Didn’t you ever watch Mr Rogers?
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Mr Rogers in Binghamton, New York?
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Was he a Mac guy ?
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mac and cheese. with a glass of bourbon.
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Wonder if Mac Labs makes this sort of fare?
McIntosh in the past 5-10 years has really upgraded their sound. They’ve gone from non audiophile to a more refined, resolving type of sound.
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I don’t doubt this (based on my sense of an increase in the number of positive reviews of various MAC pieces I seem to recall coming across the last couple of years), but I am hoping you would not mind providing some specifics underpinning your statement – hopefully based on your own experience.
Care to share…?
Cheers.
What I have read is that tubed McIntosh has become more neutral sounding and less warm over the years and their solid state has become slightly warmer but basically remaining clean sounding.
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Not owning any of the tube amps that sounds correct. The quad balance designs amplifier topology is biggest difference in solid state. They are much quieter with industry leading SN ratios even having expanded the Quad Balanced topology to the bigger tube design mono amps My MC1000s was first of the Quad Balance monos before terminology was standard. It has a very tube like mid range. It garnered only a B+ stereophile buy rating back in the day. The newer Quad Balanced version introduced thermal track output transformers for more consistent temperature performance that adjusts bias issues so they run cooler and sound great as soon as you flip them on and have higher capacitance for more headroom and harder hitting bass. Something I can’t comprehend the MC1000 has a dampening factor of 100 and 160 amps per channel on tap where Mc1.25KW is well in excess of 200 amps either can stop your heartbeat literally. Thus come with current shields in case you wis hto grab output taps. My sealed box speakers it still seems more than adequate. But one rarely knows better until you hear it. If your like me you then try to replicate it.
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Maybe ‘subjective’ at some level, but with FTC rules:
Any advice, opinion, about McIntosh MA12000?
I listened to music through that integrated amp recently, and while I was not able to do proper critical listening due to poor speaker placement, it sounded pleasant.
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I’m in the process of building a new 2ch system in my office and I have Perlisten S7T Limited Edition speakers. I’ll need an amp to drive these and I have been doing some research. At a dealer I had a demo of a Mac system with the standard edition of my speakers and I thought it sounded great and it is gorgeous to look at. I was surprised because I always thought Mac amps sound dull, colored and rolled off. I was really impressed and this was with the speakers connected to a three channel amp.
So I’m strongly considering buy Mac for the first time. Been looking at the MC-611 and the MC-1.25kw. My speakers around around 91db efficient so both from a power perspective would be overkill. Curious if any of you have heard either of them and if so what were your thoughts. Also given both amps are from the same generation, would there be some advantage to getting the 1.25kw over the 611 even if I in no way need the additional power.
That’s some serious cash. The only thing I’d suggest is to also audition the McIntosh tubed amps as well. Even in a hybrid configuration, the tubes bring a lot to the table.
My only Mac piece is an AV processor, an MX-123 purchased to replace a Bryston SP3 that failed and was not repairable, due to unavailable parts
The MX-123 was cheaper than the SP3 had been almost ten years earlier. It was my only appropriate choice with pure analog passthrough for my Directstream Mk1.
It outperforms the SP3 in all aspects and has extensive video functionality that the Bryston did not. Functionality that is completely powered off in pure analog mode.
I’m mightily impressed with the MX123, with no compromises in my application.
In fact, while it’s 100% solid state, it sounds like it’s voiced toward a tube sound.
Macintosh is now on my option list for any future upgrades.
I have used three iterations of McIntosh amps running my XR290 line arrays. The MC2500s bridged, MC1000s and now the MC1.25KWs. All three sound glorious and have impeccable reliability. The latest with Thermaltrak transistors suffer no performance loss during warm up and you can’t beat power at instant command with huge capacitors. The MC1.25KWs do everything well from ability to play details and articulate the smallest differences and provide incredible articulation and bass slam. The difference between MC1000 and MC1.25KW is mostly warm up time and slightly quieter and quicker and a tad cooler running. Great amps that you won’t regret purchasing.
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Of all the stuff I’ve owned, I do miss my McIntosh. I love the classic, artful look, especially late night with the lights out.
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Sorry for the late reply, but hadn’t seen this until just now.
I’ve had an MA12000 for quite some time now and love it. Happy to answer questions if you still have any…