upgrading to mac

oneputt

Active Member
Thinking about going to Mac gear. Right now I'm using a Pioneer SA-9500ii or a Lafayette LR-9090 receiver with Celestial-Ditton 442 or JBL L100's. I switch back and forth between all the components. Right now in my area there is a MAC 2205 amp with a C 28 pre-amp for sale at what seems to be a reasonable price. Also at a lower end is a MAC 1700 receiver at a fair price. I know there is quite a difference in power between the two but also a big difference in price. Ive also read if i want a receiver the 4100 is the one to get. Any thoughts or opinions?
 
I would try to find out if any of the Mac gear has been maintenanced/upgraded. Those separates should an be an upgrade over a Lafayette receiver.
 
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I would try to find out if any of the Mac gear has been maintenanced/upgraded. Those separates should an be an upgrade over a Lafayette receiver.
Both the amp and the receiver have been serviced. The Lafayette is a surprisingly good sounding receiver. Couldn't pass it up as it was only a couple hundred and in mint condition. Needed some thing for the garage
 
I've said it in other posts. A receiver's power supply can't compete with a full blown power amplifier.
 
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When i was a kid , a friend's father had a 5555 and at the time I thought it sounded pretty nice. I had a 1700 and its a nice piece. I restored a 1900 for my brother and was pretty impressed. Separates are a step up. It's a deep rabbit hole grasshopper. Be careful! Oh and enjoy!
 
Both the amp and the receiver have been serviced. The Lafayette is a surprisingly good sounding receiver. Couldn't pass it up as it was only a couple hundred and in mint condition. Needed some thing for the garage

"Serviced" could mean a proper going through, changing out caps/resistors where needed to bring up to spec, or it could mean hitting it with a few sprays of DeOxit. File under knowing exactly what you're buying. They're all older pieces, so at the very least they should all be looked at by someone(maybe that's you?) who knows what they're doing.

Other then that, it comes down to preference and budget, especially the latter. They're all good pieces, and in good working order will all sound great.
 
MC2205 would be a great amp to buy to move on from what you have, but I would go for a newer pre-amp, the C28 requires a lot of work to function reliably, and since you had the SA9500, you'd definitely want something like a C33 or 34 to eclipse that....
 
Thinking about going to Mac gear. Right now I'm using a Pioneer SA-9500ii or a Lafayette LR-9090 receiver with Celestial-Ditton 442 or JBL L100's. I switch back and forth between all the components. Right now in my area there is a MAC 2205 amp with a C 28 pre-amp for sale at what seems to be a reasonable price. Also at a lower end is a MAC 1700 receiver at a fair price. I know there is quite a difference in power between the two but also a big difference in price. Ive also read if i want a receiver the 4100 is the one to get. Any thoughts or opinions?
If you want an upgrade from what you have at present, the C28/MC2205 would be it. Be forewarned, the C28 is a very maintenance heavy unit, well documented here.
 
Truthfully, a [fully & properly restored] MAC4100 will get you 95% the way there of the combination the McIntosh C28/MC2205 combo.

Personally I'd lean towards a C 3X model preamplifier which are the next generation up from the C28, as well as being generally more reliable as damacman has pointed out.
 
While the Lafayette does not, it appears your Pioneer has a pre out so you could potentially get the 2505, which is a very sweet amp, use the preamp section of your 9500 and then look around for a 3X series McIntosh preamp as 62caddy suggested.
So your saying I could use my 9500 for a preamp until i find a better fit for the 2205. I really don't know if i need that much power, 200wpc is a lot. The speakers i use don't need that much power, thats why i was thinking about a 4100.
 
So your saying I could use my 9500 for a preamp until i find a better fit for the 2205. I really don't know if i need that much power, 200wpc is a lot. The speakers i use don't need that much power, thats why i was thinking about a 4100.
Yes. Simply connect the PRE OUT of the 9500 to the input of the MC2205.
 
If you want an upgrade from what you have at present, the C28/MC2205 would be it. Be forewarned, the C28 is a very maintenance heavy unit, well documented here.
Thanks for the heads up on the C28! Was looking at one to fill the empty space my MX114 sat..:)
 
C28's biggest challenges are the non-sealed pots that require continual cleaning and the numerous ground drains that c_dk has discussed at length.
 
...and the volume control....;)

The C29 or C3X series would be a major step in the right direction for reliability if nothing else, plus a superior tracking volume control that is supposed to track within 1 dB across its range.

Audio Classics now says they're rebuilding original C28 volume controls. So far I haven't learned whether they've been able to improve upon the originals...time will tell.
 
The C28 is a great sounding preamp with a excellent phono section, but they are 50 years old. You have to go into one with your eyes wide open. The have been enough posts highlighting the things that need to be done to get them back up to proper performance. It is easy to see them once the top cover comes off. Buyer beware, do not purchase one unless it has been restored competently or you allow $400-500 for a tech to do it after your purchase. Really the same thought should go into any purchase of any unit that could be considered as "State Of the Art" 40 to 50 years ago.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. The guy with the 2205 and the c28 won't separate so I'm moving on and the search continues. For the money and quality the 4100 might make the most sense for me.
 
The C28 is a great sounding preamp with a excellent phono section, but they are 50 years old. You have to go into one with your eyes wide open. The have been enough posts highlighting the things that need to be done to get them back up to proper performance. It is easy to see them once the top cover comes off. Buyer beware, do not purchase one unless it has been restored competently or you allow $400-500 for a tech to do it after your purchase. Really the same thought should go into any purchase of any unit that could be considered as "State Of the Art" 40 to 50 years ago.
When I partially recapped one for a friend awhile back, I thought I saw a galena crystal and cat's whisker hiding in there.
 
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