McIntosh MAC7200 Review - Worth it or Overrated?
McIntosh MAC7200 Review by Andrew Robinson
McIntosh MAC7200 Review - Worth it or Overrated?
Say the name McIntosh around old-school audiophiles and you’re likely to see them get all weak in the knees. But is McIntosh really worth it? Are their products as good as some believe, or are you paying a premium for those iconic blue meters? Let’s take a look at their MAC7200 stereo receiver and find out!
MCINTOSH MAC7200 STEREO RECEIVER SPECS
The MAC7200 is a stereo receiver with an internal DAC, moving magnet and moving coil phono preamp, headphone amplifier as well as an AM/FM tuner built-in. The 7200 churns out an impressive 200 Watts per channel and is compatible with speakers rated down to 2 Ohms! This means that the McIntosh is capable of just about any loudspeaker ever made –including difficult to drive speakers like Magnepan and MartinLogans.
As for inputs and outputs, the 7200 is insanely flexible. For starters it has the ability to be integrated into a high-end home theater setup, where you could use the 7200 to drive your left and right main speakers. It can also be used as a preamp with a third party amplifier for more power, OR you could bi-amp your speaker using the 7200 AND a third party amp and take your two channel setup to 11! Or you can use its second set of preamp outs to drive up to two subwoofers -though the 7200 does not have any internal bass management. Aside from the various ways the amp can be configured, you also get a host of unbalanced inputs and balanced inputs. There is a separate moving magnet AND a moving coil phono preamp and then of course there’s the DAC.
DA1 DAC vs DA2 MODULE
Our review unit was fitted with the DA1 DAC module, which has coaxial, optical and USB inputs. However the 7200 can be outfitted with the new DA2 module. The DA2 module has support for higher bit-rates, as well as adds HDMI connectivity, which is about the only thing the stock 7200 is missing in my opinion. Given that the 7200 is a receiver, it has a capable AM/FM tuner, though I am not the world’s foremost expert on tuners, so all I will say is this; it works and with respect to signal strength, I was able to tune into local stations with relative ease and clarity. Lastly, control over the 7200 –at least when outfitted with the DA1 module –is handled using the included remote. With the DA2 module, you get control over HDMI making the 7200 compatible with a wide range of remotes without having to do any special programming.
MAC7200 DESIGN
The 7200 is a McIntosh product through and through - at least when it comes to design! Mcintosh’s design doesn’t really change, but rather evolves –albeit slowly –over time and I am 100 percent OK with that, for part of McIntosh’s charm is its commitment to its own heritage. Obviously, the most striking aspect of the 7200 is its two blue meters. In Between rests a small screen that shows input and signal information. When setting up the 7200, the small display screen comes in handy, easily allowing you to see the receiver’s various settings as well as adjust things like treble, bass and balance from your listening position using the remote. The only caveat I have about the 7200’s design is its sheer girth. At 22 inches deep and nearing 100 pounds, the 7200 is larger than most stereo receivers making it more difficult to place on a rack or piece of furniture. Even modern day AV furniture lacks the depth or weight capacity to properly support an amp of this size. While the McIntosh fit comfortably atop our BDI cabinet, it barely squeezed onto our Solidsteel rack. All of our other furniture was an absolute no-go.
HOW WE TESTED THE MAC7200
On the upside, because the 7200 is so large, there is plenty of room for cables of all shapes and sizes, meaning connecting all of your other hifi gear is a relative breeze! Here’s how we tested the MAC7200: We went with a wide range of speakers, from the new Monitor Audio Silver 500 towers, to the Focal Aria K2s and even our beloved Klipsch Heresy and Forte IV speakers. I used two different turntables with the 7200, first our new Dual CS618Q with its Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge and then my reference rig, the Audio Technica LP140XP and Ortofon 2M Black LVB cartridge. I wanted to use my Alva TT turntable and its included moving coil cartridge, but that turntable has a preamp already built-in, which wouldn’t allow me to test the 7200’s moving coil capability. We also connected the 7200 to our Sony X95J TV using an optical cable between the TV and the McIntosh, where we also streamed music via TIDAL and Apple Music through our Apple TV 4K. Obviously, had our review unit been configured with the DA2 module we could’ve connected the 7200 to our TV with an HDMI cable for (arguably) better results.
HOW DOES THE MCINTOSH 7200 SOUND?
So how does the McIntosh 7200 sound? Shall we just get it over with? (breath) This amp is f-ing great. Sorry, not sorry, but it is. While there is no shortage of solid amplifiers on the market right now, many of which cost a fraction of what the 7200 commands, none of that changes the fact that the 7200 is just one of those amps that lives up to expectations, and even manages to surpass them. That said, this is an incredibly difficult amplifier to quantify. It has a sound, a tone, but it’s also effortless. No strain. No distortion. Nothing. Just clean, clear, sound that takes your breath away regardless of what you choose to listen to, but let’s break it down.
CONNECTING A SUBWOOFER TO THE MAC7200
Interested in connecting a subwoofer to the MAC7200? Well, you can and it's incredibly easy to do so. But what I love most about running a sub with the MAC7200 is that you can essentially defeat it with the touch of a button when you connect it to the second set of preamp outputs on the back letting you add bass when you need it. Subwoofer talk aside, the bass the 7200 is capable of extracting from every speaker we connected to it was absolutely best in class. No other amp I currently have in my possession had as much control over our speaker’s woofers than the 7200. And when I say control I mean CONTROL. Bass notes were incredibly tight, textural and responsive, but more importantly effortless. Even at high volumes, whether playing complex orchestral passages or acoustic drum kits, the McIntosh was completely unfazed, and presented the source material faithfully with terrific depth and detail throughout the bass, and it all sounded vividly real, with visceral impact and natural, organic texture up and to the midrange.
MCINTOSH MIDRANGE PERFORMANCE
Speaking of the midrange, oh boy! The 7200 does have some slight coloration to its midrange, that is to say that it is not a wholly transparent window to the source, but rather is an interpretation of it, but man alive do I love it! There is a subtle warmth to the McIntosh’s midrange that is somewhat reminiscent of my Decware Zen and Canor amp -both of which are tube amps. It is a warmth that gives male and female vocals a bit of added body and presence no matter what speakers you’re listening to. But my favorite aspect is its detail retrieval. First, the spaces between notes become black holes of sound when listening through the 7200, and every nuance, texture and inflection becomes that much clearer. The detail through the 7200 isn’t borne out of an enhancement to the amp’s high frequency energy or adjustment of tone but in its ability to resolve every last ounce of information locked within a recording, digital or analog, and maintain that signal all the way to your speakers.
MCINTOSH HIGH FREQUENCIES
With respect to the high frequency performance, it is smooth, airy and extended and not at all brittle or harsh –even at high volumes or when paired with horn-loaded speakers like our Forte IV. If anything, next to our Zen and Canor amps, the 7200 is one of the finer sounding solid state amps I’ve heard with respect to its high frequency performance. That said, if you like a bit of added emphasis or sparkle up top; if you like a forwardness in your treble, the 7200 may come across as a bit more subdued. I’m not saying it’s veiled or rolled off as reed instruments, horns and cymbal crashes definitely sound as they should. High notes feel more natural than synthetic, meaning there is a greater sense of air surrounding the high notes that make them more substantial rather than thin or two dimensional.
MCINTOSH MAC7200 SOUNDSTAGE PERFORMANCE
Detail, definition and separation throughout the soundstage is terrific. Soundstage width and depth is entirely up to the capabilities of your speakers and your room. The Mac isn’t going to rob your speakers of any of their capability in this regard. If anything, already great speakers with respect to soundstage may sound a little sharper, clearer and more refined. Dynamics are soooo not an issue with the seemingly limitless power of the 7200. When listening at low or high volumes the 7200 is the epitome of composure. Volume simply increases or decreases with zero change in the amp’s tone or focus. If anything, it proved to be AS impressive when listening at low volumes as it was when going for broke!
MAC7200 DRAWBACKS
So what’s the catch (MAC7200 drawbacks)? Well, the 7200 is a BIG, BEEFY amp that requires a stable surface to call home, which may require you to buy a specialty piece of AV furniture - adding to the cost of ownership. It can get warm, so proper ventilation is a must.
Apart from that, despite its digital connectivity, I am confused as to why McIntosh didn’t go all the way and include Bluetooth, WiFi or both. While purists will likely applaud this move, citing noise or future update concerns as a reason NOT to include WiFi or Bluetooth; I think for $7500 there is a reasonable expectation that an amp of this caliber should have these common features. Also, the updated DAC module with HDMI should be included rather than be an optional extra.
Lastly, while the 7200 is built like a proverbial tank, the large, chunky knobs on its face do not have any resistance, making them feel rather unattached from the amp itself. When I go to adjust the volume or input on something that looks pulled from the cockpit of a World War II bomber I expect the knobs to have a satisfying click, or at least some resistance. Instead they feel light in the hand and turn with little to no friction. The simple act of adjusting the volume simply isn’t satisfying. One last quirk - the remote has a power ON button AND a power OFF button, as in separate buttons for each action, AND they are not located near each other making it difficult to turn the amp on or off in dimly lit rooms.
COMPARABLE HIFI PRODUCTS
When it comes to comparisons let’s just get down to it. Compared to the utterly fantastic R1000 from Technics, at $9500 the Technics costs more while providing for slightly less power. While I ultimately prefer the overall sound quality or tone of the 7200’s Class A/B design, I will admit that the R1000 is the more capable all-around integrated –especially if you’re into vinyl playback as it has one of, if not THE BEST, phono preamp I think I’ve ever heard, inside. Nothing against the McIntosh, I loved listening to records through it as well, but the R1000 is next-level in that regard. Don’t get me wrong, I would be happy with either, and would likely side with the 7200 if for no other reason than I don’t currently own a money tree, but when discussing either the R1000 or the 7200, know that you’re trying to decide between arguably two of the best amplifiers on the market right now, full stop!
MAC7200 VS MUSICAL FIDELITY M8XI
Compared to the Musical Fidelity M8xi, the M8xi is less expensive, more powerful and every bit as capable in its own right. It lacks the heritage and pedigree of the McIntosh, not to mention those iconic meters, but with respect to sound quality the M8xi is the more overall neutral option, with even greater levels of control and dynamic snap regardless of your choice in speakers. Like the 7200, the Musical Fidelity is a big, cumbersome amplifier, one that also requires special considerations with respect to furniture, ventilation and maybe even power –as in your home’s power. Like the R1000, I could be happy with any of these three amplifiers.
MCINTOSH VS CANOR
As for my current high-end reference amplifier, the Canor A1.10, from the midrange on up to the treble the Canor and McIntosh have very similar sonic traits. However, the 7200 is more resolute with respect to bass, possessing a firmer grip over my speakers’ woofers that pays dividends when listening to more complex passages. Am I about to ditch my Canor? No, because next to the 7200, no amp (apart from the Zen) sounds as good on my beloved Klipsch speakers as the Canor does. Do I wish the Canor had a built-in phono preamp and DAC like the 7200? Yep, but for me, I’m still happy with my Canor so I see no reason to “upgrade”. But if I was on the market for an amp that had Canor like sound but more power for difficult to drive speakers, rest assured the McIntosh would be on my short list of contenders!
SHOULD YOU INVEST IN THE MCINTOSH RECEIVER?
There really isn’t more for me to say other than to say the hype around McIntosh products, at least with respect to the MAC7200, isn’t misplaced. This is a phenomenal sounding amplifier, one of the best I’ve heard in all my travels. If I didn’t already have an equally impressive -albeit different – high-end amp in the Canor, or if we weren’t saving all the money we could in hopes of scoring a house, rest assured you’d be seeing more of the 7200 around these parts for I would totally give it a forever home on this channel, it’s THAT GOOD. Seriously, I already miss it.
