C34V with CR7 remote control- restore or trade/sell for newer model

[Couldbfishin]

I bought a couple of months ago a C34V preamp with external remote control and a MCD7000 CD player.

I just recently purchased a MC452 amp.

When I hooked it all up, planning to use the preamp and CD player, I noticed the sound was not very clear. So, I switched the C34V out and started using a Adcom GTP-500. Not a top of the line, but a respectable little preamp. It sounds much better. So, I am left with the assumption it is time to consider a recap/rebuild of the 30 years old preamp.

Which leads me to my question. Is it better to have the C34V rebuilt, as well as the CR7 remote control, or to trade both in/or sell both, and buy a newer model preamp. The C49 I think was recommended by AC. They have some NOS.

I have not heard the C34 at its best. And, I have not heard any later model preamps. I have a vintage C20 (1958-59 I believe).

I do find an internal remote control with handset very convenient. So that is a small plus for buying a newer model preamp, but not a decision maker.

What do you think? Which sounds the best in your opinion, and please state why?

As for the MCD7000, is it worth restoring. It still plays so the laser system is still working. It just skips or gets stuck on a track and I have to advance to the next song. I am tempted to update to a newer CD player.



Both the C34 and the MCD 7000 have nice Walnut cabinets and look real nice. See the photos.

Thanks.

Couldbfishin
Houston, TX

 

[c_dk]

I would hook up the CR7 on its own to the amp with a tuner and cd player for the source. If it is still noisy and you try a different cd player your c34 needs service.

Alternately hook up the C34 directly to the amp, cd player plus a alternative into two of the many line level inputs and test it.

Simplify the path into the amp first before you try to judge what is at fault.

I myself would ditch the remote control until I sorted out your speaker issues so that I could use the 5 band EQ to explore the speakers midrange and treble and learn how the variable loudness effects the bass as it is rolled from neutral at full counter clockwise to +16 dB in the bass at full clockwise.

 

[Couldbfishin]

Thanks C-DK, glad you followed the conversation from the other thread.
I believe I have done what you suggested.
I have not used the remote at all. I don't have complete wiring instructions for it yet. I only have "temporary" instructions issued by McIntosh when this remote control was purchased new in the late 80's.

When I heard the distorted sound, I substituted the Adcom preamp for the C34 and that cleared the sound up. The MCD7000 skips a little infrequently, but sounds fine. So, I know that was not the source of the problem. I did however substitute another multi CD player that I use for testing and knew it worked. The same goes for the Adcom preamp. It is one I use to test tube amps and I use it often enough to feel confident it is not the problem.

Like you say, I am concluding the C34 is due a restoration. Since Terry has been so busy I was considering using AC. I have not had them do repairs before.

So, to the original question. Keep the C34 and have it repaired, or trade/sell it and get something else?

What do you think?

 

[c_dk]

The C34 needs a bench test and repair if it truly distorting.

Once the problem is found and corrected you might choose to have it restored but a restoarion without a bench test and repair just does not make much sense.

The CR7 was designed to be a zone preamp with remote control. It allowed us to add a seperate zone to a Mac system in a different part of the house and have remote control over the CD and tuner.

You can use it a basic preamp w/o phono, EQ or loudness by simply hooking up a tuner and cd into it. Then directly to the amp. There is a owners manual in the Akdatabase.

 

[Couldbfishin]

Thanks again c_dk, as usual good advice. I will look in the database now for the operators manual.

Any recommendations on where to send the C34V for the bench test? I guess Terry DeWick is still off for the summer, and I know he will have a lot of work to do when he returns. My local Mac guy is losing his eyesight and he just moved a couple hours drive away. I could send it to AC. I have not used them before. In general, I try not to use shops that also may be interested in buying the piece I send to them, or in selling me a replacement. I have not had AC do repairs before so I am not saying anything against them. I just consider what people might be motivated to do. I like an alignment of motivations of all parties whenever possible.

Thanks again.

Oh, and one question if you have the time. Would you please look for my thread in the speakers forum? It is about AR2ax speakers. I was moving mine to the MBR to make room for the 452 and preamp/CD in the study. I have been running he AR2ax for several years on a Bang and Olufsen Beosystem 5500. When I set it up in the MBR and turned it on, it sounded terrible like the volume was turned way up. I immediately turned it down, but it still sounds terrible. I turned the power off immediately. I had accidently reversed the polarity of the wire connections. I corrected that and powered it back up, and it still sounds terrible. Nothing familiar sounding to me. Just a lot of distortion. Any idea what I might have done to cause that damage? I plan to substitute some other speakers today to check to see if it is the B&O receiver, or if the problem is with the speakers. It may or may not be the reversed polarity. I don't want to make the assumption it is. Pictures are on that thread. Both the speakers and the B&O system were working beautifully prior to moving the gear. And, I didn't drop anything. I was very careful in handling it.
Thanks.

 

[62caddy]

Being partial to this series of preamplifiers, I would get the C34 serviced if it's verified the problem lies there. It will also be far less expensive than changing out preamplifiers.

My preferred method of connecting the CR7 is via a set of tape output/input jacks rather than McIntosh's recommendation that the CR7 be inserted between the preamplifier and the main amp. Not only will this enable the CR7 to be switched in/out of the system as desired, this method is also necessary for the preamplifier tone controls to have influence over the signal of any sources connected at the CR7 - as I have done in either of my systems, both of which have a CR7.

It also enables the switching among various sources via remote which comes in handy, say for listening to another source during commercial interruptions when listening to FM or TV.

 

[c_dk]

Even if your known local tech is no longer able to do board level repair work can he still do a bench test? Save you a lot of shipping cost if it turns out to just need a cleaning of the loudness pot.

I can not believe in Houston there is no Mac capable tech......

 

[geespot]

Call Absolute Sound Labs in MN. Been doing McIntosh since '64, authorized service center.

 

[GD70]

The C34V is a fabulous preamp. I love mine and it sounds great. To me, worth having it checked and restored if all else failsand it is in fact the source of the distortion.

 

[twiiii]

A restored C-34 is very nice. But its not as lean as the newer pre-amps. But it has the flexibility none of the newer pre-amps have. So if you are into analog at all and don't need a MC input, restore the C-34. If you want a remote look for a C-40. The MCD 7000 is totally obsolete. I would want some thing more current. A MCD500 or if thats out of the budget a MVP 861, they are both great CD SACD players and the 861 will play the rare DVD-A and other formats the MCD 500 won't. The smooth expansive staging and depth of both units is so much superior to the 7000. Distortion is much lower and the signal to noise is better, too. Because I do a lot of analog and recording the new pre-amps aren't flexible enough for me. Yes a current C-22 would work but I am not into tubes. I gave up on 275's, C-22 and MR 71 back in the 70's and have not regretted one moment. I will admit with the right speaker a new little 275 is great, but if I had wanted tubes I would have 4 MC 3500's and would still have SS everything else..

 

[Couldbfishin]

I boxed up the C34V and the CR-7 this evening and plan to send them to Audio Classics tomorrow. The service manager said they could restore the C34V to the original specs, and the price was agreeable. Not sure how I will use the CR-7 yet, but I do like having a remote control with the C34V, so it was worth the cost to restore it so that I have a remote control..

The MCD7000 works right now, so I will use it until it dies. The remote control that came with it doesn't work, so I may invest in a replacement in hopes that solves the problem. AC told me none of the parts are available for the MCD 7000 and they recommended that I not spend any more money on it. So, that advice seems unanimous.

I will watch for one of the Mac CD players recommended. Are Mac CD players superior to the other brands? Are there other good quality CD players on the market? Are there any quality multi-CD players? I have two Arcam CD-RW decks that I bought to record CDs. I am about to start recording my father's jazz 78's, from the 20's primarily, onto CD so that he doesn't have to take all the 78's with him as they move into a smaller place. HiFidelity wasn't the key when I bought the Arcam decks. I just wanted something well constructed and dependable at a good price. But I am curious how those would compare to one of the Mac CD decks. If the MCD 7000 dies soon, then I may use one of the ARCAM decks in its place until I can find a good deal on another deck.

Back to a question several of you have asked, am I digital or analog? I am primarily into analog. I play LPs and have several MoFi rereleases, and record them onto either cassette or RTR tape, then listen to those. I also have CDs, and some sound good (MoFi) and some don't. I will play those that do sound good. So, I think the C34V will suit me if it comes back sounding as good as your preamps do.

I have to admit it was tempting to buy the C47, and know it will sound good when it arrives. I am betting that AC can make this C34 sound like it did when it was new.

I will keep you all posted. Or as we say down here, keep ya'll posted.

Thanks again.

 

[Couldbfishin]

As an update..

Audio Classics did a fantastic job restoring both the C34V pre-amp and the CR-7 remote/monitor amp. They said the C34 had a bad resistor and some loose soldered connections, but was otherwise in very good shape. They said it was restored to factory specifications and sounded and looked beautiful.

When AC returned the C34 and CR-7, they did in fact brand new, with one exception. Unfortunately UPS had punctured a hole through both the outer and inner boxes, and pushed in slightly one side of the C34V pre-amp. Since I wasn't sure if any internal damage had been done to the pre-amp on impact, I called AC.

AC was apologetic and arranged to have UPS pick the pre-amp up, and return it AC. They bought from McIntosh a new side piece for my (1987 I think) C34, which I was surprised they had in stock. AC is also doing another bench test to check for damage and will repair anything necessary to bring it back to specifications.

They will ship it back to me in the next week or so.

I am guessing that a UPS forklift driver was in a hurry and not paying attention to what he/she was doing. The holes in the shipping boxes looked about the width and height of a small fork lift blade. So, keep in mind how they are handling our delicate and sometimes vintage, and sometimes irreplaceable audio equipment.

The pre-amp was insured and UPS will pay for any repairs that are necessary.

Below are photos I took of the damage to the outer and inner boxes. The inner box was right up against the side of my C34.

The downside to this is that I waited 3-4 weeks for repairs and shipping, and then had to send it back for another 2-3 weeks. I am anxious to get it back and use it.

I will be using the C34 preamp, with remote control supplied by the CR-7 unit and its hand held remote; a MC452 amp; and the MCD7000 CD player. I have a Tascam Professional CD-RW 750 for recording to CDs as well as playback and it has a remote control and a nice headphone monitor amp; as well as Denon DP-45F and DP-47F automated turntables. I have a Nakamichi RX-202 cassette deck and a Technic RT1500 reel to reel for recording on tape. Everything has been restored, with the exception of the Denon DP-47F turntable, which I just purchased.

So, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this and other threads where I asked for help deciding on the amp to buy, and if I should keep the C34 and rebuild it, or buy a newer pre-amp. The MCD7000 is the first Mac CD player, but it has not been used much and still plays well. I will keep it for now, replace it if and when it gives out on me. I also will use the Tascam for CDs.

Thanks again,
Couldbfishin

 

[Mike Gibson]

For multi disc CD players I have a MCD-205 which is a 5 disc changer. It has good reviews and is the best sounding player I have owned. I have/had several higher end players and the Mac beats them all for SQ.

 

[TSmith8605]

An amazing comparison between a company who take pride in the quality of their service and a company that does not give a flying f#&k. (The inconsistent use of pronouns in the previous sentence is deliberate.)

 

[Couldbfishin]

Thanks Mike G. for the recommendation on the MCD-205. I will watch for a good deal on one while using the 7000. I do like having a multi-disc changer at times. If they are dependable and quiet.

And Terry, good to hear from you. I totally agree with your comment. I had a AKer retip a Denon DL-301 MKII cartridge for me. He shipped it back by USPS. I will attach a photo of the box as it arrived today. Fortunately the cartridge looks to be ok. I will try it this weekend. But, I find the damage to the box amusing because of all of the FRAGILE stickers on it. Sometimes I think someone specifically targets boxes with FRAGILE stickers on them.

Couldbfishin
Houston

 

[ETLS]

Fragile is a word that in shipping, means batting practice.