My First Mac

[Kasanay]

I just scored my 1st McIntosh gear.
Not sure what to do what I want to do with them.

 

[damacman]

Wow . . . I believe one can purchase reproduction chassis for the MC30, so that would be the first thing I'd look into.

 

[62caddy]

A trio of MC30s isn't a bad way to kick off Mc ownership.

A great restoration project and since the MC30 is so popular, many reproduction parts are available for this model.

Good luck.

 

[Kasanay]

I spent some time with the best-looking one and found a fuse holder that was internally broken. I replaced it and put the amp on my variac. No sparks, no smoke, no stink.
After about an hour ramp up, I hooked up a source and a speaker - sounding good!

 

[Pio1980]

Occasionally check the large can cap for warmth, which may not be good. Smaller elyticaps are almost always depleted, and most paper and oil caps electrically leaky.
The bias supplies also need attention. Not checking most of these points, along with confirming resistor center tolerance values can result in loss of the virtually irreplaceable unity coupled output transformers.

 

[62caddy]

I spent some time with the best-looking one and found a fuse holder that was internally broken. I replaced it and put the amp on my variac. No sparks, no smoke, no stink.
After about an hour ramp up, I hooked up a source and a speaker - sounding good!

To be on the safe side, I would nevertheless recommend having the amplifiers gone through - preferably by a shop familiar with McIntosh.

 

[fredcohiba]

Your first Mac gear? Ha, now your screwed. Once hooked you will want more. Welcome to my hell....

 

[Pio1980]

Two of the amps and something like a refurbed MX-110 on a decent sensible pair of speakers could do you for life.

 

[62caddy]

Two of the amps and something like a refurbed MX-110 on a decent sensible pair of speakers could do you for life.

Yessir.

And the MX110 is conveniently equipped with a MONO output allowing the OP to take advantage of all three MC30s for a stereo system w/ center channel.

All he needs are a pair of Ks + a Cornwall center or any number of fine speakers from Altec, JBL and such.

 

[Kasanay]

Anyone know the difference between a TYPE M-152-B and a TYPE M-152-D Power Transformer?
2 of the amps have the "B" and 1 has the "D".
Also 2 of the chassis have "clipped" corners and one of them has square corners. The two with clipped corners also have a line voltage receptacle built in and the other one does not.

 

[Kasanay]

Yessir.


All he needs are a pair of Ks + a Cornwall center or any number of fine speakers from Altec, JBL and such.

Oh, I got me some speakers......

 

[Kasanay]

Two of the amps and something like a refurbed MX-110 on a decent sensible pair of speakers could do you for life.

I don't see a MX-110 in my future, but I do have these to play with:

Note: the photo of The Fisher is not mine. Mine is missing it's faceplate.

 

[Kasanay]

I was able get one of the rough looking units running. I checked the voltages and most were fairly close to spec. I played it for a short time, at low volume. When I shut it down I noticed that one of the transformers felt a bit warm.
Wondering if this is normal.

Thanks,

 

[damacman]

Oh, I got me some speakers......View attachment 766229

I'll bite - what the heck are those?

 

[Kasanay]

I'll bite - what the heck are those?

They are custom made Bozaks.
They really will not match up well with the MC-30s as the Bozaks are wired to produce a 32 ohm (I have a pair of OTL amps that belong with the Bozaks).
Although, I think I could convert them to 8 ohm with very little re-wiring. Something to think about.

 

[Pio1980]

I thought they might be, I started a thread on another pair of custom Bozak based systems.
I'm guessing the console houses the OTL ststem.

 

[Kasanay]

I thought they might be, I started a thread on another pair of custom Bozak based systems.
I'm guessing the console houses the OTL ststem.

The console contained a tuner, turntable, tape deck, preamps and preamp power supplies(4 chassis). The OTLs and their power supplies (4 additional chassis) were intended to be hidden away in a closet. The system had relays built in so that the OTLs could be powered up from the console.

 

[damacman]

The console contained a tuner, turntable, tape deck, preamps and preamp power supplies(4 chassis). The OTLs and their power supplies (4 additional chassis) were intended to be hidden away in a closet. The system had relays built in so that the OTLs could be powered up from the console.
View attachment 766404

That's WAY COOL!

 

[c_dk]

Just think, for all that effort and expense they could have just stepped up, paid list for a pair of MC3500s.....and be 30 k ahead!

As I understand it Rudy kind of freaked out when RR and Mac started researching speakers and talking to their Bozak/Mac dealers.

 

[Pio1980]

Makes me appreciate the simplicity of the Marantz 8.