PROPRIETARY HYBRID DRIVE TECH DRIVES THE NEW MCINTOSH MC451 DUAL MONO POWER AMP

The new MC451 Dual Mono Power Amp features McIntosh’s proprietary Hybrid Drive valve/solid-state technology.

High End American HiFi brand McIntosh has unveiled the new McIntosh MC451 Dual Mono Power amplifier, a compact mono amp that benefits from the New York manufacturer’s proprietary Hybrid Drive technology, where valve and solid state amplification is combined in one unit, to deliver the best of both worlds.

McIntosh MC451 Dual Mono Power Amp

MCINTOSH HYBRID DRIVE

McIntosh’s Hybrid Drive technology enables users to drive a loudspeaker’s critical tweeter and midrange drivers with valves, yet provide the more demanding bass drivers with the power, control and dynamics of solid-state.

You can clearly see the valves in the McIntosh MC451 Dual Mono Power Amp

VALVES AND SOLID STATE AMPLIFICATION

The MC451 Dual Mono Power Amplifier follows McIntosh’s sizable, just under £40k a pair, MC901 Dual Mono Power Amplifier, which launched at the end of 2019, and combines the New York manufacturer’s decades-long experience in solid-state amplifiers and even longer experience (since 1949!) with valves.

Front of the McIntosh MC451

A more compact design than its MC901 sibling, the new MC451 is designed to be much easier to integrate into existing audio systems. Built on one chassis, the MC451 offers 150 watts from its valve section, plus 300 watts from its solid-state output.

Back of the McIntosh MC451

INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL CROSSOVER CONTROL

The Hybrid Drive technology allows users to adjust the internal crossover to determine where the bass, mid and high frequencies integrate between valve and solid-state power. In addition, separate inputs for the valve and solid-state sections are provided for use with external crossovers.

Top of the McIntosh MC451

MCINTOSH MC451 DUAL MONO POWER AMP IS TAILORED TO THE MUSIC

The flexible MC451 benefits from user-selectable solid state and valve output stages that can be selected using a ‘balance’ control knob. This enables users to match genres to preferred amp technology: for example, jazz using more valves, or rock using solid state.

The valves in the McIntosh MC451

MCINTOSH TECH

Finally, the MC451 also features a variety of McIntosh patented technologies including: Power Guard and Power Guard SGS; Sentry Monitor; Autoformer; Unity Coupled Circuit; Solid Cinch speaker binding posts; Monogrammed Heatsinks, plus a DualView Power Output Meter.

MCINTOSH MC451 DUAL MONO POWER AMP  PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Orders for the MC451 can now be placed with shipping expected to begin in January 2023 (United States and Canada), and the rest of the world, shortly thereafter, £16,495 in the UK and $14,000 in the USA.

HiFi Pig Says: Is the Mcintosh MC451 Dual Mono Power Amp really a “best of both worlds” amplifier? Let us know what you think over on Facebook.