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Mac Amplifier Binding Posts

S

salm

Well-Known Member
Do the McIntosh amplifier binding posts drive anyone else besides me crazy? I have two sets of speakers that I rotate in and out of my system periodically. My Magnepan 3.6Rs are 4 ohms while my Harbeths are 8 ohms, so when I switch them I also have to switch the taps the speaker cables are attached to. The binding posts are really close together. And with thick spades like on MIT or Tara cables it's very difficult to get enough torque to securely tighten the connection since the raised "grip" area isn't substantial enough. I find myself using pliers and covering them with a cloth, and hoping I don't mangle the connector. I can't see this as a good thing long term. And even with no spade in a given binding post they aren't the smoothest machined threads I've ever come across. Not like the plastic covered WBT's or the giant wingnut-like posts on some other brands. Anyone else have similar issues? Anyone replaced the stock binding posts with WBT or Cardas or anything else?

Sal
 
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salm said:
Do the McIntosh amplifier binding posts drive anyone else besides me crazy? Anyone else have similar issues? Anyone replaced the stock binding posts with WBT or Cardas or anything else?

Sal
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Well, I replaced my spades with bananas (WBT) for exactly this reason. :yes:

howie
 
howiebrou said:
Well, I replaced my spades with bananas (WBT) for exactly this reason. :yes:

howie
Click to expand...

I was hoping to avoid going that route. I'm using bananas on the speaker end with the Maggies, which I'm comfortable with because the speakers have set screws to lock the bananas in place. Have you had any issues with the bananas loosening over time at the amp end? Nice thing about the Tara cables is they have screww in terminations, so you can swap between spades and bananas pretty easily.
 
heres what Ive got to on my maggies and 7300's, at least you have binding posts and not the barrier strip... what are you doing on your maggies with your spades Salm?

picture in this thread
 
exracer said:
heres what Ive got to on my maggies and 7300's, at least you have binding posts and not the barrier strip... what are you doing on your maggies with your spades Salm?

picture in this thread
Click to expand...

I use the Magnepan spade to banana adapters with my MIT cables, they're similar to the adapters you show in your photo except they use screw down barrier-strip type connectors for the spade connection. I got them from the dealer when I bought the speakers. Looking at your pic though, your adapters look much higher quality. I mostly use the Tara cables now and they have bananas on the speaker end. Based on the threads I've seen, looks like I need to call them and get another set of bananas for the amplifier ends too. Either that or find a service tech locally who can install some WBT binding posts on the amp.
 
salm said:
I was hoping to avoid going that route. I'm using bananas on the speaker end with the Maggies, which I'm comfortable with because the speakers have set screws to lock the bananas in place. Have you had any issues with the bananas loosening over time at the amp end? Nice thing about the Tara cables is they have screww in terminations, so you can swap between spades and bananas pretty easily.
Click to expand...

Salm,

I use locking WBT bananas. They have a central spike that locks the banana in place so you can not pull it out. They have remained firmly plugged in since I started using them. I highly recommend them. To pull them out, simply loosen the end (the red and black bit) and voila!

http://www.wbt.de/index.php?id=96&backPID=96&tt_products=114

WBT-0645-gr_03.jpg


howie
 
Are you sure you REALLY want some tech installing non mac binding posts on your amp? if so you should know that in doing so you will kill the resale value of the amp.

Mod's to Mac gear always lower the value of the unit.
 
panhead said:
Mod's to Mac gear always lower the value of the unit.
Click to expand...

yeah, that's what I was thinking...

and now we're at it, is there a spade (or anything else that's not bare wire) that fits on the old screw type Mcintosh binding posts? I was thinking of getting WBT's but they seem to be pretty big...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.
 
panhead said:
Are you sure you REALLY want some tech installing non mac binding posts on your amp? if so you should know that in doing so you will kill the resale value of the amp.

Mod's to Mac gear always lower the value of the unit.
Click to expand...

Ok, so what's more of a resale killer, stripped and mangled "high quality" Mac factory terminations or totally functional WBT aftermarket ones? Give me a break, putting new binding posts on an amp isn't exactly high skilled labor. And if need be I could always put the factory ones back on for resale to someone who would actually care about such a thing. I think you're focusing on style over substance in this case. Let's face it, the factory binding posts are crap given the money that Mac gear costs. Apparently I'm not alone in that conclusion.
 
salm said:
Ok, so what's more of a resale killer, stripped and mangled "high quality" Mac factory terminations or totally functional WBT aftermarket ones? Give me a break, putting new binding posts on an amp isn't exactly high skilled labor. And if need be I could always put the factory ones back on for resale to someone who would actually care about such a thing. I think you're focusing on style over substance in this case. Let's face it, the factory binding posts are crap given the money that Mac gear costs. Apparently I'm not alone in that conclusion.
Click to expand...

Its your amp not mine,all i was pointing out is that in every case ive saw mod's to Mac gear do lower resale value,as far as focusing on "style over substance" thats exactly what i was thinking about modding a perfectly good amp to fit esoteric wires.

I'm not an anti wire guy but it would seem to me the better move would be to reterminate the wires to fit the amp,not mod an amp to fit aftermarket wires.
 
salm said:
Let's face it, the factory binding posts are crap given the money that Mac gear costs. Apparently I'm not alone in that conclusion.
Click to expand...

This statement is inaccurate at best,all Mac amps new or old have above adequate terminals that are designed to do the intended job & they do it perfectly.
 
panhead said:
This statement is inaccurate at best,all Mac amps new or old have above adequate terminals that are designed to do the intended job & they do it perfectly.
Click to expand...

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't feel Mac provides anything more than marginally adequate binding posts. By comparison take a look at Krell, Levinson, or Boulder, to name just a few, and you'll see what I mean. There are mechanically and electrically better and far more ergonomic terminations available. As for old Mac amps, you don't really want to stand by your statement above concerning those old spring loaded contraptions that were on amps of the MA6200 vintage, do you?
 
panhead said:
Its your amp not mine,all i was pointing out is that in every case ive saw mod's to Mac gear do lower resale value,as far as focusing on "style over substance" thats exactly what i was thinking about modding a perfectly good amp to fit esoteric wires.

I'm not an anti wire guy but it would seem to me the better move would be to reterminate the wires to fit the amp,not mod an amp to fit aftermarket wires.
Click to expand...

Nothing esoteric about Tara or MIT, unless you believe in only zip wire.
 
basite said:
yeah, that's what I was thinking...

and now we're at it, is there a spade (or anything else that's not bare wire) that fits on the old screw type Mcintosh binding posts? I was thinking of getting WBT's but they seem to be pretty big...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.
Click to expand...

yes, they are called forks. check out this old thread thanks to NSGarch
 
salm said:
Do the McIntosh amplifier binding posts drive anyone else besides me crazy? I have two sets of speakers that I rotate in and out of my system periodically. My Magnepan 3.6Rs are 4 ohms while my Harbeths are 8 ohms, so when I switch them I also have to switch the taps the speaker cables are attached to. The binding posts are really close together. And with thick spades like on MIT or Tara cables it's very difficult to get enough torque to securely tighten the connection since the raised "grip" area isn't substantial enough. I find myself using pliers and covering them with a cloth, and hoping I don't mangle the connector. I can't see this as a good thing long term. And even with no spade in a given binding post they aren't the smoothest machined threads I've ever come across. Not like the plastic covered WBT's or the giant wingnut-like posts on some other brands. Anyone else have similar issues? Anyone replaced the stock binding posts with WBT or Cardas or anything else?

Sal
Click to expand...

Sal, I 1000% agree with you. The Mac binding posts are absolute **** and without a doubt the 2nd worst binding posts I have ever used.

I too change around amps and stuff like that and trying to finger tighten those stupid brass binding posts and to get them tight is nigh on impossible. I use transparent cable with nice thick spades, and using spade to banana connectors does not maintain the same sound.
I am listening to a pair of Levinson 436's and they have nice wing shaped binding posts which are easy as pie to tighten.

I am dreading hooking up my Mac 2102's again.
 
I think they are a PITA. They should be machined to function more smoothly, and be finished to reduce the amount of flash plating that causes them to bind.

I nice dab of D-Ox-it in a gel form would be a nice touch before shipping.
 
1. I agree, the [modern] binding posts on Mac amps could have used a little more thought, but let's be fair -- McIntosh amplifiers, whether SS or valve, have what? 4 binding posts per channel? Sometimes they just run out of real estate :yes:
2. And I agree, it's bad for resale to mod the old style barrier strips, but the same goes for custom terminating expensive speaker cables -- which is why I came up with the solution I did. Or there's also the "Outpost" from Prelude Audio http://www.preludeaudio.com/mcintosh-accessories.html
3. If you are willing to reterminate your speaker cable (the best solution sonically, let's face it) then I recommend these great Cardas milled spades: http://www.cardas.com/content.php?a...tring=Spades+(closeup)&content_id=1&part_id=9
 
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