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C32 Pre & MR74 Tuner Knobs

MRL_Audio

MRL_Audio

RIP 2022
Question regarding knobs. I purchased a C32 sometime ago. Has the original knobs with the black inserts. The MR74 I am looking at has the original solid silver knobs. What are my choices for donor knobs for the MR74 so that I have matched knobs to the C32? Since the MR74 has significantly less knobs going that route makes the most sense to me. Perhaps I'd be better served to just leave them period correct but mis-matched. Appreciate any advice. Thanks for looking.
 
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If Chris was still here I can only imagine the clucks of disapproval as I received when I did the similar thing recently...:rflmao:

The best tuning knob would be from the MR78/80 and a set of knobs from the MC2205/2200 would look perfect but I can tell you they won't be easy to find.
 
I can appreciate what you're trying to do. In the early 80's I replaced my C28 with a C32. This was part of a system consisting of a 2505 & MR77. The first thing I did was contact McIntosh and purchase all the knobs & end caps needed to convert the 2505 & 77.
Fortunately, they had all this in stock and the result looked great. (@62caddy I thought the same thing about Chris as I was typing this LOL).

I would probably contact all the usual suspects in the restoration world, (Audio Classics, Tom Manley, etc) and see if they have any in stock. Next I would start a diligent daily watch of eBay, watching for units being parted out. Fortunately the quantity you need isn't that great. Good luck.

ps. The MR77, which looks very similar to an MR74, looked phenomenal with the newer styled knobs & end caps. It really gave it an entirely new look, not unlike an MR78.
 
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Your MR 74 sports three different original knobs:

...The Select, Filter and Muting knobs are 043-428
...The Mode and Volume knobs are 044-372
...The Tuning knob is 043-272

The challenge will be to find the right-sized knobs that are also correct for the control shafts - some are Metric and some are American (on the same unit), and they are not interchangeable.

Larry
 
Here's the look you're probably going for.

Appears to have smaller knobs from MC2125/2155 across the bottom with an MR78/80 tuning knob. A single (larger) MC2205/MC2200 knob would be more correct to the original design in which a larger knob was used for the on/off volume control.

To my knowledge all silver knobs were SAE (not metric) but I defer to Larry on that.

1776995-12e8704b-mcintosh-mr74-audiophile-tuner-classic-beautiful-condition-w-original-manuals.jpg
 
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Thanks for that picture. That’s about right net of the larger On/Off knob. Looks pretty good. BTW is knob removal generally easy or should I expect problems?
 
62caddy said:
Here's the look you're probably going for.

Appears to have smaller knobs from MC2125/2155 across the bottom with an MR78/80 tuning knob. A single (larger) MC2205/MC2200 knob would be more correct to the original design in which a larger knob was used for the on/off volume control.

To my knowledge all silver knobs were SAE (not metric) but I defer to Larry on that.

1776995-12e8704b-mcintosh-mr74-audiophile-tuner-classic-beautiful-condition-w-original-manuals.jpg
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That looks nice. The only thing you need to complete the look is the straight styled end caps.
 
damacman said:
And tales of GG not willingly selling new knobs for such "upgrades" ...
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I know, I got "the talk" from Chris, bless his soul. After hearing that from him I was surprised that Mac actually sold me all the parts so willingly.
Not only that, they properly advised me on what specific items I needed for the particular units that I was modifying. I was totally up front with them as to what I was doing.
 
MRL_Audio said:
Thanks for that picture. That’s about right net of the larger On/Off knob. Looks pretty good. BTW is knob removal generally easy or should I expect problems?
Click to expand...

I've never had any problem pulling the knobs with just my fingers, being careful to not put much pressure against the glass.

I have read of others who have had trouble removing the knobs, and some who have cracked the glass trying.
 
I look at Mcintosh items on ebay quite often. A non-scientific summary for the last 5-10 years is that a Mac tuner 73,74,77 already possessing new knobs will show up every 6-12 months. Individual knobs are rarer and cost a mint. If your really smitten by the look you may need to buy another tuner you don't want and switch knobs, then dumping the one you don't want.
 
You are probably right that the gold knobs were all ASE. The difference in the knob types for the MR 74 are due to the diameter. The Mode and Volume knobs are larger than the Select, Filter and Muting knobs.

Larry
 
I went the other way around for much the same reason. I wanted all the knobs consistent between my MC2205, my C26, and my MR74. Since the MC2205 has fewer knobs than the MR74 and C26 combined plus I like the look of the older knobs, I replaced the knobs on the MC2205. I bought them from someone in Montreal who purchased new knobs for his MC2105.

If I were you, I would post an ad in Bartertown and try to find someone else who wants to do similar to what I did.
 
Well I tried to use the knobs from my 2205 on my MR74 just to see if that was what I should be looking for and they didn't fit. That was about five years ago and I still haven't changed it because I don't know which knobs to use.
 
If you look closely you will see I changed the knobs on my MPI-4 and Mc 2505 to match my C-29 and changed the knobs on my MR-77, too. Today the 77 is replaced by a MR-80 and the C-29 by a C-34. I'll look and see if I have any earlier photos.Well I found one with the C-29, but not with the MR-77. Davie O'brien ordered the knobs for me during a Mac Clinic, so I have no record of the part numbers. DSCN1927-07.jpeg DSN_9939.jpeg
 
twiiii said:
If you look closely you will see I changed the knobs on my MPI-4 and Mc 2505 to match my C-29 and changed the knobs on my MR-77, too. Today the 77 is replaced by a MR-80 and the C-29 by a C-34. I'll look and see if I have any earlier photos.Well I found one with the C-29, but not with the MR-77. Davie O'brien ordered the knobs for me during a Mac Clinic, so I have no record of the part numbers. View attachment 1939824 View attachment 1939817
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That's a great looking, and presume great sounding rig.
I'm curious though, my recollection from when I owned an MPI-4 was the knobs matched the C33 & 2155. Are they different for a C-29?
 
mpholland said:
Well I tried to use the knobs from my 2205 on my MR74 just to see if that was what I should be looking for and they didn't fit. That was about five years ago and I still haven't changed it because I don't know which knobs to use.
Click to expand...

Very surprising as MC2205 knobs fit input selector and off/on volume shafts perfectly on an MX113. :dunno:
 
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