McIntosh MA 230 – High End Stereo Equipment We Buy

McIntosh is one of the most dependable brand names when it comes to high-end audio systems. For years the brand has been recognized by audiophiles throughout the world as equipment that delivers clear and consistent quality in music. McIntosh is probably best known for its amplifiers and preamps, but the company produces many other components and parts for stereo and home theatre.

What are the specs for the McIntosh MA 230?

Power output:
30 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response:
15Hz to 70kHz
Total harmonic distortion:
0.5%
Damping factor:
10
Input sensitivity:
1.5mV (MM), 250mV (line)
Signal to noise ratio:
60dB (MM), 75dB (line)
Speaker load impedance:
4Ω to 16Ω
Semiconductors:
8 x 2N2926, 4 x 11BQ101
Valve complement:
4 x 7591, 2 x 12AU7, 1 x 12AX7
Dimensions:
16 x 5-7/16 x 14-1/2 inches
Weight:
43lbs

What else to know about the McIntosh MA 230?

"I had a MA230 for five years back in the '70s, McIntosh's first integrated amp. It was a solid state preamp with a tube power amp. I bought it from the original owner, but it had a bad frying noise in the right channel, so he hadn't used it in years. I paid $250 for it. A McIntosh clinic came to town about a month later, and a fine gentleman named Dave O'Brien repaired it with all new transistors and capacitors in the preamp for both channels, explaining to me that the old transistors from 1963 were not as quiet as the newer 1974 transistors he was installing. He also installed a complete set of new tubes, all at no charge. He never looked at a service manual or a schematic while he was working on the preamp, and I asked him about that. He told me he knew the MA230 like the back of his hand. When he was done with the repairs, the amp tested 20Hz to 20KHz flat at 30 watts per channel with .5% distoration. I got a graph from Dave that showed the performance of my MA230. He placed a silver label on the back of the chassis with his initials and the date, and I carried the amp home. It performed flawlessly. Three years later the McIntosh clinic returned to town, so I carried the MA230 back down to the stereo store just to see how it was doing. Dave O'Brien was still doing the clinics. Although he didn't remember me, he immediately recognized his initials on the silver label he had put on the chassis. He smiled, and I could see he was proud of his work. He tested the MA230, and it was still in spec. He installed a new set of output tubes just for fun, I think, and a second silver label with his initials and date. Again, no charge. He gave me my new performance graph, and back home I went with my amp. Man, those were the good old days. Two years later a friend offered me $500 for the MA230, so I sold it, took that money and $500 more, went to the McIntosh dealer and bought a brand new MAC1900 receiver. It was amazing, I paid $250 for the MA230, it was repaired by McIntosh for free, including new tubes twice, I enjoyed it for five years, and sold it for a $250 profit. That was a sweet deal. Naturally, I have very fond memories of the MA230. I wish I had kept it. Dave O'Brien passed away in 2007, and I would like to be able to still see his initials on those two McIntosh service clinic stickers. Hind sight is always 20/20." - AudioKarma.org

Brief History of McIntosh

Long mapped-to Binghamton New York – the current headquarters and manufacturing center for McIntosh Labs – not many people know the brand was originally launched outside of the Nation’s Capital in Silver Spring Maryland, in 1949. In 1956, the brand built their original facility in New York, according to the official brand website.

Other McIntosh Products We Often Buy

Typically, StereoBuyers purchases mostly used amplifiers, especially the vintage amps and high-end McIntosh models such as the MC202 or MC252, and the C220 preamp, for example. We have also purchased many pre-owned tuners from McIntosh over the recent years, including the MR67 and MR78 models, for example.

StereoBuyers has purchased tens of thousands worth McIntosh brand equipment since 2014, with individual buys ranging from $100 to well over $50,000. If you are moving, ready to upgrade, or have McIntosh equipment you do not or will not be using, why not contact us today to find out if it is worth good money?

If you are interested in selling your used McIntosh equipment to us in the greater NYC area or Colorado, please click here to fill out a Free Quote Form and we will get back to you. If we agree on terms, we come to meet you where you want, and pay cash.

The following images show actual McIntosh equipment purchased by StereoBuyers.