Considering a mono setup and I have questions...

Flatwounds

Well-Known Member
Greetings all!

I have been happily enjoying my mc225 and 2100 biamp system but low and behold, an mc30/c8 combo popped up locally. I am considering it.

Here are my questions;
Can I connect stereo components (stereo reel to reel) to the preamp via y cable - Stereo male rca to male mono? How would the stereo channels play through the mono preamp and amp? Would they be summed,or one side only? I have never done this so I don't know.
My plan would be to get a mono turntable and enjoy mono records but I do have some stereo components that I would like to connect and be able to use with a mono setup. Pardon my ignorance.

Also, could I wire two speakers in parallel? + to + - to - ? Would this be better at the amp or from speaker to speaker? The speakers are 8 ohm and identical to each other They are old (1964) Jensen.

I appreciate any advice you may have.

Thanks!
 
Greetings all!

I have been happily enjoying my mc225 and 2100 biamp system but low and behold, an mc30/c8 combo popped up locally. I am considering it.

Here are my questions;
Can I connect stereo components (stereo reel to reel) to the preamp via y cable - Stereo male rca to male mono? How would the stereo channels play through the mono preamp and amp? Would they be summed,or one side only? I have never done this so I don't know.
My plan would be to get a mono turntable and enjoy mono records but I do have some stereo components that I would like to connect and be able to use with a mono setup. Pardon my ignorance.

Also, could I wire two speakers in parallel? + to + - to - ? Would this be better at the amp or from speaker to speaker? The speakers are 8 ohm and identical to each other They are old (1964) Jensen.

I appreciate any advice you may have.

Thanks!

Outputs from the tape machine could be ruined if summed in that manner. The speakers can be run in parallel at the 4 ohm tap of the MC30, no problem there.

Chances are the equipment is going to need work to bring it all up to snuff - possibly up to $1,000 for both units is not out of the question.
 
You need to properly sum the outputs, you can do this with a couple of resistors, google passive output summing.
When you sum outputs you can cause damage, and the way the two outputs interact with each other can produce some rather odd results.
Also summing increases levels, which what the resistors are for as well as separating the two outputs electrically.
 
Outputs from the tape machine could be ruined if summed in that manner. The speakers can be run in parallel at the 4 ohm tap of the MC30, no problem there.

Chances are the equipment is going to need work to bring it all up to snuff - possibly up to $1,000 for both units is not out of the question.
Thank you. I've got to put my thinking cap on.
 
You need to properly sum the outputs, you can do this with a couple of resistors, google passive output summing.
When you sum outputs you can cause damage, and the way the two outputs interact with each other can produce some rather odd results.
Also summing increases levels, which what the resistors are for as well as separating the two outputs electrically.
So, it is possible. It just has to be done correctly, electrically to avoid damage. Am I understanding you correctly? Thanks for your advice.
 
Basically, I'm trying to decide if I can run in mono, if the price is right on these pieces, and then eventually get another mc30 and run in stereo. Kind of a long term project. Thanks everyone for your advice.
 
Could always add the C8S to the C8 and an MC30 for a true late '50s stereo system. McIntosh made the C8S to help facilitate the transition to stereo without having to replace the C8 outright. Of course service/repair costs will be deeper still.

Personally I think a C11 would be the better way to go which will not be much more after all's said and done - and will have better desirability than a pair of C8s.
 
C8 is a dandy piece with the EQ network flexibility needed for pre-RIAA era record (especially 78s) EQ standardization.
The MC30 is a pretty decent amplifier, too.

This was a Klipsch recommendation for a "sum to mono" line-level box to create a center channel for a "three channel" Klipsch speaker array for home hifi. (The OP can ignore the L and R channels, of course). Also not that this particular implementation has a level control to adjust the center channel to mate with the L & R.
EDIT: I posted the speaker level rather than line level box by mistake, see the RANE box below.

See also the famous Rane white paper (apparently updated) at:
http://www.rane.com/note109.html
 
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C8 is a dandy piece with the EQ network flexibility needed for pre-RIAA era record (especially 78s) EQ standardization.
The MC30 is a pretty decent amplifier, too.

This was a Klipsch recommendation for a "sum to mono" line-level box to create a center channel for a "three channel" Klipsch speaker array for home hifi. (The OP can ignore the L and R channels, of course). Also not that this particular implementation has a level control to adjust the center channel to mate with the L & R.

klipsch%20doh%20line%20level%20mono by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

See also the famous Rane white paper (apparently updated) at:
http://www.rane.com/note109.html

EDIT: FWIW, I wouldn't expect any even half-way well designed and implemented line-level stereo outputs (e.g., on a tape deck) to be damaged by paralleling them (i.e., using a simple Y cable) into an appropriate load (e.g., preamp line-level input). Not that it's a best practice -- but it's a pretty darned solution to a problem that sometimes pops up.
 
Could always add the C8S to the C8 and an MC30 for a true late '50s stereo system. McIntosh made the C8S to help facilitate the transition to stereo without having to replace the C8 outright. Of course service/repair costs will be deeper still.

Personally I think a C11 would be the better way to go which will not be much more after all's said and done - and will have better desirability than a pair of C8s.

I agree with this completely, I think the C11 works wonderfully with the mc30s, especially since I'm now running this setup... forgive the crappy cellphone pic

tPChzLP.jpg
 
Could always add the C8S to the C8 and an MC30 for a true late '50s stereo system. McIntosh made the C8S to help facilitate the transition to stereo without having to replace the C8 outright. Of course service/repair costs will be deeper still.

Personally I think a C11 would be the better way to go which will not be much more after all's said and done - and will have better desirability than a pair of C8s.
Im on the fence. Seller wants a grand which is a good deal.
 
Im on the fence. Seller wants a grand which is a good deal.

Fair price if cosmetics are reasonably good but remember an MC30 will be a good $500 to restore, excluding tubes. I can't say for the C8 but I would think similar. If marginal cosmetics, I would probably pass.
 
Fair price if cosmetics are reasonably good but remember an MC30 will be a good $500 to restore, excluding tubes. I can't say for the C8 but I would think similar. If marginal cosmetics, I would probably pass.
The cosmetics are 9 out of 10. We agreed on a slightly lower price.
 
C8 is a dandy piece with the EQ network flexibility needed for pre-RIAA era record (especially 78s) EQ standardization.
The MC30 is a pretty decent amplifier, too.

This was a Klipsch recommendation for a "sum to mono" line-level box to create a center channel for a "three channel" Klipsch speaker array for home hifi. (The OP can ignore the L and R channels, of course). Also not that this particular implementation has a level control to adjust the center channel to mate with the L & R.

klipsch%20doh%20line%20level%20mono by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

See also the famous Rane white paper (apparently updated) at:
http://www.rane.com/note109.html

This Klipsch combining circuit is designed to combine "Speaker Outputs of Stereo Receiver or Amplifier" which is completely different than combining the L + R line-level outputs of a tuner or CD player. This circuit it not applicable to the OP's situation.
 
This Klipsch combining circuit is designed to combine "Speaker Outputs of Stereo Receiver or Amplifier" which is completely different than combining the L + R line-level outputs of a tuner or CD player. This circuit it not applicable to the OP's situation.
Oops, I pasted the wrong one; good catch.
I'll just refer him to the Rane doc, then.
 
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