My first piece of McIntosh gear...A vintage 1900 receiver

[CoreyB]

I've always wanted to own a piece of McIntosh gear, but I just can't afford the newer stuff, so I thought I would try an older piece. I have the 1900 hooked up to a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 225 bookshelf speakers. The sources I'm playing with at the moment include a Music Hall turntable and an old JVC XL-V211 CD Player. This thing sounds pretty sweet. I own several 70s era receivers, including ones made by Sansui, Onkyo, Marantz, and Pioneer, and I think this might just be my favorite. The unit is really clean. It is missing the plastic key on the bass adjustment slider if any of you knows where I could source one. Also, feel free to share your thoughts on the 1900 if you happen to own one. Also, I'm new to the forum, so let me know if I post in the wrong place or something like that and I'll remedy my mistake.

 

[4-2-7]

Well welcome to the mac world and this forum, I'v kinda wanted a 1700 or 1900 myself.

 

[damacman]

The 1900 is a great all around performer and a great way to begin your journey with McIntosh! Congrats!

 

[captouch]

I have a 1900 too. It's not the most detailed receiver I own, as the top seems a little rolled off, but it's very relaxing and pleasant to listen to. Mine's in original condition, so I don't know how much of the sound has to do with the fact that it hasn't been restored. Someday I'll get to it.

Mine's paired with some Yamaha NS-690 II's and a Technics SL-1700 TT.

 

[CoreyB]

I would agree with you there. It has some tube-like characteristics. Overall not the most articulate, but very easy to listen to. Mine has been serviced, some caps replaced, but much of it is original. It does have the common issue among the 1900s of the channel volume being unbalanced until you get to about 10 o'clock on the volume dial. If I wiggle the volume knob, I hear the channel balance change, so I'm pretty sure it's a contact issue in the volume pot, but I can live with it as is.

 

[CohibaJoe]

I've always wanted to own a piece of McIntosh gear, but I just can't afford the newer stuff, so I thought I would try an older piece. I have the 1900 hooked up to a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 225 bookshelf speakers. The sources I'm playing with at the moment include a Music Hall turntable and an old JVC XL-V211 CD Player. This thing sounds pretty sweet. I own several 70s era receivers, including ones made by Sansui, Onkyo, Marantz, and Pioneer, and I think this might just be my favorite. The unit is really clean. It is missing the plastic key on the bass adjustment slider if any of you knows where I could source one. Also, feel free to share your thoughts on the 1900 if you happen to own one. Also, I'm new to the forum, so let me know if I post in the wrong place or something like that and I'll remedy my mistake.

Welcome...I also have/had the Brands from the 70's. I still have Sansui AU-517, Luxman L100u, M2000, Pioneer SPEC and Mac 1900. A Complete Recap should be done (ROE Caps need to go) and Main
Caps replaced will Clean things up. It's a Smooth sounding unit after this work and I will not sell mine. A Very Easy Project to do (If your handy with a Solder Iron) and this form can guild you
on this journey.

So you need a Bass Slider Cap (If your in the US...PM me and I will send this out)..Still have a Parts unit.

 

[Glennis53.]

I would recommend sending to Audio Classics for restoration if you want the best out of your 1900. Maybe they can hook you up with that bass button. I really like my 1900. These units have a known issue with the on/off volume pot going bad. I turn mine on with a power strip to avoid using it. The FM tuner is nice as is the phono stage. I stopped looking for Marantz after using Macs. Mac 4100 is my main system with KEF LS50's.

 

[captouch]

Do you guys have issues with crosstalk? I have a big antenna connected to my 1900, so FM reception is strong.

I can hear FM playing softly when the other inputs are selected. Once I start playing the other source, it drowns out the FM, but it's definitely there in the background.

 

[62caddy]

Do you guys have issues with crosstalk? I have a big antenna connected to my 1900, so FM reception is strong.

I can hear FM playing softly when the other inputs are selected. Once I start playing the other source, it drowns out the FM, but it's definitely there in the background.

I've only had experience with the MAC1500 and MAC4300 (the first and last of the traditional MAC receivers) and neither had this issue however, it's not uncommon with receivers having an "always on" tuner section. I cannot comment whether the MAC1900 is one of them. Sometimes there would be service bulletins addressing operational anomalies of certain models which again I defer to the more knowledgeable McIntosh experts here.

 

[CoreyB]

I would recommend sending to Audio Classics for restoration if you want the best out of your 1900. Maybe they can hook you up with that bass button. I really like my 1900. These units have a known issue with the on/off volume pot going bad. I turn mine on with a power strip to avoid using it. The FM tuner is nice as is the phono stage. I stopped looking for Marantz after using Macs. Mac 4100 is my main system with KEF LS50's.

Is it bad for the unit to use a power strip to turn it on/off with the volume knob already up to 10 or 11 o'clock or is that okay? Might be something I start doing if it doesn't hurt anything.

 

[CoreyB]

Do you guys have issues with crosstalk? I have a big antenna connected to my 1900, so FM reception is strong.

I can hear FM playing softly when the other inputs are selected. Once I start playing the other source, it drowns out the FM, but it's definitely there in the background.

I haven't had any crosstalk issues.

 

[CoreyB]

I've only had experience with the MAC1500 and MAC4300 (the first and last of the traditional MAC receivers) and neither had this issue however, it's not uncommon with receivers having an "always on" tuner section. I cannot comment whether the MAC1900 is one of them. Sometimes there would be service bulletins addressing operational anomalies of certain models which again I defer to the more knowledgeable McIntosh experts here.

I bought this one locally, and I'm liking it so much that I've already started looking at others online haha. Could be the start of financial instability for me.

 

[62caddy]

Is it bad for the unit to use a power strip to turn it on/off with the volume knob already up to 10 or 11 o'clock or is that okay? Might be something I start doing if it doesn't hurt anything.

The only thing that could be damaged is the speakers depending on how loud the "thump" from turn on/off. No damage to the receiver will result however.

 

[CoreyB]

The only other piece in my collection of older amps and receivers that I like as much as this 1900 is a Sansui AU-888. I need to learn how to solder so I can maintain some of these pieces myself.

 

[62caddy]

I bought this one locally, and I'm liking it so much that I've already started looking at others online haha. Could be the start of financial instability for me.

There was a time when I thought a MAC4100 was all the McIntosh I could ever want. Check my signature to see how that worked out. lol

 

[CoreyB]

There was a time when I thought a MAC4100 was all the McIntosh I could ever want. Check my signature to see how that worked out. lol

Wow! The thing that has held me back from jumping into McIntosh gear is my main speakers being Revel F52s. They gobble up tons of power and ask for more. They are very inefficient and often dip below 2 ohms when I push them, so they need tons of clean, capable, power, which is expensive in the McIntosh world. When I first got the F52s home, I tried to run them on any 80w per channel Marantz integrated amplifier, and they sounded awful, not to mention I was afraid to push them at all for fear or burning them up (when I auditioned the F52s I got to hear them hooked up to McIntosh and then Mark Levinson monoblocks, so I knew what they could sound like). Well, long story short, I needed cheap power and it brought me to Emotiva, but I would like to ditch the Emotiva and go to something like a McIntosh MC452 at some point (can't afford a pair of the MC601s). But this is all dreaming. I'm kind of stuck with Emotiva gear in my main system at present because it's power I can afford.

 

[Glennis53.]

Is it bad for the unit to use a power strip to turn it on/off with the volume knob already up to 10 or 11 o'clock or is that okay? Might be something I start doing if it doesn't hurt anything.

Oh yeah. I always check the volume to make sure no one turned it all the way up when I wasn't looking.

 

[CoreyB]

Oh yeah. I always check the volume to make sure no one turned it all the way up when I wasn't looking.

I just tried this out and with the dial at about 10:30, I have zero thump through my speakers when I turn the unit on from a power strip

 

[Glennis53.]

Wow! The thing that has held me back from jumping into McIntosh gear is my main speakers being Revel F52s. They gobble up tons of power and ask for more. They are very inefficient and often dip below 2 ohms when I push them, so they need tons of clean, capable, power, which is expensive in the McIntosh world. When I first got the F52s home, I tried to run them on any 80w per channel Marantz integrated amplifier, and they sounded awful, not to mention I was afraid to push them at all for fear or burning them up (when I auditioned the F52s I got to hear them hooked up to McIntosh and then Mark Levinson monoblocks, so I knew what they could sound like). Well, long story short, I needed cheap power and it brought me to Emotiva, but I would like to ditch the Emotiva and go to something like a McIntosh MC452 at some point (can't afford a pair of the MC601s). But this is all dreaming. I'm kind of stuck with Emotiva gear in my main system at present because it's power I can afford.

The MAC 4100 may meet your needs. Does 100 WPC into 4 ohms. Some on these forums say they can power 3 pairs of 4 ohm speakers simultaneously. I have never tried it though.

 

[62caddy]

I just tried this out and with the dial at about 10:30, I have zero thump through my speakers when I turn the unit on from a power strip

That's fine then. Power strips are often a good idea to spare use of on/off controls on vintage equipment, especially where replacements are unavailable.