McIntosh MA6600 User Manual

Integrated Amplifier

MA6600

Owner’s Manual

The HD Radio Ready logo is a proprietar y trademark of iBiquity Digital Cor p.

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]

The lightning flash with arrowhead,
within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “danger­ous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an
equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of im­portant operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the litera­ture accompanying the appliance.

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK OF

FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO

NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO

RAIN OR MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radia­tors, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. A ground­ing type plug has two blades and a third ground­ing prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does
not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience re­ceptacles, and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts inside.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer,
or sold with the apparatus. When a
cart is used, use caution when mov­ing the cart/apparatus combination
to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service person­nel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has
been damaged in any way, such as power-supply
cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the appara­tus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.

15. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or
splashing and ensure that no objects filled with liq­uids, such as vases, are placed on the equipment.

16. To completely disconnect this equipment from the
a.c. mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug
from the a.c. receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall
remain readily operable.

18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such as
sunshine, fire or the like.

2

Thank You

Table of Contents

Your decision to own this McIntosh MA6600 Integrated
Amplifier ranks you at the very top among discriminating
music listeners. You now have “The Best.” The McIntosh
dedication to “Quality,” is assurance that you will receive
many years of musical enjoyment from this unit.
Please take a short time to read the information in this
manual. We want you to be as familiar as possible with all
the features and functions of your new McIntosh.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance claim or
future service. The spaces below have been provided for
you to record that information:

Serial Number: __________________________________

Purchase Date: __________________________________

Dealer Name: ___________________________________

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh
product, contact your McIntosh Dealer who is familiar
with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands that
may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer wish
additional help concerning a suspected problem, you can
receive technical assistance for all McIntosh products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in need of
repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You can also return
it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service Department. For
assistance on factory repair return procedure, contact the
McIntosh Service Department at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Copyright 2008 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

Safety Instructions ............................................................

Thank You and Please Take a Moment .............................

Technical Assistance and Customer Service .................... 3

Table of Contents .............................................................. 3

General Information .........................................................3

Connector and Cable Information ....................................4

Introduction .......................................................................

Performance Features ....................................................... 4

Dimensions .......................................................................5

Installation ........................................................................ 6

Rear Panel Connections .................................................... 7

Connecting Components ...................................................

Connection Diagrams (Separate Sheet) ..............Mc1A/1B

Connecting Loudspeakers ................................................ 9

Remote Control Push-buttons ......................................... 10

How to Operate by Remote Control ............................... 11

Front Panel Displays, Controls, Push-buttons and Jack . 12

How to Operate the MA6600 ....................................13-20

Specifications .................................................................. 22

Packing Instructions .......................................................23

General Information

1. For additional connection information, refer to the
owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected to
the MA6600 Integrated Amplifier.

2. The Main AC Power going to the MA6600 and any
other McIntosh Component(s) should not be applied
until all the system components are connected together.
Failure to do so could result in malfunctioning of some
or all of the system’s normal operations. When the
MA6600 and other McIntosh Components are in their
Standby Power Off Mode, the Microprocessor’s Circuit­ry inside each component is active and communication
is occurring between them.

3. The type and availability of tuner module(s) for the
MA6600 varies from country to country. Contact your
McIntosh Dealer for additional information.

4. In the event the MA6600 Power Amplifier overheats,
due to improper ventilation and/or high ambient tem­perature, the protection circuits will activate. The Front
Panel Power Guard LEDs will continuously indicate ON
and the audio will be muted. When the MA6600 has
returned to a safe operating temperature, normal opera­tion will resume.

If the MA6600 Power Transformer overheats, the
MA6600 will switch Off and the Front Panel Output
1 and 2 LED will flash. When the Power Transformer
returns to a safe operating temperature the STANDBY/
ON Push-button will become active again.

2
3

4

8

3

Connector Information, Introduction and Performance Features

Power
Control

Ground

N/C

Data
Signal

N/C

Data
Ground

PIN 2 PIN 1

PIN 3

Connector and Cable Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced Input
Connectors on the MA6600. Refer to the
diagram for connection:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Output
PIN 3: - Output

Power Control Connector

The MA6600 Power Control Output Jack sends Power On/
Off Signals when connected to other
McIntosh Components. A 1/8 inch
stereo mini phone plug is used for con
nection to the Power Control Output
on the MA6600.

Note: The Data and Power Control Connecting Cable is avail-

able from the McIntosh Parts Department:

Data and Power Control Cable Part No. 170-202

Six foot, shielded 2 conductor, with 1/8 inch stereo mini
phone plugs on each end.

Data Port Connectors

The MA6600 Data Out Ports send Remote Control Signals
to McIntosh Source Components. A 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug is used for
connection.

-

Performance Features

• Power Output with Patented Autoformer

The MA6600 consists of a 200 watts per channel stereo
Power Amplifier with less than 0.005% distortion. The
McIntosh designed and manufactured Autoformer allows
connection of 2, 4 or 8 ohm Loudspeakers. The Power
Amplifier uses Thermal Trak1 Output Transistors for lower
distortion and cool operation.

• Electronic Switching and Balanced Connections

The Preamplifier uses Logic Circuits controlling Electro
magnetic Switches on all inputs and operating functions
for reliable, noiseless, distortion free switching. There is a
Balanced Input for connection of source components.

• Power Guard

The patented McIntosh Power Guard circuit prevents the
amplifier clipping and protects your valuable Loudspeak
ers.

• Multifunction Fluorescent Display

The Front Panel Display indicates source selection, volume
levels, tone adjustments, setup functions and tuner func-

2

tions when the optional Tuner Module

is installed.

• Illuminated Power Meters

The Illuminated Power Output Watt Meters on the
MA6600 are peak responding, and indicate the power out­put of the amplifier.

-

-

McIntosh Plug-In Jumper Connector

The MA6600 utilizes a phono style Plug-In Jumper to con
nect the OUTPUT 1 (Preamplifier Output)
Jack to the PWR AMP (Power Amplifier
Input) Jack for each channel.

Note: The Jumper Connector is available

Introduction

Now you can take advantage of traditional McIntosh stan
dards of excellence in the MA6600 Integrated Amplifier.
The Power Amplifier section of the MA6600, with a power
output of 200 watts per channel, will drive a pair of quality
Loudspeakers to a high level of performance. The flex­ible Preamplifier section provides connections for various
input sources and may also be used to drive an external
Power Amplifier. The MA6600 reproduction is sonically
transparent and absolutely accurate. The McIntosh Sound
is “The Sound of the Music Itself.”

4

from the McIntosh Parts Department:

McIntosh Jumper Connector Part No. 117-781

• Power Control and Remote Control

The Power Control Output connection provides convenient

­Turn-On/Off of McIntosh Source Components. The Data

Ports together with the supplied Remote Control provides
control of McIntosh Source Components connected to the
MA6600.

• Special Power Supply

The large Power Transformer, multiple filter capacitors
with 100 Jules of Energy Storage and regulated Power
Supply ensures stable noise free operation even though the
power line varies.

-

• Fiber Optic Solid State Front Panel Illumination

The even Illumination of the Front Panel is accomplished
by the combination of custom designed Fiber Optic Light
Diffusers and extra long life Light Emitting Diodes
(LEDs). The glass Front Panel ensures the pristine beauty
of the MA6600 will be retained for many years.

1

ThermalTrak™ and ON Semiconductor are trademarks of Semicon-

ductor Components Industries, LLC

2

The type and availability of tuner module(s) for the MA6600 varies

from country to country.

Dimensions

17-1/2"

44.45cm

7 -5/8"

19.37cm

3/16"

0.48cm

16-1/16"

40.8cm

Front View of the MA6600

Rear View of the MA6600

Side View of the MA6600

7 -1/8"

18.10cm

13/16"

2.06cm

6"

15.24cm

13-1/4"

33.65cm

18-3/4"

47.63cm

16-1/2"

41.91cm

6-1/4"

15.88cm

1"

2.54cm

SOURCE: CD1
15%

12-1/4"

31.11cm

12-5/8"

32.07cm

The following dimensions can assist in determining the
best location for your MA6600. There is additional in­formation on the next page pertaining to installing the
MA6600 into cabinets.

Dimensions

5

Installation

SOURCE: CD1
15%

6 -5/8"

16.83cm

17-1/16"

43.34cm

Cutout Opening for Custom Mounting

MA6600 Front Panel
Custom Cabinet Cutout

Cutout

Opening

for

Ventilation

Cutout Opening for Ventilation

Support
Shelf

Cabinet
Front
Panel

Chassis
Spacers

MA6600 Side View
in Custom Cabinet

MA6600 Bottom View
in Custom Cabinet

14-1/2"

36.83cm

1"

2.54cm

6"

15.24cm

Opening
for Ventilation

13"

33.02cm

15-1/16"

38.26cm

2"

5.08cm

Note: Center the cutout Horizontally
on the unit. For purposes of
clarity, the above illustration
is not drawn to scale.

13-5/16"

33.81cm

The MA6600 can be placed upright on a table or shelf,
standing on its four feet. It also can be custom installed
in a piece of furniture or cabinet of your choice. The four
feet may be removed from the bottom of the MA6600
when it is custom installed as outlined below. The four feet
together with the mounting screws should be retained for
possible future use if the MA6600 is removed from the
custom installation and used free standing. The required
panel cutout, ven­tilation cutout and
unit dimensions are
shown.
Always provide ad­equate ventilation
for your MA6600.
Cool operation
ensures the longest
possible operating
life for any elec­tronic instrument.
Do not install the
MA6600 directly
above a heat gen­erating component
such as a high
powered amplifier.
If all the compo­nents are installed
in a single cabinet,
a quiet running
ventilation fan can
be a definite asset
in maintaining all
the system compo­nents at the coolest
possible operating
temperature.
A custom cabinet
installation should
provide the follow­ing minimum spac­ing dimensions for
cool operation.

Installation

Allow at least 6 inches (15.24cm) above the top, 2 inches
(5.08cm) below the bottom and 1 inch (2.54cm) on each
side of the Integrated Amplifier, so that airflow is not ob­structed. Allow 20 inches (50.8cm) depth behind the front
panel. Allow 2-1/4 inch (5.72cm) in front of the mounting
panel for handle clearance. Be sure to cut out a ventilation
hole in the mounting shelf according to the dimensions in
the drawing.

6

Rear Panel Connections

Connect the MA6600
power cord to a live
AC outlet. Refer to
information on the
back panel of your
MA6600 to determine
the correct voltage for
your unit

POWER CON­TROL MAIN Out­put sends a turn-on
signal to a McIn­tosh Component
when the MA6600
is turned On

RIGHT OUTPUT
connections for a
2, 4 or 8 ohm
loudspeaker

DATA PORTS send
signals to McIntosh
Source Components
to allow control with
the MA6600 Remote
Control

CD1 Balanced IN­PUTS accept high level
program source signals

Reserved for the
installation of
optional Tuner
Module

CD2, DVD, TV, SERVER
and REC INPUTS accept
high level program source
signals

LEFT OUTPUT
connections for a
2, 4 or 8 ohm
loudspeaker

RECord
OUTPUT
sends signals
to the input
of a recording
device

Main Fuse holder,
refer to information
on the back panel
of your MA6600 to
determine the cor
rect fuse size and
rating

POWER CONTROL ACC
Output sends a turn-On,
turn-Off signal to a McIn­tosh Component when using
the MA6600 Remote Control
ACC On/Off Push-buttons

POWER CONTROL
1 and 2 Output sends
a turn-on signal to a
McIntosh Component
when the Outputs 1

-

and 2 Push-buttons
are used

PHONO accepts
signals from a
Moving Magnet
phono cartridge

EXT SENSOR con
nector permits the
connection of a Mc­Intosh IR Sensor for
remote operation

PWR AMP
input accepts
signals from
the internal
Preamplifier
or a separate
external Pre
amplifier

-

GND
terminal
accepts
a ground
wire from a
turntable

-

JUMPER PLUGS connect
the Preamplifier OUTPUT
1 Jacks to the PWR AMP
IN Jacks and are needed for
normal operation

OUTPUT 1 sends signals
to the internal Power
Amplifier or a separate
external Power Ampli­fier; OUTPUT 2 sends
signals to a separate
external Power Amplifier
input

7

Connecting Components

The MA6600 has the ability to automatically switch power
On/Off to McIntosh Source Components via the Power
Control connections. The Data Port Connections allow for
the remote operation of basic functions using the MA6600
Remote Control. With an external sensor connected to the
MA6600, remote control operation of the system is possi­ble from another room and/or when the MA6600 is located
in a cabinet with the doors closed.

The connection instructions below, together with the
MA6600 Input and Output Connection Diagrams located
on the separate folded sheet “Mc1A/1B”, are an example of
a typical audio system. Your system may vary from this,
however the actual components would be connected in a
similar manner. For additional information refer to “Con­nector and Cable Information” on page 4.

Power Control Connections:

1. Connect a Control Cable from the MA6600 POWER
CONTROL MAIN Jack to the Power Control In on the
McIntosh Turntable.

2. Connect a Control Cable from the McIntosh Turntable
Power Control Out Jack to the McIntosh Audio/Video
Player Power Control In Jack.

3. Connect a Control Cable from the McIntosh Audio/
Video Player Power Control Out Jack to the McIntosh
SACD/CD Player Power Control In Jack.

4. Connect a Control Cable from the McIntosh SACD/CD
Player Power Control Out Jack to the McIntosh Music
Server Power Control In Jack.

5. Optionally connect a Control Cable from the MA6600
POWER CONTROL OUTPUT 2 Jack to the McIntosh
Power Amplifier (Secondary Room) Power Control In
Jack.

6. Connect any additional McIntosh Components in a
similar manner, as outlined in steps 1 thru 4.

Data Control Connections:

7. Connect a Control Cable from the MA6600 CD DATA
PORT Jack to the McIntosh SACD/CD Player Data In
Jack.

8. Connect a Control Cable from the MA6600 SERVER

DATA PORT Jack to the McIntosh Music Server Data
In Jack.

9. Connect a Control Cable from the MA6600 DVD
DATA PORT Jack to the McIntosh Audio/Video Player
Data In Jack.

10. Connect any additional McIntosh Components in a
similar manner, as outlined in steps 7 thru 10.

Sensor Connections:

11. Connect a RG59U or RG6U Cable from the MA6600
EXT SENSOR “F” Connector to the McIntosh Sensor
“F” Connector.

Audio Connections:

12. Connect Balanced Cables from the MA6600 CD 1
INPUT Jacks to the McIntosh SACD/CD Player Fixed
Balanced Output Jacks.

13. Connect an Audio Cable from the MA6600 SERVER
INPUT Jacks to the McIntosh Music Server Output
Jacks.

14. Connect an Audio Cable from the MA6600 REC OUT­PUT Jacks to the McIntosh Music Server Input 3 Jacks.

15. Connect Audio Cables from the MA6600 DVD INPUT
Jacks to the McIntosh Audio/Video Player Output
Jacks.

16. Connect the Audio Cables coming from the Turntable
to the MA6600 PHONO INPUT Jacks.

17. Optionally, connect Audio Cables from the MA6600
OUTPUT 2 Jacks to the McIntosh Power Amplifier
(Secondary) Input Jacks.

18. Connect any additional McIntosh Components in a
similar manner, as outlined in steps 12 thru 17.

Ground Connections:

19. Connect the Ground Cable coming from the Turntable
to the MA6600 GND Binding Post.

AC Power Cords Connections:

20. Connect the MA6600 and any remaining components’
AC Power Cords to a live AC outlet as illustrated.

8