McIntosh MT5

McIntosh MT5: used price, cartridge changes, and what to check before you buy

By HiFi Registry Staff · Published November 1, 2026

In short: The MT5 is McIntosh's mid-line belt-drive turntable: a magnetically suspended silicone-acrylic platter lit green from below, a factory-fitted 9 inch dural-aluminum tonearm and a pre-mounted Sumiko cartridge in a stainless and acrylic chassis. It arrived in 2013 at $6,500 in the US and now lists at $8,500 with a Sumiko Amethyst moving magnet cartridge. Dealer-certified used units have sold for roughly $4,300 to $5,750, most with the original Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 still fitted. HiFi Registry's recorded sales for this model are in the table further down the page. Prices checked November 1, 2026.

Versions and years

There is one MT5. McIntosh has called it the "MT5 Precision Turntable" from the start, so "Precision" on a listing does not indicate a later version, and McIntosh has announced no mechanical revision. What has changed is the cartridge and the price.

The MT5 was shown at CES in January 2013, where it won a Stars of CES award, and went on sale in the UK that June at £7,495. We could not find a dated announcement of the cartridge change. StereoNET's January 2019 review tested a Blue Point No. 2 unit, Future Audiophile's October 2024 review tested an Amethyst unit, and at least one Blue Point unit was sold used while list was already $8,500, so the switch falls somewhere in that window.

The MT5 sits between two siblings. The MT2 is the smaller deck: a black POM platter, an external power supply, 33 and 45 only, a Sumiko Moonstone moving magnet cartridge, 29 lb. The MT10 is the flagship: the same magnetic-suspension ceramic bearing and silicone-acrylic platter, a brushless DC motor with electronic braking, an illuminated speed meter, a 0.5 mV low output moving coil, 42 lb, and no dust cover. The MT5 keeps the MT10's platter and bearing approach at a lower price and adds a dust cover.

Specs that matter

• Belt drive from a servo-controlled DC motor, described as Swiss-made in launch coverage. 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm, each with its own fine speed trim
• Platter: 2.3 kg silicone-acrylic outer platter (per Hi-Fi News and StereoNET) over an anodized aluminum sub-platter that carries the belt, lit green from LEDs beneath
• Main bearing: magnetically suspended ceramic bearing. Magnets carry the platter's weight so the ceramic shaft sees minimal contact; reviewers describe the deck as very quiet at idle
• Tonearm: 9 inch dural-aluminum tube with internal damping, magnetic sapphire and ceramic bearings, eccentric counterweight, magnetic anti-skate. VTA, anti-skate and azimuth adjustable. Hi-Fi News reported the deck is built for McIntosh by Clearaudio; McIntosh's page does not name a supplier
• Current cartridge: Sumiko Amethyst moving magnet, 2.5 mV at 5 cm/s, 47k ohm load, extended line contact nude diamond, aluminum cantilever, 2.0 g tracking force. Original cartridge: Sumiko Blue Point No. 2, a high output moving coil with an elliptical stylus that runs into a moving magnet input
• Tracking force, anti-skate, overhang and arm height preset at the factory. The buyer fits the platter, belt and counterweight and oils the bearing
• One pair of unbalanced outputs, one Power Control input and output. The logo lights in standby only when linked by Power Control to a McIntosh preamp or integrated
• Rated signal-to-noise 36 to 41 dB, wow and flutter 0.15 to 0.20 percent
• Stainless steel chassis, aluminum base plate, acrylic top. 17 1/2 x 7 x 17 inches, 7 1/2 inches tall with the clear dust cover. 31.5 lb, 38 lb shipping
• Included: dust cover, record weight, slip mat, stylus force gauge, level, external power supply
• US list: $8,500 at authorized dealers (November 2026)
• Warranty: 3 years, limited to the original owner, void on units bought from anyone other than an authorized McIntosh dealer. The warranty text does not mention cartridges or styli

Used prices

HiFi Registry's recorded sales for the MT5 are in the table below this guide. What the wider market shows, as of this writing:

• Dealer-certified pre-owned: The Music Room has sold or listed one-owner MT5s with the original Blue Point No. 2 at $4,311, $5,199 and $5,749, and a unit refitted with a Dynavector DV-20X2 at $4,999. All four carried a cosmetic rating of 8 out of 10, usually for light marks on the gloss top plate, and none listed a dust cover.
• Open market: A US Audio Mart listing from March 2026 asked $5,500. An Audiogon seller moved a sub-5 hour example with box and dust cover; the final price was not published.
• Refitted units: SkyFi has offered an MT5 with a new Sumiko Songbird fitted and calibrated. A fresh cartridge adds several hundred dollars to the ask and is worth it against a Blue Point of unknown hours.

Put together, a clean MT5 with its original cartridge has been trading at roughly 50 to 68 percent of the current $8,500 list. That is softer retention than McIntosh amplifiers show, and typical for turntables: the cartridge is a consumable, the deck is awkward to ship, and buyers discount both. The range rests on a handful of dealer sales plus asking prices, so lean on recorded sales where you can.

What to check before buying

1. Which cartridge is fitted, and how many hours. Most used MT5s still carry the Blue Point No. 2 they shipped with. It is a moving coil, so a worn one means a new cartridge rather than a stylus swap; the current Amethyst retails around $600. If the seller does not know the hours, price in a cartridge.
2. Platter bearing. With the belt off, the platter should spin freely and silently on its magnetic suspension. Grinding or wobble points to a dry or damaged ceramic shaft. Confirm the bearing was oiled at setup.
3. Speed. Trim pots on the rear set 33, 45 and 78. Ask whether speed has been checked with a strobe or an app. Drift that cannot be trimmed out is a motor or servo fault.
4. Belt. Cheap and easy, but a glazed or stretched belt causes the speed instability buyers blame on the motor. Treat it as a replace-on-arrival item.
5. Tonearm bearings. Floating at zero tracking force, the arm should drift freely in both planes. Stiction in the sapphire and ceramic bearings is a trip back to McIntosh.
6. Dust cover and top plate. The acrylic cover scratches and its corners crack; one dealer unit had corner damage and several sold without a cover. The gloss top plate shows fine marks under direct light and most pre-owned units lose a cosmetic grade for it.
7. Accessories. Record weight, slip mat, stylus gauge, level, power supply and the factory carton. Future Audiophile found the supplied stylus gauge unreliable, so verify tracking force with your own.
8. Shipping. The MT5 ships disassembled: platter, sub-platter, belt and counterweight off, arm secured, everything in the factory packaging. If the carton is gone, buy local or have a dealer pack it.
9. Warranty. A unit under 3 years old from an authorized dealer is covered for the original owner only. It does not transfer, and the warranty is void on units sold by non-authorized dealers regardless of age.

Who it is for, and what else to consider

The MT5 suits a McIntosh owner who wants a turntable that matches the stack, arrives set up, and looks the part in a dark room. Reviewers agree on the character: strong, well-rounded bass, a quiet background from the magnetic bearing and an open midrange, with the factory Sumiko the limiting factor on dense orchestral material. Hi-Fi News and StereoNET both suggested a cartridge upgrade, and Future Audiophile noted footfall sensitivity on a suspended floor, so give it a solid stand.

If the budget is tighter, the MT2 gives up 78 rpm, the magnetic bearing and the lit platter. If you want the full version of this design, the MT10 adds the speed meter, a low output moving coil and more mass. For the phono stage, the MP100 handles either factory cartridge at its moving magnet setting, and the MP1100 is the tube option. Outside McIntosh, Clearaudio's own decks are the obvious comparison given the reported build relationship, and Rega and VPI at this money trade on sound per dollar rather than styling.

Frequently asked questions

What is a used McIntosh MT5 worth? Dealer-certified units have sold between roughly $4,300 and $5,750 with the original cartridge, and recent private asks have been around $5,500. See the recorded sales table for what has actually changed hands on HiFi Registry.

What cartridge comes with the MT5? New units ship with a Sumiko Amethyst moving magnet cartridge. Units built from 2013 until the change shipped with a Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 high output moving coil. Both run into a standard moving magnet phono input.

Is the MT5 a Clearaudio turntable? Hi-Fi News reported the deck is built for McIntosh by Clearaudio, and StereoNET credited Clearaudio with the arm and bearing design. McIntosh does not name a supplier.

Does the MT5 play 78s? Yes. It runs at 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm, each with its own fine speed adjustment. The MT2 does not have 78.

Can I fit a different cartridge? Yes. VTA, anti-skate and azimuth are adjustable, and dealers have sold used MT5s refitted with Dynavector and Sumiko Songbird cartridges.

Does the McIntosh warranty transfer to a second owner? No. The 3 year warranty is limited to the original owner and applies only to units bought from an authorized McIntosh dealer.

Is the MT5 still made? Yes. It has been in production since 2013 and lists at $8,500 in the US as of November 2026.

Related

• A Buyer's Guide to McIntosh
• McIntosh comps: MT2, MT10, MP100, MP1100, C2700
• Live McIntosh listings on HiFi Registry
• Sell your MT5 on HiFi Registry, $25 flat, no commission

Written by HiFi Registry Staff. Not a review: HiFi Registry has not owned or auditioned this unit unless the text says so. Price ranges describe open-market sales and dealer asking prices observed on the review date and are not offers to buy or sell. How we research these guides