005% at
rated power output for all frequencies from 20Hz to
20,000Hz. Typical performance at mid frequencies is
less than 0.002%. The true distortion readings on the
MC302 are so low, it takes special measuring tech-
niques to make accurate readings. The MC302 can
deliver the best possible performance from any type of
high quality loudspeaker system. Refer to figure 12.
Creating an amplifier with this level of perfor-
mance did not come easily. Many months of design,
testing and measuring were required. Extensive con-
trolled listening tests, the ultimate form of measuring,
were made before the final design was accepted.
Design Philosophy
The design philosophy incorporated in the MC302
involved several different techniques, all based on
sound scientific logic. Every stage of voltage or cur-
rent amplification must be as linear as possible prior
to the use of negative feedback. McIntosh engineers
know how to properly design negative feedback cir-
cuits so they contribute to the extremely low distortion
performance expected from a McIntosh amplifier.
The typical McIntosh owner would never accept the
approximately 100 times higher distortion of many
Technical Description
Figure 12
