Were we to land the Lotto numbers this weekend, we’d be at a McIntosh dealer Monday morning to hand over the readies for our MC312.

Our money would buy a model that replaces the well-regarded MC302, so we’d be getting Mc’s latest and greatest. Mind you, we wouldn’t knock back an MC302 were it to be offered with a sweet end-of-model discount.

That’s how highly we regard any of McIntosh’s amplifiers past or present. They seldom miss a beat and power on for decades without a hint of stress.

We’d expect the new MC312 to provide the same Everest level of sonic enjoyment and reliability.

Rated at 300 watts per channel into 8 ohms, the MC312 will happily drive just about any speaker in our arsenal. Even the wicked Wilson Audio Sasha whose impedance dips to an amp torturing 2.6 ohms at 100Hz.

Moreover, McIntosh tells us this amp will also deliver 300 watts per channel into 2 and 4-ohm speaker loads as well.

The MC312 has many improvements compared to the MC302. The filter capacity has been doubled to increase dynamic headroom by 27 percent taking this from 1.8dB to 2.3dB.

Stylistically, once a Mc always a Mc. New direct backlit LEDs illuminating the front panel add a touch of modernity.

And audio output transformers built into new enclosures capped by a single cover that has glass inserts that show the wiring diagram for each transformer looks ritzy.

Monogrammed heat sinks are swish, and the amp’s eco-friendly power management system fills our tree-hugging heart with a warm pulsating glow.

The MC312 comes with both RCA and balanced XLR outputs, handy to bi or tri-amp speakers.

Power up the MC312 and lounge back enjoying its superbly made stainless steel chassis, iconic black glass front panel, illuminated logo and control knobs, aluminium end caps and a pair of fast responding blue power meters. Roll on Lotto.

The Mcintosh MC312 will ship this month and will sell in Australia for $14,995 RRP.

For more information visit McIntosh.