jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 In lieu of recent events with forum members purchasing McIntosh equipment for their audio systems, I just thought I'd throw this into the mix as well. Portion of this statement is from another thread I posted in concerning garymd's purchase of a MC240 tube amp: "...my younger brother (who already owns a MC2100) scored big time on another Mac, a pristine MC250. I just found out tonight after work...he won an eBay auction last week (was only $390 with shipping). It arrived UPS today and he was home already cleaning the dust off of it. Had the chassis bottom off to clean out the innards...it looked brand new underneath! No pitting or rust, and no caps or resistors fried to a crisp. Aside from years of dust, all the connections and wiring look great (and all original). The original owner he bought it from took very good care of it, and once he thoroughly cleans and polishes the chassis and chrome, it should look like new! Don't know what he has planned yet for this 30-somethin' year old amplifier..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 "...The other day my younger brother purchased his second McIntosh amplifier, a pristine MC250 like mine! As it turned out (unbeknownst to me at the time), he also wanted to use my MC250 and bridge both amps into mono for each of his Acoustic Energy Aegis Two floorstanding loudspeakers. Why would I want to let him borrow my beloved Mac MC250 you might ask? Because in exchange for the use of my MC250, he'd let me borrow his first McIntosh for my system, an equally pristine and flawless MC2100 power amplifier!" Note: his MC250 purchase is seated on the right of the picture; my MC250 is on the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkrop Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Well how do they sound??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 This Mac (ca. 1976) is the big brother to the venerable MC250 (McIntosh's first SS amp design); a high-current 100 watt per channel solid-state powerhouse that sounds as rich and dynamic as any McIntosh of this era. Granted, I certainly don't need an additional 50 watts per side with my trusty Cornwalls (I barely used 15 of the 50 watts I had before), but it's nice to know I have the extra juice available for when I listen to my pipe organ recordings to near-live levels! The MC2100 is certainly a perfect compliment to my Heritage loudspeakers. Aside from having 50 extra watts each channel, I find no difference in overall sound quality from my MC250...detail is still striking, from the slightest strike of a triangle, to the massive lowest notes plucked on an acoustic bass. The warmth I've come to associate with my MC250 is every bit a part of the MC2100's overall character, and for a SS design powering Klipsch loudspeakers, that says alot! Best part of all...I didn't spend a dime! Hey, that's what family is for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 bkrop, my bro says that immediately he noticed his soundstage open up. Bridging two amps into mono for each loudspeaker is new to the both of us, so more critical listening will have to take place for either of us to make any judgement...It certainly doesn't sound any worse than using the single MC2100 in stereo mode! His towers should speak with more authority, I would assume. If you're familiar with two amps strapped into mono, then you certainly know what benefits there are (like bi-amping or bi-wiring)...his Aegis Two's will definately breath better! I'll post more when I can review the sound of two MC250's...too bad he doesn't have Klipsch (he's not a horn fan...his loss). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 You and your brother both own some stunning equipment! Wish mine shined like that! I've always been curious about the SS mac sound. From what I hear, it's about a good as SS gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Gary, from my untrained ears, I think that McIntosh SS amplification sounds as close to vacuum tubes as SS can possibly get. I don't understand the technical aspects of its design and the use of Autoformers, but my experience with Mac's SS amps is pretty much the same as others on this forum who own or have auditioned them. Granted, McIntosh's latest SS offerings are far superior to their vintage amps (so I hear), but the lush, full, spatial characteristics of their classic designs are still very much apparent...I can hear a very 3-dimensional quality to the music that was lacking a bit in my Carver amps (and they were about 12 to 15 years newer than these Macs we have now). We both lucked out in the fine condition our Macs were in. Their previous owners definately took very good care of them. Aside from dust, they all were very clean...no grime or grease, and very easy to clean up (Windex...that's it)! We've seen old Macs on eBay that were totally trashed and completely rusted out. It's a crying shame how these poor amps got into that kind of condition. Their owners shouldn't be allowed to own such nice gear if they're going to let 'em rot like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 My 240 is going to need a lot of elbow grease to get it presentable again but the 110 should be pretty easy from the pictures I've seen. Win has given me some good pointers and since he's been a Mac guy for a long, long time now I trust his judgement. It should be a fun project though. Trust me though, I'll be playing them dirty for a while first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Yep, dodger knows his stuff concerning McIntosh (along with a few others as well)...I read his cleaning instructions, and hope I'll never have to use them (I'm too lazy). Hey, it doesn't matter how dirty your MC240 is, it will always sound clean with your Cornwalls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 JT - Sometimes the best solutions are very simple. I find there are three kinds of amps.....SS, tubes, and SS McIntosh - the perfect hybrid between the two. IOW, you are forgiven for not using tubes on your Klipsch because you've got a Mac (and an autoformer Mac, taboot). Mac amps have saved me a great deal of money, too, since they've kept me from endless searches for that perfect amp. For me, I've already got it - one of the easiest decisions I've ever made - and I've never looked back. I've stumbled a few times on the road to audible nectar, causing me to "try again", but the Macs were not one of those times. The only point I would disagree with you on is the autoformer comment. IMO, the autoformer models are more tubelike (especially the 250, 2100, 2505, 2105), than the newer non autoformer models. Don't ask me how, but they are, at least to my ears. I also use the 4 ohm taps. And for true audible nectar, mate that Mac with one of the Mac tube preamps. Once you go Mac you never go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Oh, I totally agree with you. But about the Autoformer comment, I guess I didn't word it correctly (my bad). I know that the patented Autoformers are what give certain Mac SS amps their tube-like magic, bringing them closest to their vacuum tube cousins (the MC30, MC225, MC275, MC2000, etc.). My first McIntosh was a '93 MC7200, which didn't use Autoformers. Granted, it was a very fine amplifier, and I think one of the most attractive blue-metered Macs ever built, and it wasn't quite as warm as my MC250 and my bro's MC2100 (but still a far cry from my vintage Carver amps, with their T-Mod tube-like warmth). Sorry for the confusion. If I ever buy another preamp, hopefully it'll be a classic C36...I just love that Mac preamp, unless I can come across a mint vacuum tubed C22 for cheap (highly unlikely, though). I'm a MacKlipsch-oholic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 Did more critical listening last night and again this morning on my bro's bridged MC250's. WOW! Some purists may disagree with bridging stereo amps into mono, but I guess it's all in the listening process and what the ear perceives. It's just our opinions, but me and my brothers all agree that these two MC250's open up the soundstage tremendously! His loudspeakers are free to breath, and imaging and detail just seems more apparent. It's as if the dynamics were allowed to pass freely like sand through an hourglass, as opposed to being forced through the bottleneck, all bunched up and fighting it's way down. Very warm and natural like before; just more of it! It's hard for me to put into words how to properly describe the sound and performance of these two classic McIntosh amps, but it was definately worth it. There are other fine SS amplifiers out there for Klipsch, but as far as I'm concerned these classic McIntosh amps are about the zenith of transistor technology, especially for Heritage Series loudspeakers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Nice Thread Jim. I too am running MC-250's in Mono for 2CH and for the front of my Heritage HT. I think the Mono 250 is great Heritage Amp as well. I think it bridges so well for 2 reasons, first driving it in Mono evan at 5-10 watts is putting enough load on it since it is only 100 watts Mono. Second is the autoformers. I always enjoy your pics of your McIntosh amps. Nice work. I thought I would miss the big blue meaters going to the 250, but I LOVE the chrome deck look better now that they are in my rack. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 What would be a good Mac stereo amp using the autoformers with around 50 watts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Dean The MC-250 is sterio 50 WPC JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 Thanks for the kind words, JM. I too, thought I'd miss those big blue power meters as well (I still think the MC7200 was one of Mac's most beautiful power amps ever made). But you have to admit there's somethin' quite unique about those vintage black and chrome amps, with their silver caps and black transformer housings...reminiscent of McIntosh's earlier tube amps. No other transistor amp (save for a very few) are quite so regarded in both their classic design and their quality of sound, as these Mac SS beauties! Didn't McIntosh make a reissue MC275 a few years back, with all the classic looks and updated electronics? Mac should consider reissuing the MC250 and/or MC2100 as well. Hell, I'd buy 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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