Find a vintage MC225 in decent condition and send it to Audio Classics for a refurb. You will not believe it. It's where I landed, and there is no going back... Happy listening.
Big Rush fan! I think this was my handle back in the Rush newsgroups days. Do newsgroups still exist? Ah well... Man, you are in for a ride if you have the patience and energy to go down the vintage Mac rabbit hole. I've got some solid state stuff and some tubes. All are great in their own way. The good thing with vintage stuff is that it holds its value. So if you find something and don't particularly like it you can always sell it and put the money towards something else. Just don't get underwater and spend too much on it and then spend a bunch to get it fixed. My advice if you want vintage is to get something from Audio Classics or has documented work done by a pro. Not every service place is created equally but something that had been fully serviced in the past 5 years should be fairly reliable. But no guarantees. If you get me you'll have a better chance of being one and done as there are less options. The new C22 looks really cool and the Mc275 gets great reviews. If I was getting new I'd probably get a Mc302 and C22. I'll close with this. Nothing I've heard beats a restored vintage Mac amp and preamp. The 4100 is no slouch but the vintages separates are another league.
Thanks guys. I’m considering adding a MC2105 or 2205 power amp to my 4100. Will I hear any discernible difference in sound quality?
Back in the middle 1980's I snagged a C22 Pre-amp and an MC225 for $80, both! It cost me twice that getting the bad tubes replaced. I sold it 20 years later for $3000. The caps in the C22 were all dried out. The guy that bought it was going to put new innards into the old cap bodies. The old gear is ultra cool. I found a Marantz Model 1 in perfect shape in Deming NM for $15. Sold it to a guy in Hong Kong for $1760. I've seen pics of bi-amped systems using those. Esoteric. The vintage stuff is way cool, but I like to flip a switch or two and go. New equipment is amazing too.
Yes. I’ve found the separates add an oomph that the 4100 doesn’t have. Like I said in an earlier post, the 4100 is no slouch and a get all-in-one, but I feel like you’ll be able to tell the difference going to a 2105. And, that’s with efficient Forte, so you may see a bigger difference if you’re running more power hungry speakers.
This post mirrors my experience, though I’m now listening through a pair of vintage (restored) MC 75’s. I’ve heard these amplifiers through recent Cornwall’s and now my Tannoy Monitor Gold’s. In both cases, efficient speakers that respond very well to power in the 75 wpc range.
I researched a LOT. Mostly on here and direct suggestions from Steve Hoffman. I have two Mcintosh MC30 mono block amps (you need two because stereo wasn't invented yet when they were made), and the MX110z preamp with an amazing phono stage. It goes to upgraded Klipsch forte speakers, because they love high efficiency. Mr. Hoffman likes Tannoy but you can go find that info, I'm sure I'll there. All I can say is two things. First, every single issue I've had (and its fun to be a full time problem solver) is the tubes. It's always the tubes until it's not, and I have not hit that wall. So get back up tubes and get them all tested so you know 100% your tubes are not the problem. I have the tube set up's that Mr. Hoffman suggests, but I'm also finding that the ones that don't affect maximizing sound can still cause problems so go over all of them. Second, the first time I heard vinyl on this system it took me back to the first time I heard these records, but on steroids. There is nothing like it, this experience is amazing.
Have a lovely MC2255 - special on Tannoy Ardens. Have not heard enough of the modern Macs apart from valve versions which seem to lack the power to properly hold onto the bottom end on the combinations I have heard Sadly the MC 2255 is sitting unused in a cupboard
I'm assuming that you'll be using the 4100 as a preamp? If I were considering either one of those amps I'd hold out for the 2205, for a few reasons. Consider that it is newer, offers twice the power, and is equipped with Power Guard. As for any discernible difference in SQ?, that's subjective. Maybe your speakers would benefit from the additional power. Courtesy of Roger Russell's McIntosh history page, compare these specs. MC2105: 105w/ch. Response 20-20kHz (+0 -0.1dB). Distortion 0.25%. Noise and hum -90dB. Output impedance 4, 8 and 16 ohms. Damping factor 10. Input impedance 200k. Input sensitivity 0.5v. Headphone impedance: low. Sentry Monitor. 1967-1977 MC 2205: 200w/ch. (400w mono). Response 20-20kHz (+0 -0.25dB). Distortion 0.1%. Noise and hum -95dB. Output impedance 1, 2, 4 and 8 ohms. (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 ohms in mono). Damping factor 16 or greater. Input impedance 100k. Input sensitivity 0.75v or 2.5v. Headphone impedance: low. Sentry Monitor. Power Guard. 1975-1979 To the OP @geddy402, I have a C33 coupled with a 2155, (both refurbed by Terry DeWick) for over 20 years now. Never saw a reason to change from that.
