McIntosh MC-24
The MC-24 is one of the more obscure amplifiers in McIntosh's early lineup. It's a vacuum-tube stereo power amp rated at 15 watts per channel. What documentation survives points to a unit meant for professional, government, or industrial use rather than the consumer home market. That explains why so little general-audience material about it exists.
The known specs are modest but solid for a tube design of its era. Frequency response is 20 to 20,000 cycles. Distortion is less than 1% at full output. Taps are provided for 4, 8, and 16 ohm speakers. Input sensitivity is listed at 1 volt. The amplifier runs push-pull. A period ad in High Fidelity (May 1965, p.71) listed the C24 solid-state preamp alongside other McIntosh models, but did not list the MC-24 power amplifier.
Beyond that, the record is thin. There is no documented original price, no dimensions or weight, and no owner commentary from the period. One source dates the MC-24 to 1955 while another places it from 1960 to 1964, and nobody has settled it. The non-consumer market likely kept the amp out of the usual review and advertising channels.
Known Specs
- Power output: 15 watts RMS
- Frequency response: 20–20,000 Hz
- Distortion: less than 1% at 15 watts
- Impedance: 4, 8, 16 ohms
- Input sensitivity: 1 volt
- Type: Vacuum tube, push-pull
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