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Tubes bad in 80 days on new Mc275? Are they BS'ing me?


32blownhemi

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14 hours ago, 32blownhemi said:

Wow! A wealth of information! Thank You!  Got my H/K today. I'll post a pic of the receipt from the audio store that shows what they did to it. Looks like they 'cleaned the pots' cuz it says "cleaned switches & controls". It says they took the amp in cuz it was 'cutting out'. And they 'soldered the suspect connections' to fix it? My daughters stopping by tomorrow to help me carry the speakers upstairs & I'll hook it up! Need to get some speaker wire also...   Thank You!   Bill

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YOU HAVE A PM!

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  • 3 weeks later...

ALRIGHT!!! Got this e-mail from McIntosh this morning! They are sending me a brand new Mc 275! 

 

Good afternoon Bill,

 

We have completed our evaluation of your MC275 and have determined that it is once again a failure of the power transformers internal thermal switch. Since this is now the 3rd failure of the thermal switch, I will be replacing your amplifier with a new amp. I have already begun the exchange process and will notify you once I am able to ship the replacement amplifier. Please allow me a few more days due to the short holiday week and end of month activities.

 

I’ll be in touch shortly with UPS tracking information.

 

Thank you,

John

 

John C. Messemer

Customer Service Manager

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

Wadia Digital, LLC.

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5 hours ago, Jeffrey D. Medwin said:

 

 

Good to see.  I am very glad for you. See if you can have them tell you HOW to adjust the bias of the tubes, lower the dissipations, so they will last longer.  You don't need 75 Watts, and stressed tubes ( thermally ) sound worse when listening.  VERY VERY GOOD.

 

Jeffrey

Thank you Jeffrey! I will ask...

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On 5/29/2019 at 8:56 PM, 32blownhemi said:

And I'd like to do a big "Thank You" shout out to HDBRBuilder for the help in setting up my La Scala's with a Harman Kardon 430 receiver. A 40+ year old amp & it kicks a**!  

Thanks...no problem!  Now you will have, at the very least, a low-cost alternative to produce high-quality sound...as a back-up to other current higher-cost alternatives. 

 

BTW...FYI...there was a pretty nice integrated amp back in those days of 40+ years ago...the H/K A 402...which was basically the H/K 730 twin-powered stereo receiver without the tuner section, but with a conservatively-rated power output of 40 WPC instead of 35 WPC!!  Additionally, it also had H/K's signature "ultra-wide-band" frequency response!  It was yet another great item that unfortunately succumbed to the "power wars" of that period in time!  Even MORE UNFORTUNATELY for this little jewel, it actually hit the market a bit late to survive the "power wars", which were already a full-blown event by then (1976), so, with H/K already pushing its own "power wars" market entry items, such as the Citation 16 (which, IMHO, was a disaster waiting to happen!), the "power-wise paltry" 40 WPC of the A402 just couldn't keep-up in the market-place, so it was dropped before it even had a chance to really shine in sales...which was is a REAL SHAME!   So, IF YOU CAN FIND ONE, and MANY nowadays ARE LOOKING FOR ONE, you gotta understand it won't come relatively inexpensively due to the low numbers of its short production life-span, 1976-1977!  You can expect to drop around $600 or more, easily on one in great condition with a recent full-service done on it!  It is what it is!

248554259_Harman20A2040220Integrated20Amp20-20Specs(3).jpg.ecb9752dccb6e9dfe161e59d5ed2302c.jpg

 

958441595_HKA402frontpanel.thumb.jpg.08d7d0c9ca48b9dc5498cd25c98d3bb0.jpg

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AND UNDER THE HOOD:

1940331765_HKA402underthehood.thumb.jpg.a57948fcea9a29499250d5266beb5ad6.jpg

 

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=== I have a 430 that, IMO, no way competes with modern amplifiers. Albeit the new pieces are many many times it’s value I’ve tried with Jubes and LS - didn’t listen for more than a couple hours at best — not my cup ‘o tea I suppose —

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9 hours ago, richieb said:

 

=== I have a 430 that, IMO, no way competes with modern amplifiers. Albeit the new pieces are many many times it’s value I’ve tried with Jubes and LS - didn’t listen for more than a couple hours at best — not my cup ‘o tea I suppose —

Everybody's ears TRY to hear things the way the listener WANTS them to sound...when they don't succeed, dislike, for whatever reason, is the result.  The KEY to old equipment sounding like it was DESIGNED to sound, is ensuring that nothing has become degraded WITH-IN the equipment, and if that has happened, then those items which have become degraded need to be replaced with, best case scenario, the same original items.  That being said, I will definitely also say one thing about the older H/K's...if you DON'T LIKE the H/K tube amps, you WON'T LIKE the H/K SS twin-powered amp sections, very much either...it is due to the exact same reason...H/K did its BEST to reduce coloration in its early SS twin-powered amp sections, just the same as they did in their H/K Citation II and Citation V tube amp series.  So if coloration is what you want, then H/K from the mid-1950's thru to the mid-1970's WILL NOT make you happy!  BUT, if you want extremely WIDE-BAND frequency response far exceeding the norm, from 4 Hz to 100 KHz , with little to no coloration, then H/K's original "Ultra-Wide-Band" is the way to go!  NOBODY EXCEPT H/K HAD IT!

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9 hours ago, richieb said:

 

=== I have a 430 that, IMO, no way competes with modern amplifiers. Albeit the new pieces are many many times it’s value I’ve tried with Jubes and LS - didn’t listen for more than a couple hours at best — not my cup ‘o tea I suppose —

Going to use the H/K 430 with my La Scala's for my bedroom set-up. Used La Scala I's $1000 + $100 for plywood & glue to stiffen sides + $350 for refurbished H/K 430 =$1450... Living room set-up, McIntosh amps + pre amp + Jube's + K 402 horns = $30 grand... Does my living room setup sound better. Of course it does...  Spend another $28,550 for my bedroom setup? It sounds fantastic for what it is... 

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3 hours ago, 32blownhemi said:

Going to use the H/K 430 with my La Scala's for my bedroom set-up. Used La Scala I's $1000 + $100 for plywood & glue to stiffen sides + $350 for refurbished H/K 430 =$1450... Living room set-up, McIntosh amps + pre amp + Jube's + K 402 horns = $30 grand... Does my living room setup sound better. Of course it does...  Spend another $28,550 for my bedroom setup? It sounds fantastic for what it is... 

Cost-effective back-up was the intent for you, when I brought-up the H/K 430 thing to begin with.  I believe that mission was accomplished!  Nobody should be without something for a back-up, IMHO! 

 

ME??...let's just say that I'll never drop $30 Grand (in today's dollar value) for a main listening room set-up, but I also won't NEED TO do that...simply because I can build what I want, speaker-wise, FOR that set-up...and MAY even build the power amplifiers involved!  That will severely reduce the costs involved.  As for upstream components, I either already have those, or KNOW what I WILL have, and WHAT I WILL need. So, that is a battle that has already been won...And the really funny thing about it all, is that MOST of it will be old re-furbished stuff, with a few small upgrades here and there. 

 

Everybody out there...please pay attention to THIS!  My turntable will be a Technics SL-1100A...why?  Because, quite honestly it is SUCH a great turntable to begin with, that I just really can't see ANYTHING NEW out there that is any better than it!  Seriously!  PROVE IT TO ME!  Good luck with that!😉😂  Not only that, but you can pick up one fully re-furbished (if needed!) in excellent condition for UNDER $2 grand!...GENERALLY WITH a wonderful tone-arm and cartridge INCLUDED!  The only thing I ever saw that MIGHT be a better choice, would be the Technics SL-110, which is what the SL-1100A evolved from!.  NEW, WAY BACK IN 1974-75, I COULD have gotten one or the other for between $400-$500....about a month's pay for a buck sergeant on jump status!  So, they have basically TRIPLED in value since then...NOT including INFLATION!  So, now as a retiree on fixed income, I could get one for less than two-week's pay!  Think about that for a minute or two! They were the absolute best direct-drive turntables made in their day, and for a few decades afterwards!...Until (SUPPOSEDLY!) about three years ago!  And GREAT Direct-drive eats the lunch of EVERYTHING else...it did back then, and it still does NOW!  So, think about THIS:  The current top of the line Direct-Drive turntables from Technics are the SL-1000R (About $20 grand) and the SL-10R (about $10 grand)...probably the very best NEW turntables on the planet today!  And YET,  they are NOT ANYWHERE NEAR the MOST EXPENSIVE, but they ARE more than I would EVER pay...WAY MORE!  Are they appreciably different from the original SL-1100A and the SL-110?  Other than total platter-weight increase (somebody please tell me how much weight does a perfectly-balanced "flywheel" with a vinyl record atop it REALLY NEED to remain stable and reliably maintain its rotational speed with minimal effort/energy required from the electronic-servo-controlled direct-drive DC-motor turning it at 33 rpm or 45 rpm??  C'mon, give me a weight!...JUSTIFY your response!), a Direct-drive-motor upgrade (was THAT even NECESSARY??), and a bottom-end weight for a lower over-all center of gravity (which is DIRECTLY DUE TO the additional platter weight higher up!!)....otherwise, not enough else to really make much difference!  The OLD SL-110 and the OLD SL-1100A will each keep-up with the newest and bestist Technics has!!...at much lower cost!...and STILL eat the lunch of any competition Technics has today, no matter how expensive!  Actually, turntable technology has not really gained much over what was being made in the mid-1970's!  Platters on the best then were already more than heavy-enough; The Direct Drive motors of Technics turntables were already history-making reliable and long-lasting; the wow and flutter and rumble measurements rival and/or exceed the same measurements goals on the "best turntables" today...what else is important, anyway?  So it all REALLY boils down to are the tone-arm and the cartridge, right??  Both of the old timers mentioned have that covered, too...just make a good plinth and mount up whatever suits your fancy!  Too easy for any competent woodworker with the right tools for the job!  OR, mount up to three, each on its OWN PLINTH! SURROUNDING either of the old turntable(s) Again, too easy for any competent wood-worker with the right tools for the job!  So, the SL-1100A is for me,!!  'Nuff Said!  

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/29/2017 at 11:11 AM, 32blownhemi said:

Thank You EMMR & Derrick,  all he said was transformer on the phone message so don't know which one it was. I'll get details when he gets to work. So a bad transformer could have ruined the tubes? Should run 24/7 for a year? So mine ran continuously for 2-3 days. Something isn't right...  So it must not be all the tubes for $300, I'll find out...    Bill

A bad transformer can certainly take out tubes. And if that's the case I would contact McIntosh directly. Be persistent. It may take months to get your way. Doesn't matter if the tubes are out of warranty if their transformer is responsible for the damage.

 

On the bright side, don't feel too bad. Consider what happened to me. Way back I had my (3) Luxman MB3045 in storage for a few years. When I began using them again I didn't reform the power supply caps. Within about 30 minutes the power tubes started to go, one by one. Five of the six were shot by the time I caught it. FWIW, NOS 8045G output tube for those amps sell for $300 each or more. Fortunately I basically have a life-time supply but that's still a lot of $OUCH.

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On 6/13/2019 at 9:16 AM, artto said:

A bad transformer can certainly take out tubes. And if that's the case I would contact McIntosh directly. Be persistent. It may take months to get your way. Doesn't matter if the tubes are out of warranty if their transformer is responsible for the damage.

 

On the bright side, don't feel too bad. Consider what happened to me. Way back I had my (3) Luxman MB3045 in storage for a few years. When I began using them again I didn't reform the power supply caps. Within about 30 minutes the power tubes started to go, one by one. Five of the six were shot by the time I caught it. FWIW, NOS 8045G output tube for those amps sell for $300 each or more. Fortunately I basically have a life-time supply but that's still a lot of $OUCH.

 

Screen Shot 2019-06-14 at 1.39.29 PM.png

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18 hours ago, 32blownhemi said:

 

Screen Shot 2019-06-14 at 1.39.29 PM.png

Well, that's great to hear!!!! I'm really glad McIntosh decided to replace the whole amp for you. That's fantastic.

 

I had a similar recent experience with NAD. I bought a new BluOS module for my NAD C390DD and couldn't get the tone controls to work. After many months of tech support correspondence via email and phone they finally admitted they couldn't fix it with a firmware update and made me a deal I couldn't refuse. They took back my 6 year old C390DD and credited the full MSRP to a new M32 plus a very nice discount on the difference.

 

The last time I had a similar out-of-warranty experience like this was with Klipsch when they replaced a Corwall cabinet that had lifting veneer, even though I thought it might be my fault because it was an unfinished version & I had done the final sanding & finishing.

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