McIntosh Addition - Another meal?

[Shawn Empey]

Hi All, need a hand on deciding what to add to the system in the way of new or vintage mac gear

Here is where I am at. I love what I'm eating, but some nights I want a nice Italian plate of food. Preamp is a MX135 (Pure Stereo Mode) and MC611 Monoblocks. Great DAC and Great TT. I mostly listen to jazz, blues, vocal and the odd hip hop 90's on the TT. Speakers are custom build and sound like a stacked pair of quad esl's running about 95db efficient

I am eyeing a couple of routes, and open to other options

1) New C22MK5 with a pair of refreshed MC60's from Audio Classics
2) All in on a MC2000
3) C22MK5 with a MC1502
4) All in on a C1100 or the new C12000 Preamp

I've heard the sonics of the MC60s are more preferred for the tube rectifier. Are you folks seeing what I am trying to do? I've tried to be open to other brands, but looks get me hung up a bit. I've looked and borrowed some vintage gear from CJ to Melos and even some mexing mingda monoblocks modified to the lampinzator way. I've got zero interest in selling or trading in the MC611's those are the forever pieces, like the next ones.

Ideas?

 

[twiiii]

I't ll depends on the qualities of your loud speakers as to which direction you go. I had owned MC 60's back in the 60's but preferred my MC 240's and then my MC 275's. If money didn't matter And I wanted tubes I would choose MC 3500's. They are with out a doubt the best tube amp MAC ever built till and hopefully we hear the new MK II version. It doesn't matter if you play them at 1 watt 35 watts or with peaks approaching 500 watts. If the speakers can handle it the 3500 is the best. Better than a MC 2000 ever thought of being, though its a great amp. I'll never go back to tubes, been there done that and installed systems with 3500's and used them for large PA jobs. Nothing sounds like a 3500. I should have bought 4 when I had the chance, but maintaining them would have been very costly. I am not fond of Tube pre-amps either they tend to be to warm and blooming for me just like the other power amps. But if thats the sound you are after I would get the previous C-22 with all the switching capabilities. I am using my Mode selector all the time and stereo reverse is a requirement. But I also like graphic tone controls, so I'll stick with my C-34 V. The phono section is significantly quieter than the C-12000 as I use a MP 100. I don't like warm fuzzy sound with either my 50 year old Concert Grands with Celestion super tweeters or MY XRT 28 Mac line arrays. I would stick with what you have for now and add a MEN 220 to voice your speakers accurately for your listening space. Then once that's done then if you want to play games you can after you have listened to your system for 90 days or more. Your room is your worse enemy, you need to make it the best itcan be before playing games with electronics.

 

[Shawn Empey]

I't ll depends on the qualities of your loud speakers as to which direction you go. I had owned MC 60's back in the 60's but preferred my MC 240's and then my MC 275's. If money didn't matter And I wanted tubes I would choose MC 3500's. They are with out a doubt the best tube amp MAC ever built till and hopefully we hear the new MK II version. It doesn't matter if you play them at 1 watt 35 watts or with peaks approaching 500 watts. If the speakers can handle it the 3500 is the best. Better than a MC 2000 ever thought of being, though its a great amp. I'll never go back to tubes, been there done that and installed systems with 3500's and used them for large PA jobs. Nothing sounds like a 3500. I should have bought 4 when I had the chance, but maintaining them would have been very costly. I am not fond of Tube pre-amps either they tend to be to warm and blooming for me just like the other power amps. But if thats the sound you are after I would get the previous C-22 with all the switching capabilities. I am using my Mode selector all the time and stereo reverse is a requirement. But I also like graphic tone controls, so I'll stick with my C-34 V. The phono section is significantly quieter than the C-12000 as I use a MP 100. I don't like warm fuzzy sound with either my 50 year old Concert Grands with Celestion super tweeters or MY XRT 28 Mac line arrays. I would stick with what you have for now and add a MEN 220 to voice your speakers accurately for your listening space. Then once that's done then if you want to play games you can after you have listened to your system for 90 days or more. Your room is your worse enemy, you need to make it the best itcan be before playing games with electronics.

Appreciate the advice, but the MC3500's are in another cost range. Room acoustics wise. I've had a dealer come and setup a MEN for a fun night. I had no favorable gains that it was worth spending that money on. I am lucky with the room I have and am beyond happy with the space for my speakers. Again, the point is I REALLY like my setup, but want a second flavor from time to time

 

[SaturationPt]

My choice would be (is) a vintage pair of MC75s for amps (or an MC275 if you prefer). I’m not a tube-rectifier lover, it’s a debate I won’t get in to though. If you really want the tube rectifier of course the MC60 would be where you go. If the MC75s aren’t enough power (~100W) then you could run a pair of MC275s in mono.

For preamp, I really have no love for vintage preamps, all of the switches and pots just (IMO) add noise and maintenance. Which preamp of course depends on whether you want balanced outs to use with your 611s, whether you want a built-in DAC, and of course whether you want tubes vs SS. Personally I’d start by integrating the tube amplifier(s) with your MX135 and sources to see what you like or dislike about the sound, then maybe move upstream to make one major change at a time.

I like to swap amps in/out of my system much more than anything else, I feel that speakers make the biggest change and amplifiers the second biggest.

 

[Shawn Empey]

My choice would be (is) a vintage pair of MC75s for amps (or an MC275 if you prefer). I’m not a tube-rectifier lover, it’s a debate I won’t get in to though. If you really want the tube rectifier of course the MC60 would be where you go. If the MC75s aren’t enough power (~100W) then you could run a pair of MC275s in mono.

For preamp, I really have no love for vintage preamps, all of the switches and pots just (IMO) add noise and maintenance. Which preamp of course depends on whether you want balanced outs to use with your 611s, whether you want a built-in DAC, and of course whether you want tubes vs SS. Personally I’d start by integrating the tube amplifier(s) with your MX135 and sources to see what you like or dislike about the sound, then maybe move upstream to make one major change at a time.

I like to swap amps in/out of my system much more than anything else, I feel that speakers make the biggest change and amplifiers the second biggest.

Thanks for the reply, I've read lots of your thoughtful replies in many threads. I will take some time to read up on the rectifier angle. I don't have a particular allegiance to the MC60, MC75 would be fine. Though, I am a sucker for two mono amps, so may be the 275's are worth considering. Yes on the Pre. Not unhappy with it, and have had a couple come and go (with tubes too) and the MX135 has stayed in place. I suspect that a C1000/1100 would be the only thing to give me enough of a sonic upgrade, even compared to a modern C22. The vintage amps may be the best place to start and piece up from there if needed, like you said.

 

[damacman]

The C1100 would likely be the biggest sonic improvement of what you've listed ... you may never turn the MX135 on again ...

 

[perryinva]

Not a helpful replay here, this is all way out of my league. But I have a question. Are those amps sitting directly on a rug? So no air gets to the gear from underneath? How can anyone vacuum close to them without risking damage?

 

[SaturationPt]

The 611s in the cabinets are the ones he’s running, looks like the ones on the floor are display.

I do love the MC611.

 

[Shawn Empey]

Not a helpful replay here, this is all way out of my league. But I have a question. Are those amps sitting directly on a rug? So no air gets to the gear from underneath? How can anyone vacuum close to them without risking damage?

Those were there only over christmas after I rebuilt them. They are apart of the garage setup now

 

[Shawn Empey]

The 611s in the cabinets are the ones he’s running, looks like the ones on the floor are display.

I do love the MC611.

The cabinets are about 80 years old. No glass on the front doors and I've cut a space on the underside for air flow. Amps are perfect for airflow in this setup. When I saw them I and a real hunch they would fit nicely. I used a hole saw and the power, xlr and trigger cables are run in the back.

 

[SaturationPt]

Those really are perfect cabinets for the 611s, especially now that you’ve provided them with the intake and exhaust that they need, I like your style.

I’m back to my old-school 19” equipment rack with tube amps on other surfaces, have always struggled to make my system look proper as I share the space with a TV and its surround system so I envy your setup. Maybe my next upgrade should be moving into the workout/game room, 13x25 isn’t an optimum shape but, ... I’ll leave room for the elliptical!