McIntosh has launched the MI502 2-Channel Digital Amplifier, a Class D power amp which forms part of the company’s expansion of its ‘Ci-Fi’ (Custom Install Fidelity) portfolio. The new amp offers 500 watts of power into 8 ohms or 800 watts into 4 ohms, making it primed for the CI market for dedicated home theaters or home audio systems.
The amplifier uses a closed-loop digital switching tech with resilient power supplies to produce “groundbreaking” performance levels for custom installation projects. The MI502 is designed to power the front left and right speakers in a home cinema system, or alternatively drive two in-wall subwoofers. A pair of the models can also drive three home cinema front channels and one subwoofer, or multiples of the MI502 can be used for multi-room systems.
The unit is rack-mountable with a 2U height and Class D amplification means the amplifier does not require noisy cooling fans to maintain a nominal operating temperature. The front panel features two blue McIntosh watt meters showing power output of each channel, while multi-colour LED indicators display the status of each channel. The rear panel includes a pair of balanced and unbalanced inputs to connect to preamplifiers. McIntosh’s standard five-way speaker binding posts are also included.
The front of the unit sports the McIntosh trademark black-glass front panel, an illuminated McIntosh logo and silver trim. Further onboard technologies include McIntosh’s Power Guard signal overload prevention, Sentry Monitor short circuit protection which disengages the output before the current exceeds safe levels, and there are 12-volt trigger capabilities. The MI502 is available from US authorized McIntosh dealers for an MSRP of $4,500 USD.
Martin, a seasoned journalist and AV expert, has written for several notable print magazines. He’s served in key roles at Lucasfilm’s THX Division, NEC’s digital cinema division, and has even consulted for DreamWorks. Despite his illustrious career, Martin remains rooted in his passion for cinema and acting, with notable appearances in several Spielberg films, Doctor Who, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He currently resides in San Francisco.
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