McIntosh MPC-1500 Owners manual

Power Controller

MPC1500

Owner’s Manual

Torus Power Technology under license from Plitron Manufacturing Inc.

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

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
enclosure that may be of sufcient
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 im-

portant operating and maintenance

(servicing) instructions in the litera-

ture 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 ampliers) 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 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.

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 specied by the

manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or

table specied 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 qualied 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 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.

2

Thank You

Table of Contents

Your decision to own this McIntosh MPC1500 Power
Controller 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 enjoyment from this component.
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 ............................................................ 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 .................................................... 7

How to Connect in a Two Channel System ...................... 8

How to Connect in a Multi Channel System .................... 9

Front Panel Displays and Controls ...................................10

How to Operate the MPC1500 .........................................11

Specifications ...................................................................14

Packing Instructions ........................................................15

General Information

1. For additional connection information, refer to the

owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected to

the MPC1500 Power Controller.

2. The Main AC Power going to the MPC1500 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.

3. In the event the MPC1500 Power Controller overheats
due to improper ventilation and/or high ambient tem­perature, the Power Controller will switch off. When
the MPC1500 has returned to a safe operating tempera­ture, normal operation will resume.

4. The MPC1500 is designed for connection of Audio/
Video Components with low energy consumption.
This would include components such as Preamplifiers,
A/V Control Centers, Source Components, Integrated
Amplifiers and Power Amplifiers with low to modest
power output.

The total amount of current drawn by all the compo­nents connected to the MPC1500 should not exceed 11.2
Amps. Typically, components consuming low amounts
of energy are rated in watts. To calculate the total
energy consumed, it is usually easier to convert compo­nents rated in Watts to a current rating and then add up
the total current consumed. To convert a wattage rating
into an approximate current rating take the watts rating
and divide it by 100. For example, if a component has a
rating of 65 watts divide it by 100, this would provide
an approximate rating of 0.65 Amps.

3

Connector Information, Introduction and Performance Features

Power
Control

Meter
Illumination
Control

Ground

Connector and Cable Information

Power Control Connector

The MPC1500 Global Power Control Input and Local
Power Control Inputs receive On/Off signals from +5 to
+12 volts. The Global Power Control Output will provide
a +12 volt Output Signal with a current up to 20mA. The
Local Power Control Outputs will
in turn provide from +5 to +12 volt
Output Signal (Input Signal De-

pended). The Global Power Control

Input has an additional connection
for controlling the illumination of
the MPC1500 Voltage and Current Output Meters. The 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug connects to a Preamplifier or
an 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 add to your system the advantage of tradi­tional McIntosh standards of excellence in the MPC1500
Power Controller. It offers full transformer isolation from
the incoming AC Line for the components connected to it.
The MPC1500 helps to assure the sound and video repro­duction from your McIntosh System is the best it can be,
totally transparent and absolutely accurate.

Performance Features

• Toroidal Isolation Power Transformer

The very large Toroidal Isolation Power Transformer
used in the MPC1500 occupies over three quarters of the
internal space in the chassis. It ensures stable noise free
operation for the audio/video components connected to the
MPC1500. It also isolates them from potential interference
produced from common household appliances that utilize
motors, compressors and electronic control devices.

emanating from the Transformer and thus will not dis­tract from musical enjoyment, even with varying AC Line
conditions.

• Superior Line Surge Protection

The McIntosh MPC1500 utilizes the finest, most sophis­ticated surge suppression technology available. Unlike
most of the AC Line Surge protection devices available,
the MPC1500 doesn’t rely on commonly used inexpensive
MOV devices. The MOV’s can fail after just one surge thus
no longer providing protection and they can allow as much
as 300 volts through to the connected components allow­ing substantial damage to occur. The MPC1500 incorpo­rates TorusTM Surge Suppression Circuitry, which activates
around 2V above peak nominal voltage providing constant
long term protection.

• Illuminated Voltage and Current Meters

The Illuminated Voltage and Current Meters indicate at all
times the voltage available to your McIntosh Components
and the actual current consumed by them.

• Power Control

The Power Control Input connection provides convenient
Turn-On/Off of the McIntosh MPC1500 with your McIn­tosh System.

• Extruded Side Panels

The sides of the MPC1500 are extruded aluminum panels
with a bead blast textured surface and a black anodized
finish.

• 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 MPC1500 will be retained for many years.

• Stable Voltage

The MPC1500’s Large Isolation Power Transformer mini­mizes variations in the voltage available to the connected
components as they draw more current, up to the 11.2 Amp
rating.

• Lono Technology

The LONOTM (Low Noise) Transformer Technology from
Plitron used in the MPC1500, eliminates audible noise

LONOTM - is a registered trademark of Plitron Manufacturing Inc.

4

Tor usTM - Torus Power Technology under license from Plitron
Manufacturing Inc.

Dimensions

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OUTLETS

OUTLETS

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OUTLETS

17-1/2"

44.45cm

7 -5/8"

19.37cm

3/16"

0.48cm

16-1/16"

40.8cm

Front View of the MPC1500

Rear View of the MPC1500

Side View of the MPC1500

7 -1/8"

18.10cm

13/16"

2.06cm

6-7/16"

16.35cm

13-1/4"

33.66cm

18-1/16"

45.88cm

17-1/16"

43.34cm

6-1/2"

16.51cm

1-1/2"

3.81cm

13-11/16"

34.77cm

1-3/32"

2.77cm

The following dimensions can assist in determining the
best location for your MPC1500. There is additional
information on the next page pertaining to installing the
MPC1500 into cabinets.

Dimensions

5

Installation

OUTLETS

6 -5/8"

16.83cm

17-1/16"

43.34cm

Cutout Opening for Custom Mounting

MPC1500 Front Panel
Custom Cabinet Cutout

Cutout

Opening

for

Ventilation

Cutout Opening for Ventilation

Support
Shelf

Cabinet
Front
Panel

Chassis
Spacers

MPC1500 Side View
in Custom Cabinet

MPC1500 Bottom View
in Custom Cabinet

10"

25.4cm

1-5/8"

4.13cm

4"

10.16cm

Opening
for Ventilation

15"

38.1cm

13-11/16"

34.77cm

15"

38.1cm

2"

5.08cm

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

The MPC1500 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 MPC1500 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 MPC1500 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 MPC1500.
Cool operation en­sures the longest pos­sible operating life for
any electronic instru­ment. Do not install
the MPC1500 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 4 inches

(10.16cm) above the
top, 2 inches (5.08cm)

Installation

below the bottom and 1 inch (2.54cm) on each side of the

Power Controller, so that airf low is not obstructed. Allow

20 inches (50.8cm) depth behind the front panel. Allow 2
inches (5.08cm) in front of the mounting panel for knobs.

Be sure to cut out a ventilation hole in the mounting shelf
according to the dimensions in the drawing.

6

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Rear Panel Connections

LOCAL POWER
CONTROL for AC
Outlet number 6
receives a turn-on

signal (5 to 12 volts)

from a component
and the LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
OUT sends a turn-on
signal (same voltage
as the Power Control

Input) on to another

component. The LED
indicates when the
AC Outlet is ac­tive. The LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
switch selects LO­CAL, GLOBAL or
always ON activation

LOCAL POWER
CONTROL for AC
Outlet number 5
receives a turn-on

signal (5 to 12 volts)

from a component
and the LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
OUT sends a turn-on
signal (same voltage
as the Power Control

Input) onto another

component. The LED
indicates when the
AC Outlet is ac­tive. The LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
switch selects LO­CAL, GLOBAL or
always ON activation

LOCAL POWER
CONTROL for AC
Outlet number 4
receives a turn-on

signal (5 to 12 volts)

from a component
and the LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
OUT sends a turn-on
signal (same voltage
as the Power Control

Input) onto another

component. The LED
indicates when the
AC Outlet is ac­tive. The LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
switch selects LO­CAL, GLOBAL or
always ON activation

LOCAL POWER
CONTROL for AC
Outlet number 3
receives a turn-on

signal (5 to 12 volts)

from a component
and the LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
OUT sends a turn-on
signal (same voltage
as the Power Control

Input) onto another

component. The LED
indicates when the
AC Outlet is ac­tive. The LOCAL
POWER CONTROL
switch selects LO­CAL, GLOBAL or
always ON activation

GLOBAL POWER
CONTROL IN
receives a turn-on-

signal (5 to 12 volts)

for the Local Power
Control selection
of Global and the
GLOBAL POWER
CONTROL OUT
sends a delayed turn-

on signal (12 volts) to
other Component(s)

The LEDs indi­cate the MPC1500
Power Control­ler is connected
to a live AC
Outlet and the
UNSWITCHED
AC OUTLETs
number 1 and 2
are active.

CIRCUIT
BREAKER
press to
reset if the
MPC1500
Power Con­troller will
not power up

SWITCHED AC
Outlet controlled by
LOCAL POWER
CONTROL number
6 Switch Setting
and/or the received
Power Control
Signal

SWITCHED AC
Outlet controlled by
LOCAL POWER
CONTROL number
5 Switch Setting
and/or the received
Power Control
Signal

SWITCHED AC
Outlet controlled by
LOCAL POWER
CONTROL number
4 Switch Setting
and/or the received
Power Control
Signal

SWITCHED AC
Outlet controlled by
LOCAL POWER
CONTROL number
3 Switch Setting
and/or the received
Power Control
Signal

Connect the MPC1500
power cord to a live AC
outlet. Refer to informa­tion on the back panel of
your MPC1500 to deter­mine the correct voltage
for your unit

Unswitched AC outlets
number 1 and 2 are ac­tive when the MPC1500
is connected to a live
AC Outlet

7

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75 WATTS

T630maAL 250V

How to Connect in a Two Channel System

The MPC1500 has the ability to automatically switch
AC Power On/Off to Components connected to the
SWITCHED AC OUTLETS via the Power Control con­nection coming from the Preamplifier. Source Components
switch On/Off via the Power Control connection from the
Preamplifier. For additional information refer to “General
Information” on page 3 and “Connector and Cable Infor­mation” on page 4.

1. Connect a Control Cable from the MPC1500 GLOBAL
POWER CONTROL IN Jack to the Power Control Main
Out Jack on the Preamplifier.

2. Connect the AC Power Cord from the Power Amplifier
to MPC1500 SWITCHED AC OUTLET 3.

3. Connect a Control Cable from the Preamplifier Acc
Power Control Out Jack to the Power Control In jack on
the Disc Player.

How to Connect in a Two Channel System

4. Connect the AC Power Cords from the Preamplifier and
Disc Player to the UNSWITCHED AC OUTLETS 1
and 2.

5. Connect any remaining Components in a similar man­ner.

6. Using the sup­plied AC Cord,
connect the
MPC1500 di­rectly to an AC
Wall Outlet.

Power Amplifier

Preamplifier

To AC Outlet

Disc Player

8

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How to Connect in a Multi Channel System

In the following example two of the four SWITCHED AC
OUTLETS on the MPC1500 will operate differently from
the default settings. For additional information refer to
“How to Operate” on page 11.

1. Connect a Control Cable from the MPC1500 LOCAL
POWER CONTROL IN Jack number 4 to the Power
Control Zone B Out Jack on the A/V Control Center.
Place the number 4 switch in the LCL position.

2. Connect the AC Power Cord from the Power Amplifier
to MPC1500 SWITCHED AC OUTLET 4.

3. Connect a Control Cable from the MPC1500 GLOBAL
POWER CONTROL IN Jack to A/V Control Center

How to Connect in a Multi Channel System

ACC Power Control Out Jack.

4. Connect a Control Cable from the MPC1500 GLOBAL
POWER CONTROL OUT Jack to the Power Control In
jack on the Disc Player.

5. Connect the AC Power Cords from the Disc Player to
the SWITCHED AC OUTLET 6. Place the number 6
switch in the ON position.

6. Connect any remaining Components in a similar man­ner.

7. Using the supplied AC Cord, connect the MPC1500
directly to an AC Wall Outlet.

To AC Outlet

A/V Control Center

Disc Player

Zone B Power Amplifier

9

OUTLETS

Front Panel Displays and Controls

Meter indicates the total
current consumed by the
components connected to
the MPC1500

Meter indicates the outgo­ing AC Line Voltage

10

METER LIGHTS Switch
selects Meter Illumination
Off or Auto Mode

OUTLETS LEDs indicate

the active AC Outlet(s)

POWER CONTROL
Switch Turns AC Power
Off, Remote or On

How to Operate

OUTLETS

The MPC1500 Power Controller is very versatile in its con­nection and operation in an Audio, Video or Audio/Video
System. There are two examples of connecting and using
the MPC1500 on pages 8 and 9 of this Owner’s Manual.
By becoming familiar with the “How to Operate” section
of this Owner’s Manual many additional connection and
operation possibilities will become apparent.

How to Operate

Power Control

To have the MPC1500 automatically turn On or Off when a
Preamplifier or A/V Control Center turns on or off, rotate
the POWER CONTROL Switch to the REMOTE posi­tion. For manual operation, rotate the POWER CONTROL
Switch to the ON or OFF position as
desired. Refer to figure 1.

Notes: 1. There must be a power con-

trol connection between the
MPC1500 Global Power Con­trol Input and the Preamplifier
or A/V Control Center, in order
for the remote power turn-on to
function.

2. When the POWER CONTROL Switch is placed
in the ON the position, the Global Power Control
Input activation is overridden.

3. AC Outlets 3 thru 6 switch On in sequence with a
slight delay in time between each outlet activation.

Figure 1

Meter Illumination

Rotate the METER LIGHTS Switch to select the meter
operation mode you desire. Refer to
figure 2.

OFF - Meter lights are switched Off.

Note: The meters will

continue to indicate
the Input AC Line
Voltage and the con-

sumed Current.

Figure 2

AUTO - Meter lights are switched

On. When Global Power Control Input of the
MPC1500 is connected to a McIntosh Preampli­fier or A/V Control Center with Remote Meter
Illumination Control, the Meter Illumination

will be remotely controlled (On/Off).

Volt Meter

The VOLTS Meter indicates the AC Voltage available at
the AC Outlets on the MPC1500 Rear Panel. Refer to fig­ure 3. The MPC1500 utilizes a very large isolation power
transformer, so essentially the VOLTS Meter reading is a
reflection of the incoming AC Line Voltage. If the VOLTS

Figure 3

Meter reading starts to drop more than several volts (from

the nominal voltage reading at lower current consumption)

when the MPC1500 AMPERES Meter indicates 6 Amps
of current or greater, it may be an indication of a condition
known as “AC Line Sag”. AC Line Sag is usually a result
of limitations in the AC Wiring in the walls due to small
wire size and/or long lengths of wire. For additional as­sistance in this matter contact your McIntosh Dealer and/or
Electrical Contractor.

Current Meter

The AMPERES Meter indicates the total amount of cur­rent being consumed by the components connected to the
MPC1500 AC Outlets. Refer to figure 4. It is normal for
the AMPERES Meter indication to fluctuate especially
when a Power Amplifier or Integrated Amplifier is con­nected to the MPC1500 AC Outlets and music is being
played loudly.

Figure 4

Rear Panel Options

AC Outlets number 3 thru 6 can be individually config­ured to become active via three different methods using
the Rear Panel Switches. The first way is using the default

configuration (the switch in the GLB position) where the

outlet is controlled to switch On or Off via the MPC1500
Global Power Control Input or the Front Panel Power Con­trol Switch. Refer to figure 5 on the next page. The second
option is to have any one of the AC Outlets (number 3

thru 6) controlled independently On/Off via the MPC1500

Local Power Control Input for each outlet by placing the

11

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How to Operate, con’t

How to Operate the MPC1500, con’t

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Rear Panel Switch in the LCL Position. Refer to figure 6.
The last option is to have the AC Outlets number 3 thru 6
On all the time by placing the Rear Panel Switch in the ON
Position. Refer to figure 7.

12

Notes

13

Specifications

Output Voltage

120 Volts AC Nominal

Load Regulation

± 2.5 %

Power Requirement

120 Volts, 60Hz

12.0 Amps, maximum current
1440 Watts, maximum power

Overall Dimensions

Width is 17-1/2 inches (44.45cm)
Height is 7-5/8 inches (19.37cm) including feet
Depth is 22 inches (55.88cm) including the Front Panel,

Knobs and Cables

Weight

87 pounds (39.46 kg) net, 105 pounds (47.63 kg) in shipping

carton

Specifications

Shipping Carton Dimensions

Width is 29-1/2 inches (74.93cm)
Depth is 29 inches (73.66cm)
Height is 17 inches (43.18cm)

14

Packing Instructions

Packing Instructions

In the event it is necessary to repack the equipment for
shipment, the equipment must be packed exactly as shown
below. It is very important that the four plastic feet are
attached to the bottom of the equipment. Two #10 x 2-1/2
inch screws and washers must be used to fasten the unit
securely to the bottom pad and wood skid. This will ensure
the proper equipment location on the bottom pad. Failure
to do this will result in shipping damage.
Use the original shipping carton and interior parts only
if they are all in good serviceable condition. If a shipping

carton or any of the interior part(s) are needed, please

call or write Customer Service Department of McIntosh
Laboratory. Refer to page 3. Please see the Part List for the
correct part numbers.

Quantity Part Number Description

1 033888 Shipping carton
4 033887 End Cap

1 033697 Inner carton
1 033725 Top pad
1 034301 Bottom pad
1 033699 Wood skid

2 017218 Plastic foot (spacer)

2 401204 #10 x 2-1/2 inch wood screw
2 404033 #10 flat washer 1-3/4 inch

4 017937 Plastic foot
4 400159 #10-32 x 3/4 machine screw
4 404080 #10 flat washer

15

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

2 Chambers Street

Binghamton, NY 13903

The continuous improvement of its products is the
policy of McIntosh Laboratory Incorporated who
reserve the right to improve design without notice.
Printed in the U.S.A.

McIntosh Part No. 04109200