McIntosh MPC500

The MPC500 is a power controller from McIntosh, designed to safeguard a hi-fi or home cinema system against irregularities in the mains supply. It is positioned upstream of audio equipment to filter and monitor the power distributed to them.

Its protection relies on several complementary technologies. A thermally protected metal oxide varistor (TPMOV) provides line-to-neutral protection against AC surges, including those caused by lightning. For secondary surges that may occur after the initial event, the MPC500 combines gas discharge tubes (GDT), positive temperature coefficient thermistors (PTC) and transient voltage suppression (TVS) components, to also cover Ethernet and coaxial connections. EMI filtering of the AC line is also built in, along with over-voltage and under-voltage protection that automatically cuts the rear outlets in the event of abnormal voltage. The unit accepts a supply of 100 to 250 VAC / 50 to 60 Hz, for a maximum current of 6 A and a maximum power of 1440 W.

Depending on the version, the MPC500 offers 8 type B1 outlets (NEMA 5-15R) or 4 type F1 outlets (CEE 7/3, known as Schuko), each individually configurable via the rear panel or the front panel menus.

This controller is aimed at owners of audio or home cinema systems comprising several sensitive components, who wish to provide them with filtered power and active protection against electrical incidents, whether for a large multi-source system or a smaller networked configuration.