MC-601
McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: 607-723-3512 www.mcintoshlabs.com
MC601
Quad Balanced
Power Amplier
Owner’s Manual
The lightning ash with arrowhead, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s en-
closure that may be of sufcient 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 appa-
ratus (including ampliers) 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
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not t 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.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by
the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied 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 qualied service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power-
To prevent the risk of electric
shock, do not remove cover or
back. No user-serviceable parts
inside.
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 lled
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, re or the like.
19. Connect mains power supply cord only to a
mains socket outlet with a protective earthing
connection.
2
Thank You
Your decision to own this McIntosh MC601 Quad
Balanced Power 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: 607-723-1545
Fax: 607-724-0549
Copyright 2011 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
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: 607-723-3515
Fax: 607-723-1917
Table of Contents
Safety Instructions ......................................................2
Thank You and Please Take a Moment .......................3
Technical Assistance and Customer Service ..............3
Table of Contents ........................................................3
General Information ...................................................3
Connector and Cable Information ..............................4
Introduction .................................................................4
Performance Features .................................................4
Dimensions .................................................................5
Installation ..................................................................6
Rear Panel Connections and Switch ...........................7
Output Terminals and How to Connect .................. 8-9
Output Terminals and How to Connect
for Bi-Amp ......................................................... 10 -11
Front Panel Displays and Controls ............................12
How to Operate ......................................................... 13
Technical Description .......................................... 14 -17
Specifications ............................................................ 18
Packing Instruction ................................................... 19
General Information
1. The following Connecting Cable is available from
the McIntosh Parts Department:
Power Control Cable Part No. 170-202
Six foot, 2 conductor shielded, with two 1/8 inch
stereo mini phone plugs.
2. For additional connection information, refer to the
owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected
to the MC601.
3. The MC601 mutes the speaker output for approximately two seconds when first turned on.
4. For the best performance and safety it is important
to always match the impedance of the Loudspeaker
to the Power Amplifier connections. Refer to “How
to Connect” pages 8 thru 11.
Note: The impedance of a Loudspeaker actually var-
ies as the Loudspeaker reproduces different
frequencies. As a result, the nominal impedance
rating of the Loudspeaker (usually measured at
a midrange frequency) might not always agree
with the impedance of the Loudspeaker at low
frequencies where the greatest amount of power
is required. Contact the Loudspeaker Manufacturer for additional information about the actual
impedance of the Loudspeaker before connecting
it to the McIntosh MC601.
5. In the event the MC601 over heats, due to improper
ventilation and/or high ambient temperature, the
protection circuits will activate. The Front Panel
Power Guard LED will continuously indicate ON
and the audio will be muted. When the MC601 has
returned to a safe operating temperature, normal
operation will resume.
6. When discarding the unit, comply with local rules
or regulations. Batteries should never be
thrown away or incinerated but disposed
of in accordance with the local regulations
concerning battery disposal.
7. For additional information on the MC601
and other McIntosh Products please visit
the McIntosh Web Site at www.mcintoshlabs.com.
3
Cable Information, Introduction and Performance Features
PIN 2 PIN 1
PIN 3
PIN 1
PIN 2
PIN 3
Trigger
Control
Ground
Meter
Illumination
Control
Connector and Cable Information
XLR Connectors
Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Input, Input/Output Connectors on the MC601. Refer
to the diagram for connection:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
IN
OUT
PIN 2: + Input/Output
PIN 3: - Input/Output
Power Control Connector
The MC601 Power Control Input receives an On/Off
signal from +5 to +12 volts. The Power Control Output
will in turn provide a +12 volt
Output Signal with a total current up to 50mA. An additional
connection is for controlling
the illumination of the MC601
Power Output Meters. The 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug connects to a McIntosh
Preamplifier or A/V Control Center Power Control
Output.
Note: The Power Control Connecting Cable is available
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.
Introduction
Now you can take advantage of traditional McIntosh
standards of excellence in the MC601 Quad Balanced
Power Amplifier. The 600 watts high current output
will drive any high quality Loudspeaker. The MC601
reproduction is sonically transparent and absolutely
accurate. The McIntosh Sound is “The Sound of the
Music Itself.”
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Performance Features
• Power Output
The MC601 is a Power Amplifier with a capability of
600 watts into 2, 4 or 8 ohm speakers with less than
0.005% distortion. The Power Amplifier Circuitry
uses Thermal Trak1 Output Transistors for lower distortion and cool operation.
• Quad Balanced Circuitry
The MC601 is fully balanced from input to output. It
consists of two matched power amplifiers operating
in push-pull with their outputs combined in a McIntosh Autoformer. The Quad Balanced configuration
cancels virtually all distortion.
• Patented Autoformer
McIntosh designed and manufactured Output Autoformers provide an ideal match between the amplifier
output stages and speaker loads of 2, 4 and 8 ohms.
The Autoformers also provide perfect DC protection
for your valuable loudspeakers.
• Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs
Balanced connections guard against induced noise and
allow long cable runs without compromising sound
qualit y.
• Power Guard
The patented McIntosh Power Guard circuit prevents
the amplifier from being over driven into clipping,
with its harsh distorted sound that can also damage
your valuable loudspeaker.
• Sentry Monitor and Thermal Protection
McIntosh Sentry Monitor power output stage protection circuits ensure the MC601 will have a long and
1
ThermalTrak™ and ON Semiconductor are trademarks of Semi-
conductor Components Industries, LLC
trouble free operating life. Built-in Thermal Protection
Circuits guard against overheating.
• Special Power Supply
A very large Power Transformer and Large Capacitors ensure stable noise free operation even though the
power line varies.
• Illuminated Power Meter
The Illuminated Power Output Watt Meter on the
MC601 is peak responding, and indicates the true
power output of the amplifier. The Peak Watt Hold
Mode allows the meter to temporarily stay at the highest power output and then slowly decay. The Front
Panel Meter Illumination may be switched Off at any
time.
• McIntosh Custom Binding Posts
McIntosh patent pending gold plated output terminals
deliver high current output. They accept large diameter wire and spade lugs. Banana plugs may also be
used only in the United States and Canada.
• 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 Emit-
ting Diodes (LEDs).
• Glass Front Panel and Super Mirror Chassis
Finish
The famous McIntosh Illuminated Glass Front Panel
and the Stainless Steel Chassis with Super Mirror Finish ensures the pristine beauty of the MC601 will be
retained for many years.
Dimensions
Front View of the MC601
Rear View of the MC601
Side View of the MC601
17-1/2"
44.45cm
8-7/8"
22.54cm
9-7/16"
23.97cm
11-3/4"
29.85cm
16-13/16"
42.70cm
20-3/16"
51.27cm
3/16"
0.48cm
17-15/16"
45.55cm
2-1/4"
5.71cm
13"
33.02cm
8-3/8"
21.27cm
2-3/16"
5.55cm
The following dimensions can assist in determining
the best location for your MC601.
Dimensions
5
Installation
14-11/16"
37.30cm
17"
43.18cm
Cutout Opening for Custom Mounting
Opening for Ventilation
Cabinet Front Panel
MC601 Front Panel
Custom Cabinet Cutout
Cutout Opening for Ventilation
Support
Shelf
Chassis
Spacers
MC601 Side View
in Custom Cabinet
Cabinet
Front
Panel
Note: Center the cutout Horizontally
on the unit. For purposes of
clarity, the above illustration
is not drawn to scale.
MC601 Bottom View
in Custom Cabinet
6"
15.24cm
Opening
for Ventilation
12-3/4"
32.38cm
Cutout Opening
for Ventilation
16"
40.64cm
2-1/2"
6.35cm
The MC601 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 MC601 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
MC601 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 MC601.
Cool operation ensures the longest possible operating
life for any electronic instrument. Do not install the
MC601 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.
Allow at least 6 inches (15.24cm) above the top, 2
inches (5.08cm) below the bottom, 3 inches (7.62cm)
behind the rear panel and 2 inches (5.08cm) on each
side of the Power Amplifier, so that airflow is not
obstructed. Allow 2-1/2 inches (6.35 cm) in front of
the mounting1 panel for clearance. Be sure to cut out
a ventilation hole in the mounting shelf according
to the dimensions in the drawing.
Installation
1
When the MC601 is installed together with other McIn-
tosh Components, check clearances on all components
before proceeding.
6
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