Easier Finding a White Rhino

The speakers look practically new. There's no doubt they saw little or no relocation once originally installed. Amazing how well the surrounds survived.

I like Ron's MEN220 suggestion as well. Truly a reference system if ever there was one.
 
The speakers look practically new. There's no doubt they saw little or no relocation once originally installed. Amazing how well the surrounds survived.

I like Ron's MEN220 suggestion as well. Truly a reference system if ever there was one.

The C-100 sounds good also as a pairing.

Thanks to C_dk, I spent some time discussing these XR290s with Ken H., who makes and markets the IDS-25 design, on the phone and he owned a set for years. He sold his set of XR290s off to South Korea and runs IDS-25 exclusively now, but still had lot's of praise for XR290. He ran his with MC1000s, MC1201s, and MC2KWs in a listening room my size. He also said they were superb with MC3501. Also stated I should be able to get by without MQ107 or Room Perfect on XR290.

He has had XRT20s too. We also discussed my stack and gave me some talk on XRT20. He said you can get perfect flat reponse to 20 Hz if the room has thick carpeting five feet back from the 8 inch mid. This may be way to go placing XRT20 in bedroom and repurpose XR19. The XR290 will go to 15 Hz in spades. Great knowledge and a great guy! We are going to connect and listen to the IDS-25s on my next trip to MI. He gave me some some valuable XR290 disassembly and shipping tips. Also said he still runs the HT3s and MC7104 and advice on placement of HT3s. I will be able to drive my pool system with extra MC106 channels if I use HT3s. this will allow XR5s to be repurposed.

Lots of fun decisions.
 
Wow! Those don't look like oak, though. They look like walnut or mahogany. They don't have the pronounced grain of oak. Again, wow!!!
 
Wow! Those don't look like oak, though. They look like walnut or mahogany. They don't have the pronounced grain of oak. Again, wow!!!

Thanks. I guess I will sort out when I pick up.
Well original finish choises were:

Prices were as follows:
Oak or walnut $24,950
Rosewood lacquer finish $34,950
Black polyester gloss $44,950
Rosewood polyester gloss finish $54,950
 
I finally just got home from picking up this haul. 7.5 hours of packing and loading and 5 hours of driving. The system sounded way better than I imagined. Drove the system at a steady 100 WPC with 200 peaks feading a pandora source. It was nothing short of amazing.

However ran into one issue. Moving speaker out from wall while playing left channel died. I needed to move it toget my ear close toe hear all tweeters. Troubleshooting revealed the speaker wires were loose. I suspect they shorted possibly or were shorting in wall. Swamping MC1000 amp to right channel was a no go and powerguard lamp stayed illuminated.

My only choice besides bailing on the amps was a significant discount that will cover the repair. Which the seller agreed. The circuit breaker on amp never popped. There were no electronic burnt component smells. Everything on amp worked perfectly up to the dropped channel. Totally related I believe to moving speaker and wires.

Is there anything else I can check? Otherwise planning on dropping with my McIntosh tech at Fort Worth audio on Tuesday. Overall this is still a fabulous one of a kind purchase. Not looking forward to moving stuff off the uhaul tomorrow. But no pain no gain
 
I'd be interested to hear what the amp does when you power it up tomorrow. Either way, it sounds as if the seller was gracious here - that easily could have been different.

I've personally never shorted the output of a McIntosh amplifier while it was playing but you would think the protection circuitry would be designed to permit this without damage to the amplifier. Hmmm ...

Congratulations again and keep us posted!
 
Glad to hear they met and exceeded your expectations:thumbsup: I'd also be interested in hearing how the pg circuit handled a short. Hopefully you'll get lucky and it won't be much if anything at all.
 
I'd be interested to hear what the amp does when you power it up tomorrow. Either way, it sounds as if the seller was gracious here - that easily could have been different.

I've personally never shorted the output of a McIntosh amplifier while it was playing but you would think the protection circuitry would be designed to permit this without damage to the amplifier. Hmmm ...

Congratulations again and keep us posted!
Thanks again.

I currently have both amps strapped..........I know what you're thinking............to the floor board of my SUV with tie downs for transport though since I lacked boxes custom boxes. But was already thinking of Dave B's inverted polarity yplug for bridginf MC2000s for his subwoofer. If I only had another pair for bridged MC1000s. I could have MC2KW power equivalents capable of 8000 watt peaks. But you know where stacking speakers led me.......


Back to reality. My wife is thinking like you that it may power up fine today. All the same I will power up In the SUV first looking for a Powerguard lamp. First time back has been sore hauling McIntosh and I do not relish an extra in and out lift if avoidable. The sellers were gracious and wanted equipment going to some one who would enjoy it like their father. There was still other stray audio equipment there including a mint pair of late seventy or 80si Vintage brown grilled JBLs they probably weighed 125 lbs each. I thought about asking for those but I had no room left to haul stuff and had used all my moving blankets. As it was had to strap dolly to front of the U haul trailer.

I had not seen so much waterford crystal, naked lady statues and crystal chandeliers in one house before. A 100 grand piano behind XR290s and a wall that opened to a spa that was sized like a swimming pool with fountains and more naked lady statues. Listening to XR290s surrounded by naked women. Yeah that guy worked hard and played harder. Then their was a bat cave off his bedroom with secret wall. Quite the opulent bachelor pad.
 
Last edited:
Glad to hear they met and exceeded your expectations:thumbsup: I'd also be interested in hearing how the pg circuit handled a short. Hopefully you'll get lucky and it won't be much if anything at all.

Yes I hope it is a simple internal fuse at the most. I have tipped the tech to turn stuff fast before and he does. The last time I dropped an MC2500 off for a tune up it came back sounding superb.
 
IMG_0004.JPG IMG_0005.JPG Attached are photos during my reassembly,thought I would share for the XR290 curious. I was able to unload and reassemble myself without help. The uprighting was the only part I got help with for fear unit may rock forward.

One can see the connection and rhreaded rod that pulls halves together. In addition how cabinet has areas for shared air movement and foam sealing of joint. This feature must provide the incredible bass. I was able to plaace bottom and top on furniture dollies and roll together, then torque the rod bolts. IMG_0006.JPG
 
Thanks for posting pics of those incredible speakers. I can imagine you must be getting anxious to hear them in their new setting.
 
Thanks for posting pics of those incredible speakers. I can imagine you must be getting anxious to hear them in their new setting.

Yes indeed MS,
I started a new XR290 listening impression thread. I had to fire these up once assembled. Though system quickly pieced together and less than optimal placement.
 
VB, that's an absolutely crazy awesome setup! If you need that XLR cable-bridging info, I can send you a diagram. You're gonna need all the wattage you can muster!

Dave
 
The 290s and 250/s have a totally different surround foam material from earlier XR and XRT models. They are not supposed to fail with time. They also have an advanced woofer mounting scheme to reduce enclosure resonances. The only thing they don't have are the low distortion midranges the XRT 28 and 30 have. But I prefer the tonal balance of the 290. I understand Carl who developed the LD woofers and helped Roger with the 290 design has just retired from Mac. Maybe some one will be hired and a new line of speakers will become available. I've always wanted Mac to bring Roger back for a new line of more affordable high performance speakers.
 
VB, that's an absolutely crazy awesome setup! If you need that XLR cable-bridging info, I can send you a diagram. You're gonna need all the wattage you can muster!

Dave
If I ever bridge MC1000s it will be a next year project unless two more MC1000s dop in my lap.
 
The 290s and 250/s have a totally different surround foam material from earlier XR and XRT models. They are not supposed to fail with time. They also have an advanced woofer mounting scheme to reduce enclosure resonances. The only thing they don't have are the low distortion midranges the XRT 28 and 30 have. But I prefer the tonal balance of the 290. I understand Carl who developed the LD woofers and helped Roger with the 290 design has just retired from Mac. Maybe some one will be hired and a new line of speakers will become available. I've always wanted Mac to bring Roger back for a new line of more affordable high performance speakers.
That explains why surrounds look like new. Did Did carl use same copper shield to make low distortion mids?
 
Back
Top Bottom