• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

MC75 Reiussed, Did I Made the Right Chioce?

ClaytonD said:
Most people play their music at around 10-20 Watts..
Click to expand...

Not certain I concur there. My Altec 14s are 95 dB sensitive it is rare for peaks to exceed a few watts with generous average listening levels usually occuring around 1/100th to 1/10th of a watt which still produces a satisfying [average] volume. With 105 dB Klipschorns, 1/1000th to 1/50th of a watt would equate to 75 to 90 dB @ 1m which I find is a very natural listening level for most smaller scale music such chamber, piano solo and jazz. Heaven forbid you actually need an entire watt! YMMV.

Until recently, I had "gotten by" with 40 wpc with 90 dB speakers for 20 years - blasting everything from rock to opera without ever knocking a tweeter out, nor wanting for more - and I have the neighbors to prove it! :D Again, YMMV.

Happy New Year. :)
 
re-checked my volume, it was actually at 20%, only a few click on my pre from off, I did not turn my D150 all the way up before.
 
Transparency, MC75 win hands down, Cary 805C have more 3D feeling but Mac are more expansive. Mac have much better bass texture and go much deeper, they handle busy passage much better than 805C but a hair less capable than Sony but unless you play club music, the bass in MC75 is more than enough. I FEEL mac are more effortless but maybe because the 805C is warmer than mac. Imaging, this where MC75 fall short to both Cary and Sony but the Cary have NOS tubes and the 845 are driven by 300B, not really a fair comparison, not to mention the Cary have all upgraded tubes. My nick pick on mC75 with stock tubes are less 3D than I prefer, and the signgers seem to be shorter and stand lower than they should, imagine you are in the theater sit in the 10 to15 th row where sitting position is elevated at a level above the stage. I hope change tubes can fix these. Other tube amps I had all could alter the imaging by tube rolling
 
Last edited:
Tonally, MC75 are between SS and all out tube in a very engaging way, just prefect for British speakers. They might sound little cold for neutral/bright speakers

PS: my ICs are AntiCables 6.2 RCA, this particular model is wonderful, their lesser models always has some shortcomings. they are fairly neutral, just a hair of warmth, or maybe half hair.
 
Last edited:
Ordered a quad Psvane KT88, did not cost much. I really appreciated MC75 on the cost of retube. Also ordered some Holland made 12AX7 to spice things up.
 
Rolled some tubes today, I put a pair of Holland made Amperex 12ax7 in V1, a quad of UK made Mullard ECC81 in V2 and V3 because those are the only good ones I have right now. I really don't know whether is the Amperex or the Mullard, the imaging issue is fixed, and the midrange is also brought forward a little bit as I wished. I am quite happy in this regard. Maybe, I injected too much Mullard into the MC75, they sound little vintage now, quite warm but not muddy, the convergence between notes is more fluid and natural. I lost a little bit of tingle on the top end but extension is about the same and detail is improved with NOS tubes. The leading edge of the bass has rounded off bit with NOS, attack is maintained. Big drum sound very real with excellent decay, but also a little bit slower. I really can't tell with one I prefer in bass performance, perhaps if I have both that would be perfect. Another area is improved, or maybe is over done with NOS is timbre, more relaxed, natural, and dense without losing dynamic, transparence, and engagement.
 
Overall, I am not 100% happy after the first attempt of tube rolling with MC75, but I am happier than with stock small tubes.
 
Another problem, the MC75 is not very forgiving about system setup,maybe due to all the micro details, I can hear all the imperfections in my system, such as my power cables and one of my IC, with Cary 805C, they don't care much
 
Last edited:
mech986 said:
Did you try exchanging the two Mullards in position from V2 and V3? It would be interesting to see if that changes the sound signature.
Click to expand...
I did, but right after that my wife came back home with my two kids, the end......but to be continued
 
I was pretty torn between Gold Lion and Psvane because they both are excellent in their own way. It all came down to my personal reference that I feel the MC75 need some more density and a hair of warmth in MY system. Shuguang Treasure KT88-Z black bottle has similar sound to KT-88TII but took much longer time to run-in. My MC75 took a leap forward after I swapped the power tubes from stock to Psvane KT88-TII, after a month-long research. Up on received the tubes, the wear marks indicated the Psvane KT88-TII had unknown hours of factory burn-in, and sure they sound like it too. They did sound excellent right out of box. I had my amp on for almost 4 days straight, the sound did improve, especially in the first 10 hours. BTW, the small signal tubes did impact the sound of the amp in a positive way from stock small tubes, but the power tubes made much larger improvement.
 
Last edited:
With Psvane KT88-TII, the first thing I notice is the much wider sound stage, and little more depth and little taller. Instrument position and separation are better, there are more things going-on on L+R extreme ends of the sound field. They have very natural and relaxed presentation, but without losing any dynamic, impressive in this regard, and I love it! Psvane KT88-TII sound more dense, and more bass quality and quantity. The sub-bass has more texture and reach that unlike the one-note bass of stock tubes. Another big improvement is timbre, where the stock tubes sound cooler, rough at edges, and sound flat. If both stock tubes and Psvane are metal human sculptures, the stock tubes sounded like the sculpture was ran over by a monster truck, not like cardboard flat but not round and true anymore.
 
Last edited:
The bad part about Psvane KT88-TII are the look, and price. Even the materials used in Psvane KT88-TII are better; for example, much better mica finish and support system, wider and winged plate head shield, more plate areas, and teflon tube base, gold plated and polish tube pins, etc. The gold/orange tube base cover is just plain ugly but lucky the MC75 have recessed tube sockets; otherwise they are really an eyesore. The tubes are not transparent like normal tubes when on unless you look at them in complete darkness.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom