Great amp. Smooth with plenty of power for my Magnepans.

Need a simple adapter that goes from spade to banana plug to use good cables. Amazon has them. 1/4 inch spade.

Sound is wonderful, well balanced.

The speaker cables connectors and very small, hard to pit large cable in place. I am looking for options. If anyone has suggestions please share.

This is my first Mcintosh and can't stop loving it.

I've got a full set of tube gears from the 1960s Dynaco, pair with a nice Focal ARIA 906 bookshelf. Purchase this MC2105 meant to be the power amp for my 2nd system of a pair of floor standers. I can say this Mcintosh sounds just like tube maybe only a bit shy on the airy full body vocals, but the low end is very taut and solid, better than the Dynaco.

I used to have a SS power amp (Anthem MCA20), I sold it because it's a bit hash and bright overall, I even had to add a tube buffer to smooth it down. But with Mcintosh MC2105, I can enjoy music for hours without being bored.

A true keeper.

In 1976 I acquired a used 2105 and C-28 for $950.00 plus tax from a small shop in Indianapolis. A 2105 on eBay in 2014 Dec reveals typical issues with vintage amps: "it blew a resistor a day later. I took the stereo to a repair shop and they said it has bad capacitors and a resistor. The repairman said there was NO problem with the 2 LARGE capacitors. They replaced the resistor, but not the capacitors"

In 1973 I purchased a new Kenwood 8004 integrated amp for $300. The Kenwood was rated at 60 but actual output was 66 and 68 with distortion levels below McIntosh specs for tube and solid state. Still have the graph from that McIntosh amp clinic. The Kenwood performance line was almost indistinguishable from the the bottom line of the graph frame.

Flash forward 41 years and the Kenwood still performs like a champ without any service issues. Was on the verge of taking it to a shop but cleaning the input jacks with steel wool solved the static problem. Unlike the Mc it can drive six speakers simultaneously. Got rid of the McIntosh long ago.

For years I have tried to get my hands on one of these for cheap. I would read stories on message boards of people buying McIntosh gear at estate sales for $20 a pop, or finding them on the side of the road in perfect condition. About a month ago I found a MC2105 that was "immaculate, stored for 30 years." I bought it for a song and brought it to a technician to have a look at it. Cosmetically, yes, it was immaculate, but it did have some electronic issues.

I called McIntosh directly and they were super friendly on the phone, all the parts I needed were in stock and not terribly expensive. About a week later my tech had completed a full restoration of my amp, everything from the output transistors to the capacitors. When I brought it home, I mated it with my JBL 4312a Control Monitors, new old stock PS Audio 4.6 Preamplifier, and modified Technics 1200 MK2. I was floored. I've heard plenty of McIntosh gear over the years, but there's something different about hearing it in your own home.

Like others have said, it is a very musical amplifier, I think that is what I like about it most, it is very pleasant. The official specs say that the damping factor at 8 ohms is 10 and 18 at 4. That would lead some to believe that the bass is not tight or refined, however, I find the bass on my 2105 to be very good. I would describe it as stately, not boomy or muddy. The autoformers ensure clean and distortionless power delivery at 4,8 or 16 ohms without clipping. I can listen to this amplifier for hours, at almost any volume, without fatigue.

Before I had the 2105, I had a Pioneer SX-980, a Sony STR-7065 and a pair of SAE Mark 2500 amplifiers. In comparison I found the Pioneer to be too bright and a little dry, the Sony to be pleasant but lacking enough power for my needs, and the SAE amplifiers to be too much power with poor reliability. All of the pieces of gear I owned before this, while good in their own right, did not suit my needs and tastes the same way the 2105 does.

For me, the years of waiting paid off, and I am thankful that I was able to get this amplifier and a full restoration for less than the price of an unrestored example on ebay or audiogon. I encourage anyone who has an interest in this amplifier, or McIntosh gear in general, to give it a shot. Even if you hate it (which I doubt you will) you can ALWAYS sell it and make your money back. As for me, I will never sell this amplifier, never. I'm selling off all of my other gear only because I don't see myself listening to it now that my McIntosh is in the house.

i have had my mcintosh 2105 for more tha two years, absolute heaven, using it with mc7007 cd player, c34 preamp. cant beat the sound, i have had em all. as for one guy here who suggest using this amp with speakers 94 dcbl or lesss. get a life, i am using them with klipschorns, 104 dcbls at one watt. again absolute heaven. so for the guy who said this, get some real speakers before you knock maqc equipment...................

very good reserve of power on all louspeaker. very solid constuction, very musical….

none.....very heavy

very very good, in any style of music.
sound opened, very to detail, very clean low frequency, very fluid medium, very precise treble, one of the best amplifier, than I have to listen

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other mcintosh, krell, accuphase,mark levinson, citation 16, phase linear, musical fidelity, quad.......

Looks good, absoultely facinating.
Sounds classy
Feels good to own them

The acrilyic front panel is not made to last long, thats a flaw.
Should have been provided with an optional rubber base.

I bought the Mcintosh MC2105 power amp and the C28 Pre amp from a dealer in Mumbai-India, last month. I realised immediately that this will not sound good but also looks fantastic. Unfortunately when I thought they would drive my Infinity Ref 2.5 vintage speakers, I was in for a shock, they were sounding awful. Then I decided to plug in my JBL 4311B control monitor speakers. That was it. They both sounded heavenly. I was very jubiliant. I had never heard a better sound before.

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yamaha dsp 2070, nakamichi stasis pa5, HK 6600, rogers tube amp(vintage), SAE

Musical sound, that ive never heard before. Solid build heavy, autoformers..just a nice solid amp that can last for years an years to come.

CRITICAL ! Specially what kind of speakers...
My tip is dont put this amp onto speakers that have 94db of senstivity. Just put on a speaker that is about 83db or something. So that youre sure that must put in the amps power into that speakers.

Dont try this amp on infinty classics, unless youre a kappa 9 owner or something.

Well what can is say, its a very strange amp! Not only because of the retro looks (It's from like 1969) Ik love the looks after a few days of adjusting to it offcourse.

The sound is tricky, we tested it with Infinity QE speakers. Did not work, harsh sounding no control at the high regions. And no low frequenty respons. With The Driade 103mkII (Topmodel of that brand a true legend) The same thing happend. LOTS of detail in the high and mid range. Yet again no low frequenty respons. Reallt annoying fact!!

Seen the fact i own a Dynaco st80 tube amp, And a audiolab m480 amp. Put them on those speakers and the ROCK ! With the MC2105 nothing ! Then gentlemen i had my last hope. The gigant Magnepan MG1 out of the 70'. Modified with supertweeters. Iff this is'nt gonna work then i trow away the MCintosh for sure.

We did it put the Mcintosh c26 pre-amp and the Mcintosh mc2105 onto the magnepans. As source we used a dual 503-1 turntable and a modified Sony xa50es cdplayer. Till our suprise ! THE ROCKED!!

FINALLY !! IT WORKS! i was so thrilled at that moment. Because you buy something and it does'nt work with the easy speakers. But with de magnepan the amp suddenly whas alive and kicking. What a dynamics and very good solid low region all of a sudden. We used Direct master vinyl of Norah jones,sara k,diana Krall..and stuff. Really nice the best sound i have right now ! And believe me folks, i had ALOT OF STUFF before is bought my mcintosh.

Now i'm very happy with my mcintosh set-up just bought meself a Mc1900 receiver that i want to use a tuner. It does'nt fit nicely with the c26 and mc2105..but who cares it works like a charm.

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To much to right down....

All, Sound stage, sweetness,power, respect of the true source reproduction,Surprisingly valve like sounding,High quality components, Build to last for last, emotional and moving midrange, ease, to use, Deserves respect from audio community

None

We people, most of us think that GOD will come from the sky while we are forgetting that HE is here within us in our every day life and steps. We just have to search and identify HIM. I spent the last 20 years accumulating audio gears of all sorts and prices. Vintage to modern and just realise that what I have been running after is just there and it is just a matter of identifying him. Yes “him” because the MC2105 amplifier sounds just like the sweet voice of your most desired woman inviting you for the first time in her bed covered with silk bed sheet. A very experienced electronic engineer told me one day that audio gears of nowadays are just build to attract mainly by appearance, than the sweat, love and passion most audio designer put in the project of elaborating decent and close to natural sounding audio gears over the first half of the 20th century. Well I agree with him in the common sense that I have spent over a year income on audio gears and surprisingly delighted by some even never reviewed because they were ignored, or because they are not from High street famous names. Have a Baldwin type AD organ quad 6L6 vintage tone cabinet amplifier driven by a decent preamp and compare its sound reproduction with an aluminium face plated 3 figure worth modern amplifier and post your listening feelings. It’s until 8 weeks ago, I got a call from(now) a good friend in Canada. H e desperately wanted my HH SCOOT Stereomaster 380 unsold on Ebay and offered me a trade deal. A McIntosh MC2105 and MX113 preamp serviced to new. I will pass the details of our arrangement. Six weeks later, I went to collect them at Heathrow cargo (UK). US$600 shipping plus £120 duty charge. It’s becoming too expensive. I am a passionate of speakers and have a collection of 26 pairs form Rogers LS3/5a to TDL Reference Monitors and KEF reference 107. It took me few minutes to connect the MC2105 to the LS3/5a and my faithful Micromega Stage 2 and started with classical records on a Thorens TD 124 II and Hadcock GE 242 Tonearm and Ortofon cartridge. The best existing bookshelf speaker or monitor can never reproduce a better low frequency spectrum than a lower quality cabinet with a 12 “ bass driver. But there I come back to my assumption of the beginning : We spend our life looking for GOD in the sky with HE is within us. I have spent a fortune over twenty years while the MC2105 was just there it’s just a matter of pocket. Then my poor children have to suffer to help me bring heavy KEF 107 and TDL reference monitor and other brand speakers from the loft. MC2105 is the one of , if not the best sounding solid state amplifier I ever listen. I AM JUST WONDERING WHAT CAME ACROSS MCINTOSH INGINEER’S MIND WHEN THE ARE DESIGNING SUCH INCREDIBLE, Powerful, Sexy sounding ,Attractive and mostly the final marathon stop for who knows what it sounds like. The beginning of the answer to this question is What came to GOD’s mind when HE took HIS pencil and stated drawing that most desired woman and her voice inviting you to the silk bed? I am grateful to McIntosh Labs If you come across any, even over $1200, buy it. Who will regret it ?

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lot of money