McIntosh MC257 7-Channel Power Amplifier

250 Wpc into 4 or 8 ohms with three channels driven, or 200 Wpc with all seven channels driven

The McIntosh MC257 is a 7-channel solid-state power amplifier designed to power a complete multichannel home theater system from a single chassis. With the three front channels operating, it delivers 250 W per channel into either 4 or 8 ohms. With all seven channels operating, it delivers 200 W per channel into 4 or 8 ohms.

Dynamic Power Manager® technology allows the MC257 to deliver its full rated power into either 4- or 8-ohm loudspeakers. Its substantial filter capacity provides 3.3 dB of dynamic headroom, while five McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™ dissipate heat silently without the need for cooling fans.

The TripleView™ Power Output Meter displays the real-time output of the front left, center, and right channels. Power Guard® protects loudspeakers against clipping and overdriving, while Sentry Monitor™ provides fuse-free short-circuit protection. Seven balanced and seven unbalanced inputs accommodate a wide range of surround processors and system configurations.

Features

• 250 W per channel into 4 or 8 ohms with three front channels operating
• 200 W per channel into 4 or 8 ohms with all seven channels operating
• Dynamic Power Manager®
• Seven balanced and seven unbalanced analog inputs
• TripleView™ Power Output Meter
• Power Guard® signal overload protection
• Sentry Monitor™ short-circuit protection
• Five McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™
• Gold-plated speaker binding posts
• Fanless cooling
• Remote Power Control
• Polished stainless steel chassis

Specifications

Power Output: 250 W per channel into 4 or 8 ohms with three front channels operating; 200 W per channel into 4 or 8 ohms with all seven channels operating

Number of Channels: 7

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 108 dB below rated output

Dynamic Headroom: 3.3 dB

Damping Factor: >70 into 4 ohms; >140 into 8 ohms

Rated Power Band: 20 Hz–20 kHz

Circuit Configuration: Push-pull complementary

Circuit Design: Solid state

Output Type: Direct coupled with Dynamic Power Manager®

Balanced Inputs: 7

Meters: TripleView™ Power Output Meter

Dimensions (H × W × D): 9-7/16" × 17-1/2" × 21" (239 × 445 × 533 mm)

Weight: 95 lb. (43 kg)