McIntosh MC202 User manual

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 139 3-2699 Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]
Owners
Manual
MC202
MC202 Power Amplifier

2
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS!
PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.
WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK OF
FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO
NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE.
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.
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.
The e clamation point within an equi-
lateral triangle is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servic-
ing) instructions in the literature ac-
companying the appliance.
General:
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Warning: To reduce risk of fire or electrical shock,
do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
This unit is capable of producing high sound pres-
sure levels. ontinued exposure to high sound pres-
sure levels can cause permanent hearing impair-
ment or loss. User caution is advised and ear protec-
tion is recommended when playing at high volumes.
6. aution: to prevent electrical shock do not use this
(polarized) plug with an extension cord, receptacle
or other outlet unless the blades can be fully in-
serted to prevent blade exposure.
Attention: pour pevenir les chocs elecriques pas
utiliser cette fiche polarisee avec un prolongateur,
une prise de courant ou un autre sortie de courant,
sauf si les lames peuvent etre inserees afond ans en
laisser aucune partie a decouvert.
7. Unplug this equipment during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
Installation:
9. The equipment shall be installed near the AC Socket
Outlet and the disconnect device shall be easily acces-
sible.
10. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accor-
dance with the manufacturers instructions.
11. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other equipment (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
12. Do not use this equipment near water.
13. 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.
14. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table specified by the manu-
facturer, or sold with the equipment.
When a cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/equipment combination
to avoid injury from tip-over.
onnection:
15. Connect this equipment only to the type of AC power
source as marked on the unit.
16. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the equipment.
17. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug.

3
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.
1 . Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords or inte-
gral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk
of fire or electric shock.
19. To completely disconnect this equipment from the AC
Mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the
AC receptacle.
are of Equipment:
20. Clean only with a dry cloth.
21. Do not permit objects or liquids of any kind to be
pushed, spilled and/or fall into the equipment through
enclosure openings.
22. Unplug the power cord from the AC power outlet
when left unused for a long period of time.
Repair of Equipment:
23. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Ser-
vicing is required when the equipment has been dam-
aged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is
damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
into the equipment, the equipment has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has
been dropped.
24. Do not attempt to service beyond that described in the
operating instructions. All other service should be re-
ferred to qualified service personnel.
25. When replacement parts are required, be sure the ser-
vice technician has used replacement parts specified by
McIntosh or have the same characteristics as the origi-
nal part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire,
electric shock, or other hazards.
26. Upon completion of any service or repairs to this prod-
uct, ask the service technician to perform safety checks
to determine that the product is in proper operating
condition.
Customer Service
Technical Assistance
Please Take A Moment
Thank You
Copyright 2000 ã by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
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:
Your decision to own this McIntosh MC202 Power Ampli-
fier ranks you at the very top among discriminating music
listeners. You now have The Best. The McIntosh dedica-
tion 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.
Serial Number:
Purchase Date:
Dealer Name:
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 as-
sistance 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]
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 addi-
tional help concerning a suspected problem, you can re-
ceive technical assistance for all McIntosh products at:
McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

4
Performance eatures
Introduction and Performance eatures
Introduction
·Power Output
The MC202 consists of two separate power amplifier chan-
nels, each capable of 200 watts into 2, 4 or ohm speakers
with less than 0.005% distortion.
·High urrent Output
A peak output current of 50 amperes per channel ensures
that the MC202 will successfully drive high quality loud-
speakers such as McIntosh for a truly exciting sound expe-
rience.
·Power Guard
Both channels include the patented McIntosh Power Guard
circuit that prevents the amplifier from being overdriven
into clipping, with its harsh distorted sound that can also
damage your valuable loudspeakers.
·Sentry Monitor and Thermal Protection
McIntosh Sentry Monitor power output stage protection
circuits ensure the MC202 will have a long and trouble free
operating life. Built-in Thermal Protection Circuits guard
against overheating.
·Patented Autoformers
McIntosh designed and manufactured Output Autoformers
provide an ideal match between the amplifier output stages
and speaker loads of 2, 4 and ohms. The Autoformers
also provide perfect DC protection for your valuable loud-
speakers.
·Illuminated Power Meters
The Illuminated Power Output Meters on the MC202 are
peak responding, and indicate the power output of the am-
plifier. The Peak Watt Hold Mode allows the meters to
temporarily stay at the highest power output and then
slowly decay.
Now you can take advantage of traditional McIntosh stan-
dards of excellence in the MC202 Power Amplifier. Two
200 watt high current output channels will drive any high
quality loudspeaker system to its ultimate performance.
The MC202 reproduction is sonically transparent and abso-
lutely accurate. The McIntosh Sound is The Sound of the
Music Itself.
Table of Contents
Safety Instructions ............................................................ 2
Thank You and Please Take a Moment............................. 3
Technical Assistance and Customer Service .................... 3
Table of Contents and General Notes ............................... 4
Introduction ...................................................................... 4
Performance Features ....................................................... 4
Dimensions ....................................................................... 5
Installation ........................................................................ 6
Rear Panel Connections and Switch ................................. 7
How to Connect for Stereo ...............................................
How to Connect for Mono .............................................. 10
Front Panel Displays and Controls ................................. 12
How to Operate ............................................................... 13
Technical Description ..................................................... 14
Notes ............................................................................... 17
Specifications ................................................................. 1
Packing Instruction ......................................................... 19
General Notes
1. The following Connecting Cable is available from the
McIntosh Parts Department:
Power Control Cable Part No. 170-202
Six foot, conductor shielded, with two 1/8 inch stereo
mini phone plugs.
. For additional connection information, refer to the owners
manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the MC 0 .
3. The MC 0 mutes the speaker outputs for approximately two
seconds when first turned on.
4. It is very important that loudspeaker cables of adequate size
be used, so that there will be no power loss. The size is
specified in Gauge Numbers or AWG, (American Wire Gauge).
The smaller the Gauge number, the larger the wire size:
If your loudspeaker cables are 50 feet (38.1m) or less,
use at least 14 Gauge.
If your loudspeaker cables are 100 feet (76. m) or less,
use at least 1 Gauge.
5. Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced Input connectors on
the MC 0 : PIN 1: Shield or ground
PIN : + input
PIN 3: - input
6. In the event that the MC 0 over heats, 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 MC 0 has returned to a safe operating
temperature, normal operation will resume.

5
MC202 Dimensions
The following dimensions can assist in determining the
best location for your MC202. There is additional informa-
tion on the next page pertaining to installing the MC202
into cabinets.
MC202 Dimensions
17- 1/2 "
44.45cm
4- 5/8 "
11.75cm
6"
15.24cm
17"
43.18cm
18- 3/4 "
47.62cm
3/16 "
0.48cm
4- 13/16 "
27.30cm
14"
35.56cm
1"
2.54cm
13- 1/4 "
33.65cm
17"
43.18cm
5/8 "
1.59cm
Front View of the MC202
Rear View of the MC202
Side View of the MC202
5- 7/16 "
13.81cm
13/16 "
2.06cm

6
Installation
The MC202 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 MC202 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 MC202 is removed from the custom instal-
lation and used free standing. It also can be custom in-
stalled in a piece of furniture or cabinet of your choice The
required panel cut-
out, ventilation cut-
out and unit dimen-
sions are shown.
Always provide
adequate ventilation
for your MC202.
Cool operation en-
sures the longest
possible operating
life for any elec-
tronic instrument.
Do not install the
MC202 directly
above a heat gener-
ating component
such as a high pow-
ered amplifier. If all
the components are
installed in a single
cabinet, a quiet run-
ning ventilation fan
can be a definite
asset in maintaining
all the system com-
ponents at the
coolest possible op-
erating temperature.
A custom cabi-
net installation
should provide the
following minimum
spacing dimensions
for cool operation.
Allow at least 6
inches (15.24 cm)
above the top, 2
inches (3. 1cm) be-
low the bottom and
Installation
4- 7/8 "
12.38cm
17 - 1/16 "
43.34cm
Cutout Opening for Custom Mounting
MC202 Front Panel
Custom Cabinet Cutout
6"
15.24cm
16"
40.64cm
13 - 1/2 "
34.29cm
15-1 /16 "
38.26cm
25/32 "
1.98cm
Cutout Opening
for Ventilation
Cutout Opening for Ventilation
Support
Shelf
Cabinet
Front
Panel
Chassis
Spacers
Opening
for Ventilation
MC202 Side View
in Custom Cabinet
MC202 Bottom View
in Custom Cabinet
1 "
2.54cm
1 inch (2.54 cm) on each side of the amplifier, so that air-
flow is not obstructed. Allow 20 inches (50. cm) depth
behind the front panel. Allow 1 inch (2.54 cm) in front of
the mounting panel for knob clearance. Be sure to cut out a
ventilation hole in the mounting shelf according to the di-
mensions in the drawing.

7
UNBALANCED INPUTS
for audio cables from a
preamplifier or control
center audio outputs
MC202 Rear Panel Connections and Switch
Connect the MC 0
power cord to a live
AC outlet. Refer to
information on the
back panel to deter-
mine the correct
voltage
BALANCED INPUTS
for audio cables from a
preamplifier or control
center audio outputs
POWER CONTROL IN
receives turn on/off sig-
nals from a McIntosh
component and the
POWER CONTROL OUT
sends that turn on/off sig-
nal to the next McIntosh
component
MODE switch selects
STEREO or MONO
BRIDGE modes of
operation
Main Fuse holder,
refer to information
on the back panel
of your MC 0 to
determine the cor-
rect fuse size and
rating
RIGHT OUTPUT
Connections for
, 4 or 8 ohm
loudspeakers
LEFT OUTPUT
Connections for
, 4 or 8 ohm
loudspeakers

8
How to Connect the MC202 for Stereo
Caution: The supplied AC Power Cord should not be
connected to the Rear Panel of the C202
Amplifier until after the Loudspeaker Connections
have been made and the supplied protective
Terminal Connection Covers has been installed.
Failure to observe this could result in Electric
Shock.
1. For Remote Power Control, connect a power control
cable from the Control Center or Preamplifier Power
Control Out to the MC202 Power Control In.
2. Connect cables from the Balanced Outputs of a McIn-
tosh Preamplifier or Control Center to the MC202 Bal-
anced Inputs.
Note: An optional hookup is to use unbalanced cables.
3. Prepare the Loudspeaker Hookup Cables that attach to
the MC202 Power Amplifier by choosing one of the
methods below:
Bare wire cable ends:
Carefully remove sufficient insulation from the cable
ends, refer to figures 1, 2 & 3. If the cable is stranded,
carefully
twist the
strands to-
gether as
tightly as pos-
sible.
Note: If desired, the twisted ends can be tinned with
solder to keep the strands together, or attach spade
lug and/or banana connector.
Spade lug or prepared wire connection:
Insert the spade lug connector or prepared section of
the cable end into the terminal side access hole, and
tighten
the ter-
minal
cap un-
til the
cable is
firmly
clamped
into the terminal so the wires cannot
slip out. Refer to figures 4, 5 & 6.
Banana plug connection:
Insert the banana plug into the hole at the top of the
terminal. Tighten the top portion of the terminal post
and the set screw to secure the banana plug in place.
Note: The use of Banana Plugs is for use in the United
States and Canada only.
4. Connect the loudspeaker hookup cables to the output
terminals that match the impedance of your loudspeak-
ers, being careful to observe the correct polarities. Out-
put impedance connections of 2 ohms, 4 ohms and
ohms are provided. If the impedance of your loud-
speakers is in-between the available connections, use
the nearest lower impedance connection.
WARNING: Loudspeaker terminals are hazardous live
and present a risk of electric shock. For
additional instruction on making
Loudspeaker Connections contact your
cIntosh Dealer or cIntosh Technical
Support.
5. Attach the supplied Terminal Connection Covers with
the four Pan Head Mounting
Screws (6-32 x 5/16 inch) to
the Rear Panel of the MC202
Amplifier. Refer to figures 7
and .
Note: There are four openings
on the bottom edge of the
cover to allow for the
Loudspeakers Cable to
exit the MC 0 .
6. Connect the MC202 power cord to an active AC outlet.
Figure 7
Terminal Connection Covers
Cable
Openings
Cable
Openings
Figure 8

9
McIntosh C41 Preamplifier
To AC Outlet
How to Connect the MC202 for Stereo
Right
Loudspeaker
4 ohm
Left
Loudspeaker
4 ohm

1
How to Connect the MC202 for Mono Bridge
Caution: The supplied AC Power Cord should not be
connected to the Rear Panel of the C202
Amplifier until after the Loudspeaker Connections
have been made and the supplied protective
Terminal Connection Covers has been installed.
Failure to observe this could result in Electric
Shock.
1. For Remote Power Control, connect a power control
cable from the Control Center or Preamplifier Power
Control Out to the MC202 Power Control In.
2. Connect cables from the Balanced Outputs of a McIn-
tosh Preamplifier or Control Center to the MC202 Bal-
anced Input.
Note: An optional hookup is to use unbalanced cable.
3. Prepare the Loudspeaker Hookup Cables that attach to
the MC202 Power Amplifier by choosing one of the
methods below:
Bare wire cable ends:
Carefully remove sufficient insulation from the cable
ends, refer to figures 1, 2 & 3. If the cable is stranded,
carefully
twist the
strands to-
gether as
tightly as pos-
sible.
Note: If
desired, the twisted ends can be tinned with solder
to keep the strands together, or attach spade lug
and/or banana connector.
Spade lug or prepared wire connection:
Insert the spade lug connector or prepared section of
the cable end into the terminal side access hole, and
tighten
the ter-
minal
cap un-
til the
cable is
firmly
clamped into the terminal so the
wires cannot slip out. Refer to fig-
ures 4, 5 & 6.
Banana plug connection:
Insert the banana plug into the hole at the top of the
terminal. Tighten the top portion of the terminal post
and the set screw to secure the banana plug in place.
Note: The use of Banana Plugs is for use in the United
States and Canada only.
4. Connect the loudspeaker hookup cables to the output
terminals that match the impedance of your loudspeak-
ers, being careful to observe the correct polarities. Out-
put impedance connections of 4 ohms, ohms and 16
ohms are provided. If the impedance of your loud-
speaker is in-between the available connections, use
the nearest lower impedance connection.
WARNING: Loudspeaker terminals are hazardous live
and present a risk of electric shock. For
additional instruction on making
Loudspeaker Connections contact your
cIntosh Dealer or cIntosh Technical
Support.
5. Attach the supplied Terminal
Connection Covers with the
four Pan Head Mounting
Screws (6-32 x 5/16 inch) to
the Rear Panel of the MC202
Amplifier. Refer to figures 7
and .
Note: There are four openings
on the bottom edge of the
cover to allow for the Loudspeakers Cable to exit
the MC 0 .
6. Connect the MC202 power cord to an active AC outlet.
Figure 7
Terminal Connection Covers
Cable
Openings
Cable
Openings
Figure 8