MC1000 get the Clinic.

[Velocityboat]

My right channel finally gave up the ghost on its low voltage power supply. The protection light was lit every power cycle until caps charged. I called up my tech in Fort Worth. Time to haul them both in and the 7106. The left amp had been through it back 3 or 4 years ago when I brought it home

I am having Les relamp and recap as needed. I think i will slide them to the XRT20s and have been considering either MC1.2KW or MC1.25kW off the used market.

Should I keep my XR290s driven period perfect or upgrade amps? The XRT20s still loving MC2500s. The XRT20s sound is still nostalgic. Thick and rich down low through the mids. The 290s Love both isoaccoustic isolators and modern cable tweaks. They respond to any tweak in spades digital, analog or cable and LPS power supplies.

I am on the fence. Suggestions and why appreciated on advice from all the sages here?

 

[twiiii]

we talked before and I always chose either the 1201's or 1.2 K as my reference amps when auditioning speakers. Owners who have had older amps say the the 1.2 highs aren't as congested or foggy. There is a clarity thats not present in the earlier how powered amps. I have a prejudice agains the 1.25 that doesn't replace to the sound. Its that ugly cup holder on top of the chassis. Its similar to my aversion to the face plate on the MC 501 on MC 252. Has nothing to do with the sound. You know the 611 puts out over 900 watt peaks and maybe thats a better match that the 1800 watt potential of a 1.25K. I don't want you cooking your valuable 290's. Audio Classics has a pair of MC 3500's if you want to try tube sound.

 

[Velocityboat]

we talked before and I always chose either the 1201's or 1.2 K as my reference amps when auditioning speakers. Owners who have had older amps say the the 1.2 highs aren't as congested or foggy. There is a clarity thats not present in the earlier how powered amps. I have a prejudice agains the 1.25 that doesn't replace to the sound. Its that ugly cup holder on top of the chassis. Its similar to my aversion to the face plate on the MC 501 on MC 252. Has nothing to do with the sound. You know the 611 puts out over 900 watt peaks and maybe thats a better match that the 1800 watt potential of a 1.25K. I don't want you cooking your valuable 290's. Audio Classics has a pair of MC 3500's if you want to try tube sound.

I took all my MC1000s and the MC7106 in to be refreshed together. I tipped the tech to pull equipment forward since shop was packed with equipment from people bored with Covid quarantine . The used prices on 1.2KW and 1.25KW are pretty close. As for blowing the XR290 I would hate to lose a driver. I thought i had lost a mid but it had only had the twist lock mid cabinet connector work loose. The MC901 hybrid amp looks amazing and would be fun to play with driving the mid and tweeter arrays but a bit out of my price range now as would be MC3500s I did speak with a former XR290 owner that had tried 601s, 2301, 1.2KW and 2KW. He never used over 600WPC saying that is woofer rating. I have easily hit 2KW peaks with MC1000 and the protection circuits work they shut down drivers and they all return within a few seconds . I bought all the wiring and conduit this weekend to run 4 dedicated 20amp lines to my system going to complete that and try the MC1000s refreshed. Then if no real change with dedicated power lines all operating on same phase breakers i will sell or slide them to bedroom system.

I read forum reviews of a guy using 1.25KW on his Wilson Chronsonics XVX He loves 1.25s but said by next year there will be next generation 2KWs coming out by McIntosh Those are just to much amp for my space but I bet would be fun. I will have enough dedicated power lines for them if the itch is too great someday.

 

[twiiii]

Yes the 2K's don't even have the latest out put transistors they come from the same period as 1201 as I remember. So they are behind the curve quite a bit. They come from the same period as my 207's. 2005. Wow they are 15 years old in production. Thats a long time. My 207 have been replaced this year, so I am surprised the 2k hasn't been updated. Hold on to your wallets...Maybe when the new 2.5 k come along someone will want to sell their 1.25K and you can make a deal.

I bet you could also get a pair of 2k Speakers for a steal right now, too.

 

[damacman]

I'd be willing to bet that Mc doesn't have enough sales volume to justify a rework of the MC2kw ... they may just keep it in the line until they've exhausted inventory.

 

[Velocityboat]

I'd be willing to bet that Mc doesn't have enough sales volume to justify a rework of the MC2kw ... they may just keep it in the line until they've exhausted inventory.

The post I read he was speaking directly with a factory contact and only one of three boxes was getting revised. The total quantity sold of those amp pairs probably still has never reached a 100. Some years back the former owner of a set had told me when he resold his to an international buyer-it was down in the mid 30s of units sold.

As twiiii mentions trading up to XRT2ks. That is a lot of woofers to squeeze in a room. I would never attempt that without RoomPerfect correction. I am using my Lyngdorf integrated to drive the XR290s. Just for grins I turned off RP even since adding more absorption it still was not enough to rid the boomy bass. Interestingly i liked the curve still in the Lyndorf memory better than the MX150. It tells me the MC1000s must reproduce the bass better. Even running my upgraded Iconoclast XLR and speaker cables Class D amps don’t do what a big McIntosh class AB amp gives you for openness and clarity. Just missing that live band or singer in the room liveliness. Unfortunately I don’t have adapters to use the big 9mm spades or XLRs to hook up a MC2500 but if the amps are in the shop too long I may scare up some of my old ICs and cables and start bridging amps in mono again. I know I am spoiled and would never feel content to downsize. Having all that power at hand simply equates to effortless sound even at low levels. You don’t fathom it until you try it or don’t have it. I even tried an expensive aftermarket huge multi conductor low L, R,C power cord on the Lyngdorf. It improved a bunch but still no cigar.

 

[Velocityboat]

I heard from my tech today. Got a price for recap. All parts straight from McIntosh. I gave him both Monoblocks. He will do frequency based power sweeps to ensure balanced output across frequency bands. I gave him the nod to replace any components failed on one amp on the other amp. Hopefully will stave off similar degradations. Mainly leaking caps, bridge rectifier and drive transistor on B side The 7106 already done.

looking forward to the next 28 years.

 

[Velocityboat]

I brought both back yesterday. They are currently burning in streaming Roon radio continuously. Initial listen was Holy Cow what a difference!

I was surprised that even the 4 big huge storage Caps 2 each amp were showing visual signs of starting to leak.

One of the amps had a drive transistor going flakey and needed a voltage regulator, and bridge rectifier replaced. Also the new lamps did wonders for meter readability. The tone sweeps and power output to maximum rated are right on spec now.

The recap sure gives more bass slam and better low and mid bass articulation. The highs are more delicate yet defined as you can hear the slightest musician emphasis transitions on notes more distinctly and clearly. The singer voice nuances are also more defined and present. I will reevaluate after a few days as the capacitors settle in. I used to not believe in burn in but my DAC changed that opinion.

Once side of me says why did I wait so long to do this. I would not say their overall sound signature has not changed at all but they certainly have better resolution across the board. Plus it is nice to have ground and wall shaking bass back in my system even at low few watt sound levels after using my Lyngdorf integrated for six weeks. Though I gained some respect of Class D amplification it is not what I am accustomed too.

 

[Velocityboat]

While at the tech he had MC207 and a MC602 on the counter. Apparently someone else like myself doing a system tune up.

i mentioned considering upgrading to MC1.2 KW or MC1.25KW. He said another customer had upgraded his MC601 to MC1.2KW and stated a night and day difference. The tech had just went through 601s and had them up for sale.

 

[clinic-audio]

Hello

I was surprised that even the 4 big huge storage Caps 2 each amp were showing visual signs of starting to leak. yes , unfortunately it is easy to see that by watching the bottom cover surface .......

 

[Velocityboat]

Hello

I was surprised that even the 4 big huge storage Caps 2 each amp were showing visual signs of starting to leak. yes , unfortunately it is easy to see that by watching the bottom cover surface .......

Yes but who turns these on their sidez to do this often. It will make me interested in looking at MC2500s.

 

[clinic-audio]

Difficult to say but I think honestly that these capacitors are not so good like in original MC2205 or MC2255 or even MC7270

MC1000 is not so old and it is strange that many did it .

Recently the new serie MA7000 did the same and some even worse because 1 or 2 years after some capacitor flow on the bottom of the unit to the console (under) where they are working on .
Probably a problem coming from the capacitor manufacturer