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Replace my old McIntosh MC2125


mustang_flht

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Note >>>> I specify because I had requests for the McIntosh: I am in France not in the USA.

 

 

Hi ! klipsch lovers


I have owned a McIntosh MC2125 for 21 years now, it is from 1980. I bought it used in late 1999 or early 2000, I can't remember exactly. It works very well and I use it on the bass: Klipsch and K33E filter of my Cornwall III. Up on the midrange and treble I use a CARY SLi50 amp.

 

But I wanted to change to a modern class D amp and especially a DSP and then I tell myself that this 1980 McIntosh has had its day and is good for retirement. I'm afraid that like an old car, it breaks down on the road without telling me. As a replacement I like the Lab Gruppen PDX3000, because the brand is renowned for making very good amp, the amp is guaranteed for 10 years and the DSP controllable by a PC is great: parametric equalizer, adjustable active filter, dynamic equalizer, limiter ... I could connect the Lab Gruppen directly to the K33E with its DSP filter and eliminate the passive bass filter: it would be a good thing I think.

I specify that my preamplifier is the McIntosh C504, with a very powerful and very famous MM phono input.

 

So in your opinion I'm right in wanting to swap out that old MC2125 and retire it for a modern, adjustable amp like the Lab Gruppen PDX3000. Or I don't touch anything and I keep my old MC.

I know very well that in the end only I will decide what to do: keep the MC or buy the new Lab Gruppen,

 

but what is your opinion 😎

 

 

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DSC_0207.thumb.jpg.220e9151387a8d1cff3b0c37567e5039.jpg

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Hi @Cicerogue

For the sound I do not fault the MC2125. it's just a desire to change as I said above and especially because I wanted a DSP and a new amp, autan take an amp with the integrated DSP, hence the Lab Gruppen PDX3000.

I use this McIntosh in the bass, I like the breadth of the bass, but I know it performs better in the mid / high range where it excels. A modern amp may give me a little more bass dynamics, certainly at the expense of fullness: it's all about compromise. But as it is, I love the sound of the McIntosh.

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  • 2 months later...

Hello everyone !

 

Here is some news, so I tried the Lab Gruppen PDX3000. The sound is good, the DSP great with great software. But unfortunately the fans make too much noise all the time, it looks like a hair dryer. This amp is sure to be great elsewhere, but not in my living room, so I returned it to the seller.


Ironically, in the meantime, my MC 2125 broke last week, the right channel works then does not turn on, and then works again, then does not work anymore 🤢

 

So I installed a small spare transistors amp that I had in a cupboard and for the moment I'm thinking about what to do next: maybe order a new fanless amp 😋

 

I'm thinking of an amp for a recording studio, for example 🥰

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13 minutes ago, SpeedLimit said:

I am surprised that the fans are so noisy.

Does it mean that they are running even with a cold amp.

Yes, while the manufacturer indicated in its technical sheets that the fans (there are 2 of them on this model) were regulated with the temperature, at home they worked continuously as hard as a hair dryer. I have already listened to pro amps with fan that were cold silent, this is not the case with this Lab Gruppen, maybe hot the fans were even louder 😁

 

too bad it was great otherwise.

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1 minute ago, SpeedLimit said:

Sorry for you. You were si happy to try this Lab Gruppen

Thank, 

Yes I was sorry, the DSP rest and sound was great otherwise. It does not matter I will find an amp that I like and listen to a lot of music calmly

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A new project,

I saw an interview with Ibrahim Maalouf (Franco / Lebanese Jazz musician) in his recording studio on France3 (French national TV) 3 weeks ago: he has this Pas Audio 2002PCA amplifier and I really envy to try it, only the blue color scares me a little 😎

 

This is an amp entirely handcrafted in Germany by a small craftsman. It is widely used in European studios, especially in Germany, and it has a very good reputation.

 

 

14029132_800.jpg

 

 

I don't have a video of the France3 interview where we can see the PAS AUDIO very clearly, but there on this one we can guess from 0:25 at the bottom right: in blue 🤪

 

 

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49 minutes ago, mustang_flht said:

Yes, while the manufacturer indicated in its technical sheets that the fans (there are 2 of them on this model) were regulated with the temperature, at home they worked continuously as hard as a hair dryer.

I don´t mean to be a smart alec, that unit was not broken out of the box?

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1 minute ago, AndreG. said:

I don´t mean to be a smart alec, that unit was not broken out of the box?

If completely new factory double box and attached with the original seal, it was opened by me. I believe even the silent mode is just too loud for the living room, but it is very good for the stage.

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8 minutes ago, AndreG. said:

Ah, so it isn´t meant for home-hifi per se, that is?

Yes it was planned for the stage, the bars, the churches ... Sometimes some are silent when they are cold, but not this one. It's not the manufacturer's fault, it's me who wanted to use a pro amp for my living room. Sometimes it works, for example with modern Class D Crown, sometimes not. It's okay, I'm going to buy a convection cooled studio amp: so no noise.

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On 3/13/2021 at 6:43 AM, mustang_flht said:

I have owned a McIntosh MC2125 for 21 years now, it is from 1980. I bought it used in late 1999 or early 2000, I can't remember exactly. It works very well and I use it on the bass: Klipsch and K33E filter of my Cornwall III. Up on the midrange and treble I use a CARY SLi50 amp.

 

But I wanted to change to a modern class D amp and especially a DSP

Class D does not win a spec out vs Class A, B, or AB

 

It would not beat them in a bench test either

 

Class D solves two Engineering Problems,

- Lots of Watts at a low cost per Watt

- Lots of Watts with less heat than A, B, AB

 

The DSP introduces EMI RFI that has to be managed

The DSP also introduces Quantization Error

 

If you are streamed digital, your PC EQ may be good enough

 

On 3/13/2021 at 6:43 AM, mustang_flht said:

and then I tell myself that this 1980 McIntosh has had its day and is good for retirement.

 

I am sure there are a lot of people who would love to take it off your hands

you would be trading down

 

On 3/13/2021 at 6:43 AM, mustang_flht said:

I'm afraid that like an old car, it breaks down on the road without telling me.

 

My cars never break down, I service them regularly

Same for my power tools and equipment

Same for my 1977 motorcycle etc

 

On 3/13/2021 at 6:43 AM, mustang_flht said:

As a replacement I like the Lab Gruppen PDX3000, because the brand is renowned for making very good amp, the amp is guaranteed for 10 years and the DSP controllable by a PC is great: parametric equalizer, adjustable active filter, dynamic equalizer, limiter ...

 

Your Grandchildren will be using your McIntosh gear if you maintain it

 

If you want an Equalizer, buy an Equalizer...with the features you want

 

DBX or one of the ones that is also used in recording studios

 

IMHO you always need an EQ since there is no perfect load, no perfect room, no perfect amp, no perfect recording

and everyone has different ears and different likes

 

 

 

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