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The McIntosh MCC204 is a highly versatile amplifier that
can be configured in many ways. This manual gives ex-
amples of some of the most common configurations. The
best way to set equalization and filter controls is through
the use of a real-time spectrum analyzer and the expertise
of a professional installer. This manual will guide you
through the basic operation, however we suggest you refer
to your dealer for further information on the use of this
unit. To access the Amplifier Controls and Switches refer
to Removing the Glass Panel located on page 6 of this
Owners Manual.
Crossover
The CROSSOVER Switch OUT Position selects a Flat Fre-
quency Response. When the CROSSOVER Switch is in
the LP (low frequency pass) Po-
sition, the Amplifier will pass all
frequencies below the setting of
the CROSSOVER FRE-
QUENCY Control. If the
CROSSOVER Switch is in the
HP (high frequency pass) Posi-
tion, the Amplifier will pass all
frequencies above the setting of the CROSSOVER FRE-
QUENCY Control. Refer to figure 4.
Equalizer
Each of the two pairs of channels (1 and 2, 3 and 4) is
equipped with an equalizer. The equalizer is not intended to
act as a
tone
control. The one-band equalizer is best uti-
lized as a notch filter to reduce a
peak (as located by real-time analy-
sis with an RTA) in your systems
frequency response. If you are at-
tempting to equalize a system with-
out RTA data, play music you are
familiar with, set the equalizer
LEVEL Control to +12 and slowly turn the FREQUENCY
Control to get an idea where in the musical spectrum the
frequency numbers are located. Then set the LEVEL Con-
trol back to 0 and listen to the system to determine its
equalization needs. Subtle adjustments are best and cutting
usually sounds better than boosting. Refer to figure 5.
Input Sensitivity Controls
The SENSITIVITY controls allows the setting of the input
sensitivity, of all four amplifier channels, to provide an
ideal match for the signal source be-
ing used. The most desirable setting
allows the control center to have a
useful volume range as wide as pos-
sible from loud to soft. A good place
to start is to set the amplifiers SEN-
SITIVITY Control to the output volt-
age called out in your control center
owners manual. The Level controls can be set for any sen-
sitivity from .5 volts to 8 volts.
Refer to figure 6.
Note: When used in conjunction with a McIntosh Control
Center, you may find setting the Sensitivity controls to
the center detent (1.5V) works best.
How to Operate
Introduction
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
