Rock ‘n’ roll would look very different without Sun Records. Launching the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison, just to name a few, the independent Memphis label was also one of the earliest advocates for diversity, giving blues musicians like B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf a platform in their early days. Sun Records can still be visited in its original location at 706 Union Avenue — and if you’re ever in the area, you should definitely pay a visit, where you can tour the original grounds and even “sing” on an actual mic used by Elvis himself.
Celebrating the iconic studio, McIntosh Laboratory has now come out with a special Sun Records Edition of its MTI100 Integrated Turntable, which should be grail-worthy for anyone who appreciates music history.
Engineering Excellence Meets Musical Heritage
The MTI100 has always been an anomaly in McIntosh’s catalog. While the Binghamton company built its reputation on separate components with those iconic blue meters, the MTI100 represents their understanding that modern audio lovers want high-end sound without needing to make space for equipment racks and preamps.
Strip away the new custom Sun Records glass plinth and matching felt slipmat, and you’re looking at one of the most complete audio solutions available. There’s a belt-drive turntable with a hefty 7-pound aluminum platter, 50-watt Class D amplifier (80 watts into 4 ohms), vacuum tube preamplifier powered by dual 12AX7 tubes, shielded phono stage, Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, digital inputs, and high-drive headphone amplifier. The only thing missing is speakers and the vinyl records themselves.
The Warmth of the Sun
While Sun Records captured raw performances that revealed the emotional core of American music, McIntosh has always built equipment designed to reproduce those recordings with absolute fidelity, preserving every detail that made them special.
A lesser collaboration would’ve merely slapped on a decal or logo but the Sun Records branding here feels authentically inspired, like a new product entirely. The custom-printed glass plinth uses the same 3/8-inch material found on McIntosh’s premium amplifiers, sitting atop a 1/4-inch metal plate for mass and vibration resistance, which is crucial when extracting every nuance from mono Elvis pressings or Jerry Lee Lewis piano rolls.
Hardcore audiophiles will appreciate the pair of 12AX7 vacuum tubes, which provide harmonic warmth to their playback. Meanwhile, the integrated Class D amplifier delivers clean power without heat and bulk. The shielded phono preamplifier sits in a custom enclosure to prevent interference, because after all, vinyl playback will only be as good as the first amplification stage.
The included Sumiko Olympia Moving Magnet cartridge has an upgraded stylus and cantilever to provide dynamic punch for Sun’s energetic recordings, all while maintaining an impressive 12Hz to 30kHz frequency response, which favors musical engagement over precision. It’s for people who actually want to enjoy their music, not critique it.
A Collector’s Celebration of American Music
A celebration of American musical heritage from a company that helped define American audio engineering, this limited-edition turntable will be released in a “very small quantity.” The accompanying McIntosh SESSIONS Volume 2: Pure Johnny Cash vinyl set ($150) provides the perfect material to test out the unit, featuring 18 tracks remastered from original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at 45 RPM. You’ll need the McIntosh turntable to get the job done.
Spec Sheet
Model: MTI100 Integrated Turntable Sun Records Limited Edition
Type: Belt-drive turntable with integrated amplifier and preamplifier
Playback Speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 RPM (manual speed change)
Power Output: 50W per channel (8Ω), 80W per channel (4Ω)
Cartridge: Sumiko Olympia Moving Magnet
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, digital coaxial/optical, analog input, subwoofer output
Preamp Tubes: Dual 12AX7 vacuum tubes
Dimensions: 19.25″ × 6.75″ × 14″
Weight: 33.5lbs
Limited Edition Features: Custom Sun Records glass plinth, matching felt slipmat
Pricing & Availability
Available now exclusively in the U.S. from McIntosh’s online store, the MTI100 Sun Records Limited Edition is priced at $8,500 — a $500 premium over the standard MTI100. Again, the unit will only see a very limited production run, so act fast if you want to add this unit to your media room.
Recap
McIntosh MTI100 Integrated Turntable Sun Records Limited Edition
The legendary audio firm celebrates one of the most iconic record labels in the world with this Sun Records edition of its top-shelf MTI100 Integrated Turntable, featuring a tube preamp and a custom Sun Records glass plinth.
