MAC Autoformers?

I'm not even sure what the autoformer does. It seems like an effort to provide the same level of power no matter what the impedance load of the speaker is - which in theory sounds like a good thing. But I don't understand much of this. I did not know there was controversy regarding autoformers - so I wait to be enlightened in the issue here.

I agree with Stan. I just wrote this a few minutes ago:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1262654269&read&3&zzlNolitan&&

Mac's autoformers kills the amps transparency characteristics.
Also some used to refer to them as having poor transient response(the autoformer). That was a big edge companies like Accuphase had over Mac transistor amps years back,plus other companies now.

I'm not nearly as knowledgable as our "in-house" expert, Aball, on all things McIntosh, but I do know that my MC7200 does not have the autoformers and it is one very nice sounding amp, probably one of the best McIntosh built for the money. As usual, opinions will vary...

I am not a Mc fan, nor am I a proponent of auto-formers such as speltz's, but I wouldn't be so quick to shun them or their use by Mc. Transformers are a mature technology that modern audio has only begun to tap (pun intended), ie- amorphous (metallic glass) cores are seldom used. One reason comes to mind, transistors typically don't have the same transfer characteristics between P and N types (PNP/NPN) and transformers allow use of one type for push pull operation. For me the "whole" is far more important than the parts.