McIntosh announced the MC3500 Vacuum Tube Amplifier Mk II. The amplifier offers 350 Watts of power and is upgraded with modern components. The MC3500 Mk II uses McIntosh’s Unity Coupled Circuit output transformer, allowing the full 350 Watts to be safely delivered to the speaker. It has a fully balanced driver section that utilizes three 12AX7A and one 12AT7 vacuum tube, while the output is powered by eight EL509S high-power output vacuum tubes. All the vacuum tubes are located behind the power and output transformers and are covered by a 12-gauge stainless steel wire cage.

MC3500 offers the following features:

• McIntosh’s Power Guard Screen Grid Sensor (SGS) technology to prevent premature vacuum tube failure
• Sentry Monitor technology actively observes the output current to ensure operation within safe limits
• Balanced and unbalanced input(s) connect with home audio systems and multi-amp configurations
• McIntosh’s patented, gold-plated Solid Cinch speaker binding posts securely attach to the speaker cables

The Mk II includes U-shaped side rails, a unique feature that provided strength and durability when the original amps were used on the road. The Mk II also has replicated the black rubber bumpers found in the original amps that allowed them to be temporarily set upright for shows. The front panel is machined aluminum with a bead blast finish and gold anodizing that emulates the original MC3500. The Mk II version includes an output meter that uses a variation of McIntosh’s DualView Power Output Meter design; the top scale shows the power output in both watts and decibels while the bottom scale shows the amplifier warmup time.

The MC3500  is now available for order and is $15,000.