Mc402 Vs. Mc452

Congrats to you on bringing home a destination amp that will give you years of enjoyment:thumbsup:. I agree with the other posters that yes it is deserving of a new rack where those beautiful blue meters are on display.
I'm guessing the 2300 will be heading off to a new home now?
 
A stand is a great idea! Any recommendations?
The Mc2300 will be sold off of to partially finance this acquistion
 
The box for this amp is HUGE! I could stick a boxed Mc2300 inside of it.
Yeah the boxes for the 402 are the same and was the biggest mac box I ever owned and had to store.
I remember setting up my two MC501's. I also remember needing help. Those things are heavy!
While I hate to move the 501s, the 402, 452 and his 2300 are a whole other story.
Weight: (MC 501, 91.5 lbs.,) (MC 402, 110.5 lbs.,) (MC 452, 110 lbs.) (MC 2300 128 lbs)
Adding 20-30 more pounds to already heavy and trying to get it off the floor is another thing. You tend to look at it, all the while talking your self out of moving it.
 
A stand is a great idea! Any recommendations?
Well that depends one how much gear you have and how the room works out. I would like my system low but I have to much so I have to stack it high.

Here in this rack I took the bottom shelf out and put a piece of tile on the carpet then the amp could be slid in and out leaving it on the floor. On the floor is a big +++ for this size amp.
Here I'm installing it.

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Here is when I got my 501s and a c2300, I also had gotten more SOTA tables with more power supplies/pumps. I removed the 402 put the pumps there, and the side racks are strong enough foe the 501s.

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I then decided to put the 402 back into the system and hid the SOTA pumps behind the speakers.

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Looking at this photo, the space and your system I would go low, below the window. It seems to me you have enough room with the gear and space to go double wide, meaning two components side by side and three layers. Power amp on the floor or 1 or 2 inches high. Preamps, DACs, etcetera the second level and the TV and it's box on the top shelf.

What you use is up to you, it can be built wit boards and cinder blocks or something bough. But you have to see what gear need to be there and not.
 
Yeah the boxes for the 402 are the same and was the biggest mac box I ever owned and had to store.

While I hate to move the 501s, the 402, 452 and his 2300 are a whole other story.
Weight: (MC 501, 91.5 lbs.,) (MC 402, 110.5 lbs.,) (MC 452, 110 lbs.) (MC 2300 128 lbs)
Adding 20-30 more pounds to already heavy and trying to get it off the floor is another thing. You tend to look at it, all the while talking your self out of moving it.

I hear ya there; I had some back problems this winter and it was pure hell moving some Mcmonstrosities lol. 129lbs was doable but MC1201's at 147lbs was a real struggle and at 62 I was at my limit moving them alone.
 
A stand is a great idea! Any recommendations?
The Mc2300 will be sold off of to partially finance this acquistion
With all due respect sir I'm thinking almost anything would be better than the cab you have. As 427 mentioned cinder blocks would work temporarily and I agree with keeping things low. A custom built flexi would also be nice till you figure out exactly how you want things.
Great idea on selling the 2300 to partially finance the 452:thumbsup:. I did the same thing myself a few months ago with my 2500's and 2100's to help out with the cost of my MC1201's. The older Mac stuff is nice but the newer Mac is on another plateau and sooooo much nicer in every way imaginable..
 
Yeah the boxes for the 402 are the same and was the biggest mac box I ever owned and had to store.

While I hate to move the 501s, the 402, 452 and his 2300 are a whole other story.
Weight: (MC 501, 91.5 lbs.,) (MC 402, 110.5 lbs.,) (MC 452, 110 lbs.) (MC 2300 128 lbs)
Adding 20-30 more pounds to already heavy and trying to get it off the floor is another thing. You tend to look at it, all the while talking your self out of moving it.

Hence the reason I see sooo many of those components on amp stands vs. in a rack! My location for the MC501's only required a short 2" to get them on the bottom shelf of the Salamander setup.
 
Hence the reason I see sooo many of those components on amp stands vs. in a rack! My location for the MC501's only required a short 2" to get them on the bottom shelf of the Salamander setup.
Yep and going to mono blocks opposed to stereo amps.
 
Maybe something simple like these? I believe they are both by Salamander Designs, but can be made cheaper, DIY,
if you are so inclined.
View attachment 1174386

This is one of the cleanest looking systems I have seen here on AK. Even my wife would give a thumbs up to something like this. I notice though, there is no turntable. :thumbsup:
 
I agree the Salamander shelf systems are good ones. I got both of my Twin 30's when a local audio shop closed it's doors and sold off all of their furnishings.

While not pristine, the two I got were in good condition and the price was something I couldn't ignore.

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I agree the Salamander shelf systems are good ones. I got both of my Twin 30's when a local audio shop closed it's doors and sold off all of their furnishings.

While not pristine, the two I got were in good condition and the price was something I couldn't ignore.

20180402_140244_zpsa85g2uca.jpg
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I will contemplate what to do for display purposes after the new toy settles in :)
 
First impressions: There is a smoothness, and 'silkiness' to the mids that I have finally experienced at 'party Level' volume, (as our friend, Tony might say.) Interestingly enough, the amp doesn't seem to be that loud - ....that is, until I noticed things falling off of the shelves. The first track that I played was the Beatles' 'Savoy Truffle', and I had the power guard lights flickering, and the meters going past the 450 watt mark. Still sounded perfectly clean. Didn't even stress my Cerwin Vega (Don't laugh) XLS-215's.(read reviews on these speakers)
The amp seemed to become too warm too fast. I shut it down, and changed to the 4 ohm taps. (Speakers are 6 ohm) Seems to be running cooler now. I'm going to leave the amp run for about 3-4 days straight (Mostly at idle) to accelerate any possible break-in.
I'm going to sit in from of this beast for the rest of today, and enjoy myself!
 
By the way, you guys have some very, very impressive systems!
This Mc452 will probably forever be the flagship of my shoestring budget for the rest of my days.
Without the guidance, and advice of the members here, I likely would've never had experienced this level of enjoyment in a sound system! :thumbsup: Owning a brand new Mcintosh amp was a dream (Going back to the late '60's) that I thought would never be realized. :angel:
 
I also have to thank the folks at Audio Classics!
They gently persuaded me into considering a brand new amp, and made the deal financially viable for me. :smoke:
 
This is one of the cleanest looking systems I have seen here on AK. Even my wife would give a thumbs up to something like this. I notice though, there is no turntable. :thumbsup:
I do have an old Pioneer direct drive turntable that I will soon add to the system.
 
This is one of the cleanest looking systems I have seen here on AK. Even my wife would give a thumbs up to something like this. I notice though, there is no turntable. :thumbsup:
By the way, you guys have some very, very impressive systems!
Just to be clear, those aren't my systems. I just threw up a couple of photos, off of the internet, of stands I thought might work for the OP's situation.
 
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