McIntosh MC1502 Vacuum Tube Amplifier

The McIntosh MC1502 is a 150-watt-per-channel vacuum tube stereo power amplifier — essentially the higher-power sibling to the iconic MC275 (75W per channel). For listeners who want the character of tube amplification but need more power than the MC275 delivers, the MC1502 offers the same fundamental McIntosh tube architecture with double the output, in the same chrome-plated single-chassis form factor.

Like the MC275, the MC1502 uses McIntosh’s celebrated Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformers — the patented topology that allows vacuum tube amplifiers to deliver rated power into any speaker load without the impedance-matching limitations of conventional tube designs. The 150W stereo output drives demanding loudspeakers where the MC275’s 75W may fall short: larger floor-standing designs, complex multi-way crossovers, and loudspeakers with impedance dips into the low single digits.

Sentry Monitor protects the output tubes against short circuits and improper loading. Solid Cinch speaker binding posts deliver mechanical connection quality. McIntosh signature aesthetics with exposed output tubes, chrome-plated chassis top, and the classic McIntosh dual-meter face. In an all-McIntosh system, the MC1502 pairs naturally with the C22 Mk V (also vacuum tube), the C2800 (tube preamp), or the C12000 preamplifier’s tube output stage — tube-plus-tube from source through amplification.

At $14,000 in current McIntosh pricing, the MC1502 is available at LMC. Walk in during business hours or book ahead for a prepared listening session against the specific loudspeakers you are considering pairing it with — the MC1502 is the answer for listeners who want the MC275 character with the power to drive full-scale reference loudspeakers.