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MCS 683-3339R Receiver --decent or junk?

Yitz

Yitz

Noob Music Junkie
I read thru a few threads on here about MCS in general, and how they've got a few gems
and a few turkeys in the line up of their gear.
I get the whole "rebranded for JCPenny" thing...

but I've found one locally and I have no idea what it is.

It's a 683-3339R probably AKA 3339R.

It's a stereo receiver. On the back in says, "120V 60 hz, 210W" and that it's made in Taiwan.

The usual places, like here, and HiFi Engine have absolutely nothing on this amp.
Even finding pix is tricky. I know there's good and bad eras of MCS units...which is this one likely to be?

Anyone know anything about these?
Thank you!
 
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Model number is as mentioned above: 683-3339R, but I'm finding it's sometimes just referred to as a 3339 or 3339R. What doesn't help is that MCS had a cassette deck with the same number as well.
Pix from the only ebay auction I could find--and really, the only decent photos of any 3339R amp that I could find.

MCS 3339R

MCS 3339R

  • Media owner Yitz
  • Date added
Stereo amplifier
MCS 3339R

MCS 3339R

  • Media owner Yitz
  • Date added
stereo amp
MCS 3339R Rear Panel

MCS 3339R Rear Panel

  • Media owner Yitz
  • Date added
stereo amp
 
"It's a 683-3339R"
Technically, if that is on the back of the unit I think it may be the Catalog Number.
I do see the 3339 on the front face plate, that MIGHT be the model number.
Before seeing the pictures I was thinking maybe it was a very early MCS product with no model number, but based on the images added it appears to be maybe 1982-1985 based ONLY on all the push button controls as well as the digital readout.
Odd there is not hardly any info available as far as specs.
With several other MCS receivers, the last two numerals in the model number were the watt per channel rating. I don't know if that is true with this model though.
There are some ebay listings, one of which contains the owners manual and schematics so it seems it was a decent, pretty serious piece of gear.
HifiRob might know more about it, maybe he'll stop by.
 
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That's what I saw too... and the local unit looks identical--tho not nearly as clean.

The 200W number on the back...that's total consumption right? That's not 100WPC x2 correct?
It's more realistically like maybe 60WPC?
 
Yes, that is power consumption (at full blast I think), not wpc.
I can't tell, does yours say 3339R on the face plate? I couldn't make out the R.

The one on ebay with manual and schematic says 3339R on the front of the manual.
 
unfortunately the photos on FB are so unbelievably bad that all I could read was "MCS" and I deduced it was a receiver. From there I just googled "MCS Receiver" and scroll thru the image results till I found the one that looked identical.
The guy doesn't know really what it is--it's an estate bit. I didn't wanna tip my hand if it was a $100 amp for much less...
 
so I found another thread with a nugget from HiFiRob, wherein he says that the Taiwan models were often made by Arvin and the Japanese made receivers were made by NEC.
He goes on to say,
"The 3339R was one model year newer [than the 3338], and had a digital tuner. I have the 2240R, which was a 3339R in a grey cabinet. There just isn't much documentation for the lower, made in Taiwan units that were left out of the yearly MCS catalogs."
Apparently it's a 40 WPC unit, and he added that,
"My 2204R [is] in like new condition - and work great. But....the receiver is a mess inside--not a great design like the NEC made ones were. I also am not impressed with it's performance. These were built to a specific price point, and it shows.
The Japan made units were (in my opinion) just so much better built."

So it looks like it's probably worth passing on, as I already have a Sherwood S-7300 that I really am enjoying, and a Sansui AU-505 that belonged to my grandfather--another amp that I enjoy.
 
I had a hunch Rob would know something about it.
He and MCSguy (not sure he's still active here) are the most knowledgeable AK'ers about MCS products IMO.
 
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