The McIntosh 1700 is a hybrid receiver. It has solid state preamp and amp sections but a tube tuner section. Made from 1967 till 1973 it retailed for $599.00. It is rated at 40 watts per channel in to 8 ohms. The retro futuristic design of the knobs is a distinct feature of the McIntosh which went by the wayside during the 70’s when the clean Tech look came in to vogue.
While McIntosh was known for its build quality and reliability there are a few idiosyncrasies related to these units. The power switch was integrated into the volume knob. Many of these switches have long since failed. Replacement parts are not available so many owner’s bypass the switch and use an external switch such as a power strip to turn the unit on or off.
Early versions of the McIntosh 1700 controlled Loudness via a switch and had one set of speaker outputs. Later versions moved the loudness control to the Balance knob and incorporated 2 speaker outputs in back.
The McIntosh 1700 sells for $500-$1000 depending upon condition and optional wood case.
