I do not understand this back magic, or should I say McMagic concerning primary wiring. There is only power switch, fuse, 2 thermal cutouts and 2 varistors in 2105 and 2125 primary side... even switch supresssion cap is missing. If these can not be scaled for 230 VAC operation... I should be on electronics for dummies forum.
Actually my only concern should be if I can trust markings on transformer, that has schematic with dual primary printed on cover, as you say that also single primary power transformers have been used? It is bad thing if I will find that transformer with dual primary schematic on case appears to have only single 117VAC primary.
Best Regards
Kimmo
There is no black magic as stated......I am not sure why you are saying that...
The issue as I see it, is that you'll get away with doing a conversion on your amplifier as the older amplifiers are actually easy.....
BUT then when you decide you want to buy something like a C32 or similar, then the conversion is not straight forward, and without the service information you will damage the unit....
The reason the information is not readily available, and not in the user manual, is because McIntosh are trying to protect their local dealers.
They do not want you buying units cheap from somewhere else in the world and bypassing your local dealer for a bargain.
Now, this really is only relevant when everything is new of course, so in the case of a MC2105 etc etc they probably don't care now because they have a whole new market to protect....
But the people holding this information signed contracts stating they will not share the information, and Patrice (clinic-audio) is a man who stands by the agreement he made, he is a man of integrity...
I am sure if you try hard enough you could find the information.....
In my opinion, there are good and bad sides to this.....the good side is that you have the full support of McIntosh with warranties and such, buy from overseas and then need factory support? Forget it!!
The Bad side is, and you'll know this living where you do, is that if you live outside the US, it is very limited in terms of what you can buy from a dealer if you can even find one.....In New Zealand there is a store who advertises McIntosh like they are a dealer, but when you go in there to buy something or ask if they can get something in, they say they are unable to buy stock at the moment?? or there's a new shipment (which never seems to turn up)....Ridiculous...(although, they did happen to have a MC452 when I wanted one, not sure how they got it, AND I have no warranty with it either)
I don't know, maybe it is different in Europe......
What they do now (since 2012) is make the units region specific, so the units made in the USA are 120V only, they cannot be converted.
This, to protect their local dealers, well thats great apart form the fact the dealer network is non existent in this part of the world, so guys like me who want to buy new McIntosh cannot actually buy it because there is no dealer here, and what is McIntosh doing about it?
Nothing I'll bet.....
I tried to buy from Australia, but the dealer wouldn't sell to me because of dealer rules stating they cannot sell outside their area...
So what am I supposed to do??? I want to buy McIntosh, but because of their dealer rules and trying to protect the dealers, they are actually losing customers in this part of the world....
A friend of mine wanted to buy a MC207 and a MX151, but there's nowhere to buy one except the USA, and the voltage cannot be changed, he doesn't want a 120V unit.....Or Australia, but they won't sell to him.....ARRRGGGG!!!!
So now he is going to buy something else.....
I think its a stupid system McIntosh are running, in my opinion.....
So when I bought my C48 and MEN220, I had to buy from the USA, and have to put up with 120V units, second hand, no warranty, and limited resale, guys down here don't want 120V units, the first question asked when you are trying to sell these things down here is "has it been converted to 230V?"...
I have a stepdown transformer, and I am not that bothered about the units being 120V, but I would rather they weren't.....
I'll bet I'll never know when firmware and software updates are available, I am stuck with the way the unit is now....
I complained to McIntosh about the dealer situation here, and never heard back form them.....Maybe they feel market down here is so small its not worth it...
BUT, I know a lot of HIFI nuts that love my system and want to buy Mc but can't....
I really wish Mc would do something about this......
Now,.I will ask the stupid question: If you need 220-240volts, why not just by a stepdown inverter to reduced the higher voltage to that which is optimal for the Mc. This is a very common practice and likely safer, easier to find and less expensive than going the route you are thinking with less chance of catastrophic results?
Its not a stupid question, this is exactly how I run my C48 and MEN220....I have a step down transformer....
It is a pain in the ass having to do this though, transformer hum, and the dirty big horrible transformer sitting on the floor..but I have no other option.....Its like American cars here....
And remember, NO factory support should something go wrong....I doubt I would have any support from McIntosh with my MC452 because I bought it from a store which wasn't actually an authorised dealer.....I know they weren't a dealer because they had no idea how to put the MC452 back in the box, I had to show them!!! Ridiculous!!
If I want to sell these units to upgrade or whatever, they are really hard to sell because guys here don't want 120V units....its the first question asked....
Just like American cars here being left hand drive...the first thing you look for is the car being converted to right hand drive....
Left hand drive cars are very difficult to sell here.....
Anyway, thats my take on the situation.......
