Preferences ... MC225 or MC30?

Number 9

Well-Known Member
I have a chance to possibly get an MC225 locally at a good price. However, a lot of people have talked about how great the MC30s are. So debating should I hold off for an MC30 instead. Anyone compare the two?

P.S. My speakers are very effecient Klipschs, so power should not be an issue.
 
My Opinion: MC225 hands down....

I have both , in good condition, with updated bias supplies etc. The MC30's are classic tube sound at the bottom especially. The MC225 is magically extended and holographic. I think , overall, the MC225 is the best tube amp that McIntosh has built in terms of overall balance. I have on hand a Citation II, Marantz 8b too. The MC 225 is the most synergystic with my ESLs in my system.

I was curious about the MC30's but was disapointed with respect to their performance in realtion to the MC225...MC30's nice but MC225 better YMMV and all that.


Kcin
 
Of course the obvious advantage of the 225 is that it's on one chassis. The MC-30 has tube rectification which some (many?) think of as a significant plus. BTW, I don't have a 225 and have never heard one.

Now that the weather's cooled off some, I'm looking forward to hooking up my MC-30's again and giving them a whirl with my C-26 as pre. :yes:

Murray
 
I've had the opportunity to listen to both and prefer (by a small margin) the sound of the 30s over the 225. I think they both sound great, but to me the 30 sounds a little more open and seems to go a bit lower than the 225. My ears just seem to like the 30s better.. :)
 
I am no expert, but I can offer this: one of the local tube hi-fi gurus here has lots of nice equipment but only one Mac piece (at least in regular use): a cute little MC-225 that he got at his local Goodwill (some years ago!) for something like $40. He was using it 'til recently with a pair of EPI 1000's (!) in his kitchen (big kitchen!), now I believe with Cain & Cain Abbeys. The Mac is an adorable little amp and it sounds great, too. Never heard one head to head 'gainst MC-30's, but the 225 is awfully sweet.
 
I would say the differences between the two are more of 7591A vs 6L6. IIRC,
you do jazz on Cornwalls? Probably you would prefer the MC30 in a side by side. It is not that far away from a 300B sound in P.P. configuration really.
If it classical you may prefer the slighty better H.F. detail provided in the
MC225 though.


Carl
 
Here's another vote for the MC225 - to me, the magic of a tube amplifier is in the midrange & highs - something the 225 has in spades!
 
Thanks all for the advice. I gather I can't miss either way.

I got the sense over the last year that more people leaned to the MC30. Perhaps I should have not been so fast to come to that conclusion.

In the end, I think Carl got it pegged. Probably the output tubes have more to do with the tonal character than anything. Some good Westinghouse 7591As in the MC225s or RCA Black Plate 6L6GCs in the MC30 ... both can sound mighty good, but not exactly the same. Rectification ... also can be a variable. I've read that Hexfred fast recovery diodes along with some really good power supply filter caps can be just as good if not better than a tube rectifier (in a simple circuit). I would most likely send it onto Audio Classics or Terry and see what they would recommend to get the best of it.

Hopefully, things will work out for me.
 
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I would opt for the MC225. The MC30 is a nice amp but the MC225 is more refined overall.

Mike
 
I've got both and have restored them with new components. My preference is for the MC-225 but it would be a tough decision on which one I would have to give up. Main reason is that they are a bit more compact, and are a bit more efficient than the MC-30s. The latter is important for me mainly because I run them about 10 hours a day in my home office.

In either case, you'll be quite pleased, I can assure you. BTW, they help reveal flaws further up the audio chain.
 
I have had a 225 for a few months now, which Terry DeWick did upgrades on, and I love it; in fact, because I couldn't make up my mind as to which tube amp I wanted to stick with, I also picked up a 240, again, Terry upgrades, and I'm selling the 240 because I prefer the sound of the 225. That's one of the problems on not being able to have friends close by that have different Mc tube amps so that you can "demo" them, you have to buy them instead.
I'm bi-amping my 225 w/ a 2105 on a pair of Klipsch CF-4's, and I couldn't be happier.
One day I'll have to let go of the 2105 to my buddy after he gets the $$$, 'cause I promised him, but the 225 does the job just the same w/ the CF's, but I'm going to miss that extra bass, maybe? Running the amps through a MX-110 also seems to add more depth over my C-26 also !
 
I had in the past an MC225 and I really loved this amplifier.
The 7591 tubes give you a very tuneful and melodious sound.

Probably not as neutral as the MC240 (6L6), but so charming.

The greatest french reviewer (Jean Hiraga) place the MC225 on the top within all Mc Intosh amplifiers.

JérômeB
www.ls3-5a-forum.com
 
MTY said:
I would opt for the MC225. The MC30 is a nice amp but the MC225 is more refined overall.

Mike

Does the amp a person chooses, reflect the persons character ... :scratch2:

(If so, I'm glad I have both the 225 & the 30s .. :) )
 
Just a quick update. My deal for the MC225 fell through.
Once I saw pics of the thing, it was not in great shape, a lot of pitting.

Its one thing to replace the caps, but totally another to re-chrome, and I'm not brave (or patient) enough to go down that route.

If anyone ever decides to sell their MC225, please keep me in mind.
:pity:
 
Sorry to hear that number9. What about the MC30's? Are they still available? You might want to look into those again. I doubt you would be unhappy with them. I recently got a pair of MC40's which I dearly love, and have read the 30's are supposed to be better. I have Altec 604G's hooked up to my 40's and to me they are awesome.
 
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