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Considering MC275 - opinions please!

P

phheld

New Member
Hi folks. Very happy MC2125/C42 owner, sourced by my Mac Mini server/DAC, Oppo BDP83SE and Rega P25 sources.

I am using well broken in B&W 703s with appropriate cabling all around.

Of course, upgradous nervosa is setting in.

Can any friends comment or offer opinions of the match they have heard between the MC275 (it would be one, not two in mono) and the B&W 703's - specifically?

I have my set up sounding very good, to me, but tubes may be calling. Local unit, decent pricing, etc.

Thoughts please, Paul
 
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If local, then suggest you try in your system before deciding. The MC275MkIV & MkV are great amps. But so is the MC2125. Especially if you've recapped it with modern devices ($100, at most). Really liked my MC275MkV, but simply not enough power for my new speakers.
 
Hi Paul,

having both MC2125 AND 275, I really prefer the 275 (the "early" 60s Version). In fact, it's so much more Music and Soul out of the 275 I am considering selling the MC2125.

Never heard any re-issue, but they are generally considered worse than the originial 275's.

Best, Robert.

P.S.: Speakers are JBL Ti5000, and if You don't want to tear down walls, they work fine with the 275.
 
RobertBauer said:
Never heard any re-issue, but they are generally considered worse than the originial 275's.
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This is the exact opposite of what my ears told me when I compared new with old, as well as everything I've read in a couple of forums. With one of us on each side, the OP will want to do more research.
 
the 275 came and went quickly...

another is available elsewhere in Canada at the moment, a mint 275 Mk V with an extra set of desirable tubes. I definitely will not have a demo opportunity so I will have to decide on faith. The key is the synergy with the 703's, which I haven't got any insights on yet...thanks guys...
 
I would say if you can afford it, go for it! The 703s *seem* sensitive enough, and as long as you don't need jet-engine volume and/or have a huge room, the ~90Wpc the (newer) 275 actually puts out should be plenty!

You can make some of the money back selling the 2125 ... :thmbsp: and being able to tweak the sound to taste with different tubes is a lot of fun. :music:

I have read elsewhere that using a SS pre and tube amp is 'the way to go' to get the best sound. The idea is that the low-level signals are amplified using the lowest noise (pre)amp, then the glorious tube magic is imparted by the amp. Of course, I haven't followed this philosophy, but will always wonder ... :scratch2:
 
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As you may know, the B&Ws are somewhat 'tube unfriendly' as they have lowish sensitivity and the impedance curve is (likely) complex (I have not seen a curve, only the description in the link below).

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1193699184&openfrom&2&4#2

discusses this a bit, but the 'authors' do seem to indicate that >75Wpc should be sufficient to drive these.

Probably comes down to the speakers' impedance curve interacting with the tube amp (which could tweak the frequency response a bit compared to the SS 2125 amp).

I see the C42 has an 8-band EQ! Well, there you go! I bet a little tweaking on the controls would (hopefully) make up for these effects ...

Edit: Huh! I see the 2125's damping factor is only "14 or greater" which is likely the same or less than the new 275 (IS the same !!!). So there may not be (at least not different) effects on frequency response between the two amp/speaker interactions.

Bottom line: GO FOR IT !!!! (IMHO, of course!)
 
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RobertBauer said:
Never heard any re-issue, but they are generally considered worse than the originial 275's.
Click to expand...

This is the 1st time I've heard that take. :scratch2: The original is very collectible and sells for thousands in great condition, but the 275 V has improvements in the circuit design that affect the sound in a positive manner... at least according to everyone I know.
 
sure it depends on the condition of the vintage MC275; if You re-cap / re-tube a vintage MC275, it would be a fair shootout.

Just heard bad things about the first two re-issue series, like tube sockets de-soldering from the PCB. Should gone better with mk4, then.

Anyway, the new versions all do have PCBs which suffer from the heat and get cracks over time, that's what I heard from the guys here in Germany who repaired some of the re-issues.

(look: http://amp8.com/vv-amp/mcintosh/jpeg/mc275-27.jpg)

The "vintage" or original MC275 is for most of circuit direct-wired, which makes them internally look vintage but is a great advantage in servicing. Anyway, they will increase in value... will the re-issue?

Just my 2 cents,

RB
 
RobertBauer said:
sure it depends on the condition of the vintage MC275; if You re-cap / re-tube a vintage MC275, it would be a fair shootout.

Just heard bad things about the first two re-issue series, like tube sockets de-soldering from the PCB. Should gone better with mk4, then.

Anyway, the new versions all do have PCBs which suffer from the heat and get cracks over time, that's what I heard from the guys here in Germany who repaired some of the re-issues.

(look: http://amp8.com/vv-amp/mcintosh/jpeg/mc275-27.jpg)

The "vintage" or original MC275 is for most of circuit direct-wired, which makes them internally look vintage but is a great advantage in servicing. Anyway, they will increase in value... will the re-issue?

Just my 2 cents,

RB
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Don't think you could ever 'fairly' compare an original with the newer MkIV/V. They are very different animals with very different execution and transformers, etc. While rated the same, the newer models put out more power, etc.

Am also surprised to read abouit the tubes socket issues. There were so few of the re-issue MC275s (MKII/III) made that it surprises me that enough could have made their way to Germany to get anything like a representative sample. I've been an MC275 (until this past summer) for over three years and read quite a bit of feedback on this and other forums and have never read that. If true, wonder if it might have been a result of early 'lead-free' solder issues that EC required.

As someone else stated, unless you spend too much on an MC275MkV (or IV) you will always get your money back if it doesn't work for your 703s.
 
Having owned all versions and currently using an original and a MKV there is no issue with 'cracking' circuit boards in any MC275 model. As far as a tube socket becoming unsoldered that is rubbish. There could be a unit with a bad solder joint but this is not a common problem. The military spec circuit boards McIntosh uses do not crack.
An original MKI MC275 will perform much like the current model if it is maintained, recapped and all resistors are of the proper value.
The GG reissue and following MKIII do make slightly less power but will do 75 watts per channel and sound very nice.

Thanks,
Ron-C
 
Just buy a new 275 and be happy for a very long time. Or should I say, someones new one that they are selling and save some dough. There seems to be later models for sale lately and it's probably people who heard that 275s were the best, don't really listen to music, and had them in their second home that they are now losing. Get the 275 and don't look back.
 
Yes, gently used in this case. Thinking very hard about pulling the trigger. I'm not sure I can give up the 2125's Blue Eyes however....:D
 
dumb question...

Do you have to bias the 275 manually or does it auto bias? If manual, is this typically something one would do oneself? thx
 
Auto-bias on all McIntosh tube gear. Put in the tubes, connect the cables, turn it on and listen to some great sound.
 
MX117.MC7150 said:
Auto-bias on all McIntosh tube gear. Put in the tubes, connect the cables, turn it on and listen to some great sound.
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Not so -- however, Mr. Listener is a very knowledgeable audiophile, so I'm sure it's just a typo :D) Nevertheless, it should read "Fixed-bias on all McIntosh tube gear."
 
nsgarch said:
Not so -- however, Mr. Listener is a very knowledgeable audiophile, so I'm sure it's just a typo :D) Nevertheless, it should read "Fixed-bias on all McIntosh tube gear."
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Absolutely correct. My error in terms. But....... that 'very knowledgeable' description is scary. :)
 
Get the MC275, and hold onto your wallet because after doing some tube rolling you will want to buy another one.
 
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